Orange and Blue
A nice deep grey blue and punchy orange can be vibrant and modern combination to use. You can balance the two in equal quantities or make the orange more of an accent colour to give some pop to a space that predominantly blue and white. Add some black to the blue to give more of a charcoal effect and lessen the contrast to the orange. A good start when deciding on the exact shades is to have a look at the colours of the local environment – think basalt rocks, or the deep blue of the ocean, the bark of nearby trees or the sand of the beach.

Purple and Yellow
Ok so this is a harder combo to get right as either colour used on its own tends to dominate. Together however, these to a match made in contrasting heaven. Think about painting a wall a dark shade of purple and then using yellow as accent colour through soft furnishings or painted chairs. Or you could go the other way if you are brave enough and paint walls canary yellow and then add purple in small doses through vases, paintings or the like.

Red and Green
Yes, the combo of green and red sparks Christmas ideas in most peoples heads, but believe it or not, these two colours can actually be made to play nicely with one another in a modern way. The key is to use the primary colours but then also tints of each to soften the look and avoid the santa’s Christmas grotto effect. Go for vibrant coral coloured walls and add tints of green through furniture and ornaments. I would generally avoid painting large areas of walls brighter shades of green as it can have more clinical, hospital like vibe, darker rich shades can be stunning however and give a real opulent feeling to a room.

The first idea is to install window seats. These can be great at swallowing up all those little bits and pieces that would otherwise be floating around on the floor, or shelves. From toys, to DVDs, magazines or bedding, getting a large window seat just makes sense. They can easily installed as an afterthought near most window openings and are a relatively cheap option to add storage and seating.

Window seats can also be combined with bifold windows to create an indoor / outdoor space within your home. This can be a super feature when entertaining large groups or just for yourself to get some fresh air and sunshine while you browse through the paper. If you are looking at installing new bifold doors or windows, take a look at Brio’s range of products – their bifold doors and door hardware are some of the best in the business and will give you home a touch of understated elegance.

If you have young children, you will understand the amount of toys and objects that can accumulate in living areas. Underfloor storage can be great way of hiding toys are not being used. Yes it will need a fair of bit design and building work to be done, but the results will blow you mind as you have so much potential storage right under your feet. If you don’t want to go these lengths, getting custom boxes or cupboards made can work a treat also. Go for large boxes that can be divided into smaller sections internally – or you will never find that all important piece of Lego amongst the barbie doll accessories.

As a form of adding light or just some more oomph to your house, bay windows are a worthy consideration. They are relatively inexpensive and can designed to fit into pretty every type of room.

Added Ommph

If you house is lacking a little in the “wow factor” adding bay windows can work a treat. They add the option of incorporating a window seat which makes a perfect spot for a cozy sun drenched reading session. Consider making the bay and seat a feature by giving it an accent colour to stand out from the room and create a focal point – I personally think black works really well for a modern look, or a dark regal blue for a more traditional home.

It’s not just the inside that can benefit, the exterior can also be made much more interesting by adding some positive space that protrudes beyond the flat surface of a wall. It’s a great time to smarten up the exterior of a home and can really lift the street appeal!

Added natural light

Natural is great! Who doesn’t want more of it, it makes us humans feel good, more productive and can positively affect our mood. If your house is not solar orientated the correct way to make the most of winter sun a bay window can help as light can penetrate through more angles. A good combination I have seen quite often is to combine bay windows with large expanses of glass or sliding doors to maximise the feeling of space. Companies like Brio make stunning glass bifold doors that can be opened completely to give any space sophistication and elegance.

Turn dead space into functional space

Areas like stairway landings or corridors can often become dead space purely used a method of getting from A to B. A nice bay window with window seat, can transform spaces like this into somewhere to relax and sit or take in some sun. They can also breath new life and bring light to a dark corridor or transitional space.

Wasting energy is not good for you, the world or your bank account. There are so many easy things you can do to cut your bills and stay cool in summer and warm in winter.

Ventilate! Yes its as easy it sounds. Try not to just shut all the sliding doors and windows on a hot day and blast the air-conditioning – you may as well be throwing money on the barbecue. It’s easy enough to get a cross breeze happening and it’s 100% free. Try opening a bifold door at one side of the house and a window at the other. As hot air tends to rise, most of it should be taken out of the high windows. A little tip as well, if you have any sort of insect screen on windows or door hardware, make sure they are clean and free of spider webs as dirty screens can inhibit air flow more than you would think.

To regulate the interior temperature of a modern building adding window treatments can really help. If you have large glass exterior folding doors or sliding doors consider solar screens to block out harsh sun and heat or keep the warmth in during winter. A dual system of a sheer layer and a layer to block out is a very effective way to be able to regulate both heating and cooling. There are various screen solutions that blend seamlessly with most modern exterior sliding door hardware to add an elegant yet functional level of energy saving to your home.

While we are on the subject of bifold doors, make sure they have double or triple glazed glass to maximise heat retention and block out heat. Large expanses of thin, single thickness glass is very bad at retaining heat as air can pass quite easily through edges. If you have the budget, consider installing more large glass exterior folding doors or sky lights as these are great sources of natural light ensuring you will never to switch on the lights during the day. If you are looking at new doors, consider Brio which makes a huge range of beautiful, well crafted doors and windows so suit every home and or office. Brio has showrooms throughout the United Kingdom, so make sure you check out their products.

Turn those appliances off when not in use! Make sure you turn them fully off at the power point as some devices especially flat screen TVs leach a lot of power when plugged in an in standby mode. If you don’t really need a dryer, ditch it as they are huge consumers of energy. Take a bike to work and leave the car at home.

Designing and planning a new kitchen can be daunting for a lot of people. There are a lot of choices to make which can have a big impact on the final result. From the materials of the cabinetry to adding Island benches and servery windows and lighting, read on as I look at some the keys to getting it right first time.

Kitchen renovations come in all shapes and sizes. It really depends on your budget and space as to what can be achieved. Laminate has come a long way since the 1960’s browns and greens and can be good choice for budget conscious renovations. There is a great range of colours including woodgrain to choose from with many high quality finishes available.

Modern timber veneers are nice choice for kitchen cabinetry when a natural looking timber finish is needed. Timber veneer are thin slices of wood laminated together and sealed using clear coat. The price of veneer can vary dramatically depending on the type of timber you choose, but it is generally more expensive than laminate. Veneer provides all the warmth of natural timber in a more cost effective and environmentally sustainable way. When choosing the colour and type of timber, be sure to think about how it will interact with any other timber around the kitchen, such as door hardware and windows. If you are looking to update doors and windows at the same time as the kitchen renovation, give Brio a look as they make a nice range of high quality sliding doors and bifold windows in a range of timber finishes.

Solid is these days rarely used in kitchens for its cost and environmental impact. However the beauty of solid natural timber can still be incorporated into a kitchen buy using feature pieces of furniture such as solid timber dining table, recycled timber bench top, timber shelving or timber bar stools. A great look with solid timber is to pare it with dark colours. Gone are the days when dark colours where seen as creating a “cave” or cold environment and infact the opposite is true when used in nice natural light filled room.

Most people tend to look for specific outdoor furniture and accessories when thinking about how best to decorate and indoor / outdoor space. While this is the obvious solution it can lead to a disjointed feel between inside and out. Another solution is to simply take items from inside to out when weather permits or use similar objects in both areas that can take some outdoor use.

Just as in interiors where careful lighting can make or break a space, the same is true of outdoor spaces – if you plan to use the space after dark. Consider a mixture of soft lights that provide adequate ambient light with shimmering candles and bright detail lighting to highlight a nice tree or art work. Remember to use warm-light globes rather than bright-white or you’ll feel like you are sitting in a parking lot.

A great way to create seamless transitions between inside and out is to utilise large bifold doors such as those made by Brio to enable a space to feel completely open or enclosed. In this way, you can easily create moveable glass walls that let in lots of natural light at all times. Brio are leaders in this type of door hardware, using only first grade stainless steel in their sliding door tracks to ensure smooth functioning. Their range of products lets you create spaces like those you drool over in home design magazines.

Take the time to think about colour and texture also. If you can, consider painting a feature wall in the outdoor area that reflects a wall of the interior. This will create a very clear link between inside and out and inject a bit of your personal style with little cost. Floor coverings also play a part, so adding bright rugs can really add to the vibrancy of the space and give you a cozy vibe all year round.
Texture can be added by placing rustic baskets or wall hangings around the space – again think about using the same objects inside as out. Using wicker furniture is a good trick as it looks great inside and can take moderate weather in its stride if placed outside.

Most people tend to look for specific outdoor furniture and accessories when thinking about how best to decorate and indoor / outdoor space. While this is the obvious solution it can lead to a disjointed feel between inside and out. Another solution is to simply take items from inside to out when weather permits or use similar objects in both areas that can take some outdoor use.

Just as in interiors where careful lighting can make or break a space, the same is true of outdoor spaces – if you plan to use the space after dark. Consider a mixture of soft lights that provide adequate ambient light with shimmering candles and bright detail lighting to highlight a nice tree or art work. Remember to use warm-light globes rather than bright-white or you’ll feel like you are sitting in a parking lot.

A great way to create seamless transitions between inside and out is to utilise large bifold doors such as those made by Brio to enable a space to feel completely open or enclosed. In this way, you can easily create moveable glass walls that let in lots of natural light at all times. Brio are leaders in this type of door hardware, using only first grade stainless steel in their sliding door tracks to ensure smooth functioning. Their range of products lets you create spaces like those you drool over in home design magazines.

Take the time to think about colour and texture also. If you can, consider painting a feature wall in the outdoor area that reflects a wall of the interior. This will create a very clear link between inside and out and inject a bit of your personal style with little cost. Floor coverings also play a part, so adding bright rugs can really add to the vibrancy of the space and give you a cozy vibe all year round.
Texture can be added by placing rustic baskets or wall hangings around the space – again think about using the same objects inside as out. Using wicker furniture is a good trick as it looks great inside and can take moderate weather in its stride if placed outside.

Drapes are a great solution for any type of sliding door or French door with the draperies mounted above the door hardware. They have the effect of creating a heavy fabric border that can be opened from the center out or from one side to cover the whole door area. But be careful not to encroach on the ease of using the doors, so make sure that the draperies can stack on the wall and are not overhanging the door as this can cause all sorts of headaches. Heavy fabric also has the effect of keeping warm air inside the dwelling at night or hot summer sun out during the day, to keep the building cool and lowering your energy bills significantly.

For a clean contemporary look to cover sliding door hardware nothing beats sliding solar screens. These are very good at blocking extreme UV rays from the sun and stopping glare entering the house. These are a very elegant and functional solution as they mirror the style and function of the sliding doors themselves. There are now a huge range of colours and styles available to suit all types of sliding door hardware and architectural looks. Make sure whatever option you decide upon, uses quality sliding door tracks. They can also be combined with a pleated insect screen to stop those pesky winged invaders from ruining your tranquil evening entertaining.

Roman shades are another option and can be used if there is sufficient space above the door frame. These will fold up completely when not in use and can cover the entire sliding doors or window effectively at night. The great thing about roman shades is that you can mount a single covering on each door panel to enable you to individually adjust each shade.

It really pays to make use of any space, no matter how small. It is really surprising just how little you need. As long as it’s big enough to conceal a laptop and desk and perhaps a lamp, it can be used as a work space. The key is to make the space comfortable and practical but easily able to be hidden. A good way to do this is to hide the space behind some large bifold doors or sliding doors. When closed the office space blends in to the wall, and when opened reveals a cosy space to work.

A great place to go for bifold or sliding doors is Brio, who specialise in the manufacture of high quality door hardware for a huge range of cutting edge and traditional architectural applications. If you have room either side of the mini office, a good option is Brio’s top hung sliding doors which use first rate stainless steel hardware to roll effortlessly for many years. If you have a small space to work within, folding doors are a better option as they require virtually no additional space to operate in.

As far as desks go, you have two options really – custom made or freestanding. The most common option when designing super small spaces is to custom make the desk to become a part of the build. This lets you get the size exactly right and optimise the available space. When building the desk, also consider adding custom storage to hide away all your office files, books and printer when not in use. If you have the room, a freestanding desk can make the space feel cosy and personal – just be aware that it can be hard to find very skinny desks off the shelf.

A good tip for tiny offices it to use mirrors as the back wall of the space. This make small spaces feel much more open and creates and illusion of space. You can also decorate the doors that hide the space – think about bright bold colours that frame the space and really make the workday less hum drum more dynamic!

As a general rule, stainless steel is very resistant to rust and corrosion, however it is not completely impervious to it. The most common problem with stainless steel is so called “Tea Staining” which is a visually brown discolouration on the surface of the stainless steel that is a more common occurrence in areas close to the sea or in areas with high chloride levels. Sea spray and salt deposits, high temperatures will all affect external fittings such as those found in Exterior Sliding Door Hardware and can cause this staining. Whilst visually this is not pleasing to the eye, this staining does not affect the actual integrity or lifespan of the materials used in Sliding and Folding Hardware.

There are various other things that may cause corrosion in stainless steel. Avoid using cleaners that contain Chloride including bleach, Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or that will leave concentrated soap residue. Any contact with iron materials should be avoided also, such as water that is high in iron dripping continuously onto the Door Hardware or even using steel wool to clean can do more harm than good. To clean stainless steel and avoid discolouration, always use a gentle cleaning agent such as Ajax powder or a specialist stainless steel cleaner such as Goddards or CRC Xtra Shine and a scotchbrite pad. In marine environments its best to also apply some corrosion prevention such as CRC Marine 66 or Inox to the exposed surfaces.

As a rough guide in general household environments, external stainless steel Door Hardware should be cleaned every six months. In marine or industrial areas, most manufacturers recommend a minimum of three months per cleaning cycle and the ongoing application of light corrosion prevention mentioned above. In summary, although most people believe stainless steel to be virtually indestructible, while close to the truth, in order to keep your stainless steel looking and functioning as new, some maintenance is required to be carried out on a regular basis.