While it’s always a good thing to be up to date with the latest design trends, it’s another thing altogether to be a slave to them. The key to creating a home that reflects your personality and feels liveable is to avoid anything too ‘matchy-matchy’ and explore the amazingly fresh effect mixing materials, colours and textures can have in your home.

More and more we are seeing interior designs that use a mix of contrasting trends. Whether it’s a subtle or striking contrast, this concept delivers a delightfully unexpected look and provides depth and dimension to a space.

This blog was written by guest blogger and Design School founder Jenna Densten.

In all our renovations, including our not-so-huge (think tiny) cottage, I’ve always adopted the theory that lighting, texture and colour are the three most important design elements to consider if you’re looking to create a feeling of space and continuity.

The Naturals trend
I’ve always been a huge fan of the Naturals trend

Who would have thought a home smack bang on Sydney harbour would be unsellable! But that was the case in this week’s episode of Foxtel’s Selling Houses Australia when Shaynna, Charlie and Andrew were faced with transforming a run-down disaster in Balmain East into a home worthy of the multi-million-dollar views.

The challenge
Would you pay $4 million for a 2-bedroom home with one tiny bathroom? Neither would anyone else as Fran and Fred discovered. While the house had magnificent harbour views, the restrictive heritage listing and half-finished renovations turned buyers off.

“Hey Google, turn my house into a buyer’s dream!”
With its heritage listing, Shaynna had to work with the original blueprint of the house. Using a Google Home Mini

While we see a lot of interior design focused on a neutral palette, there’s a lot to be said for stepping out of the box with rich and decadent interiors that embrace your senses with vibrant colours and a feeling of olde-world glamour.

The Art Deco style that came to the fore in the 1920’s was all about luxury and sophistication, and it certainly didn’t hold back when it came to mixing bold colours and exuberant geometric design pieces.

NATURALS
Sustainability is much more than a buzzword; it’s a lifestyle that looks to more natural, handmade pieces and organic shapes.

Woven natural fibres such as wicker and rattan in lighting is gaining more and more momentum, as people strive to a

We’ll let you in on a little secret. Living in a space that looks luxurious and ‘expensive’ can actually be easy to achieve without breaking your budget.

Choosing the right lighting has a huge impact on how your home looks and feels, and it only takes a few key pieces to up the wow factor. Adding a new pendant to a room can give the appearance of a designer home.

We’ve put together 3 of our favourite budget-friendly tricks interior designers use to create luxurious looking spaces.

1. Cluster pendants togethe

This blog was written by guest blogger and Design School founder Jenna Densten

I’ll let you in on a little designer secret. Whether it’s one room or a whole house, before you even start to think about furniture or colour schemes, the most important thing is to consider is the overall feeling you want to create.

Adding features such as a ceiling fan can completely change the ambience of any space. Far more than just a great way to keep cool, ceiling fans conjure up images of lazy summer days and really bring a relaxed vibe to any style of home. And now that Beacon Lighting has just announced their biggest fan release ever, there are so many great options to choose from! Let’s talk about the best way to style a ceiling fan in your home.

Mixing or matching?
To complement a neutral colour palette, look for designs in pale wood, white, brushed chrome or silver. If you’re a Scandi-fan, you’ll love Beacon’s new range of white washed timber fans such a

A new year is the perfect time to hit the refresh button on one of the most used spaces in your home – your living room.

With just a few minor changes and easy additions, you can revitalise a tired living room into an exciting new room that’s bang on-trend.

Our interiors team have curated their 4 fail-safe decorating tips for updating your living room.

1. Mix your trends
Whether your style is traditional, contemporary, Hamptons or Industrial, there’s no rule that says you have to stick to one specific look. Choose a few pieces you love and don’t be afraid to go bold with your styling by adding black lamps or pendants to your current décor. Black complements any colour which creates harmony and gives your room a striking sense of dimension.

Just like the interior of your home, getting the lighting right in your outdoor space can mean the difference between average and spectacular. When you know all the tricks, you can use lighting to landscape your garden so that it not only looks amazing, but also adds an extra element of safety and security.

To help you get it right, follow our 6 step guide to perfect landscape lighting.

1. Plan your lighting layout
Think about how you use the space and identify all the areas