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Weekend thoughts..

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
Cara Iron Bed from The Original Bedstead Company

Cara Iron Bed from The Original Bedstead Company

WHEN someone suggested the other day that we feature a “Bed of the Month”, it seemed like a pretty good idea.

After all, why not?

Bedsteads, like people, have their own personalities.

Assured and masculine, gently glamorous, or somewhere in between, a bed, like most home-style choices, might just reflect our personality, our hopes and aspirations or maybe could just be a celebration of the seasons?

So putting the “bed of the month” idea to one side for a moment and on the seasonal theme, with summer temperatures set to hit a year-so-far high over the weekend, here’s a summery bedstead suggestion that’s sure to find favour, particularly with the romantics out there!

So, here we go….it could have been one of many, but there’s something about our Cara traditional iron beds that exudes an unmistakably inviting quality.

Gently organic floral curves and detailed castings suggest great balance of form with wonderful visual appeal. Feel free to disagree, but with its deep glossy ivory colour finish, we think that this gently beguiling design hints of warm balmy summer evenings with the windows ajar as the breeze billows the curtains.

And no, we’ve not been drinking too much Pimms, for there’s a compelling case for associating furniture and decorative themes with the seasons, and it looks as though we just made a start….!

Inspired, warmth induced thoughts to close the week…no less!

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The perfect Summer Decorating solution?

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

WITH SUMMER seemingly upon us, at least for the moment, it’s a pretty good time to be thinking about some fresh and airy decorating ideas away from the lure of the sunshine and ubiquitous BBQ!

In fact for anyone who has been contemplating introducing a touch of Shabby Chic into the home, summertime is the perfect season to provide a little inspiration.

Warm and breezy summer months are the perfect partner for the light and gently worn look of Shabby Chic, that actually need not be “shabby” at all in the true sense of the word, but rather traditionally comfortable and enormously appealing.  Elsewhere within these pages there are decorative and accessory suggestions for the quintessential Shabby Chic look which encompasses much of what we would associate with cottage style decorating with the enchanting use of pale or painted mismatched furniture, worn and vintage items, lots of faded flowery prints, and a general feeling of dilapidated but well-loved elegance.

Think of elements of a favourite Aunts cottage, teamed with pastel and cream colour shades and a scattering of quirky yet harmonious accessories, and you will find yourself on the right lines.

Shabby Chic embraces the beauty of imperfection and the inviting appeal of simple and homely living. It is a timeless home-style that is light, airy and welcoming and indisputably pretty.  Furniture choices become easy for the Shabby Chic home.

Old furniture brought back to life with a coat of white or eggshell blue paint will tie the look together. Mismatching is actually a plus and will ensure a thrown together informal style, which nevertheless needs a central colour scheme to create a link for perfect eclectic harmony.

Shabby Chic is particularly at home in the bedroom where the softly faded look is particularly enchanting, and a romantic white or glossy ivory iron beds would be the perfect partner for some soft floral fabrics and well- worn painted or lime-washed wooden furniture.

For a slightly more formal look, some pretty French style painted chairs or traditional Swedish-style furnishings can also work well. Just add some ornate gilt framed mirrors and some teardrop crystal chandeliers for the ultimate in enticing “not-so-shabby” Chic.

Appealing, calming and wonderfully affordable.

This is the inherent beauty and easy accessibility of this charming decorative choice. In fact a summertime Shabby Chic makeover might just be the perfect celebration of long balmy sun-filled days and a welcome antidote to those grey winter months which, before we know it, will be racing around again….!

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Romantic tradition

Friday, July 9th, 2010
Brass beds from Original Bedstead

Brass beds from Original Bedstead

FOR ALL THOSE INCURABLE ROMANTICS out there, it’s worth remembering that, as well as a rather inviting range of quick availability Brass Beds, here at The Original Bedstead Company we are also able to offer some fabulous bespoke factory order brass beds designs to grace the finest bedrooms.

Ever since the birth of the brass bed during Victorian times, it has enjoyed close associations with romance and glamour.

Maybe it has something to do with the deep lustre of brass, which has always been an inherent feature of this most beguiling of metals, or perhaps it is the beauty of those elaborate 20th century designs that tug at the heart strings?

Whatever the appeal, there is little doubt that the evocative personality of those wonderful old creations have been recognised throughout the world and across the generations as unmistakable and timeless.

With traditional production techniques that have in fact, altered little from those of our Victorian ancestors, we remain committed to offering the very finest craftsmanship and range of brass bed and indeed iron beds styles to suit all tastes, budgets, and bedroom themes.

Our Studio Collection special order brass bedstead range includes some unquestionably opulent designs such as the Mandallay, Liddlesdale, Boyne, Montrose, and Clifton to name just a few.

Meticulously constructed in either heavy round tubed antique brass or inspired square tube styling, each model has it’s own distinctive personality and assured, well planted stance, true to the ideals of those Victorian originals.

Crafted only to special order, this beguiling collection deserves a second look for those in search of the ultimate brass bedstead for the most romantic and unashamedly captivating bedroom settings. 

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Bedroom decadence?

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

AMIDST the harsh reality of now-familiar economic gloom, here at the Original Bedstead Company, we’ve noted with interest a significant upturn in enquiries and demand for our very finest flagship designs.

At a time when we might have expected cash conscious customers to sit on their hands or opt for more mainstream Iron beds or Brass beds model, quite the reverse seems to be the case.

In fact we’ve been kept pretty busy, keeping up with demand for unashamedly romantic iron bedsteads from our range such as the Athalone, Walton and Alva.

And likewise, invitingly glamorous brass beds, such as the Ayr, Montrose,

Liddlesdale and Mandallay have been equally popular. These are all elaborately designed bedsteads where laborious and highly skilled production processes are reflected in the showroom price, and yet interest has never been stronger.

It is certainly a positively heartwarming trend and we’re quietly wondering if it is not, in some small way, an intriguing reaction to the global malaise as we choose to treat ourselves to a little night time pampering away from the doom laden headlines of the day.

We’ve always viewed the bedroom as something of a sanctuary. Somewhere to relax, recharge and retreat from the stresses and pressures of modern day living.

For many the bed is the ultimate escape.

A place of solitude or companionship, where we can escape from the melee to a haven of warmth, comfort and calm.

What better expression then of restrained good taste, than an enticingly enchanting and sensual bedstead to set the scene and mood. History tells us that when times are tough, a little decadence is never more appealing and we’re rather flattered to be a small part of it all….

In the face of gathering economic clouds and World Cup woes, let us not doubt legendary staunch British resolve!

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Quick thoughts on themed bedrooms

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION for a themed room?

How about choosing a hobby or particular interest and using that passion as a starting point?

It’s always much easier to derive inspiration and great ideas for styling themes for which we share a close affinity and understanding.

For a young girl’s bedroom, a horse themed room might showcase trophies, pictures, rosettes and memorabilia. With a little flair and imagination, the bed could easily be adapted or commissioned to look like a jump fence, whilst the door could be designed as a barn door or stencilled for the same effect. Liberal use of soft greens and gentle sky blues would complete the outdoor pasture effect whilst a few horsey leather accessories would add authenticity.

Just one of a wealth of possibilities for younger bedrooms, whilst elsewhere within these pages there are a multitude of ideas for more mature themes drawing on inspiration from all parts of the globe and diverse decorative styles.

From French country themes to Tuscany treasures, English country cottage or Parisian apartment styles and more. They are all there to be discovered. These more traditional decorative styles are a joy when everything comes together for that “just right” look. But again it’s always worth a little thought outside the box to come up with a hobby or interest inspired design that defies convention for a unique look.

Gardening, travel, fashion and culture interests are all food for thought, but whatever floats your personal boat, getting the focal point of the bedroom just right is crucial.

In this respect, the bed is the essence of any bedroom. Using it as a starting point for inspiration and working from there is invariably pleasing and successful.

Modern or more traditional Iron Beds, Wood Beds or Upholstered Beds all have a hugely important part to play. Commissioned bespoke designs might break the bank but can be a dream come true when it comes to turning your design aspirations into reality!

For ultimate impact and truly inviting results the key really is to be open to new ideas and not discount anything, even if it might seem a little quirky at the time.

Thinking radically can achieve beguiling decorative and styling results with plenty of thought provoking fun along the way….!

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Interior design styles to reflect our personality

Monday, June 28th, 2010
Mandallay brass bed from The Original Bedstead Company.

Mandallay brass bed from The Original Bedstead Company.

It need not be difficult to add verve and sparkle to our homes by choosing decorative styles that are a reflection of our uniquely individual personalities.

Too often we have themes and colours with which we are not comfortable, inflicted upon us, particularly when we move home and inherit someone else’s design choice, or in the case of a new home, when we’re at the mercy of the taste of the Interior Designer.

And yet, in a world crammed with vast colour, texture and style options, there’s clearly no need to settle for anything that is less than perfect  (as we would perceive it), when, with a little imagination our home environment can be a calming space and a true reflection of ourselves.

Find a style -

Many people might find a style preference based on fond childhood home memories, whilst others are inspired by interior magazine influences, television makeover programmes, or internet features. Sometimes we are attracted to textures and colours that might not be entirely practical or appropriate for our living spaces and lifestyle. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is wrong, but it’s a good idea to take some time to settle on a look that you won’t quickly tire of that can be carried throughout the house and that fits in with seasonal changes and our lifestyle patterns.

The importance of colour -

Colour choice has the ability to effect mood faster than just about any other aspect of our home. Colour can add instant extra interest and verve but can also soothe and calm depending on our requirements and the room setting. It’s also one of the cheapest and easiest aspects of decorating to change or put right if we suddenly realise that we’ve made an awful mistake.

And yet the boldest approaches can often be the most successful, and book room reds, deep moody blue rooms, and even primrose yellow bedrooms, can all work well with the right fixtures and accessories. Bold coloured fabrics in the form of curtains, cushions, bolsters and throws also have an important part to play as do accent rugs and any fabric with a floral theme or stripes and patterns that harmonise with the background colour theme.

Furniture choice -

Choosing furniture wisely will pay great dividends. Getting it wrong can mean an expensive mistake, so it’s important to plan the room layout carefully to get the proportions just right. Furniture that is too small for it’s surroundings can look lost and sad, but a far more common mistake is to buy oversized furniture that you have to shoehorn into place. Furniture always looks smaller in the vast expanse of a furniture store, so it’s worth taking a tape measure and deploying a lot of self discipline, however attracted we might be to the colour and design.

No more true is this than in the lounge or bedroom, where an oversized sofa can spoil the day, however plush and comfy it might be!

In the bedroom it is even more crucial to get the proportions right, as without sufficient space around the focal point, the bed, a feeling of claustrophobia is impossible to avoid as well as being impractical and constantly awkward.

So fall in love with that romantically imposing Victorian styled Brass Beds by all means, but choose the size carefully, even if it might mean the odd compromise. Smaller bedrooms are often the norm in this modern age or in older cottagey style homes, but there are plenty of beautiful iron bedsteads and wooden beds and matching furniture out there to make the most inviting of statements.

All available in a wealth of colours and designs to pander to even the most eccentric or quirky of tastes and sure to reflect our innermost personality.

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More Shabby Chic ideas

Friday, June 25th, 2010

SHABBY CHIC is such a versatile decorative style.

Casual and welcoming, there’s room for a little Shabby Chic-ness in every home. Bring this warm traditional look into your life with the minimum of effort for a cosy effect that you’re sure to love.

Upholstered furniture.

For a truly inviting look, overstuffed and oversized upholstery is a great place to start. Comfortable and wrinkled, sofas are long and squashy and chairs are almost large enough to seat two. Purpose made “love seats” look fabulous in a Shabby Chic room and delicate prints cover soft throw pillows.

Old drab furniture can be revitalised with soft slipcovers in pale cream shades or faded prints or use a throw to achieve the look you desire. Whether custom made or bought from a fabric specialist, the effect is instant, for a super look without the expense of new furniture. And because it’s a cover, how about a seasonal change with cool whites during the summer months and a warm stripe or floral theme for cooler times of the year?

Rumpled.

And wrinkled. That’s the look.

Give the iron a holiday and aim for that lived-in, well loved style that’s neat but not too much so. Upholstered furniture looks all the better if it’s a bit saggy. Not by accident have many specialist upholstery manufacturers been making their furniture this way for years!

Whimsy and intrigue.

Anything old, interesting and beautiful will have a place in the Shabby Chic style. Choosing old architectural details or garden statuary with a story to tell will impart instant interest and aesthetic charm. Pillars, an old mantle, glass knobs and chandeliers, or anything iron and a bit rusty will all add texture and intrigue to the room. The list of possibilities is endless, but if it looks right and at home, then it probably is right. Intuition is the interior designers very best friend when it comes to the perfect Shabby Chic look.

Bedroom themes.

Use Shabby Chic liberally in the bedroom for a beautifully cosy feel.

This is where the look really comes into it’s own. Pretty throwovers, pale patterned curtains, soft squashy cushions and pillows will all give the bedroom that quintessentially English cottage Shabby Chic style. And why not complete the look with an inviting iron bedstead to really captivate the senses?

Something traditionally timeless with delicate cast metal detailing should fit the bill. The Original Bedstead Company Arigna in glossy ivory or satin black, might just be our choice, but any traditional beds style is sure to lend a captivating tone to any Shabby Chic bedroom theme.

Revitalising “old”.

With Shabby Chic, even the oldest broken down or rickety furniture pieces can be given new life. If it’s broken, fix it, clean it up and give it a new identity and charming look with a coat of distressed white paint.

Something a bit rusty? Perfect. Clean it up, but not too much, and give it a new home. Furniture or accessories with chipped paint? Even better.

And mirrors with scratched glass or imperfect silvering as a result of age, are Shabby Chic personified. And of course, half the fun is to be had, trawling through the antique markets and junk shops to find these treasures.

Shabby Chic on a shoestring!

The finishing touch.

No Shabby Chic room is complete without the wonderful glow and fragrance of scented candles. And bunches of fresh flowers, scattered liberally in ornate glass jars or pretty painted vases will look and smell wonderful. Likewise, anything with a floral theme has a part to play in a Shabby Chic home. Books on wild flowers, antique floral prints in faded guilded frames, and soft floral fabrics add accent and colour and calm.

Charming and comfortable, Shabby Chic is the perfect way to add a lived-in, fondly loved quality to any home whilst having great fun along the way, throwing it all together!

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Dream bedroom ideas..

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

By following a few simple rules it’s possible to transform a nicely decorated bedroom into a truly beautiful one.

A personal sanctuary that expresses your own unique personality and those favourite colours. emotions and dreams that we hold dear. We spend upwards of a third of our life in this most private room of the house. Isn’t it worth taking the time to get the ambience and feel just as we would wish it to be, as surely there can be no finer environment to reflect our tastes and ideals on a totally personal level?

Colour tones -

Starting with the colour scheme it’s a fine start to choose soothing tones or a restful palate of monochromatic shades rather than bold primary colours. Gentle hues of green, lavender and blue will always create a calm and serene atmosphere, whilst toasty browns, pomegranate shades and topaz set a mood of coziness and comfort. Or simply select your favourite colour and gently tone it down using accent pieces of the same hue around the room to create harmony and balance.

Ceiling treatments -

The bedroom ceiling is the fifth wall, and yet so often gets overlooked. It’s what we see when we lie in bed so don’t just settle for a bland, blank surface.

Instead, try adding a subtle pattern or soft colour. Painting the ceiling a slightly lighter version of the wall colour helps to visually lower the ceiling and create a feeling of comfort and intimacy.

Other solutions might be to stencil or wallpaper the ceiling in complementary textures or try adding architectural elements in the form of coving or beams.

For ultimate luxury, a canopy or tented bed with dressings that hang from the ceiling, can envelope you in warmth and sensuality whilst adding unique texture and a romantic flavour that changes completely the flavour of the room. Most iron beds or wooden beds will lend themselves to this type of embellishment with spectacular results. Traditional metal beds are particularly suited to canopy ornamentation and as a way of visually linking the ceiling with the rest of the room, it has little equal.

Keeping things simple -

But it’s worth remembering that too much frippery can ruin a room design and simple, sophisticated elegance is the best approach, whatever style of decorative theme you decide upon. Too little space between the bed and side walls or larger pieces of furniture will create instant claustrophobia. In effect, this means furnishing the bedroom with only what you need. A bed, a bedside table or two, a dresser and chair are necessities. Anything more is in danger of becoming superfluous, except for those lucky enough to have room to spare. As such, choosing correctly sized and styles of furniture is crucial.

It’s a good idea to start out with a floor plan and work out exactly where everything is going to fit. Furniture should be in keeping with the shape and character of the room, so it’s pretty obvious that it’s a good idea not to try to squeeze a large brass bedstead into a small room, however much in love you might be with the design.

It’s a trap that many, sadly, fall into!

Conversely, if the bedroom is large with higher ceilings, a bedstead with a high head end or tall headboard will help visibly draw the room height down. Large rooms will happily provide a home for an ottoman or a handsome piece of furniture at the end of the bed.

(please see our blog article for some suggestions here)

And just as large furniture is a no-no for a small room, smaller furniture and accessories will look lost and sad in a large room. It’s all about proportion.

Accessories -

Should be kept to a minimum. Quality rather than quantity is the key. Choosing a beautiful piece of artwork, stone statuary or an evocative sculpture, will be far more alluring than lots of little dust-gathering ornaments. Just add flowers, a cluster of family photos and some strategically placed large church candles, and then leave well alone.

(more…)

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Reviving a boxy bedroom…

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

It is a fact that many homes built during the last 50 years or so have a reputation for being architecturally soul-less.

No more so than in respect of interior design where economies of scale often translated into homes with somewhat uninspired room layouts lacking any real sense of character or innovation. With tight budgets, space at a premium and little scope for flair it’s perhaps not surprising that architects had no choice but to stick with tried and tested home designs, floor plans and exterior finishes.

And yet for any homeowner stuck with a little square apartment or less than inspiring last century house design, there are a number of mostly, very simple ways that sparkle and intrigue can be introduced for a touch of verve to transform the dullest boxy room.

Ceilings.

Artexed or textured paper ceilings are notoriously last century. Reinvigorate with a skim of fresh plaster for a smooth surface finish before considering recessed lighting or track lights for a contemporary twist.

Floors.

Hardwood or reclaimed flooring adds instant warmth and character to a room and in most cases, will outlast carpeting. The look can be changed easily by changing area rugs depending on your mood or for a fresh new look season by season. Stone, tiles and sisal flooring can also prove interesting and a departure from the accepted norm.

Skirting boards and coving.

This is the finishing touch to the fundamental shape and style of any room. Narrower skirts and ceiling coving look good in rooms with lower ceilings, whilst deeper mouldings should be used for loftier rooms.

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Cottage style decorating trends.

Monday, June 14th, 2010

There is no doubt that when we’re searching for the quintessential Cottage style looks the temptation is to go the mix and match route and certainly this is by no means without considerable charm.

Think of the typical English country cottage from the last century, and an eclectic mix of fabrics used for everything from upholstery, curtains, draperies, table skirts and bed linens would have been the norm.

Prints such as floral, stripes, checks and plaids would abound for a thrown together but homely look. In true cottage style, anything and everything really did go together with period and handed down furniture with an overall effect that was inviting and comfortable. Such cottage style interiors are still alive and well today and for anyone striving to replicate the look, there are a wealth of colours, patterns, accessories and furniture to choose from.

Despite the diversity, it’s always a good idea however to have a unifying colour theme and neutral cream shades, particularly in smaller rooms, always work well with pinks and greens in floral prints or washed out greens, rust and golden tones to harmonise with rustic furniture.

For cottage style homes close to the sea, beach beige hues look fabulous when co-ordinated with soft blues and plenty of white. Indeed, most faded colour schemes are successful within the casual surroundings of a cottage style home, but let us not forget the importance of white in all it’s many shades and textures for those times when a fresher, less cosy look is required. White décor need not detract from the cottage charm, and in fact for a backdrop to period oak furniture and rich upholstery it provides the perfect solution for anyone looking for a more contemporary twist whilst retaining the traditional mood. Punctuate with vintage rugs and contrasting fabrics for an alluring effect.

Romantic hint of pink whites for the bedroom and washroom, or yellow tinged whites to show off dark wood period pieces in a hallway or main living rooms are invariably beguiling. There is such a huge wealth of white toned premium quality emulsion paints available today, that the toughest job might be choosing the one that fits the bill perfectly.

In the bedroom, white paintwork and walls create an airy feeling and are a great contrast for gentle washed our fabric colours and crisp linens. Team up with a traditionally romantic iron bed in contrasting satin black or perhaps glossy ivory for a softer look.

Two of our cottage style favorites at the moment are the Cara iron bed and the Marseille iron bed although any of the traditional cast metal bed designs would form a lovely centerpiece. Alternatively a delicate antique brass bed might just make an equally compelling case for itself and in this respect the Kendal brass bed never fails to fall from popularity in cottage style homes.

(more…)

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