Trying to live a clean and simple life can involve decluttering your home. Minimalist interior design is as simple as keeping it to the basics. The style is known to be clean, sleek and sophisticated. Mastering the minimalist interior design trend allows you to dip into the other territories of Scandi and Japanese interior design.

1. Quality over quantity

Minimalism is all about embracing what you have and actually need, so ask yourself whether each piece will withstand everyday wear and tear and whether its built to last.

Not only will you be sticking to the basics, but you’ll be doing a favour for the environment by keeping pieces out of landfill.

2. Let the light in

Also featured in Japanese interior design, natural lighting in a major must for minimalism. Leaving windows bare can highlight and shadow your space beautifully and also add some colour, or alternatively thin curtains and blinds can be used to still let the sunshine seep in.

3. Simple accessories

It’s all about the power of simple objects. For instance, think of naked lights instead of a boisterous lamp shade to add a simple touch to your modern interior design. Indoor plants are an everlasting element of colour and nature, and a focal point to any space.

4. Neutral colours and natural textures

It’s key to restrict the colour palette in your minimalist space. Stick to lighter colours that can reflect light such as whites, bare greys and pastels. Natural fibres and wooden furniture help complement the bright whites and add texture, as popularly used in Scandinavian interior design styles .

If you’re a colour lover, stick to one colour as less is certainly more.

5. One in out policy

For every item that comes into your home, something else needs to be taken out. This is Colleen Madson’s  ‘one in, one out’ policy that can apply to just about any aspect in our lives, but best describes minimalist interior decorating and avoids over cluttering space.

The item you boot out doesn’t need to match the item that’s coming in, but it’s important that each piece holds a purpose and importance in the space.

Check out more decorating styles!  

The post Minimalist style guide appeared first on Designbx.

Then comes Christmas decorating… You want it to be perfect and special and create a warm, cozy feeling but where do you start? Most people neglect the Christmas table. It is an easy way to make a statement on Christmas day and it will distract your relatives from all that mess the kids have left around.

With these 5 easy decorating ideas, you are set to have a stylish Christmas table that is sure to delight.

1. Scandi Santa

Go for a Scandinavian interior design look with wintry icy colours and natural materials. Scandi-style ornaments and icy blues work well within a coastal home and celebrate the true origins of Christmas from up North. Try using garlands, ribbon, hanging lights, dainty ornaments and frosted glass in your table settings.To save space on your table, combine the decorations together to make a statement piece. Try placing ornaments, candles and decorations on a wooden platter. As for the table, white washed wood will give a wintery feel and create a great base colour for colourful decorations.

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2. Natural Noel

A more traditional look for the Christmas table can include deep greens, pinecones and natural fibres. Keep the colours neutral to complement the beautiful natural materials.

Centrepieces can be fragrant florals, greenery and pine-scented candles. Try using natural wood logs for candle holders, which is on trend this season. Use hessian for a table runner and beautiful natural cotton napkins for that natural touch.

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3. Glam greetings

The alternate to the traditional Christmas table design, is a modernised mix of metallics – gold, silver, rose gold or copper. These statement decorating colours will make your guests think they are eating at a 5 star restaurant. Cutlery, drinkware, candle holders and ornaments can be easily found in copper, silver and rose gold. Add some gold baubles around the place and you have yourself a stylish and modern Christmas house.

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4. White Christmas

Wishing you were in New York ice skating and enjoying a snow filled Christmas day?

You can bring that wintery feel into your Christmas by going monochromatic, or even better- white! Make it snow and embrace the crisp, bright white on the dinner table which works well with the Australian summer. Snow covered pine cones, pearly white plates and a white Christmas tree will make your home feel like a winter wonderland.

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5. In the night

Who says Christmas needs to be colourful and bright? Dare to be different using bold dark hues such as burgundy and black, then mix them up with a splash of white or metallic. Suits more mature homes and suave Christmas parties. This ultra modern take on Christmas decorating is perfect for a Christmas lunch away from the kids (give them their own table in another room). Black plates and gold cutlery creates a  nice twist on the traditional table settings. Accompany this table setting with a red Christmas bush and some red wine.

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For more help with your Christmas styling, check out Santa’s Christmas interior decorating how to create a majestic Christmas tree, oto get you ready for the festive season.

The post Mix it up with these 5 top Christmas table ideas appeared first on Designbx.

Japandi interior design orgins

Scandinavian interior design (Scandi) has been developed on the principles of simplicity, minimalism and functionality. It continues to be popular in Australia, aligning with our relaxed lifestyle, connection to nature and beautiful, diverse landscape. The main characteristics of Scandinavian interiors include clean lines and the use of natural materials such as oak, leather and hemp.

Japandi is a new trend that is taking the interior design world by storm. It draws on the Japanese ‘wabi-sabi’ principle of finding beauty in the imperfect and incomplete, and it blends perfectly with the simplicity of Scandinavian design.

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1. Colour

To achieve a Scandinavian look, focus on featuring a muted, neutral colour palette throughout your home. White is commonly used on the walls to make a room appear bright and spacious. Inject life into your room and make your home reflect your personality by incorporating accent pieces. Try rugs, cushions and artworks in muted colours, such as pastel pink and grey.

To create a Japandi feel, incorporate accent colours with a cool undertone, such as green and navy. Dramatic contrast (a key element of Asian design) can also be created by using a black frame for your artworks or photographs. Next, hang them above the light oak furniture pieces.

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2. Texture

Scandinavian inspired interiors usually have light coloured wooden flooring as opposed to carpet, as wood is closer to nature. Pine, beech and ash wood are the most common, with light stain finishes, to preserve a feeling of spaciousness.

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3. Simple contrast

Ornate and excessive details in furniture are not common in Scandinavian interior design. The style favours clean lined, modern and solid pieces. In the new Japandi style, statement furniture in dark tones such as charcoal, black or dark oak stained tones are used with light Scandinavian furniture. To achieve this look in your home, you could use a light oak dining table with black wooden dining chairs. This creates the dramatic contrast that is the hallmark of the Japandi style.

Introducing simple contrast between key furniture pieces maintains simplicity, while still expressing your personal design style.

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To create visual interest and rhythm, layer different muted natural textures such as a small rectangle hemp cushion with a square, pale pink cushion. To add an eclectic Japandi feel, find a unique statement piece. We love an asymmetric plant or sculpture that embraces the idea of ‘beauty in the imperfect’. By using greenery and plants, the connection to nature is reinforced.

These tips will help you to create the basis of your Japandi interior design. Express your own style and personality throughout your home interior by adding your own unique, personal touches to the ever-popular Scandi look.

The post Interior Design Trends of 2017 – Japanese and Scandi = Japandi appeared first on Designbx.

1. Start with a wooden floor

First of all, start with a clean, fresh base. Wooden floorboards are the ultimate Scandi trademark. Opt for light tones to open up the space and to give as much lightness and airiness as possible. Think about your walls and ceiling colours as well. Your interior will look bigger and brighter instantly — the more white the better.

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2. Use a muted palette

Once you have your base mastered, move on to the big block pieces. For larger items, like your sofa, table, chairs or curtains, try using neutral colours. We especially love using a myriad of greys (avoid a white couch that you’ll be stressing about when the little ones get within a 10-metre radius of it). To master the look, add touches of wood here and there to incorporate warmth.

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3. Add colour by using splashes of pastels

Although a neutral-based style, Scandinavian interior design colour schemes are often infused with soft pastels. Our favourite is blush pink, as it is the perfect complementary colour to any wood. Mint green is also a fun way to add some colour into your Scandi kingdom.

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4. Create a complementary feature wall

So how best do we style our walls in a Scandi home? It can be hard to figure out how to add different pieces of wall art without making it clash with a neutral interior, but by adding pops of pastels you can creating a striking look.

Be creative! Use photos, prints, paintings, quotes or even drawings that your mini-me made! You can create a fun art project for the kids by encouraging them to create, using your colour palette.

By using similar frames throughout and some clever pre-planning, you can ensure your unique feature wall works harmoniously with the Scandi style.

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5. Layers, layers, layers!

The great thing about Scandinavian interior design is you can go wild with textures. As long as the colours are harmonious and neutral, you can mix as many as you like! This is what adds depth and character to Scandi spaces. Use leather, linen, jute, metal, fur, wood…you name it, you layer it!

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6. Get some Scandinavian furniture

The cleans lines, simplicity and beauty of these timeless pieces are undeniable. By adding even just one or two of these beauties, you can completely transform your space. There are so many affordable options to finding Scandinavian-style furniture without skimping on quality and practicality. Try Pop and Scott, MRD Home, Sokol, Eadie Lifestyle, or Mr & Mrs White.

Combinations that are paving the way into 2018 are:

• Woven pastel leathers, featuring in seating, wall hangings and rugs
• Tibetan fur, dyed in striking neutral  or jewel tones is a key trend for children’s bedrooms and playrooms
• Raw hand-crafted materials like pottery and rustic timbers, paired with the traditional curved and clean lines of Scandinavian design – this new style is being echoed as Japandi (a fusion of Scandinavian and Japanese design movements).

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7. Be minimal with the little things (less is more)

The easiest way is to think about what you really need, and forget the rest. Marie Kondo wrote a best-selling book on how tidying up can be life-changing and not only declutter your home but your mind as well. To that we say, yes please! But keep the items you absolutely love. And no, you don’t need those 50 jumpers you haven’t worn since high school.

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8. Use greenery in the right places

Plants are a surefire way to bring texture and contrast to those neutral walls. In spaces that just need a little something, sculptural, oversized and grouped plants will work best. Your pot is as important as the species of your plant, so pick wisely.

A single or dual tone will last the test of time. Our favourite brands include Designtwins, Pop and Scott, Ivy muse, Urban Eden, and Milk and Sugar. To not overdo it, just add one large potted plant to each room. Make sure you use plants that can survive indoors and don’t need much light. If you’re not into big plants, or can’t keep one alive no matter how hard you try (we’ve all been there), then why not add a simple cactus? They’re always a nice, easy way to add some greenery.

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9. Install a fireplace

Living in Australia, we may not all need a fireplace, but if we were to embrace them, either for function or pure aesthetics, they would look a little like this. The Scandinavian ‘staple’ fireplace would be tall, thin and likely to be perched in a corner. We may not ever install one of these but we love these different styles to ooh and aah over. If the real thing is impractical, a faux fireplace creates a setting to do a vignette of artwork, greenery or personal items.

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10. Be meticulous and creative with lighting

Last, but certainly not least, lighting! It’s so important in any space, but the fun thing with Scandinavian interior design is that you can incorporate various sizes and shapes with great success. Try using cool bulbs, lampshades and garlands.

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Scandinavian interior design gets us so excited, and makes us spend way too much time on Pinterest, but we hope this has inspired you to redecorate.

Do you want to find out what your ideal style is? Check out our style quiz and get your dream home project started right away!

The post How to create Scandinavian interior design appeared first on Designbx.

Pendant lights are an elegant way to achieve an enjoyable decorative experience. This lighting should be the focal point and fit properly into the space in terms of shape, size and style. Pendant lights come in a wide variety of designs, elegantly hanging above a kitchen table or taking center stage in the dining room. Check out our favourite samples and some useful tips for you.

Kitchen

Pendants in the kitchen area are mood-setters. Consider a pendant with a light diffuser, or use semi-opaque bulbs. Pendants should hang 12-20 inches below an 8-foot ceiling. For each additional foot of ceiling height, add 3 inches. For example, for a 9-foot ceiling, the pendant should hang 15-23 inches below. Pendants should be hung over work surfaces at a height that doesn’t block views across the kitchen.

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Dining Room

A dining room pendant lighting gives atmosphere. The light should flatter the décor and make the best of it. It will take center stage and it must be updated and beautiful. It’s the perfect opportunity be bold and dare with colour and shape.

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Living Room

Pendant lights can make a room feel cozy, romantic or energetic with the twist or hit of a switch. The main light, should be set in such a way as not to create too much shadow. Use more than one pendant to divide the light and enhance a pleasant atmosphere.

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Home office

With more and more people opting to work from home nowadays, there are a few integral things to consider when creating the layout – including your pendant lighting options. Hung from the ceiling, they can provide light just where you want it: on the desk and your paperwork, not on your screen.

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30th October 2015 | The Designbx Team | Interiors- Pendant Perfection

The post Home lighting: Pendant Perfection appeared first on Designbx.