The colour of 2011 is Honeysuckle!

Avid readers of this blog may remember that Turquoise was the colour declared by Pantone as the colour of 2010 symbolising “escape”. To read this blog click here.



The colour Pantone have chosen for 2011 is Honeysuckle, otherwise known by the Pantone reference 18-2120.








Interestingly Pantone have described Honeysuckle as a colour which “emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor” and describes it as “encouraging and uplifting” “perfect to ward off the blues” which is a clear reference to the current financial climate and austere times we are in.

With strong connections to the colour red Honeysuckle is a captivating and stimulating colour which is bright without being too bold. Positive qualities include invoking feelings of love, warmth and comfort.

Let Transformations Interior Designs help you to introduce the colour of 2011 into your interior

The joys of Spring!

When the days are getting longer, flowers are starting to bloom and spring is in the air there is no better time to introduce some of the joys of spring into your interior!


“floris” wallpaper by Harlequin is a great example providing a refreshing, light space with a powerful splash of spring colour.

This fabulous flowery wallpaper is anything but twee when teamed with simple, contemporary furniture.

Black is a popular colour in the interior at the moment and this current trend can provide a striking background for these flowering magnolias.

“Sweet Bay” wallpaper and fabric available from Sanderson





If a whole room, or even a whole wall, seems a step too far introduce a bit of spring with clever use of one strip of wallpaper.




This one piece of “Miya” wallpaper by Harlequin introduces colour and visual interest to this otherwise neutral space.










If flowers aren’t really your thing “silhouette” by Harlequin brings nature and colour together with this modern collection of trees.


Let Transformations Interior Designs bring the joy of Spring to you!

Cool radiators!

As we enter October we start to think about turning the heating on! Radiators are an efficient method of heating a space and as such are a feature of many interiors, yet despite the amount of resources we plough into our designs the conventional steel panel radiators are often the primary source of heating.

The key to radiator efficiency is surface area which makes the panel radiator, with its large hot surface, a well performing and functional piece of equipment however they often have a bulky appearance and are difficult to conceal.

Underfloor heating can be an ideal way to free up your wall space and maximise the flexibility of the room however this can be a costly and disruptive solution.

Fortunately there have been some significant advances in radiator design of late and we have put together some of the more stylish and quirky radiators on the market which combine efficiency with good design to demonstrate how cool radiators can be!

Rad Art is a new innovation in radiator design which takes the advantages of a conventional radiator and combines it with stunning art which will add colour, visual interest and warmth to any interior. The front panels are interchangeable with a variety of designs available.

The “Calorisfero” wooden radiator uses wood woven around the steel elements to give an alternative natural finish. The wood can be stained or coloured to complement your interior.

These sleek radiators combining shelving, complete with lighting, with a fully functioning heating device would make a Marea a welcome addition in most interiors.

Practical and stylish - this convenient bench is hot!

With so many fabulous options available let Transformations Interior Designs help you choose the right solution to not only heat your interior but also enhance it!

Go Wild!

The wild and exotic elements of the African safari style gained popularity in the early part of the 1900’s when Britain’s Royal Geographical Society explored the African continent and the images captured the attention of Europeans who introduced the exciting style into their interiors.

Today Africa is a still viewed as an ultimate getaway with the African safari style continuing to offer a bold, distinctive yet classic design for the interior.

Key components to creating the African safari style are natural, organic materials combined with bold animal prints and contrasting colour to bring the vibrant and rich wonder of the African experience into your home.

This style of interior design can be adapted to suit most interiors and tastes

ranging from the minimalist touch using clean lines, intricate carvings with a hint of animal print

to a bolder use of the style incorporating a variety of animal prints and furs, colourful geometric tribal designs infused with dark woods, bamboo, tropical leaves and natural materials such as rattan, sisal and jute.

Let Transformations introduce the adventurous, naturally beautiful and exotic African safari style into your interior www.transformationsid.co.uk

Magnificient Maps!

Maps are rarely just about geography and have been used to make statements about their owners power, taste and influence for centuries. Maps have been used to decorate interiors since Roman times when elaborate maps and city plans were laid in mosaic tiles and etched in stone.

Maps were used to great effect in palace galleries to demonstrate the rulers wealth and power and a particularly fine example of this is the Galerie delle Carte Geografiche at the Vatican Palace, Rome where forty maps showing the lands belonging to the Catholic Church and Italy's important cities were frescoed between 1580 and 1585, shown below.

By the 19th century it was common to frame and display maps as decorative symbols in both the domestic and commercial interior. Merchant houses often displayed maps of all types, shapes and sizes to show their trading exploits, loyalties and pride of the homeland or estate.

The trend of displaying maps diminished significantly in the early 20th century however their beauty and flexibility can make a valuable and unique addition to any interior today.


The colourful world map on the wall of this study is a decorative and educational way to brighten up this space.


A quick, easy and relatively cheap method of adding visual interest to this contemporary space is to use a world map decal sticker.

It is easy to introduce the beauty of maps into your interior with these British Isles cushions from Reclaimed Objects



Or this London Tube Map shower curtain would bring a contemporary twist in bathrooms of most styles





Let Transformations bring creative ways to introduce maps into your interior whatever the style or period www.transformationsid.co.uk

Your own private sanctuary!

As human beings we are naturally social creatures however there are times when we like to hide away from everything and everyone, to stop the world momentarily to recharge the batteries, and what better place to do this than in your own home.

A quick and easy way of creating this area is to dedicate a special chair in your home as your chill out chair. A stylish addition would be this wicker Urban Balance Curve hanging chair, made from natural materials it would be the perfect seat in which to relax.

If you occupy a busy space, such as a crowded household or a workspace, create your own private snug which can be accommodated in a space no larger than a cupboard. Take inspiration from the snug pictured below. Furnish your snug with luxurious, tactile cushions and throws to create your own private sanctuary!


Picture taken from Elle Decoration

Let Transformations create a private sanctuary for you in your interior www.transformationsid.co.uk

9th May 1977 - what a day!

The 9th of May 1977 was a memorable day for my family because it is the day I was born!

On this special day I thought I would have a look at the trends in interior design from that time which has been dubbed the Hi Tech or Industrial Style.

Discos and nightclubs were popular during the 70’s which influenced design greatly. Residential interior design changed during the decade from wild and crazy to clean lines but bold use of colour remained a constant theme throughout the decade.

Although considered a relatively new concept environmentally friendly or green design emerged during the 1970's.

Verner Panton was an influential designer during the early 1970’s who created radical and psychedelic interiors that featured his curved furniture, an excellent example of this is the Room Installation for the Visiona II exhibition by Bayer at the Cologne fair in 1970 pictured right.

The decade that gave us funky-kitsch designs from the space age, made a feature of the circular form, used shag pile and moulded plastic extensively was iconic of mid-century modernism which is reinforced by the popularity and high prices that retro pieces command.



Transformations can take your interior back to the 1970’s either with a faithful reconstruction or with a contemporary twist www.transformationsid.co.uk