Dining Design

Dining is a lot more casual than it once was and formal dining rooms are not as common as they once were. Today's dining in the home has been replaced by meals or dining spaces within an open plan living space and alfresco dining, particularly in the Australian climate.

Lindy Evans from Windemere Interiors has some practical handy hints for dressing up a dining space in the home.

• A rug under a dining room table will define the space. Sometimes with open plan space that combine the dining with the lounge and kitchen, it can be hard to clearly separated the dining area. A practical, easy to clean rug or floor mat will create interest and texture as well as clearly separate the area.

• Sideboards and buffets create excellent storage and can also be a feature of the space. Storage for crockery, cutlery, placemats and napkins is always useful and can also be dressed up with photo frames, fruit bowls and other decoration.

• Mirrors or art are fantastic for dressing up a space. Particularly above a sideboard and combined with lighting, mirrors can be an interesting feature piece in a dining space.
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Custom Designed Walk in Wardrobes

Lack of space is one of the most common dilemmas when it comes to walk in wardrobes and a good solution is to have the fit out custom designed to maximise the space.

Lindy Evans from Windemere Interiors says each wardrobe size and space is different and it is worth the initial outlay to have a wardrobe custom designed to maximise the use of space. "A professional wardrobe design will take into account your personal wardrobe needs and clever design can double, perhaps triple the use of the space," she said.

There are some basic principles that can help you maximise the use of space in a wardrobe. Double hanging rails (hanging one rail above the other) will double the amount of space and can be used for short clothes such as shirts, skirts, jackets, short dresses and long pants if they are folded over. These are suitable for both his and her side of the wardrobe.

A single rail or full-height hanging space will house long dresses, trench coats, suits and other items that can’t be folded. To ensure efficient use of the space; include a single level shoe rack or drawer at the base of your wardrobe, this is the ideal place to keep shoes.

A combination of open shelving and drawers, depending on your needs, will make the best use of the space. Large open shelving at the very top is good for bulky items such as bags, suitcases and hat boxes while multi sized drawers are good for smaller, flatter items such as underwear, socks and t-shirts. Pigeon holes are good for folded bulkier items such as men's jumpers.

Slim-line, pull out racks will minimise the space used for accessories such as belts, scarves and ties while a dressing area with a mirror and shallow jewellery and accessories drawer may be suitable if there’s no room for a dresser in the bedroom.

Good lighting will also provide the space with easier access. Consider a skylight for good natural lighting and warm downlights for effective night lighting.

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Bedding Bible

The luxurious bed piled high with plush cushions or the low set futon with minimalist pillows, there is an art to the perfect bedding.

Lindy Evans from Windemere Interiors says the higher the bedhead, the more the bedding. "It's not a hard and fast rule, but it's a good place to start," she said. "Decide first on a theme for your bedroom and that will probably also dictate the type of bed and bedhead."

Once your bed and bedhead are decided, then you can start with the basics. Good quality, high thread count sheets in a neutral such as white, cream or taupe is a good base. If the bed is an ensemble, a simple matching valance will complete the basics.

The feature of your bedding should either be the quilt cover or the cushions. If your feature is your quilt cover, there are many styles, fabrics and textures to suit your bedding theme. For an opulent theme, choose a luxurious quilt cover in a rich dark silk or for a beach theme try a fresh linen quilt cover in a bright breezy colour. Some plain cushions will finish this look.

If you choose for your cushions as your bedding feature, the theme will dictate the style of cushions. For a modern vintage bedroom, choose an eclectic variety of cushions in a number of textures and colours. For an elegant bedroom, a mixture of plain and limited patterned cushions will create a sophisticated theme over a plain coloured quilt cover. A throw at the end of the bed will complete the look.

Lindy says the higher the bedhead the more cushions you can use. "A high bedhead will look great with a variety of European cushions, ornate cushions and standard pillows. A low bedhead or futon can still have at least 4 standard pillows," she said.

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Glitz & Glamour Theme

Natural Elements Theme

Urban Living Theme

Rural Retreat Theme

Rural Retreat Theme

Tribal Rhythm Theme

Rural Retreat Theme

Beach Life Theme

Beach Life Theme

Living Space Furniture

When a home is described as having multiple living spaces, that can mean any number of defined living areas, all with different furniture needs.

Lindy Evans from Windemere Interiors says it's important to establish what type of living space the area is before before committing to furniture. "Generally, defining whether the space will have a television or projector will guide you to the type of furniture you will need.

The lounge room is the most common living space in a home. A place for the family to relax and watch television, seating should be appropriately arranged so that everyone has clear view of the television and also enough view of each other for when the television is off. A modular lounge either in an L shape or U shape with a central coffee table is perfect for this.

A sitting room has no need for television and is centred around conversation, so the need for face to face contact is essential. Couches or lounges facing each other over a coffee table works in this situation. A mix of single, two and three seaters add flexibility.

Media rooms are becoming more common in the modern household. As their purpose is purely cinema or media, singe chairs or couches all facing the screen is appropriate, perhaps with individual side tables. Tiered seating creates an authentic touch.

Other living spaces include formal lounge rooms, rumpus rooms, retreats and alfrescos, all with different furniture needs to make the space work.

Rural Retreat

Imagine a luxury escape to the country without leaving home.

A contemporary twist on the country theme, “rural retreat” combines fresh and light elements, with rich timber textures and contrasting vibrant hues. Stylish, indulgent and serene, the theme depicts a luxury getaway with the finer things in life.

To recreate this look, Lindy Evans from Windemere Interiors suggests drawing inspiration from country retreats and layering with different textures and colours for added depth. “Start with a light, neutral palette in a warm shade, such as cream or taupe and highlight with varying browns and greens in olive and avocado for a cosy but contemporary feel. Layer rich, rustic timbers with luxurious throws and knitted cushions for texture and contrast with indulgent fabrics of fur and silk to add a touch of luxury.”

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Feature Lighting Takes Centre Stage

Lighting today isn't just for brightening up a room to see. Feature lighting has taken centre stage from decadent floor lamps to opulent chandeliers; they can be the statement piece of a room.

There are many styles of feature lighting and not limited to lamps. Ceiling pendants, downlights, floor and wall lights, floor lamps and even a beautiful desk lamp can create a feature piece in a space.

Kirstin Fowle, from Windemere Interiors, says feature lighting in itself creates an aura and draws your attention purely for the light it emits. "Particularly at night, the warmth and glow of lighting creates a statement. Start your space with your feature lighting piece and decorate the rest of the room around this. A bold and beautiful floor lamp in striking and classic art deco style is a wonderful inspiration. Use this in the centre of the space and pair with subtle furnishings of that era."

Feature lighting is also starting to create impact in rooms of the house that were previously reserved as the "practical areas of the home". Feature lighting in the kitchen is becoming very popular, including LED lighting under kitchen island benches and above bulkheads and ceiling pendants over benchtops. Bathrooms are also becoming spaces for amazing feature lighting, with chandeliers, inbuilt floor lighting and downlights over mirrors.

Feature lighting can be married with other pieces in a room to create impact. Feature lighting directed towards a piece of artwork can create a bold statement in a space, or a beautiful floor lamp over a antique chair and sidetable will instantly create appeal in a room. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

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