Inspiration this season comes from layers, patterns & textures. Vibrant colours & strong patterns are a must for a classic, strong room scheme of vibrant summer fun.  Floral's are returning, as are retro prints & traditional intricate designs. Don't be afraid to mix and match, floral's, animal motifs, bold azure patterns & retro prints. Create a style that suit's you!

retro spotty dots from Cath Kidston

mix and match au maison wipe clean fabric

rustic textured olive memo board

ceramic plant pots in taupe with

pale blue 'potato print' style heart

animal motif & sentimental cushion

stitched heart canisters (mix & match)add fresh cut flowers

floral metal heart tins add a touch of design class

spotty ceramic canisters (mix & match)

rustic twig heart
decorate seasonally to update & refresh

floral rustic picture

Hello & Welcome to 2012.

What an exciting New Year ahead! With the Queens Diamond Jubilee & the Olympics we think 2012 will be an exciting time for the us all.

As we are busy buying new ranges for the year ahead (with all thats going on we think you will want to be ready to entertain at a moments notice!). Focusing on the key trends for 2012 we take inspiration from multiple sources from key paint trends for the home, fashion catwalks & new design inspiration.

Key Colours 2012 

Thinking beyond traditional colour groupings like ‘pastels’ or ‘brights’ or ‘neons’ or ‘neutrals. The strongest palette is a new direction, which cleverly blends pastel shades with bubblegum pink and acidic chlorophyl brights. Grey still underpins strong colour and we will see grey as being a key backdrop to brights through 2012.

Customers are now increasingly sophisticated with colour in the home. This will result in a  return to clever colour combinations expressed through paint replacing our obsession with wallpaper, which can give the desired effect in terms of drama and personality in the home, yet is more permanent and harder to update than paint. Ongoing post-recessional mood means homeowners will be staying put instead of moving house, which will encourage thinking more cleverly about creating space, storage and a unique hard-wearing yet characterful style at home.

Top Tips for a Country Home

Just some handy hints that I came across when reading ideal home magazine to make a perfect classic country home setting  that you can then fill with the treasures you love:

1) fit natural wood floorboards. Enjoy the warmth and organic appeal of real wood with boards that have only been treated with wax or varnish to keep them looking their best.

2) add wooden joinery. Keep the look simple and pared back with exposed beams, windows frames, doors and stairs in wood. Compliment this with natural wooden furniture.

3) let stone set the tone. If your lucky enough to live in a historic building wit original stone walls, leave them bare to show off their rustic beauty.

4) choose a restrained palette. Keep to simple neutral shades, or if you want to introduce a bit of colour, stick to blue or cream in a chalky or Matt finish to let the natural materials take centre stage.

Pantone Color of the Year 2011: Honeysuckle 

PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle: A Vibrant, Energetic Hue. A Color for All Seasons. Courageous. Confident. Vital.

A brave new color, for a brave new world.

Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year.

It's a color for every day - with nothing "everyday" about it.

Put it In your Home

Transfer this strong colour into your home interiors..... shabby chic at its best simply mix the vibrant honeysuckle pink with tones of muted pinks to create a classic, romantic home.....

butterfly & bird memo holder £14.99

vintage inspired distressed picture £19.99

ceramic pink mantal clock £19.99

magnolia pinks £7.99 a branch (very life like)

Interior design trends of 2011: 'emotional austerity,' 're-balancing'...

 According to experts, the big design trends of 2011 will stem from consumers reassessing what they need to live comfortably, seeking innovation, finding a local balance in a global world and searching for personalized products.

The book Interior Trends 2011 was recently released by IMM Cologne; compiled by the expert committee of the international trend board at IMM Cologne, this latest in a series of annual publications predicts that people are questioning what they need to live well, demanding innovation not re-imagination, addressing issues of balance and seeking products with personality.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/interior-design-trends-of-2011-emotional-austerity-rebalancing-2155207.html#

The trend for 2011 is about finding items and interiors that are practical, quality & have an element of re vamp to them............ keep your eyes peeled for Touches influences here xxx

What is Shabby Chic? What is Country Style?

Shabby Chic. Country Style........ What Do These Styles Mean

When we are describing our style we tend to use the terms shabby chic & country style. At Touches we have identified these styles as the look and feel that we want to emphasis within our ranges. The feminine design and style of the shabby chic look mixed with the homely, warm feel of the country style and the clean, classic ambiance of the french style are all reflected in the Touches style. The question is what do these interior terms actually mean?

I am going to try and explain what the terms mean in general and what they mean to us. I am also going to look at how we use then creatively within our collection of interiors and the style we are encompassing within the Touches look that we are constantly working on to provide you with a collective, strong sense of style and identity that you can recreate, copy and take inspiration from to use within your own home.

To begin with the ambiguous term Shabby Chic. For a bit of history, Shabby Chic is a style that started here in Great Britain. It is a style that evokes the type of decoration found in large country houses where there are worn and faded old chintz sofas and curtains, old paintwork and unassuming 'good' taste. The end result and concept of shabby chic is to achieve an elegant overall effect, as opposed to the sentimentally cute Pop-Victorian.

Thus Shabby Chic as we understand and use it at Touches is in essence a feminine design style that is reflecting of a casual and relaxed lifestyle. It is a form of interior design where items are chosen for signs of wear and tear and the distressed, rustic look. The look emphasis's on neutral colours and an often washed, unfinished look. Within Touches this is best reflected within our distressed, antiqued white and cream painted furniture within the bedroom and bathroom such as our dressing table which looks fantastic with the glamorous diamond round mirror or lovely shelving bedside. In the bathroom this style works brilliantly, a simple wall mounted cream toilet roll holder, cream towel rail with a scrolled shelf or fantastic cream heart hooks. The nicks, fissures and distressed nature of the pieces create a sense of aged, rustic, worn away quality that makes each piece individual.

To look at the term Country style, this type of interiors style design shuns the formal, drawing room style of classic design in favour of a comfortable, lived-in look of a farmhouse or country cottage. With the idea of family and friends popping in with muddy boots, the style inspires the concept that guests feel comfortable to sit in a country style living room or drop in for a cup of tea and homemade cake in a country style kitchen. This design style is casually elegant with a compliment of sturdy, practical furniture and warm rustic accessories. The emphasis is on useful rather than fanciful for furniture & accessories.

At Touches we have interpreted this style to include warm oak furniture, cream practical tea coffee sugar canisters rustic egg rack , brown metal napkin holder and strong sturdy wellie boot stands for the garden to name a few. We have used the style predominantly within our kitchen furniture, which is predominantly a strong practical oak range that includes tables and chairs, consoles, lamp tables and a storage drawer units. For accessories we mixed it with the clean lines of the floral look of English Country and linen textures and vintage lace of the French Style within ranges of linen cushions, cozy throws, tea cosies and for the eco touch plastic bag holders. Mixing the styles and materials creates a real post modern mix of exciting yet practical lighting and accessories.

The eclectic mix of these interior styles gives Touches it's strong sense of practical, clean, rustic warmth with a touch of femininity and sense of comfort and inviting living. Used practically around your home and garden we want to help you create an environment that you look forward to coming back to after a hard day. A space that invites fun and friendship. Popping on a lovely warm cream square lamp, lighting scattered tea lights around the house and snuggling up in a lovely heavy throw in front of a cosy fire with some lovely back ground music or your favourite soap. Perfect.

After all your home is your castle and what a better way to express your individual flair and style.