The sea, white sand, and water lapping at
the ship hull… those are images and sensations we would like to have at home
all year long. So, if you like this atmosphere, here are some tips and ideas
which might help you to add a holiday touch to your interior decoration.
Seaside
spirit
You wish to create a seaside atmosphere?
Use natural colours and materials. Find some shades of blue from navy blue and
blue-grey to blue-green. To adorn those blues, you can use tints of beige as
well as sand, linen and whites.
For the materials, we use sea rush and
natural fibres, string, wicker, driftwood or aged wood.
Striped patterns might also adorn your
décor. However, be careful not to overload your room.
Wallpaper Great Wave and Acquario from Cole & Son (approx. 100€ and 190€ each roll).
Fed up with all the noise coming from the outside (traffic/neighbors)? Before engaging any costly judicial proceedings, let's check how we could first improve your home. Our blog collected 10 tips to help you fight the noise.
Home decor, an aesthetic solution!
1. Carpets and rugs
Not only does the carpet decorate, protect and isolate the floor, but it can also soundproof it. Rugs can fulfill the same tasks, although they were first used to hang on walls and to cover couches. They will absorb part of the noises from downstairs and cushion your own furniture. And you will be able to wear high-heels without disturbing your neighbors… You can have a look at our
selection of rugs here >>
2. Curtains on windows and doors
A poorly isolated window or shutter roller box will give you some sleepless nights. Besides sealing their joints with silicon, you can first hang thick curtains on them. Curtains on a door will also deaden the noise from one room to another.
3. Furniture
Avoid echoing
empty spaces. A massive wardrobe against the wall will be useful in case of
loud doorstep neighbors. If you have little room, you can replace furniture by paintings,
mirrors, tapestries, etc.
4. The bathroom
You can
hear your neighbor’s TV while taking a bath? I definitely can relate! Pipes and
bathtubs are among the main sound conductors. Fill the gap under your bathtub
with glass wool. As for the pipes and taps, their acoustic performance is
always increasing.
5. Look after your balcony
Use
your balcony against the street unquietness. No need for a large one, even a small thuja hedge can make
the difference. If you do have a green thumb, why not build your own green
wall? Check our article on this topic.
6. If (lucky) you have a terrace, a pergola would be another option. You can get one in wrought iron for €150.
Start renovation works
7. Doors
Change
doors: soundproof doors rely on a series of layers in different materials
(wood, metal). As it is still expensive, it will be most useful in place of
your main door.
8. Windows
New generation windows: forget about double glazing, time has come for triple! Well, it’s still a bit expensive… And double glazing will be enough to stop the noise from inside. By the way, make sure it fits your building's style. If your ceiling is decorated with moldings, you might have to sacrifice them...
9. A fake ceiling
A
double ceiling will isolate you from your upper neighbor. The plasterboard
that make it up are covered with glass wool. But... the real ceiling has to be high enough, and it still costs some €500 for 10 square meters.
10. Bring calmness around you...
The agitation you feel also stems from your environment. Try to 'zenify' your home and put it in order. So you will be less sensitive to the surrounding earsores.
By Lorène Gaudin.
Football is not the only reason why you should spend your summer in Brazil, as you can tell by this beach house. Created by designer Sig Bergamin and Murilo Lomas, this summer house located in Trancose has a fresh and unique cosmopolitan look.
Like in Art or in Literature, Modern and Classic each have their supporter in Decoration. But unless the other arts, with decoration you can match both of them in one same room. Surprising results guaranteed...
Classic Interior and Modern Decor
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| ‘Le Mobile’ by Xavier Veilhan, Château de Versailles, motorized painted steel mobile. |
From Paris
to Singapore through Palm Beach, a quick tour of the most beautiful living
walls around the world.
With spring
coming we would like to see more nature and greenery in our homes… Here is an
original selection of plants and pots that you can buy or do yourself.
Trained as
a painter, Victor Goikoetxea has specialized in the art of trompe l'oeil. He invited us to visit his duplex and gallery both
located in Hernani, Basque village on the French border. Discover a
world where art and decoration coexist...
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| Industrial style wall with a rusty effect, made in trompe l'oeil for a private customer |
It is not easy to have an office space of your own when you are living in a small space. The solution : put your desk in a closet!
A desk in the closet
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| @decocrush |
With his last movie, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson
not only confirms that he’s a brilliant director but also reveals that he could
have been a great interior designer! Colors, furniture, lights, disposition,
all reveals that décor is important for esthetic reasons but also has a meaning
of its own.
You are a
compulsive buyer of books, you devour and pile them up until you don’t know
what to do with them anymore. I know how you feel… Some ad hoc solutions for books addicts.
Space-saving
solution
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| Make a table out of your books |
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| @Ritemail |
Invisible
bookshelves
When books
become part of your home décor
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| At Sal Curioso Restaurant created by Substance Agency |
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| At the Sevva Restaurant in Hong Kong |
Books with a twist
Library
You can
still use a traditional library, an idea stolen from Ralph Lauren Home: hang
your paintings and photographs on your bookcases.
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| © Ralph Lauren |
Bonus
If you like
books and decoration and you happen to be in Paris this week, don’t miss
Philippe Starck book signing at the Salon du Livre. All you need to know about
this event here,
and if you just want to buy it you can find it here.
