The perfect backdrop for a vintage inspired room - Dulux Colour of the Year Fire Cracker 4 21/436.

All this week Marianne Shillingford, Design Director at the Dulux Design Service, has been offering her tips on detoxing your home.

Vintage is a key trend that’s been around for a while now and is set to continue to be popular over the coming seasons.

It’s a style that’s sure to appeal to the many hoarders out there – the perfect excuse for not only keeping all your old stuff but also displaying it around your room, stylishly of course!

But when it comes to vintage style, it’s important not to over clutter. By all means scour second hand shops for knick knacks and seek out family heirlooms but the trick is to not to take it too far. You don’t want your room to become a shrine to the past, or just look messy. Instead choose some key pieces – ones that you love or that have importance to you – and let these take centre stage. Then mix and match with up-to-date items to provide contrast and also a little modern comfort!

Explains Marianne: ‘Your home should tell the story of you. The beauty of hiring a Dulux interior designer is that they will work with you to help create a living scrapbook in your home. They can help you make the most of what you’ve already got and create a feature of the things that really matter, like collections of old toys, souvenirs from favourite places and pictures of the ones you love. They’ll suggest colours to uplift the look – perhaps the Dulux 2012 colour of the year on the walls to make this look, a fresh, fun and fabulous spin on ‘Vintage’ chic.’

Back to Hillarys and we’ve gorgeous vintage inspired fabrics within our Roman and Roller blind ranges. Elegant shutters would also look fantastic against this vibrant shade.

Remember, there’s still time to enter our facebook competition to win a design consultation from the Dulux Design Service.

Make the most of natural textures available to you and complement with a subtle shade on the walls like Dulux Heritage Georgian Grey

Texture is a key trend for the year ahead that you may have begun noticing towards the end of 2011. Exposed brick and stone work, stripped floor boards and open beams are perfect for adding interesting texture to a room. Set off with chunky knits – throws and cushions – textured blinds – we have a lovely Roman fabric called Bosworth available in four beautiful shades that will go with this look. You can even get textured wallpapers – great if your walls are less than perfect!

If you like the idea of this trend for your home it’s worth listening to this advice from Marianne Shillingford, design director at the Dulux Design Service.

‘It’s not what you put in – it’s what you leave out that really matters so much in successful interior design. 

‘This room is pared down and perfect with the addition of just a few well chosen pieces rather than lots of needless ornament and decoration. Expert interior design advice from Dulux, will help draw on a buildings strengths, recommending colours and materials that breathe life into a space and fill it with interest rather than dominating it.’

There’s still time to enter our facebook competition to win a design consultation from the Dulux Design Service.

One small seed – stylishly displayed plants can have a dramatic impact upon your home

One small seed – stylishly displayed plants can have a dramatic impact upon your home

For the next few weeks we’ll be encouraging you all to get detoxing your homes. A general declutter, tidy and brighten up that will not only improve the look of your home but will benefit the way you feel about spending time their too.

We’ve recruited some experts to offer their tips to help you. And today, Marianne Shillingford, Design Director at the Dulux Design Service will be sharing her ideas for injecting some living colour into your home, in the form of house plants!

Says Marianne, ‘Fill your home with living decoration that literally helps you to breathe and sleep more easily. Nurturing and talking to your ornaments is much more enjoyable and relaxing than dusting them too.

‘A Dulux interior designer can help you with interior decoration, furniture and pots to show off the foliage. Try simple pots against soft warm organic colours and pure white furniture.’

To finish the look consider our wood venetian blinds in a natural finish or painted white. Stylish tape that co-ordinates or contrasts with the slat adds an extra dash of luxury – your Hillarys advisor will be able to offer advice on getting a look that’s great for your home.

Visit our facebook page now to enter our competition to win a design consultation from the Dulux Design Service.

All you hoarders out there take note – shelves are key to a stylish display and these ones look great against Dulux Colour of the Year 2012 on the walls 21/436

The start of a new year is the perfect time for a new look, and where better to begin than at home.

There’s no need to break the bank! You can go along way with a lick of paint and some gorgeous new blinds at your windows. Arrange an appointment with one of our advisors and he or she will come to you with our full range. So not only do you get to choose from the comfort of your own home but you’re also able to match fabrics to wall colours, furniture or accessories. It’s the ultimate in convenience!

But if your home’s in need of more dramatic intervention, consider a domestic detox. It’s simple – get sorting, decluttering and generally separating the rubbish from the things that really matter to you.

We’ve teamed up with some very fabulous experts to offer you tips on decluttering and generally brightening things up. From storage solutions to interior design assistance, we’ve got it all covered! Plus, visit our facebook page and you’ll have the chance to enter our detox competition too!

For the next week or so, Marianne Shillingford, Design Director at the Dulux Design Service will be sharing her ideas for detoxing your home.

And today she’s ‘considering clutter’.

Explains Marianne, ‘You don’t have to hire a skip to deal with the clutter in your life, instead why not hire a Dulux interior designer who can help you with some tricks of the trade.

‘Unapologetic hoarders will let stuff pile up in their homes no matter how hard they try not too.  An interior designer can help you display things properly to prevent accessories from overwhelming a room.

‘With plenty of shelf space, and the right storage solutions an interior designer can help you get your colour scheme just right to balance the visual noise.’

This is the time of year when anyone who’s anyone goes out of their way to tell you what trends are going to be big over the next twelve months. Everywhere you look there seems to be a mad dash to find the next big thing, to say what’s going to be new first – in general to be ahead of the game.

In reality, trends don’t actually change that quickly. Interior design hasn’t had a dramatic turnaround since December 2011. So if you’ve recently given a room a makeover, in time for Christmas perhaps, don’t panic, you don’t need to get the paintbrushes out and throw away your tastefully selected accessories!

But if you are planning a redecoration project over the next months, there are some key trends that you may be noticing more of as you browse the magazines and the shops for inspiration.

So what’s do we at Hillarys think is going to be big in 2012.

Well first of all, our love affair with all things vintage is set to continue. We’re not fixated by a certain decade though – really, anything goes from the 20s, 50s, 70s and more. And we’re not looking to recreate the exact look of that time in our home. Oh no. Just a few carefully chosen pieces – maybe a chair, a table, a fabric design or a few knick knacks that really make a statement and create the mood for your room. Vintage is now all about taking the best bits from the past and combining with up-to-date style for a look that’s completely unique to you.

In recent times neutral tones have dominated interiors – they’re comfortable, easy to live with, and great to dress up or down using co-ordinating or contrasting accessories. But now it seems as though neutrals have had their day and colour and pattern has come to the fore. Which is absolutely wonderful news! Colour certainly energises a room, and it can be perfectly offset with bold patterns too. If colour and pattern is new to you, I’d recommend limiting the amount of pattern you use – for example patterned blinds or curtains but not alongside patterned wallpaper please!

Sticking with colour, a big trend that has been emerging in recent months is for bright pastels. I know this sounds a contradiction, so to help, think traditional sugared almond tones with just a little extra oomph! It’s a pretty look that works well in a retro style kitchen, although it’s fab throughout the rest of the home too.

If you like the natural look, you’ll be pleased with the next trend, which has a homespun, wholesome feel. Leafy prints, checks, chambrays and cocooning textures combine to provide a simple yet welcoming feel.

And of course, 2012 is an Olympic year, so expect to see loads of red, white and blue absolutely everywhere.

So there you go. Just a few trends it’s worth looking out for. I’m sure there’ll be something to suit you.

What trends are the latest magazines telling us to watch out for?

We’ve only been back at work for a week or so but already the February monthly magazines have been on the shelves for some time. While the end of 2011 issues were crammed with ideas for the festive season, these latest glossies have much more to say on trends for the season ahead. So, what should we be looking out for?

Well making the most of your home is certainly big news. With the downturn in the property market, moving home doesn’t seem high up on the list of anyone’s agenda for 2012. Instead it looks as though we’ll be improving what we’ve got. Good Housekeeping has a great guide to projects that will not only get your home looking fab but will also add value when house prices do eventually pick up.

Animals, believe it or not, are becoming increasingly influential in interior design. Birds and butterflies have been around for a while. Now keep your eyes open for cats, dogs, horses, hens and even bugs! There are soft furnishing fabrics and wallpaper if you really like this theme but if you prefer the odd touch in your home consider a door mat, mugs or cushions. Country Living and Country Homes and Interiors both have lots of ideas.

Textures too are something to look out for according to Country Homes and Interiors. Checks – tweeds and tartans – chunky knits, heavily woven carpets and even wallpaper help create this look that can be tailored to traditional or contemporary living.

Good Homes offers four key looks for the season. From a simple rustic feel, to bright tones and from pretty florals to exotic designs inspired by far flung holidays, there really is something that will appeal to all.

Good Homes also has some lovely buys for kids rooms.

I’ll keep you posted on what I’m expecting to be big in 2012 soon.

Have you got a theme for your Christmas decorations this year?

Getting your home ready for Christmas sounds straightforward enough. Sort out a tree, add a few twinkly lights and a wreath plus maybe some more shiny bits dotted here and there and that’s it – nice and easy.

Of course there’s so much more to it than this. When it comes to the tree do you opt for a real one or a fake, and if you’re going for a fake one are you a traditionalist or do you prefer something more contemporary – white, black and pink have all be on-trend in recent years.

Are you a wreath person, or is this a little too traditional for your taste? Do you love tinsel, or is that a little too tacky (sorry tinsel lovers) for you. Is vintage style bunting more for you? And how do you feel about novelty lighting? You know the kids will love it but you’re not quite sure…

Perhaps you think I’m making too much of this. But if you’re a true home-lover you’ll know how important it is to get everything just right, especially at this time of year.

So, to help, I’ve put together a few inspirational ideas for your home this festive season.

Like contemporary living? Then how about a fresh and airy look? Silver venetian blinds add a gorgeous sparkle, with the pale green walls and off-white furniture creating a feeling of space. Here a white tree suits the mood perfect, finished with simple silver baubles.

Prefer a cosier feel? This gorgeous room simply oozes style, with simple grey walls, wood floors, pale furniture and deep purple Roman blinds. When working with grey be careful things don’t appear too cool. The simple silver tree features baubles that contrast with the rest of the room.

Or are you a traditionalist? There’s nothing better than a real tree (although don’t put it up yet if you still want needles in place for Christmas day). And a real tree suits this look perfectly, offering classic style that’s timeless. Roman blinds again perfect the perfect backdrop.

If you’re short of ideas, I hope this has been helpful. Enjoy your decorating!

Everyone's a winner with our advent calendar!

Advent calendars seem to have been in the shops for what seems like months now. If, like me, you’ve put off buying yours until ‘closer to the time’ you’re probably having a slight panic now because, of course, you’ve only gone and forgotten. But don’t worry! Enter our competition instead.

Every day between now and 24 December, we’re giving away a fabulous range of goodies including iPads, iPod shuffles, vouchers for made-to-measure blinds and much, much more in a very lovely facebook advent calendar.

Unfortunately not everyone can bag themselves one of these great prizes. But the beauty of our advent calendar is that everyone is a winner with vouchers offering free upgrades and accessories for blinds you buy from us behind every door.

We’re giving away free stylish metal chains on roman or roller blinds. Free shaped hems on roller blinds. Free poles and pulls on roller blinds. Free beading or braiding on roller blinds and free beading on roman blinds. Plus there are money off and 10% off vouchers too!

So today I’m going to take the opportunity to encourage you to think about ways to personalise the blinds for your home. Take a roller blind for example. This is often thought of as a functional blind that’s ideal for a kitchen or bathroom. But add sparkly beading or braiding and you instantly have something a little more glamorous that will work just as well in a living room or bedroom.  Or why not simply add a twinkle to your bathroom window?

Co-ordinating beading on stylish Roman blinds gives them a boho-chic edge, just perfect if your tastes are a little more eclectic. And of course a sleek metal chain can co-ordinate with door handles, light switches and other accessories such as curtain poles (if you have them) in your room.

Your advisor will be more than happy to show you all of the accessories in our range – and don’t forget to make the most of your free vouchers. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the end results I’m sure.

Win this gorgeous Charnwood Country 4 woodburning stove in our facebook competition.

Times are increasingly hard at the moment with household budgets being squeezed to the limit. So you’re probably like me and on the lookout for money saving tips, and if these can be super stylish too, all the better!

Woodburning stoves are currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity. This is in part to do with the trend towards creating a warm and welcoming home. Gone are the days of minimalism, instead think vintage style or the modern rustics trend that combines the best bits from country style and contemporary convenience. We’ve recently launched two capsule collections in our Roller blind and Roman blind ranges that reflect these trends beautifully. But it’s also in part due to the increasing cost of gas and electricity. Everyone’s aware of the huge price increases in keeping our homes warm over recent years to the extent that this now accounts for a significant chunk of our incomes.

The brilliant thing about wood is that it is cheaper and more sustainable than coal, gas or oil.  But these aren’t the only benefits of a woodburning stove. They’re also incredibly energy efficient. 70-90% of the heat from a woodburning stove stays in the room compared to an open fire, which loses around 80% of its heat up the chimney. And that’s no use to anyone!

Now let’s talk about the looks. A real fire burning in a room is so welcoming – throw in the stove and you really are making a style statement.  Woodburning stoves come in all shapes and styles from traditional to ultra-contemporary. And don’t think black is the only colour option. Cream, red, blue, grey, green and many more are all available to suit your room.

We’ve teamed up with the lovely people at Charnwood Stoves to offer you the chance to win the fab Charnwood Country 4 woodburning stove in a fantastic facebook competition. You’ve got until 11 December to take part. So if you’ve not entered yet, do it now!

And if you’re hankering after a cosy approach to your interior décor scheme, arrange an appointment with your local Hillarys advisor and take a look at our Family Favourites Roller blinds and Modern Rustics Roman blinds.

This Christmas have a go at making your own decorations for something a little more personal!

If you’re planning Christmas on a budget, and let’s face it, many of us have had to tighten our purse strings recently, take some time out for a little bit of crafting!

There are loads of advantages to diying at Christmas. Of course you will save yourself some pennies but you’ll also bring a more personal approach to your festivities, with a look you know no-one else will have.

All this is in keeping with the vintage trend that still remains so popular. The key to getting this look just right is to carefully mix the old with the new so you don’t appear too themed. Picking key items that reflect your personality is also important. And if you can add something you’ve made yourself, all the better!

So, where to start? Our tips may help.

In the kitchen. Everyone loves gingerbread – how about cooking up some tasty tree decorations that not only look good but taste great too! Stars, hearts and the traditional gingerbread man will work – remember to make a hole at the top of your design for hanging before baking. Decorate and hang using bright ribbons.

Flower Power. Wreaths are a fantastic Christmas tradition that instantly make your home appear even more welcoming. This year, have a go at making your own. Holly may be tricky to work with or difficult to get hold of in adequate quantities but the effect is brilliant. Alternatives include baubles and tinsel around wire (you could use a coat hanger) or pine cones (you could spray them). Throw some sparkly ribbon in and you really will be impressed with yourself.

Display your cards in style. Parcel string or twine and plain clothes pegs are a simple way to show your cards off in style.

Fantastic felt. Felt’s so versatile and incredibly easy to work with. Create a template for tree decorations (for example stars, baubles, birds, presents) then cut out and hang on your tree with ribbon. Or make pretty stockings to hang on your fireplace and stuff with more felt gifts. You could even try your hand at some festive bunting.

All wrapped up. Don’t spend a small fortune of wrapping paper this year. Make your own using brown paper or left-over fabric and finish off with scraps of ribbon and even odd buttons. Unique and beautiful – the recipient will certainly feel special.

Of course, all this takes time and a little bit of patience. Give yourself plenty of time and enjoy!