Web design in Manchester
Carpe Diem
This little corner of the company website, is nothing more than a glance into the future. Looking forward into 2013 we will be uniting our designer & bespoke wooden floor services, with our own bespoke colour matching interior design services, for interior cladding, stairs, furniture, and paint colours.
For now though- inspiration! The future can wait. Here is a booklist we've put together for you to flick through and discover a few new ideas. We love these design books and if you know of any we should mentions, we're more than happy to add to the list- this author has a unabashed interior design fetish.
"The Selby Is in Your Place" was conceived when Todd Selby began taking portraits of dynamic and creative people - authors, musicians, artists, designers and other cultural tastemakers - in their home environments and posting them on his blog. Nosy by nature, he was interested in seeing how someone's personal style is reflected in their private spaces. Lucky for us, he found his answer in the colour-rich, eclectic and varied spaces he visited while photographing a diverse group of subjects in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney and London. Some of his subjects are famous and some are not. Some are rich, others aren't. Some are photographed in their apartments or houses, while others are shown in their studios or offices. What they have in common are unique spaces bursting with energy and personality that together create a colourful hodgepodge of inspirational interiors. Each profile is accompanied by Selby's watercolour portraits of the subjects and their illustrated questionnaires, which reveal their answers to questions about homes, possessions and personal style. This book consists of over thirty profiles: half of which are favourites from his web site, the other half are never-before-seen shoots selected exclusively for the book.
Rachel Ashwell created Shabby Chic: a peaceful, practical way of living that embraces a respect for the things in our lives we hold dear and keeps them at the heart of our homes. Romantic florals reclining against pure white linen, ruffles of muslin skirting a bed base against bleached floorboards, the deep comfort of a simple nest of fluffy towels... This is Rachel Ashwells signature style that for the past 20 years has been a major influence in our modern lives. Shabby Chic Interiors falls into chapters according to location, and begins with Rachel's breathtaking Los Angeles residence. Next, we wander into a minimalist mountain-top home in the Hollywood hills before heading to the coast and a beautiful Malibu beach cottage. A truly bohemian hideout in southern California is next on the journey, followed by a peek at celebrity homes, including the house that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe. With rooms combining flea-market finds and objects of pure functionality this book celebrates all that is wonderfully Shabby Chic.
The simple home is calm and uncluttered, with each item carefully chosen. Mark and Sally Bailey believe that good design means furniture and decoration that is useful, durable and honest. In the first part of the book, they explore calm Colours, Zen-inspired simplicity, and reclaimed or ethically sourced Materials, while Craft embraces the artisan's skill. Comfort means cosy textiles and warm wood, while tips from the Natural Cleaning chapter will nurture your home. Furniture is often multi-functional, and Curating Your Home looks at arranging your cherished collections. The Baileys then turn to Simple Spaces, showing you how to create welcoming Entrances, versatile Cooking and Eating spaces, Living Rooms with a great mix of personal items and adaptable furniture, soothing Bedrooms and tranquil Bathrooms. Finally they cover furnish Work Rooms with rescued desks and fittings.
The Natural Home is a place where natural materials and motifs are the key elements of a decorating style that is a joy to live with and a joy to behold. Influential art director and stylist Hans Blomquist starts off by exploring the essence of his style. In Texture, he revels in the textures and patinas of natural materials. Still Life reveals Hans' passion for creating displays that showcase treasured pieces, while Plants and Flowers celebrates the beauty of nature and the cycles of the natural world. Colour presents his favourite earthy, natural colour palette, which provides the perfect backdrop for hits of brighter natural hues. In the second part of the book, Homes, through a series of case studies, Hans explores houses and apartments that showcase the beautiful simplicity and elegance of the natural look.
For anyone thinking of designing, building, remodelling or furnishing a modern home, this all-in-one publication provides practical inspiration for dwelling stylishly, sensibly and sustainably. Five chapters consider where, what and how to build a modern natural home, advice on manipulating the elements to improve lifestyle, materials, indoor-outdoor relationships and ways to reduce our carbon. Houses selected from around the world in a variety of natural settings and climates show that living green is stylish, and hundreds of photographs showcase cutting-edge designs by leading architects. There are also hundreds of ideas for all types of dwelling, from new-build houses to extensions to existing properties.
How do you show off the best features of a home built for another age, while adapting it for modern living? In Old House New Home, Ros Byam Shaw looks at the many different ways we can furnish and arrange an old building to suit today's needs, whether it is a terraced townhouse or a converted factory. Exploring properties as diverse as a small Victorian townhouse and a former country dairy, she reveals how the design of each home has been reinvented for the 21st century. The book is divided into a series of key styles: 'Period Piece', 'Urban Chic', 'Rustic', 'Recycled Spaces' and 'Country House'. Each section includes ideas for furniture, lighting, fabrics, colours and finishing touches appropriate for the particular style of interior.
Sibella Court sees the world differently. In her latest book, the stylist and best-selling author of "Etcetera" shows us how to bring our travels home with us in the most unexpected of ways. The globetrotter and treasure hunter travelled to Syria, Mexico, Italy, India and Japan to be inspired by everything from door knobs and street signs to roadside shrines and household brooms - things that most of us wouldn't even notice. In "Nomad", the ideas, photographs and mementos she collected are used to inspire room settings, illustrating simple, practical and surprising ways to be reminded of your travel experiences. Sibella's approach is not about recreating a whole look but about adding and subtracting, rearranging and recycling, transforming and rethinking to make interior spaces that reflect your personality, experiences and lifestyle. "Nomad" will help open your eyes to what's around you and fuel your imagination long after the suitcase is unpacked. Key points include: room settings are shot in private homes rather than a studio to show that any decorative background can be restyled with travel inspirations; Sibella Court's philosophy is an organic and sustainable one, encouraging recycling and creatively re-using rather than consuming new resources. This title includes a list of Sibella's favourite shops and a list of the unique hotels she stayed in while researching the countries in this book.
The environmental impact of interior architecture and design practice is immense. This book highlights the need for designers to adapt the way they work and relearn lessons that have been lost. Contrary to many preconceptions, sustainable design can be sophisticated and stylish. And by its nature, a sustainable approach means considering the whole life cycle of a project and therefore improving the functionality, quality, human enjoyment and, in the long term, bringing real social and economic benefits. This book has examples, techniques, and historical and contemporary case studies, all supported by useful resources and links. A comprehensive reference book for anyone wanting to work in this area, Sian Moxon aims to introduce these ideas to design students while they are formulating their understanding of the industry, encouraging and inspiring them with positive, creative and practical alternatives.
Perfect English Farmhouse celebrates the characteristic style and fascinating history of the classic farmhouse and shows how to turn your own home into a welcoming retreat. Farmhouse is a word that conjures an array of appealing associations: fresh eggs and baby lambs, chunky beams and flagged floors, cream teas and harvest suppers, a place of welcome and plenty. With their generous kitchens and meandering layout, the architectural informality of the farmhouse suits modern lifestyles. Through a series of case studies, Perfect English Farmhouse explores contemporary farmhouse style. The book is divided into chapters according to style: Organic, Traditional, Farm Fresh, No Frills and Funky, and at the end of each chapter a spread highlights the key elements of that particular decorative look. There is also a comprehensive listing of suppliers to help readers create their very own perfect farmhouse style.
Ros Byam Shaw is the author of Perfect English, Perfect English Cottage and Farrow & Ball Living with Colour (all Ryland Peters & Small).
An invitation to escape the everyday to explore the world of Alberto Pinto where elegance, refinement, and luxury combine with his eclectic style to create innovative and original interiors. This sumptuous and richly illustrated book features celebrated designer Alberto Pintos most recent interiors. Bringing fresh inspiration to established design principles, Pinto excels at creating a perfect harmony of volume and space. In Alberto Pinto: Horizons, the designer brings together an unprecedented range of styles; he continues to defy ascribed categories and dismiss common preconceptions by translating his own style into each interior, according to the site, his clients tastes, and his own flair for creativity. With an unobstructed view of the white sand beach and turquoise water, a sprawling apartment in the exclusive Ipanema enclave of Rio de Janiero is decorated in subdued sand tones, punctuated by animal prints and vibrant works of modern art. The interior of a classical, orientalist residence in Kuwait reveals elaborate detail in the marble, tile, and wood details, while more modern spaces are furnished predominantly in black and white with judiciously-placed accents in red. The details in a Monaco apartment subtly remind us that the home is perched above the Mediterranean Sea, while an ornate white and blue residence in New York is distinctly European in its rich use of antique furniture, ceramics, and ornate mouldings. Other striking and sublime spaces include a palace in Riyadh, a home in Santa Rita, as well as grand yachts and private jets. Pintos own workshop in Paris, where his exceptional furniture and tableware can be purchased, is also featured.
Living in the country means enjoying peace and calm far away from urban stress. The country retreats we create for ourselves reflect this difference. A measure of the value we place on our rural sanctuaries is the attention paid to every aspect of their design and construction. Today s rural retreats are far more luxurious, with a greater emphasis on rich and exceptional materials. Yet these dwellings are still quite different from their counterparts in the city. The houses featured in these pages embody a simpler yet no less stylish attitude towards life. Country houses all over the world have been selected for their distinctive architecture and interiors.
Farrow and Ball is a leader in the luxury paint and wallpaper market, catering to top designers and discerning homeowners who seek the finest quality products to adorn their walls. Offering a unique historical colour palette, stunning depth of colour, great coverage and a wide choice of finishes, Farrow and Ball products are found in many of the world's most exclusive properties. In "Farrow and Ball: The Art of Color", Brian Coleman hosts a tour of cottages, castles, lofts and beyond, that illustrate how paint and wallpaper are paramount to a room's overall design and feel.
Buildings are the biggest polluters on the planet, responsible for a far greater proportion of the carbon dioxide emissions that get pumped into the atmosphere every year than cars, planes or factories. Just as we are urged to change our lifestyles to reduce our carbon footprint and consumption of water, there is a great deal we can do to convert our existing homes into greener, healthier places to live. Most homes, even those built relatively recently, are not decorated, designed, constructed or serviced with eco-friendliness in mind. But you don't have to start again from scratch to make a huge difference to the way your home impacts on the environment. From relatively small and economic changes to more dramatic overhauls, there has never been a better time to green your home. Home improvement has a wider remit these days than simply changing the way your home looks or functions. Environmental issues should be part of every decision you make on the home front - from selecting fabric for soft furnishings to designing and sitting a home extension. Including tips, advice on material choices and design directions, "The Eco House Book" provides all the information you need to reduce your home's carbon footprint and in the process directly improve the quality of your life.
Recognized as The Bible of Interior Design by "The Times", the "Andrew Martin Interior Design Review" is a compendium of the world's greatest designers and their best work to date. Featuring almost a hundred designers from every corner of the globe, the volume offers a unique guide to the styles and trends of international design found in super yachts, hotels, restaurants, and an array of remarkable homes from five continents. Included are more than a thousand images illustrating an extraordinary diversity of projects from the casual restraint of Scandinavia and the accomplished elegance of East Coast America to the glamour of 21st-century China and the earthy traditions of Africa.
Whether homeowner or tenant, our homes are one of our most significant emotional assets. They can define our quality of life, protecting and comforting, inspiring and motivating, but only if our homes are a liberating expression of who we are and an effective tool in how we want to live.
In The Joy of Home, interior designer, Naomi Cleaver, guides you through everything it takes to design the perfect home for you, from revealing your unique creative DNA to common sense practicalities.
Naomi reveals insider information on visualisation, space planning, the mechanics of heating and ventilation and what green really means.
When it comes to implementation, whether major construction or a simple craft project, Naomi explains, based on years of personal and professional experience, how to get the results you want.
Written in the same easy-to-follow narrative of a much-loved cook book, and packed with inspiring ideas and seductive imagery, The Joy of Home is an essential reference book in any home transformation project, illustrating how to design a home to reflect your heart s desire.
Living Modern is the ultimate interiors sourcebook for stylish, design-conscious contemporary living. Understanding modern more as lifestyle than as style, it is all about clean lines, elegant colour combinations, artfully displaying design objects and open areas for lounging, cooking and dining. Featuring modern interiors from around the world, and shots by renowned photographer Richard Powers, the book includes a comprehensive index of designers and architects, along with a directory of stockists for those wishing to recreate these spectacular spaces.
Scandinavian interior design is admired the world over for its unpretentious simplicity and understated elegance. Rooms are typically airy, light and bright. Furnishings are modern design classics from the key names of Scandinavian design usually mixed with pretty antique and vintage pieces. The beauty of natural materials, especially wood, is celebrated in the home. It's a style that's in tune with today's wish for calm, uncluttered spaces to live in. The 20 homes featured in this book are presented as case studies, with chapters including Elegant Simplicity, Pared-down Modern, Contemporary Rustic and Eclectic. Each home showcases an aspect of Scandinavian interior design and the home owners include architects, fashion and jewellery designers and antique dealers.
Scandinavian Modern was the most influential and enduring design movement of the 20th century, dominating the international scene in the 1950s and continuing to shape the way we live today. Architects and designers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland - four countries that at the time had a combined population no greater than New York City - were responsible for a range of contemporary homes, furniture, textiles, ceramics, glassware and other products that defined an entire approach to modern post-war living. Scandinavian Modern Home traces the development of this perennially popular style within its countries of origin from the late 1920s, and explores how that look was subsequently exported throughout Europe and the USA, introducing the most important designers and their work. What characterises Scandinavian Modern is its approachability; the use of natural materials and organic forms combined with clean lines and attention to basic practicality and comfort. These are all key design trademarks that are detailed within this book to give a clear understanding of what constitutes the Scandinavian Modern style. The book combines a collector's guide to the classic products, designers and manufacturers of Scandinavian Modern design, with advice on how to put the look together using new or vintage pieces. It then goes on to explore some of the most unique and interesting homes across the world that have interpreted the Scandinavian aesthetic for contemporary living. Scandinavian Modern Home demonstrates this elegant, yet informal design movement at its best and most accessible.
The "Rough" in the title may not be what you expect. These interiors are definitely not derelict or run-down and most would not even be considered rustic. Probably the term was meant to convey a sense of being casual, unpretentious and strongly textured. The spaces are mostly rather elegant in a warm, nostalgic, and time-worn sort of way. Retro, vintage and antique elements are skilfully mixed with contemporary and modern pieces in a variety of residential and commercial venues. I was apprehensive that the non-residential interiors would be banal, exploitative, and, well, "commercial," but this was emphatically not the case.
I am not especially easy to please, but there is not a single one of the 50 shown interiors that I disliked (no cold, sterile, minimalist rooms) and most were places I would enjoy visiting. The rooms are unique and interesting, not the "furniture showroom" approach of some interior design publications. It is amazing that Kahi Lee discovered so many remarkable locations and then obtained permission to create the fine photo layouts depicted in this high quality book. Of the 150-plus books on interiors I've collected this one ranks at the top. I have purchased two additional copies as gifts.