How to Light an Existing Room

A number of options exist to illuminate the room without having to change fittings that are hardwired or permanent features and fixtures.
Using freestanding lamps and up lights we can enhance and focus on the features mentioned previously.


The Table Lamp


These come in all forms and sizes, and the shade can be a feature or selected to blend in with the existing decoration.


The lamp can be used to illuminate a corner or as a task light beside a chair for reading.


The ideal positioning of the lower edge of the lampshade should be at eye level when you are seated - varying between 970 mm and 1007 mm above the floor.


Other features of the simple table lamp are that it gives three forms of lighting; up light / down light, task light or ambient background light. This is especially useful if the lamp is attached to a dimmer.

The Free Standing Lamp

This is similar to above but is used more for placing in corners to make a room feel larger or dividing up spaces when placed between two sofas for example.

A standing lamp with an interesting sculptural base or decorative shade can be used to create a statement. It does not need to match the table lamps but should be complimentary.

 

How to Create Safe and Functional Decorated Outdoor Living Areas

Before

Firstly you need to define how you will use the outdoor living space. Is it going to be a static area, purely for aesthetics or will you have children playing there? Will you be using it at night, or solely during daylight hours?


These factors will determine what you need and what you can actually place in your space.


For a static space, sculptures and water features work well. They provide a focal point and can be the source of the theme of your garden. The water feature also creates movement into a space that is static and creates a quiet calming sound of water flowing.


For an interactive space, pots are great as they keep the plants and flowers off the ground and are less likely to be stepped on.


Bench seats and seating sets are ideal in these areas as you can sit and enjoy your garden. The ideal situation for these seats is to have a solid ground with paving so the table and chairs remain level and don't wobble. Be sure to select a material that weathers well like cedar or teak timber or wrought iron. For a modern alternative Dedon furniture offers a stunning all weather water-resistant wicker range (as shown below). See http://www.dedon.de/

After

Tips for de-cluttering your home

Step 1 - Act like you are about to move house. Take everything out of the room. (Do this one room at a time or the clutterbug just won't cope!)



Step 2 - Bring back the most important things for the room. For example a living room, the sofa, couch, chairs, TV, stereo, side tables etc.


Step 3 - Work out where all the important items sit within the space. Move them so the space flows and that you can move freely around the room. Then sit down and have a look around, breathe in, how do you feel? You should feel liberated and more at ease as you not having to fight with multiple colours and textures around the room.


Step 4 - Start layering. Select a few things at a time to bring back into the room to decorate with. Paintings, pictures, a vase, a rug, lamps. Do it slowly and feel how the space is changing. Pick out the best items that you want to show, don't use all of them. It is important that the room expresses the personality of the owner, but we don't need their whole life story in one room!


Step 5 - Stop! Yes, don't keep going. Less is better in a room. Put all the remaining items in storage until you are happy with the new space. Then after a few weeks, sort through it all, keep what is reusable, and donate the rest to a charity or sell it on ebay!

Interior Trends in Commercial Interiors

Emerging Trend Forecast for Commercial Spaces - Hotels, Restaurants and Bars



Furniture at throwaway prices with mass-produced origins is rapidly losing its appeal. A more discerning clientele demands luxury interiors which combine quality craftsmanship with inspiring design. With an explosion in the luxury travel sector and an increase in designer boutiques hotels and restaurants, the specification needs to appeal to the more design sensitive. Consumers are becoming more design-savvy and expect a new hotel, restaurant or bar to be visually extraordinary; they want to be inspired not only by what they eat, but by the whole experience.

Colour selections have tended to digress from drab neutrals like browns and taupe’s to livelier, riskier colour with more visual impact. Monochromatic themes are still abundant, but injected with opposing hues such as deep reds and purples, vivid indigo blues and jade greens. Exotic hides and printed leathers such as shagreen or ostrich prints add richness and interest to otherwise flat interiors. Crocodile and lizard print leathers, in a myriad of colours, are an increasingly popular choice in many commercial fit outs for wall paneling, floors and furniture.

With our increasingly transient nature, style direction has become more influenced by cross-cultural factors. Rich textures, patterns and inspiring colours from Morocco, the Orient and Africa have become part of our design psyche and have filtered into designer’s style books. African decor continues to fuel styles for the home and can be easily integrated into more contemporary design choices.

Urban Cape is an interior design house specialising in the design and manufacture of contemporary furniture. All hand-crafted in South Africa from extraordinary materials and finishes combining deep solid timbers, exotic hides, sumptuous soft plain and printed leathers as well as rich leather clad options. Designed to withstand the rigors of the contract market, each piece can be modified to suit the client's personal specification for any aspect of their home, office, shop, hotel or restaurant.

Written by Urban Cape Ltd http://www.urbancape.com/furniture.htm

Celebrate the New Year in style!

Urban Cape's favourite seasonal, great tasting and stylish looking cocktails to ring in the new decade:

Holly Berry

30ml of 42 Below Manuka Honey

1 dash of Raspberry Liqueur

150ml of Cranberry Juice

lime wedge to garnish

Glass: Highball

Prep: Fill a highball glass with ice, and add 42 below manuka honey and raspberry liqueur. Top with cranberry juice, stir well, and squeeze in a wedge of lime.

Dashing Through the Snow

30ml of 42 Below Manuka Honey

1 dash Vanilla Liquer

120ml Pineapple Juice
Vanilla Bean to Garnish

Prep: Fill a tumbler with ice. Add 42 below manuka honey, vanilla liqueur and top with pineapple juice. Stir and garnish with a vanilla bean to serve.

Plum Pudding

30ml Courvoiser Exclusif
15ml Brandy

15ml Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps

4 Blackberries
1 tinned plum (remove stone)
4 mint leaves & fresh nutmeg

Prep: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Fill with ice and shake.Strain contents into a martini glass. Garnish with mint and shaved nutmeg.

Wishing everyone a very happy, prosperous and stylish 2010!!!

Urban Cape's Inspirational Tips for a Stylish Festive Season

With the season of entertainment in full swing, wouldn't it be nice to have a house to be proud off?

You can beat the winter blues by brightening up your home this holiday season by simply changing your accessories and introducing colours to suit the Christmas theme. Cushions, throws, fresh flowers and decorative pieces of artwork in ruby red or chrimson highlight the seasonal spirit and add that magical Christmas feeling.

We love this gorgeous Odile Vase by LSA available from Oliver Bonas.

 
Cheerful Living Rooms
 

Keeping your decorations coordinated will ensure that your home looks stylish and sophisticated. From the wreath on the front door, to the Christmas tree and presents underneath, all should follow the same colour theme. Whether it's red, gold or white, select a colour and use it throughout and allow items to flow through to create a harmonious Christmas interior.

 

Using fresh cut flowers in your home is a simple and effective way to bring life into an interior. Alternatively try a faux modern arrangement, with red amaryllis stems bound tightly with rattan string. The best thing is, it will last forever! http://www.bloom.com/.

This Season's Hottest Christmas Colour Schemes

Burgundy Red with Copper, Gold  and Brown!

As an alternative from the predictable red and green colour scheme, burgundy red with copper and gold are instinctively associated with warmth and cheerfulness.

The richness of these colours is an indication of worth and strength when used in an interior design scheme. Use with earthier tones such as taupe to bring warmth to your interior.

Combine with a mandarin, clove and cinnamon candle for a magical Christmas aroma.

Pinecones add a touch of nature to Christmas decorating. This decorative gift of nature can be used by combining three festive and slightly frosted pine cone candles with an antiqued gold glass goblet. http://www.bloom.com/.

We love this hurricane lamp with scented candle from Marks and Spencer’s and the 'Coro' range of tableware by LSA available from Urban Cape.

More Alternative Colour Schemes to Red and Green

Purple with hints of red. The colour purple works just about anywhere, depending on your personal decorating ideas and preferences.

Purple has the ability to be warm and cool depending on what colours it is paired with. When teamed with red, the two colours create drama and evoke a feeling of warmth and vibrancy.

For a stress-free season add a few drops of Lavender essential oil to your candles. Lavender is a calming scent and an excellent tonic for the nerves, nervous tension and emotional stress. Its refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity.

We love the 'Zoffie' and 'Pierot' range of vases and tableware by LSA.  You can also visit http://www.purpleemporium.co.uk/ for all things purple!

Get the Look with Urban Cape's 'Timeless Distinction - Contemporary Elegance' Furniture Collection!

Feeling lost for inspiration and not sure how to create stylish space with minimal effort?

Inject colour and vibrancy into an otherwise boring and plain room by placing a couple of ottomans and complimentary cushions.

We love the simplicity of our 'Bettie' ottoman with its central button detail and its plush deep velvety fabric.

Our unique 'red woven' ottoman beautifully combines strips of hand woven leather with a solid mahogany base. This decorative accent will add colour and distinguished style to completely transform any room.

Urban Cape Interiors Launches Exclusive New Furniture Collection!

Urban Cape are excited to launch the latest editions to their timeless and contemporary furniture collection.

The new collection offers both a blend of contemporary with a twist of the traditional and draws upon the elements of purity, sculpture and geometry in an ensemble of simple, elegant shapes. Each piece is impeccably hand-crafted from extraordinary materials and finishes combining deep solid timbers, exotic hides, sumptuous soft plain and printed leathers as well as rich leather cladded options. Each piece is engineered to meet the highest standards of durability and quality.

Led by Charlotte Candillier the collection is designed by the London-based team, and the products are developed and manufactured by highly skilled craftspeople in both the UK and South Africa. Urban Cape also uniquely offers its clients the advantage of a collection that can be distinctively customised to suit any specification.

Please visit our website http://www.urbancape.com/ to view a sample of the furniture collection or contact us at info@urbancape.co.uk for further information.