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Your go-to destination for design inspiration and practical tips to transform your home. Discover the latest interior trends, style hacks, and budget-friendly ideas to create a space you'll love.
DIY with Hudson These Holidays
With school holidays starting and Christmas rapidly approaching, many of us have wee ones running around in need of entertainment. Our Hudson Range of Kids Tables, Chairs and Stools provide the perfect work space for all manner of holiday activities. Your children are sure to while away the hours colouring and drawing or playing with building blocks and Lego seated at our Mocka Kids Table and Chairs. But just when we thought the Hudson Range couldn't get any better, we discover our clever, Mocka Mums and Dads have different ideas - check them out! Welcome to the wonderful world of Hudson Range Hacks. These are the perfect DIY projects for the crafty (or not so crafty) parent to re-vamp any Hudson range products from Kids Tables to the Chairs and Stools. Whiteboard Vinyl Instead of simply have a wooden table top on which to draw, how about turning the entire surface into a whiteboard! Simply apply whiteboard vinyl over the wood table top surface and you now have a glossy, white space that your child can draw away at until their hearts content. And the best thing is, one quick wipe and you can start all over again! Magnetic Blackboard Paint Similar to the whiteboard, add a layer of magnetic blackboard paint and not only can you leave cute messages for your child, they have fun arranging magnets along the surface. Create a jungle with some animal magnets or Grab a set of word magnets, and you have another tool for your child to learn their letters! Decoupage This super cool activity is one you and your child can do together. Grab your paper and scissors and create a collage on the Hudson MINI Table and Chairs. A quick search online will provide a wealth of inspiration. Recycle old children's books and calendars or add a worldly touch with old maps. Not only is this a great up-cycling project, the surface is wonderfully hard-wearing. Paint The simplest way to hack the Hudson range is to add some paint. Colour the stool seats and table tops in black and white for a magic monochrome look or go bold with bright colours and designs. A great way to add some interest and colour to a room. Image & Concept Credit: Jordy May Design
Decorating your Guest Bedroom
Spare rooms are quite often a space in the home that is forgotten and neglected. Usually decorated with a bed and side tables, some guest bedrooms lack that stylish and thoughtful touch. If you are interested in revamping this room and turning it into a haven for your guests to enjoy, there are a few small changes that you can make to give your guests the royal treatment. Air out the Room When not used frequently, the air in guest rooms can become stale and odorous. Before your guests arrive, open up the windows and doors to air out the room. If you want to really impress them, spray some room mist in the air to give the room a fragrant scent. Add Colour Enliven the space with colour. Use decorative cushions, artwork or flowers to add pops of colour to the room. This will give your guests beautiful elements to look at and enjoy throughout their stay. Magazines and Books Always remember that your guests might go to sleep later or wake up earlier then you. Ensure they don't get board during these times by providing a selection of books and magazines to read. You can place them in or by the bedside tables or in a magazine rack in a corner of the room. Storage Space Give your guests plenty of storage space to store all of their clothing and possessions throughout their stay. If you have built in wardrobes, clear out the clutter and ensure there is enough space for them to hang their clothes if needed. If you don't have built-ins, a freestanding wardrobe is a suitable option as it will provide them with both hanging and folded storage space. Guest Towels Give your guests the royal treatment by placing a fresh towel, face washer and a small soap for each guest neatly on the end of the bed before they arrive. This is a simple but thoughtful gesture that will truly impress your guests. This also saves your guests from having to request these items from you later. Adding these small touches and thoughtful gestures to your guest bedroom will not only surprise your guest but will make them feel more comfortable throughout their stay.
Create Cohesive Style Throughout your Home
Having a cohesively styled home isn't just a materialistic ideal that home decorating addicts dream about. It can actually impact your life more deeply by creating a clam and fluid environment that promotes relaxing and soothing qualities. Creating cohesive style involves forming a streamline effect between the rooms in your home, connecting each space through a flow in design and functionality. Theme, colour and décor are features that impact the overall look and feel of a home. When a home is styled cohesively, it can create a fluid experience as you walk from one room to the next. Cohesive styling is about creating harmony, flow and consistency throughout your home. To create this you need to think about how you are going to decorate your home as a whole rather than each room individually. Uncovering your primary style is the most important step to complete before you start redecorating. Think about the location of your home, the layout and the style/theme that you would like to create. Some styles can include costal, romantic, contemporary, rustic, country, Asian, vintage, traditional and eclectic. Recognising your primary style is the first step in creating a consistent look throughout your home. Colour coordinating is the next important step in creating cohesive style. Creating flow through colour can be achieved through paint or décor and accessories. When choosing paint always keep in mind that you can add touches of colour through your soft furnishings, artwork and other accessories. Try to stick with neutral tones that can be easily accented with stylish décor. If you are interested in painting each room in a different colour, try to stick with four colours that complement each other. Using slightly lighter or darker gradients of one main colour can work well in streamlining each room to improve the flow in the home. Furnishing your home in a cohesive manner is the final element that can be a little less restrictive. You still want to keep your theme and colour palette consistent however, you can slightly modify each room through furnishings, textures, accessories, artwork and lighting. Creating a cohesively styled home can be a large task to complete however, the end result will give you a streamline styled home that you will love to relax in. Images by Tarina Lyell - oh.eight.oh.nine
Choose the Right Stool for your Kitchen
The 'social kitchen' is the current trend in kitchen designs. This design integrates a larger island bench into the kitchen to accommodate cooking, food prep, social gatherings and dining. This consequently provides a larger space for stools to capture the style and mood of the kitchen. Industrial stools are a style of stool that won't date. The style of the Industrial stool embraces its deficiency in finer details and attracts interest through its strong and bold design. This type of stool can create high distinction and incorporate decorative tension through its textural depths and mood defining tones. Its durable and sturdy design makes it a perfect stool for any home yearning for a boost of contemporary textural elements. Wooden furniture is a popular trend for 2015. When used in home décor it creates a subtle elegant style that doesn't demand attention. Its smooth textural appeal relaxes the room's atmosphere and allows subtle hues to define the elements in the wood. Wooden stools are great in frequently used kitchens as they are durable, easy to clean and stable. The simple appeal of wooden stools can offer a soft textural element to accessorise with, and the environmentally friendly element adds to the value. When selecting stools for your kitchen always remember to not only think about the design aspects. If you want to create an open streamline space, bulky stools with back rest will encroach on the space and will segment your island bench from the adjacent rooms. If the main use of your island bench is to have meals on and be used frequently, then you may want to think about the materials the stools are made from. Metal, plastic and wooden stools are going to be a great option in this regard as they are durable, easy to keep clean and maintain. If you are after upholstered stools then ensure the stools are made from microfiber fabric or the cushions are changeable. This will help your stools look fresher and last longer. Another tip to remember when purchasing stools is to think about space. Allow enough space for your guests and family members to enjoy sitting and eating at your kitchen bench without bumping elbows.
Adding Colour to a Nursery
Regardless if it's your first child or your third, decorating your nursery in preparation for your baby's arrival is an exciting project to complete. There are many decorative themes and colours that you can choose for your nursery to give your baby a beautiful room to sleep and play in. Although bright colours are not in the traditional colour themes of most nurseries, the current trend in nursery design is mixing bright pops of colour with warm or neutral tones. Kate Sparks from Little Dwellings styled this beautiful nursery for her client HouseHomeLove using grey and neutral tones as base colours and accenting them with bright pops of yellow and blue. If you are interested in adding colour to your child's nursery, start by choosing two or three base colours to work with and then pick one or two bright but complementing colours. Painting the walls can freshen up the room while adding a decorative element to the space. You can choose to paint the walls with one colour or create a feature wall with two tones like Kate has done for Chadley's room. Once the walls have been painted, you can begin adding colour to the room with furniture. When choosing furniture for the room, remember to match it in with your colour scheme. Choose complementing styles and colours for the room. For Chadley's nursery, Kate picked the larger investment items such as the drawers and cot in neutral tones. It's important to remember that your child might eventually outgrow their nursery's décor. Purchasing the larger and more expensive items in neutral tones will allow you to restyle them with other colours and themes in the future. Add pops of colour through smaller furniture pieces and décor. These pieces usually aren't as expensive to replace if needed. To create a more cohesive look, Kate continued the bright yellow colour that is on the feature wall into furniture including a Post Box storage unit, a rug and some bookshelves. To complete the room Kate chose fun pieces of furniture and décor to add interest to the room. A Kids Acapulco Lounge Chair, some fun shaped cushions, toys and paper storage bags add pattern and colour to the space. It's easy to create a beautifully styled nursery for your little one to enjoy. Use this blog to guild you through the process of decorating your child's nursery and get nursery inspiration from social media and the internet.
5 Ways to Refresh your Bedroom for Spring
Winter is over and spring has just begun, there is no better time to open up your windows, dust off your side tables and freshen up a drab bedroom in preparation for the warmer months ahead. Below are five easy and affordable tips to refresh your space and create a beautifully styled spring bedroom. 1. Dust and declutter The first and most important step in refreshing your bedroom for spring is to dust and declutter the space. This includes your wardrobe and underneath your bed. Although this is a big job and can seem daunting at first, once completed your room will begin to feel fresh, light and smell great. Take everything off your surfaces and give both the objects and surface areas a good wipe down. Once completed, sort through your drawers and wardrobe and throw out or giveaway any items that you don't wear or use anymore. 2. Change your bed linen Changing your bed linen not only makes your room feel lighter and fresher, it also gives you a chance to refresh the style of your room and add in different colours, textures and patterns that reflect the lighter moods of spring. Take off your heavy winter doona and swap it for a lighter quilt. Take off your flannelette sheets and remake your bed with cool, soft and light weight linen or cotton sheets. Fluff up your pillows and add a couple of vibrant coloured decorative cushions to the bed. These tips will instantly transform your bed and make it feel more inviting for a Sunday afternoon siesta. 3. Add in vibrant colour Spring is the season of colour. There are many different ways that you can add colour to your room from painting your walls to adding in vibrant décor. It's easy to create a haven in your room with the right coloured décor. To create a cohesively styled bedroom, pick a few colours that work well with the colour of your bed linen and choose décor pieces or artwork accordingly. Anything from occasional chairs to prints, side tables and cushions, it's easy and affordable to add colour to your bedroom for spring. 4. Enliven the space with plants or flowers Plants are great for making your room feel alive and fresh. If you have the space, sit a beautiful green leafy plant in a vibrant pot and style it into a corner of your room. If you are limited on space, simply add in a vase of beautiful flowers. This trick is guaranteed to lift your spirits and rid the winter blues from your room. 5. Rearrange the space To completely transform your bedroom for spring, rearrange your furniture to create a new room. Move your bed to a different wall in your room and then work the remaining furniture around it. This will make you feel like you have a brand new space to enjoy. Spring bedrooms are all about colour, fresh vibes and clean spaces. For more spring styling inspiration browse through Mocka to view their range of vibrant bedroom furniture and décor.
