7 Gabriel Cottages
The TV can also be mounted to the wall above the fire, providing it is all safe and will not get too warm. George and Dan have their TV above there fire and I have seen other homes with this setup so it may work for you in the fact that the whole layout of the room would become more central leaving room around the edges.
Rather than a statement wall a statement headboard also works well. This velvet, velour type feel is very in fashion at the moment and gives a snug, soft inviting feel to the room. I was told by my interior designer friend always always have white bed sheets, the colour comes from the cushions, spreads and throws. It makes the bed seem more crisp and fresh.
A lovely example of a neutral bedroom. The cupboards are a matt texture which is sensible as gloss tends to show fingerprints much more easily. The bed is 'dressed' nicely and the furniture is minimal, but effective, the green plant on the dressing table is perhaps unnecessary as it has no use but the look of it is more effective.
As Darren tells me a lot of the time, why do we need cushions and throws etc etc, well the real reason is we don't need them. They are purely for aesthetic reasons only, so perhaps a blanket box or a shelf to put the blankets and pillows on is a good idea at night. But layering the bed with bed spreads and a nice textured throw along with some coloured different textured cushions as I like to call dresses the bed nicely. A naked bed is an unhappy and uninviting bed.
A more duck egg blue sort of vibe going on here, sometimes too much colour can be too much for the eyes but less furniture is more, it seems less cluttered as there is not much furniture, don't feel as if you have to fill a space, sometimes its nice to have the space and have nothing there rather than thinking I now have nowhere to fill.
Again another soft grey room with a colour accented chair to give some lift and colour in the room. Light pine has been used for the bedside tables giving a slightly Scandinavian. The pendulum lights hanging from the ceiling beside the bed are a good use of space as well as leaving less clutter on the bedside tables, the white is subtle as well, or you can always use statement lights to match your colourful chair.
An interesting lamp very rustic and natural at the same time.
Driftwood floor lamp, it gives that rustic appeal with the raw edges and texture.
Pendant lights are often nice to have hanging down above the sides of the bed. Rather than using up room on a bedside table they hang low as though it is a bedside table lamp but it just does not need to sit on anything, space saver.
I thought this headboard was very fitting for you both as it is called Windermere. Lovely headboard too, a nice tall headboard is a real showpiece and a tall headboard makes for a very big comfy looking bed.
I would always recommend an ottoman divan bed. We have one and its so surprising as to how much storage is under there, so if you are ever short on wardrobe space this is the sort of bed you need in your life!
I know this isn't quite the layout of your home but it could be similar. Wooden floors, easy clean wooden chairs and tables with that all important greenery to add some colour and life into the room.
Could be a goo idea for a snug, the glass roof adds light and space, it will also allow heat and warmth in the summer.
I like the colour palette here, it is neutral but rustic at the same time, the solid wooden doors are contemporary and stylish and the decor is the same.
Its a lovely space the doors are not bifold but they are giving off a lot of light. I was thinking this area as the snug area etc.
The green is back again!! I am not 100% about the patterns but I think its something that would grow on you. Its always to have a shelf handy (the one behind the bath) and also the alcove by the shower.
A slightly different look but I just liked the lack of clutter and simplicity to this bathroom.
This is also a nice bathroom, I like the textured stone wall (which I believe you can get stone wall veneers to go over the top of the existing wall) the glass sink is also very nice, but make sure you wash your toothpaste away. I was more thinking this to be like your utility room shower.
Here we are, the hammock style suspended bath to the left, what a statement piece a real eye opener, and a similar sink to compliment it. The water drains into the floor which seems strange but its great!!!!!!
This is a nice bathroom with the freestanding bath and the suspended sinks. Also if you look carefully there are small lights in the floor that light up so when your in the bath it creates a relaxing experience. The faux marble effect walls are nice too.
Do not look at the ghastly yellow, but do look at the freestanding bath, I know Graham mentioned he liked a freestanding bath as it makes for easier cleaning, and it also adds a nice touch to the room, you can also get suspended baths which I must say have a real 'WOW' factor about them.
This bathroom looks rustic which is nice. I like the suspended sink it allows a sense of space in the room and it makes for easy cleaning under the sink, I like the plant in the shower area again it softens it and shows life, the walk in shower is always nice to have and easier to clean too, although after every use I would recommend spraying with shower spray to ensure the glass does not become stained after too much use.
I like the informality of this room, Obviously you have your porch but then you step right into the kitchen, especially without the wall there anymore. It seems handy to have this hanging area but then again with all your coats etc now in the utility room there is plenty more room in the porch for guests coats and shoes.
The reason I picked this picture for your ideabook was the following, if you decide to go for a rustic effect, you could get fake beams to place around the bedroom like this, it could add cosiness and a real rustic effect and would go wonderfully with white walls.
This picture just popped up and I loved it. I love this centre table and I also know of a good interior shop which sells wooden/glass tables, they are gorgeous and you can get them in all sizes, a real centre piece.
This wooden Scandinavian type bedroom is very nice, again with the wooden flooring which should be easier to clean. I would recommend Karndene flooring is a good contender.
Integrated bins are always useful as dogs cannot get to them.
The colour palette is nice and soft along with the gently striped cushions, this room gives off a sense of calm which is always a good thing when off to bed.
Again this green has slowly slipped back into context again, I have always been a fan of a high headboard but this one I have noticed is a low one. The reason being I like a high headboard is because I feel you can use it as a statement piece for the room.
The colour palette to this room is nice, the textured headboard and coloured cushions are a definite good point and the chez lounges at the bottom of the bed is aesthetically pleasing and practical as you can place your cushions on there when you go to bed at night so they are not left on the floor for the dogs.
This may be a little far fetched but, I stayed in a house in Paris once that had this, little snippets of glass in the floor so you can see downstairs, it adds a lot of light and makes it very pleasing and interesting to the eye.
Another dog wash area, the white is nice and adds a feeling of space to the area, along with the lovely wood I believe it is style flooring.
The patterned floor is nice.
Drawers and cupboards for your ironing boards is always useful.
Small pull out drawers with washing powder and fabric conditioner makes it easier/tidier and safer for the dogs as they cannot chew.
A simple rail across the top of the worktops is also a good use of space used for drying clothes, the dogs cannot reach them too.
The rack at the end really utilizes space well, you can hang clothes on it and the different segments pull out to dry clothes on.
This is definitely what I was hoping to show you. A dog washing area, so when your boys get muddy and dirty on a walk you can bring them in and wash them down. The bed is also nice tucked away under the worktop, although you would need a very large one for your two.
Its useful to be able to put your washing baskets etc onto a shelf and fit snugly.
It is hard to see but the dog wallpaper seems very fitting.
Look past the colours, but the boots racks would come in useful along with the area to hang your coats (on the left).
These big sinks always seem to look nice in a utility room. The green again would also go with the colour on the previous wall with the chez lounges and the kitchen I showed you earlier. I noticed there is also panelling which I'm sure you mentioned before something about this. It can hide scuffs and scrapes from the dogs.
If you like to tidy away then a utility room can be hidden behind big cupboards so when closed everything looks spick and span.
This is nice, the rustic look, and the radiator on the wall. Again along with the navy there is a green plant which really makes the navy pop! The rustic doors are also a very nice accompaniment.
This looks like quite a sophisticated kitchen, I think it could work in your house, modern yet cosy. The green plants etc are a must have as they make the navy blue pop. But again I am aware of dogs tails wagging so you can always get alternatives which are faux plants which now a days look very real and you can only tell by touching them. I like the wooden bar stools they look fairly Scandinavian but they also remind you of a PUB which we all know Grabs is a fan.
Its difficult to see but I believe the window to the left is bi-fold but a half window as you were talking about the other day, and then obviously you have your normal bi-fold doors to the side of that, it adds lots of light to the room and the kitchen island etc makes the room seem much bigger as well. The kitchen goes the full length of the room too.
I have to say the ochre wall paint seems to add a nice touch, I know I said I wasen't sure if you were grey people but it all seems to flow quite nicely.
I get the feeling you are not 'grey' people and do not like the grey look at the moment, the white and wood looks nice with the contrasting chairs, I am not saying this particular colour is what you would want but something with a contrasting colour would look nice.
This green seems to go with the other green wall in the earlier pictures and the chez lounges, not sure if that is something you fancy.
Not sure if this is your style of kitchen or not. But the wooden floor with the white cupboards gives clean lines and little clutter. The wooden table adds texture to the kitchen and gives it that slight 'Scandinavian' effect. You can also get an instant boiling water tap which means you no longer would need a kettle which adds a lot more worksurface space too.
Again shy away from the colour and shape etc, but this is what I mean from the last picture about the lights going through the staircase (pendulum lights), they join the upstairs with the downstairs creating a flow from top to bottom.
I know this is not the exact shape of your stairs, but you could just change the top part of your stairs to curve to the right like this one which means you could bring out the extra room which is currently your bathroom out further, and you could add the statement pendulum lights which I will show you on another picture that can drape from the top of your stairs down the middle.
This is a very industrial look staircase, but interesting so I thought I would put it in your ideabook anyway. I believe the staircase is made of metal but if you can see the stairs are almost translucent so you can see through them, this would add space to the house as it is as if the stairs are not 'all there'.
Look past the colours etc, but this could be an alternative to your wooden stairs for the slipping aspect. The carpet is placed so it covers part of the stairs, so you will still see the wooden aspect.
Another option for a staircase is to have glass, but as I know these can get very dirty very quickly especially being the height for wet noses. But aesthetically they look very nice.
This is a very stylish bathroom, the black against the white is stark but a successful combination. Also having a feature wall works well it gives the room that POP!
Q