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20th July, 2016

Window treatments are more often than not, one of the last items to be considered on the check list. Whether you choose curtains, sheers, shutters or blinds, these are an investment and from a décor perspective, can complete a room.

Curtains are not only decorative, but offer functionality by adding a layer of insulation and reducing energy use, as well as dampening sound. Curtains can be installed in layers, soften the look and feel of an entire space, frame the view or alternatively hide the view.

When opting for new curtains be sure to get advice on the style, length and width, fabric, colour and pattern, and curtain hanging systems to ensure that your new curtains will complement your interior space and furniture.

13th July, 2016

Buying and choosing art does not need to be a daunting process. Take the time to do your research and get advice from gallery / art dealers and interior designers, especially if you are looking to add an investment piece to your collection. But in saying that, art does not always need to be an investment piece. It simply needs to resonate with you and you need to love it.

Take into consideration your interior space, your décor style and furniture colours. Size is an import...ant consideration as the art piece needs to complement the space. A large piece will create a presence and make a statement, whereas small to medium pieces can tell a story and fill a vast space.

Artwork brings life, personality and a certain charm to any home and comes in many forms and styles from photography, fine art, antiques, sculpture pieces, 3D art to abstract paintings.

Keep in mind when selecting new pieces, art is a personal choice. It needs to speak to you and drawn you in.

6th July, 2016

Trends can be quite fickle, popular today and regretted tomorrow.

Trends come and go and the secret to surviving trends and future proofing your renovation is in the planning. Take into consideration your space and future needs for you and your family. Babies to toddlers to teenagers, they all have different priorities and require separate spaces.

For example, open plan living is great when the kids are small and need to be seen, but as they become teenagers they or you may need separate spaces to retreat to. Ideally you need to prioritise function in your design and planning.

From minimalism to metallic to pastel colour palettes, style is individual and unique to each. Opt for a balance of colours, furniture and materials to complement your unique style.

If you are susceptible to trends and have a variety of themes adorning your home consider working with an interior designer to guide you through the trends that may or may not cohesively suit your home and personal style. This is especially important when it comes to renovating and purchasing key pieces of furniture. Wherever possible choose quality finishes and furnishings that will withstand the passing trends year after year while still allowing you to add those decorative trends here and there.

Some quiver when past trends resurface again. Wallpaper was one of those trends that was unpopular for some time. Some of those 80s designs were truly cringe worthy. But now wallpaper is making its comeback, appearing in stylish homes all over, and in amazing designs and colours. The trick is to know how, when and where to incorporate anything trendy

6th July, 2016

Trends can be quite fickle, popular today and regretted tomorrow.

Trends come and go and the secret to surviving trends and future proofing your renovation is in the planning. Take into consideration your space and future needs for you and your family. Babies to toddlers to teenagers, they all have different priorities and require separate spaces.

For example, open plan living is great when the kids are small and need to be seen, but as they become teenagers they or you may need separate spaces to retreat to. Ideally you need to prioritise function in your design and planning.

From minimalism to metallic to pastel colour palettes, style is individual and unique to each. Opt for a balance of colours, furniture and materials to complement your unique style.

If you are susceptible to trends and have a variety of themes adorning your home consider working with an interior designer to guide you through the trends that may or may not cohesively suit your home and personal style. This is especially important when it comes to renovating and purchasing key pieces of furniture. Wherever possible choose quality finishes and furnishings that will withstand the passing trends year after year while still allowing you to add those decorative trends here and there.

Some quiver when past trends resurface again. Wallpaper was one of those trends that was unpopular for some time. Some of those 80s designs were truly cringe worthy. But now wallpaper is making its comeback, appearing in stylish homes all over, and in amazing designs and colours. The trick is to know how, when and where to incorporate anything trendy

11th May, 2016

An emerging design and decor trend that is likely to dominate our design and decorating this year, is the return to nature for materials and inspiration with the use of timber, marble, leather, and natural fibres. The warm textures and earthy tones of these natural materials are making an impression on our design trends, adding personality and subtle elegance to our neutral interiors.

We are all becoming more and more aware of our environment and of the products we use as seen with the increased trend towards organic and renewable products and materials that are durable. Warwick have recently launched their new nature inspired “Naturally Warwick” collection, perfect for Autumn with warm, cosy and down-to-earth shades.

Using natural materials in your interior design and décor has many advantages:

- A timeless interior style

- Adding warmth and texture to neutral interiors

- Investing in quality products

- On trend interior design with the use of green materials

Before you start your next renovation or interior project, consider getting back to nature. Not only an emerging interior design trend for 2016 but a trend that we feel is here to stay.

5th May, 2016

Both fabric and leather materials have come a long way in design and quality. There are benefits and disadvantages to both and before deciding on your sofa material, you need to consider your personal style, the style of your furniture as well as the overall design of your home.

The Emme Designs preference is most certainly always fabric. It is softer in look and feel and creates a warm and inviting style whereas leather in contrast can be stark and cold. Leather needs a little more TLC with regular moisturising to keep the leather soft.

Fabric sofas tend to have a stain resistant finish making their cleaning easier and

depending on the quality of the material, fabrics will have different lifespans before they succumb to wear and tear and the higher the quality of the fabric and Martindale Rub, the longer the lifespan.

Good quality leather has its place, depending on your décor and the style you are trying to achieve in your home. Leather could be an option for a minimalist and highly contemporary design style.

Our key considerations for a fabric sofa include:

• Ensure your sofa is an investment piece with longevity by keeping to neutral designs.
• For sofas that will be regularly used, avoid natural fibres.
• Polyester fabrics are hardy as they generally have a heavy domestic or commercial grading.
• The higher the Martindale Rub Test count the more durable the fabric will be.
• Consider the weave of the fabric. For a contemporary look use a refined weave and for a casual look consider a chunky weave.
• Keep patterns and colourful fabrics for armchairs.

15th March, 2016

Welcome to the colour palette of Grey.

The new addition to the neutrals of contemporary design. It is an immensely versatile colour option, rejuvenating your home and it is sure to complement your existing décor.

We love our neutrals and naturals as they mimic the colours of the earth and create a sense of balance and reliability. Neutrals are practical and unlike other hues, neutrals work not by inciting a physical reaction but by awakening our sense of stability and peace.

Grey is associated with stone, minerals and metals and despite it’s industrial overtones, greys can enhance an architectural space as it brings about a sense of serenity, strength and longevity.

TIPS:

• Grey can create either a neutral, industrial, elegant or sophisticated interior design style.
• Grey as a backdrop works perfectly with vibrant colours as well as the current trend of pastels.
• Combine Grey with contrasting and rich textures such as warm copper, timber, crystal, antique silver mirrors and deep pile luxury floor rugs.
• Grey works exceptionally well in kitchens, especially when paired with white marble and timber flooring.
• To make a space feel much larger, use black against grey. The black will recede and the grey will create an illusion of more space.
• For added depth consider using different shades of grey.
• To brighten rooms, use a light grey for the walls with timber flooring, white furniture and opulent fabrics.

Grey is serene and sophisticated, and it is a welcomed third option to the often used neutral tones of beige and off-white.

27th October, 2016

Lighting is very often a last priority when renovating, but in actual fact it should be a priority consideration as it can be a key feature for a space and impact on other design and decorating decisions and ideas.

Feature lighting can add impact, provide functional lighting and create ambience in a room.

Feature lighting helps fill a void and create a wow factor in typically empty spaces such as stairwells, hallways and entrances.

Feature lighting can also help create separate spaces within large open plan areas, for example, a cluster of pendant lights over a dining table will separate the dining area from the rest of the living space.

With such a variety of feature lighting available, get advice on that perfect feature light to ensure that it will work in with your personal style and interior decor.

29th September, 2016

The Emme Design philosophy is that your home is a representation of your individual style and personality. This philosophy also applies when investing in key furniture pieces for your home, pieces that will ultimately reflect your unique personal taste and style.

That perfect occasional chair, divine sofa or dining chair, should work with the vision for a particular space. This is where custom made has the best benefits and advantages. Custom pieces are unique, they fit your space and they will last the distance.

Take a look at an exclusive Emme Designs custom made armchair in various fabrics. With a world of quality fabric to choose from, your options are limitless.

4th August, 2015

The busiest and most used room in any home is certainly the kitchen. For most of us, the kitchen is where family and friends will congregate together to eat, chat and entertain. A common kitchen design complaint is the lack of bench space. As a result, bench tops are a key component to any kitchen design or re-design with natural stone / engineered stone a top favorite.

Engineered Stone - also referred to as quartz, composite stone or reconstituted stone bench tops, have the advantage of being pre-sealed and will not require resealing. They are very versatile in design, durable, easy to clean and non-porous.

Disadvantages are that engineered stone can be prone to chipping and will not cope with excessive heat.

Natural Stone – Marble and Granite

Marble is beautiful and elegant but needs to be resealed and maintained, as it is soft and too soluble.

Granite is an excellent choice for kitchens as it is extremely hard and will not scratch or stain easily. Granite needs to be resealed annually and if cracked it cannot be effectively repaired. Another downside to granite is that it is only available in darker colors and definitely not available in white!

Natural and engineered stone is a favorite bench top among Australian homeowners with wood and stainless steel following. A growing trend is towards concrete, due to the increased industrial style trend.

Happy designing.

16th June, 2015

When renovating or building, you may have a clear image and vision for your home but fear that engaging an Interior Designer may be too costly or that the end result would not be what you were looking for. On the contrary, Interior Designers help bring your vision to life, guide you through the many mind boggling decisions and considerations that need to be made regarding space planning, layout, material and finishes, selecting window treatments including style and fabric, and furniture selection and placement to further enhance and create your dream home.

An Interior Designer is able to review your design from a different perspective and identify potential design problems and offer objective design solutions that you may not have considered. With a trained eye and attention to detail, the smallest changes can make the biggest transformations and sometimes at a lesser cost.

Working with an Interior Designer can save you money in many situations by:

• Allocating your resources wisely,
• Eliminating design and decorating mistakes,
• Increasing creative thinking regarding the project,
• Product sourcing,
• Liaising with the various project trades.

Engaging an Interior Design professional can and should be a rewarding experience, providing your home with continuity, function, design, and beauty and without going over budget.

16th June, 2015

Interior design is not only about the visual enhancement but also about the optimisation of an environment to create a sense of flow and harmony throughout the interior space.

In some instances small structural changes can make all the difference to the usable space and its purpose.

A perfect example would be a recent Emme Designs project, which involved moving a balustrade by 500mm to transform a small and crammed stair landing to a usable and an attractive space.

To achieve a sense of scale and proportion for the envisioned space, the stairwell and the existing balustrade were key considerations for this area. An additional 50mm albeit a nice to have, would have compromised the ceiling height on the stairs and created an unbalanced spacing of the balustrade railings.

5th May, 2015

Scale and Proportion are in comparative relation to a WHOLE, it is the relationship of one thing to another.

It is important to pay attention to how items in a room relate to the size of the room (scale) and to each other (proportion) in terms of size. Interior spaces can benefit with a variety in scale to create interest and drama, but drastic differences can be very unsuccessful.

For example, an oversized lamp on a petite table or one small piece of artwork above a large-scale sofa, or an overstuffed sofa with a delicate side table will create unbalance.

Similarly in large rooms with high ceilings, large doors and windows, you can achieve a sense of scale and portion by using a different paint to a certain height or a form of panelling to visually reduce the scale of the interior.

In general, consider the room when choosing furniture and try and pay attention to the way items relate to the size of the room and to each other and consider how the room will be used.

Don’t overcrowd the room for both aesthetically and functional reasons.

7th April, 2015

White is one of the most used colours in interior decorating as it adds so much to the ambience of an interior space.

As a background, white makes an art gallery of your home, allowing your décor to speak for itself. In dark rooms, white welcomes and reflects light, while in small rooms it creates an illusion of space.

An effective all-white interior can be achieved through the use of textures, patterns and colour. Emotionally, we give white the attributes of simplicity, purity, cleanliness and elegance.

White is classic, contemporary, tranquil as well as a vivacious design style. Versatile white will never go out of fashion.