So, what should you be doing when it comes to decorating?

Don’t Follow The Crowd

Trends are a pain, mostly because they change so frequently. What might seem like a great idea at the time can turn into an outdated looking room. Make sure you’re not following the crowd and instead choose a timeless “theme” that you’re really happy and comfortable with.

Photo Credit: Irish Typepad via Flickr

Leave The Paint Til Last

This may sound a little odd, but choosing the colour first puts huge pressure on the rest of the room. Why? Think about it, you’ve painted your wall a cool shade of teal and you’re shopping around for a teal coloured table. The problem? There are so many shades that it may be almost impossible to find things that fit in or match the colour of the wall. Match the wall with the furniture, not the other way around.

Don’t Overcrowd The Room

It can be all too tempting to make your home more “homely”, but homely doesn’t have to mean sticking all kinds of clutter on shelves. Simple and clean cut rooms are more appealing and are easier to maintain, you don’t want to spend half of your day just dusting, do you?

Photo Credit: Lucas Fox Barcelona – Ibiza – Mallorca via Flickr

Go Big And Bold

A scary prospect but one we all need to get over. Stop choosing safe colours and themes, if you want to have a huge dinosaur on your wall with bright green beanbags all over the floor, just go for it. Going big sets that room apart from the others, and shows the world that you’re not afraid to be different.

Getting Your Head Around Rugs

Rugs can be tricky, you can never really tell what to do with them or if you should put furniture on them. There are 3 main options you have: all on, all off or front on. With all on you cover more of the floor, great if you have wooden flooring that’s cold on your feet. With all off you’re looking more at a small rug just for your feet when you’re at the sofa or dining table. With front on you simply just put the front feet of furniture on the rug, creating the illusion of it being bigger than it is.

Photo Credit: David Goehring via Flickr

Lights Aren’t Just For The Ceiling

Lighting is essential in the home, but decorative lighting is a great addition as well. Lights don’t just have to be there to make the room lighter, they can become their own little piece of art. For example, you can use pegs to pin photographs to fairy lights. You can also use lighting under cupboards in the kitchen to make the room warmer and more friendly.

Create A Point Of Interest

This doesn’t have to be a feature wall as such, it just needs to be something that creates a big impact on those who enter the room. Instead of a feature wall you could have a large comfortable sofa or a unique coffee table. Alternatively, you can use artwork to create a focal point, such as a large canvas or a sculpture.

Photo Credit: Jonnie Andersen via Flickr

Consider Line Of Sight

Not many people tend to think about our line of sight, because we tend to have 2 lines of sight when we’re in a room as we’re either sitting or standing. You need to make sure that what looks good standing up doesn’t look awful when sitting down.

Let Go Of Unsightly Collectibles

Like many of us, you may have collected a few items over the years that you always put out on display (even if they don’t suit the room). It’s time to let go of older items in favour of new and more fashionable ones. Change isn’t a bad thing, it’s a sign of progression and improvement.

Photo Credit: Lionel & Heidi via Flickr

Don’t Forget About Proportion

What looks great in the shop may not necessarily look good in your home. Always try to remember how much room you have to work with when purchasing something. Also try to stick with the layout and theme you’ve gone for. If you keep the receipt you can always return it if it looks terrible when you get it home.

Take Your Art More Seriously

When you get a canvas or other piece of art, do you measure how high you place it? If you have high ceilings you may feel the need to place the art halfway between the ceiling and the floor, but this is an absolute no no. You must keep artwork in your line of sight, art galleries place their images so the centre is 57 to 60 inches from the floor.

So there we have it! We hope you enjoyed those tips and we hope that they’ve helped you to better understand your home.

Feature image credit: Oyvind Solstad via Flickr

If you enjoyed this blog post then perhaps you’d like to read “8 Ways In Which You Can Decorate Your Conservatory“?

Ranges & Fabrics

Easycare Polycotton

Our range of polycotton linen is made from a blend of 180 long-lasting polyester and soft cotton threads. Not only are they extremely comfortable, they are also easy to machine wash, dry and iron before use.

Luxury Egyptian Cotton

Our Egyptian cotton makes for a strong yet soft exterior; featuring an extra-long staple for a soft handle. This range of linen includes a 200-thread count, which makes for a durable yet comfortable material which is easy to care for.

Photo Credit: gina pina via Flickr

Sumptuous Pima Cotton

For an extra comfy night’s sleep, the Sumptuous Pima Cotton range is on hand to add a touch of luxury to your bed wear. The cotton is collected from various parts of the world, equipped with an extended staple for a consistently reliable finish.

Exquisite Genuisa Cotton

For the most supreme offerings in bed linen, our Exquisite Genuisa range is a mixture of deluxe duvet covers, pillowcases and sheets. Its silk-like texture makes for a lusciously luxurious feel, combined with a 1000-thread satin weave for that extra sturdiness also. The collection is machine washable as well as suitable for tumble drying.

Egyptian Cotton

Our Egyptian Cotton range comes in two selections, Crisp & Fresh and Soft & Silky. These both provide a soft, crisp feel against your skin, but each caters individually to your skin type and personal preferences. The tightly-woven cotton is condensed to create a strong fabric which is extremely smooth to the touch.

Silk

Silk sheets are a top-end choice for bedding accessories, providing you with extra comfort when wrapped up at night. Its natural characteristics help keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, whilst also providing anti-ageing benefits for your skin.

Photo Credit: Madelinetosh via Flickr

Thread Counts & Weaves

Thread Count

The ‘thread count’ is a common term used when describing the qualities of bed linen. It relates to the number of threads in one inch of its fabric (both horizontally and vertically). In most cases the higher the thread count, the softer the material will feel against the skin. The quality of the thread is also important however, which is something we offer with all our duvet covers, pillowcases and sheeting options.

Plain Weave

The plain weave uses a simple arrangement of horizontal (warp) and vertical (weft) threads in a traditional criss-cross pattern.

Percale Weave

The percale weave typically uses at least 200 threads and woven tighter than the plain weave for a smooth finish.

Sateen Weave

Often using cotton or rayon, the sateen weave produces a sturdy finish by using a mostly weft face pattern.

Satin Weave

Satin weaves are sewn to produce fewer intersections of vertical and horizontal threads, made up of silk, polyester or nylon. Its fibres are woven in close proximity to produce a tight weave.

Photo Credit: Zip Eye via Flickr

Jacquard

Created on a specialised jacquard loom, this pattern is more stable and resilient than typically basic weaves. As the warp threads are raised independently, jacquard weaves feel thicker to the touch.

Seersucker

Seersucker is an all-cotton fabric, woven to create a narrow stripe always facing in the warp direction. One thread is more tightly woven than the other, producing a crinkled effect.

Flannelette

Flannelette weaves encompass a plain texture, using a square pattern. Its unique finish is created when scratched and raised up, thus creating a super-cosy feel.

Feature image credit: Didriks via Flickr.

If you enjoyed this blog post then perhaps you’d like to read “Why Spring Cleaning Should Be A Monthly Venture“?

Photo Credit: Steve Wilson via Flickr

Is It Viable?

Just because you enjoy a particular hobby or pastime doesn’t mean it will work as a commercially viable business. Is there suitable interest to make it work, not only for the next few years but in the long-term also? A financially sound business plan needs to be in place before you get going. Without this, your company could be in trouble before it even gets off the ground.
For example, if you’re trying to sell personalized water paintings investigate how much similar items are selling for in shops and online; websites such as eBay and Etsy are good for this. You could also survey friends and members of the public how much they’d realistically pay for one.
With a figure in mind, do you have time and expertise to produce enough stock to make the business work? Will you actually enjoy turning this occasional hobby into something full-time as well as managing the commercial side of the business? Bear all these considerations in mind before you get going.

Photo Credit: Sebastian Deptula via Flickr

Business Considerations

Starting up a new business takes money, time and commitment. After the initial research and planning phase you need to officially register the company with the relevant government department and tax authority.
There are many aspects to consider during this stage:
– Is your chosen business name and brand completely original? If this isn’t the case, then other companies may choose to take action against you.
– Will you be registered as self-employed or limited company? This requires deeper investigation and will have tax implications down the line.
– Do you have the correct insurance in place? Depending on what sort of business is being set up, there are different insurance policies available from specialist brokers to larger trade associations.
– Are you compliant with all the legal requirements? Certain industries require you to satisfy regulation areas such as licensing, health & safety and data protection. For example, storing client’s personal details on your database should comply with data protection laws.
– Do you have the financial means in place? Of course, there are many aspects to a new business which require financing. Managing cash flow is perhaps the most important part of a company. Do not stretch beyond your means and keep costs as low as possible.

Setting up a new business requires a great deal of character and resilience. However, with sufficient market research and a sound financial plan in place, turning your hobby into a money-making business can progress into the perfect lifestyle.

If you enjoyed this blog post then perhaps you’d like to read “How To Be More Organised With a Bespoke Walk In Wardrobe“?

Feature image credit: Scott Beale via Flickr

There is definitely a skill to making the perfect homemade burger and whilst there are obviously certain aspects which are down to taste, there are some basics which must be followed by any budding burger expert. They may seem like they are easy to do, but actually, there is a quite a craft to making a good burger.

Quality Beef

The most important thing to getting a really good burger is that the quality of the meat is good. This means that you shouldn’t use lean beef, go for fatty beef as this will ensure that your heavenly burger stays juicy and succulent. If you can’t manage to mince your beef yourself (and let’s face it, who can?), get your butcher to do it for you.

Photo Credit: U.S Department of Agriculture via Flickr

Other Ingredients

A hamburger in its purest form is beef and a little seasoning. It is also allowed for you to add some finely chopped onion and maybe some herbs. If the meat is of the best quality, you won’t need anything else.

There are a number of recipes which suggest the addition of extra ingredients such as egg, cream, even Guinness. But it all really boils down to one thing – the quality of the beef. You can add extra flavour with flavours which work well with beef, but the key is to enjoy the quality of the meat.
Bearing all this in mind, here is a great homemade hamburger recipe.

Serves 6 Famished Friends

1 tbsp oil or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1kg roughly minced chuck steak (or any non-lean mince)
1 tsp garlic
2 tbsp brown breadcrumbs
2 tsp chopped herbs (parsley or thyme work well)
1 tsp salt
Black pepper
Garnishes, sauces and rolls, as desired

Photo Credit: niki georgiev via Flickr

1. Over a low heat, warm the oil in a frying pan, and cook the onion until soft and slightly browned. Add in the garlic at the end to release the flavours. Leave it to cool.
2. Sprinkle the onion and garlic over the beef, then mix in the breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning and mix lightly together with a fork, but be careful not to overwork it.
3. Divide the mixture into 12 relatively flat burgers, putting a dimple in the centre of each one, cover and leave in the fridge for one hour.
4. Cook the burgers on a medium to hot barbecue or griddle pan: leave them for the first 3 minutes without disturbing them, so that they seal on the bottom, then turn them over carefully. If you wish you can add a slice of cheese on top if desired. Cook for 4 minutes more for rare, and 7 for well done, and then allow the burger to rest for a few minutes before serving.

You can serve your burgers with toasted or untoasted buns and maybe garnishes such as salad, tomato sauce or garlic mayonnaise for a really delicious delight
Now go and call your friends, break open the beer and enjoy the sun!

Feature image credit: Monica Müller via Flickr

If you enjoyed this blog post then perhaps you’d like to read “How To Make The Most Delicious Cinnamon Latte“?

Having a conservatory can be an excellent additional to any home, especially a family home. Not only can they add more value to your home, by several thousands, but they can also add needed space within the home. Having this space is almost like having an entirely new room, with a view. But how should you use this added space? You don’t just have to plonk a sofa in it, there are many things you can do; below are 8 of them from the guys and girls at Fit My Bedroom.

Nature Geek

Get back to nature by making this space into a great outdoor experience. You can make it feel like a mini indoors garden with added plants or even have smaller animals such as hamsters and guinea pigs in here in their cages. You can make it simple or you can go all out with larger tree like plants,it’s totally up to you. This can be a great look if your conservatory doors open out into the garden, it can almost look like an extension of your garden.

Image Credit: House To Home

Hobby Corner

This room can also be really good for peace and quiet, great for craft hobbyists who need to concentrate on the tasks at hand. You can add in shelving or you can include drawers, or other built in furniture, in which you can store all of your upcoming projects. Add in some comfortable chairs and then you’re pretty much set! Whether you’re into knitting, card making, wood burning or even sewing; this room has so mucn potential for you.

Image Credit: Yaarn Cake

Man Cave

Every man needs a man cave, right? Well many would think of a man cave to be a shed or a garage, but you can easily make a man cave out of your conservatory! This is a great space to be away from the rest of thr family and crack on with little projects or just a little place to kick back and relax with a hot beverage and a decent book. You can make the space yours by adding in personal touches, you can even have a pool table if you really want!

Image Credit: Daily Mail

2nd Living Room

If you have a big family them you’ll know how hard ti can be to agree on what to watch on the television, or even where everyone gets to sit. If you need an extra living room then why not create a 2nd one in your conservatory? This space can be like a miniature living room for anyone who doesn’t want to be in the main house. You could leave the kids in the house and escape to your own room, watching whatever you like.

Image Credit: Rightmove

Dining Room

Many houses do not have enough room for a dining room, many resort to eating from their laps in the living room. However, you can easily use this new space as a place to eat as it’s nice and quiet, plus many have more than enough room to have a large dining table. It’s also nice to be sat near the garden when you’re eating, it can be very calming and relaxing for all of the family.

Image Credit: Suffolk Cottage Holidays

Outer Space

Fancy something different in your home? Then why not get in touch with the stars by creating a room dedicated to outer space. You can stare into the stars from the comfort of a sofa or you can even get a telescope so you can get up close and personal with galaxies. It’s a hobby you might not have thought to get into, but one that can be very rewarding to some. If you’re more into science fiction, you can always theme the room around that instead.

Image Credit: Flickr

Music Room

You might not think it, but having the conservatory as a music room can actually be the perfect set up. Because it is an extentsion of the house you can play music wihout totally disturbing the people inside. On a summers day you can practice in the garden, but in wetter seasons you can simply play inside with the view of the garden for inspiration. It’s a great place to clear your head and focus on your art.

Image Credit: Shoreline Piano

Animal Sanctuary

Do you have a family pet? Many do, and sometimes they can get a little in the way. If you’d like a break from your pesky pets, or simply want to give them a room to themselves then you can easily give them the conservatory. This is a perfect place for a pet as any doors can have flaps for them to get into the garden whenever they like, so you don’t have to keep letting them out. Make it an animal haven, have lots of toys and plenty of places to rest their weary heads.

Image Credit: Style Tails

If you liked this blog post then perhaps you might enjoy “Why Spring Cleaning Should Be A Monthly Venture“?

Feature Image Credit: Needhams Windows

When it comes to decorating a bedroom for a child, it is important that it becomes a place that they feel safe in and a place where they can both relax when it comes to bedtime but also play throughout the day. If you plan to create a child’s bedroom that is suitable for girls and boys then the colours that you opt for are important in bringing the correct balance to the room. It has to be done in a way that feels comfortable and it cannot sway towards being more suitable for one sex than the other. To do this there are several things that can be done, but the colours and décor are vital in getting it absolutely right.

Image Credit: Design Wagen
This stunning kitchen is both modern and homely with jar inspired lighting and fantastic display cabinets for posts and pans. The white finish gives is a new feel, even though the style isn’t 100% modern.

Image Credit: ealuxe
This industrial style kitchen is amazing, it incorporates the buildings looks into the overall style of the room. The use of 2 materials on the work surfaces almost creates the illusion of 2 separate spaces on the worktop, incredible.

Image Credit: Epic Wallpaper HD
This room is very modern with the addition of 2 dining areas at both sides of the room. The dark wooden colours make the room more inviting and the heavy metals give the room a shine and sparkle, leaving you wanting more.

Image Credit: Pfgrenada
This rather bright kitchen may only use 1 main colour to catch the eye, but the earthy tone makes the room feel quite natural and very relaxing. The brightness of the colour gives life to the room and the simplicity of the layout creates more space.

Image Credit: Homesoo
If you’re one to light the more homely feel then you’ll love this kitchen style. Using mainly whites mean that the room almost glows with light. Instead of having a permanent fixture in the middle these guys have opted for a large and tell table that can be moved if needed. Great for ease of use.

Image Credit: Rieke
This rather futuristic looking kitchen creates a bar like feel, great for younger homeowners and those who like quirky decor. The addition of the television makes it a great place to cook and hang out with friends and family.

Image Credit: Pfgrenada
This rather bright and simplistic room is a fantastic space for any home, one that is crisp and clean. You wouldn’t want to spill anything in this kitchen, as it would ruin the sophisticated look. The double doors lead out into the garden, which is great for summer.

Image Credit: Pfgrenada
Another stunning white kitchen here with the addition of slightly more formal furniture. This room is long, leaving enough room for guests to sit and chat whilst someone is cooking. This too leads into a garden, with even more space to relax.

Image Credit: LvLuxHome
This kitchen is lightly more geared towards those who like things to be more traditional over modern. The wood used in the kitchen is light, so it’s not dark and dingy and feels fantastic when varnished. The large piece in the middle makes for a great dining table, with enough room for a large Sunday roast.

Image Credit: AZLIFEWAVE
Ignoring the random chicken on the floor, this kitchen is fantastic for those who like the rustic farm house style. The raised counter makes half of the kitchen look like a bar and the detailed marble counter tops are simply divine.

Image Credit: Mediberian
This is yet another simplistic and modern kitchen which includes the addition of dark wooden units on the walls. In this kitchen the units are large and reach the ceiling in some areas, plenty of space to store utensils and pans.

Image Credit: Pfgrenada
This kitchen is a great look and suits those who like the finer things in life. The creamy colours give the room a more luscious feel and the dashes of wood help to bring the room together. The lighting is also very unique and rather interesting, giving the room a little edge.

Image Credit: Epic Wallpaper HD
A very kitsch and modern look indeed, this kitchen has some real personality and is light and bold. Using a pastel blue makes the room softer on the eyes, like looking at clouds in the sky. This would certainly stop you from becoming stressed when cooking meals.

Walk in wardrobes aren’t just for the rich and famous, they’re actually a fantastic way to create more room in the rest of your home. You wouldn’t take up a whole wardrobe on your own, right? So you can use a walk in wardrobe as a communal wardrobe, so you can save space in bedrooms and other areas. If you’ve got a spare room and don’t really know what to do with it then you can use it to create an amazing walk in wardrobe/storage space. We have our very own page dedicated to walk in wardrobes, why not check it out? Below are just a few things you can do with the more common objects found in a walk in wardrobe and why creating this space can benefit you and your clothes.

Shoes

You could of course add a shoe rack into your walk in wardrobe, but if you’re a bit of a shoe hoarder then perhaps you may want to consider a large set of shelves to display them? There are many ways you can store your shoes in such a vast space, you can either have them on show or even hide them away. If you don’t want to display your twinkle toes then you can have slow closing drawers fitted, which not only hide your shoes but also protect them from dust.

Image Credit:Flickr

Clothes

With your average wardrobe, you’re generally forced to hang clothes that would otherwise be folded. Many standard wardrobes only offer you a couple of drawers for storage space with more space for hanging. With a bespoke wardrobe you can choose exactly what you want it to look like, so you can have tall sections for gowns and trousers and have smaller sections for shirts and tops. You can also have small drawers or large drawers should you prefer to fold your clothes up before putting them away. With such a huge space, you’re able to properly separate your clothing and save space in other areas of the home. Jackets can take up a lot of room near the front door, so you could leave that empty and place them in your new wardrobe. This saves space and leaves room for guests coats.

Image Credit: Flickr

 

Accessories

Instead of having to bung all of your accessories in a drawer, you can again separate them and even place them with the clothes they are related to. So you could have a drawer above your trousers for belts or find a helpful belt hanger. Scarves could be hung up or folded up neatly into drawers or placed on shelves near the coats. Walk in wardrobe ensures you know where all of your clothes are at all times.

Extra Storage

If the room you change into a walk in wardrobe was previously storing things, you can still do that.The beauty of this kind of wardrobe is that it creates space without it looking or feeling cluttered. If you add a couple of cupboards to the wardrobe space you’ll be able to store random objects that would otherwise just be laying around. You could even store gadgets such as vacuum cleaners in a wardrobe.

If you’re interested in getting your very own walk in wardrobe, you can get in touch with us today for a free design visit by getting in touch via our contact form.

Spring cleaning is something we typically see as something we should do once a year, before the Easter Period. But why only once a year? We believe that you should be having a good old clean of your home once a month! Think about it, if you left everything the way it was for a whole year, imagine how untidy your home would be. Below are just some of the many benefits of spring cleaning once a month, rather than once a year.

It Takes Less Time

Of course if you are cleaning more often, the times you do clean your home will take less time than if you left it to once a year. You may only have a handful of things to throw out or sell whereas a yearly clear out could see you ending up needing a skip! It means you don’t need to set aside a day, or even a weekend, to sort it all out. If you’re the sort of person who is always busy, then you may want to consider clearing out your home monthly.

It Gives You A Sense Of Achievement

We’ve all had that fantastic feeling after clearing out a load of stuff, you can get that wonderful sense of achievement more often if you opted to spring clean once a month over once a year. It’s such little effort too, because you’re taking less time to do it you’re able to achieve very quickly. We’re all a little competitive at heart, so you could even make it something you do as a challenge to yourself or with your friends.

 

It Makes Your Home Always Look Great

You want to make sure that, as a host, your home is spick and span for those visiting. Curiosity could lead them to piles of mess that you’ve tried to hide in a corner, or even a cupboard that serves no other purpose other than to hide all the rubbish you haven’t got around to throwing away. Don’t be one of those people, get to it once a month and make your home an absolute pleasure to be in.

 

Your Home Is Dirtier Than Meets The Eye

Whether you see dirt or not, it’s always there. You could hoover once a day and still have dirt on the floor, why? Because we all shed our skin. These tiny skin particles can’t be seen with the human eye, and for the most part it is fairly clear. So you could have a large build up of skin cells on the floor without even knowing it. Make sure you give your home a good once over every month to avoid this from getting out of control. Dust is also a problem, so make sure you’re dusting high and low regularly.

 

It’ll Make You A Healthier Person

Getting rid of all that dust and dirt will stop your lungs from clogging up, so for sufferers of allergies can breathe much easier in your home. Also, cleaning burns of quite a few calories, so you’re not only getting a cleaner home but you’re also getting fit while you’re at it! Being active is crucial to a healthy lifestyle, so if you’re the kind of person that’s stuck in an office all day it’ll do you good to move about in the home.

If you’re a coffee lover then the chances are you’re quite the fan of the odd latte. Many of us go to popular coffee shops such as Costa Coffee, Cafe Nero or Starbucks; but you can actually make your very own latte at home! It doesn’t actually take very long either, around 5 minutes. Here at Fit My Bedroom we love our coffee, so below we’d like to share with you a recipe for the most incredible cinnamon latte, for those who have a sweet tooth.

Feature Image Source: FlickrYou’ll have to start with the ingredients, which start with 400ml of strong coffee, this is enough for 4 mugs worth. Now, this can be any coffee you desire, but the stronger the coffee the better the latte will be once finished. You can find market stalls who sell flavoured coffee beans, so if you can find cinnamon flavoured ones you can make it stronger. Alternatively you can use other flavours such as vanilla or ginger coffee beans to compliment the cinnamon.

Next you’ll need to make sure you have 1 level teaspoon of ground cinnamon. You can find packets and pots of this in your usual supermarket, if you get a bigger pot you can make dozens of lattes! You could also add a thin stick of cinnamon for decoration, but keep in mind that this will make the drink much stronger. You’ll also need 2 level tablespoons of sugar, yes you heard me right, tablespoons. Last but not least you will need 1 ¼ litres of low fat milk, you could of course use semi-skimmed or full fat but the drink seriously doesn’t need it!

Image Source: Flickr

So you have your ingredients, yes? Good. You’ll need a large pan on a medium to high heat on the hob. To this pan you’ll need to add your cinnamon, sugar and a small amount of your milk. After a minute you need to slowly add the rest of the milk and then bring to the boil (being careful not to over boil). During this time you can make up your pot of coffee either using a coffee machine or simply adding hot water from a kettle. Split this up between 4 cups and leave room for your spiced milk. Just as the milk starts to boil you’ll need to be quick to take it off the heat entirely.

Now all you need to do is add your hot milk to your hot coffees and you’re done. You now have 4 extremely tasty cinnamon lattes to try, so get tucked in. If you’re not a fan of cinnamon you can use alternative spices and flavourings, just make sure you’re not using too much! Also, if you can’t find ground cinnamon but do find the sticks, you can use a couple of thin or one thick stick to flavour your drink.