Tag: tips

Turn your home into a festive gathering place for family and friends by sprucing it up with these simple Christmas styling ideas.

All of us have our own preferred decorating style and possibly plenty of decorations from the previous years.  But why don’t you try something totally new this year? It is about styling your home in more simplistic style.

Use tree branches and pine cones, green wreaths made of pine branches and not to forget the reindeer. Add natural materials to your home with the occasional pop of red or other colours but keep it simplistic. Metallics like copper and brass add an extra Christmas shine. Look out for copper candle holders, contemporary tree decorations or napkin rings.

Although the weather this time of the year doesn’t resemble the winter, we can not deny that there is nothing more delightful as sitting by a cosy fireplace. Set a  scene by wrapping the fireplace in fairy lights for more fairytale-like atmosphere. For more rustic feel use parcel paper and twine to wrap your presents and make your own DIY Christmas decorations.

Take a look at our Pinterest board of Christmas Styling to get some inspiration and ideas.

Follow Kingston Lafferty Design’s board Christmas Styling on Pinterest.

Christmas is just around the corner

Just over a week left before we all gather with family and friends to share joy, gratitude, and love over a Christmas feast. That also means there is only a few days left to decorate our houses and make our home magical.

Here at KLD we decided to try our hand at some handmade paper decorations in an effort to make your decorating easier!

So try out these DIY Christmas decorations. Making your own decorations is a fabulous creative outlet through the harnessing of unique design. and simultaneously impress people with your efforts…

A. Christmas Origami

MATERIALS NEEDED:

– Scissors
– Glue
– String
– White A4 sheet
– Patterned A4 sheet of your choice
– Gold or silver shiny A4 sheet

Step 1: Print one of these template on either a white A4 sheet or a patterned A4 sheet.

Step 2: Cut around the outlines. It will define the shape of your Christmas ball.

Step 3: With a needle, pierce a hole where on one of the face. Put the string through and make a knot.

Step 4: Score along all the dotted lines.The dotted lines represents where you bend the template to give it a 3D shape. Score it with a cutter or a needle will make it easier to bend the paper.

Step 5: Turn over and lightly bend along scored lines.

Step 6: Using a glue-stick glue each flap into place.

Last step is to decorate your tree with these fabulous homemade shapes!

B. Paper Snowflakes

With the Christmas tree decorated, now embellish door knobs or windows. Try paper snowflakes to hang around the house. As noted in the previous tip, use the ever so simple yet elegant white paper. Or go a shinier rout, like a gold or silver A4 paper.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

– Scissors
– Paper of your choice
– String and a needle

Step 1: First step is very simple. From a A4 or A3 sheet (if you want a bigger snowflake), cut a square and fold it in two to make a triangle

Step 2: Fold the triangle in half again, then into thirds.

Step 3: Cut around the edges of your folded paper any way you like, then open up the folds to reveal your snowflake.

Step 4: With a needle, pierce a small hole at the edge of the snowflake and put through the string. Make a know and hang it wherever you feel like.

If you are feeling inspired take a look at some of our other Christmas posts, Christmas Cards & Festive Graphics & Wrapping Delights!

Mirrors are one of the magic interior design tools.

Most people know that a mirror can make an interior space feel bigger, but can still tend to overlook how much impact they can have.

We, at Kingston Lafferty Design, really appreciate the drama, mystery and brightness that can be achieved when mirrors are used correctly. To double the size of a room, fit mirror sheet directly to the wall. Run the mirror from floor to ceiling or from side to side without gaps. This will give the impression of a space continuing endlessly.

For more obvious drama and character in your interior, choose bevelled, antique mirror. Use a series of mirrors to cover a section of wall. This is a great way to add colour and also to reflect back key lights or paintings.

If you are feeling particularly adventurous, think about using mirrored tiles on the ceiling in smaller rooms… a quirky touch that gives an Alice in Wonderland feel to the room! Here is a selection of our mirror loves from our pinterest page. Check out our pinterest for lots more design inspiration

Follow Kingston Lafferty Design’s board Mirror, Mirror.. on Pinterest.

For an easy  and quick way to up-cycle your furniture why not change the knobs. There is such an amazing selection around at the moment from ceramic, vintage hand painted to crystal and beautiful copper and brass pieces the really is something to suit every piece of furniture.  Be playful with your selection, it is a great opportunity to make a brave choice and add a quirky detail, a delicate pattern or a neon pop of colour

Here is our step-by-step guide on how to upgrade drawer knobs…

Materials Needed:

-screwdriver

-drawer knobs of your choice

-measuring tape

-paint (if needed)

The Process:

Step 1: Using the screwdriver, carefully remove the screw from the interior side of the drawer. Some knobs may have a nut and washer instead; therefore, unscrew the nut from the washer and pull the knob out from the outside of the drawer.

Step 2: After removing the knob from the drawer, insert the new knob into the existing hole in the drawer.

Step 3: Place the washer on the bolt and screw in the nut to keep it in place. If the new knob has a screw, use a screwdriver to tighten the knob into the drawer.

Step 4: Be sure to tighten the nut or screw to be in flush with inside part of you drawer. Twist as tight as you can, but know that it is may be necessary to tighten the nut or screw occasionally if you feel it has loosen.

Step 5: Some knobs may be bigger than others, therefore you may need to retouch with paint around any uncovered areas.

Step 6: Sit back and enjoy your new upgraded knobs!

Tips and Hits:

-know the number of knobs you need (be sure to buy a few extra just in case something breaks)

-here are some of our favorite knobs you might consider using:

Looking for a garden project this weekend? Here is an easy to follow guide to updating your garden table. How to… Geometric Painted Table

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Paint Brushes and small rollers
• Frog tape
• Cuprinol paint
• Undercoat
• Scissors/Blade
• Pencil HB or lighter
• Dust Sheet
• Sandpaper
• Tape measure/Ruler

PROCESS

Step 1: Choose your table

Select a piece of furniture you feel could use some TLC, this is the starting point for your geometric painted table.. Think outside the box here, it could be an old piece of furniture you found in a skip, an interior piece that no longer has a home or a garden piece that you would like to update. Any piece of furniture can be transformed, it is all in the preparation!

Step 2: Prep your Table

Ensure you table is free for dust, dirt. Remove any loose or flaked pieces of wood or varnish.  Sand down the piece of furniture to remove any varnish, wax or oil ha is on the surface. The step is really important, I cannot stress this enough! Sanding gives a good key for the paint to stick to. Pay particular attention to the feet as these may be damp and need to dry out before painting.

Step 3: Undercoat

Undercoat your table. This will make painting easier and will ensure a lasting finish for the table. We recommend Dulux Wood Primer Undercoat. Make sure to undercoat all parts of the table, sides, underneath and any parts you can’t see as doing this, while it may take a little longer, will give a lasting finish that is protected from the weather outside.

Step 3: Select your colours

Select the colours you would like to use from the Cuprinol Colour Range of exterior wood paints. You can use as many colours as you like to create your desired pattern. Start by painting two coats of your base colour allowing to dry between coats.

Step 4: Draw and tape your grid

Using a pencil and ruler mark out the geometric pattern on the top of the table. Tape off your first colour outside of the outline. Use a good quality tape to not to pull the base coat off the wall. We recommend the yellow frog tape, lower tack for freshly painted pieces.

Step 5: Paint your design

Press the tape down thoroughly to avoid the paint seeping under the tape. Paint your first coat and allow to dry. Apply 2-3 coats of paint until you achieve the desired effect, keep in mind some colours may require more coats then others depending on the depth of colour and what colour the base coat is.

Step 6: Remove the tape

Remove the tape while the paint is still wet to avoid the paint being pulled off.

Step 7: Tape off a second colour and paint

If you are using more than 2 colours repeat steps 5 & 6 until your design is complete.

Step 8: Enjoy the result of your hard work

Handy Tips

While you may be working outside it is still a good idea to protect the area you are working on with a dust sheet, splashes and spills can be difficult to remove from deckings and garden paving. Geometric patterns work on a range of furniture pieces so get creative with chairs, tables, sideboards, whatever you can get your hands on!

We’ve got a major case of the blues in KLD offices this week. We have been taking inspiration from all things blue, pastels to aqua tones, rich royals to vibrant cobalts and dark and moody navy’s, and we love them all!

The colour blue reduces stress providing a calm environment to be in, it is naturally occurring in nature with bright blue skies and the rich tones of the ocean. When bringing blue into your interior think rich upholstery, pops of colour in artwork and cushions or introduce it in your joinery.

Read our psychology of colour blog for more on the colour blue!

Follow Roisin Lafferty’s board Blues on Pinterest.