Get yourself some Radiant Orchid

Updated for 2015

Radiant Orchid has been named Pantone’s Colour of 2014. I think this is a fabulous, vibrant, fun yet captivating colour that can definitely be introduced to our interiors. Lets explore some ways to do this.

Use Radiant Orchid for upholstery on your accent chairs and for scatter cushions.
Yellow or Gold compliments Radiant Orchid but don’t over do it. Less is more.
Radiant Orchid walls in the right room could work a treat.
Not wanting to change your whole interior? Buy some radiant orchid toned flowers to bring your room up to date.
Play with the varying tones of Radiant Orchid, along with the shades and tints surrounding it using them for for a variety of elements in your room. This will add depth and interest.
Pair Radiant Orchid with white if you are wanting a subtler look, grey/brown for drama and yellow for a bold effect.
Finally add some quirk to your room (i.e. an animal coffee table perhaps?) to make it more eye catching and memory making.

I’d love to hear how you use Radiant Orchid, feel free to comment below.

Below are some more ideas of ways to use Radiant Orchid in your home:

Best Ways to Use Radiant Orchid, Pantone's Color of 2014

How to style a bookshelf

Interior Design and Decorator Tips

Now there are bookshelves and then there are bookshelves. As long as I can remember I have always loved a well styled bookshelf, one that tells me something about the owner, one that tells a story and captures the imagination…. over the top? Maybe but hey, I say it’s time to make our boring book filled bookshelves beautiful.

6 Easy steps on how to style your bookshelf

Take everything out of the bookshelf and begin with a clean canvas.
Start putting your books into your shelf – books can be placed on the shelf both vertically and horizontally.
Next…. add family photos, framed small pieces of art to your shelves.
Place other meaningful decorative objects such as an interesting sculpture, a trinket that you received as a gift from your children or mother… basically anything that adds texture and interest to the bookshelf.
Don’t be afraid of empty spaces. Let the shelf breath and don’t overcrowd it.
Lastly don’t make your styling too showroom perfect, you want your guests to feel relaxed in your lounge room not uptight – have some fun with it!

This bookshelf isn’t too perfectly styled, its fun and quirky.

Why not add a pop of colour to your bookshelves interior.

Add some interesting shaped vases, sepia photos, gigantic shell and textured basket.

You can style your bookshelf in a soft colour palette as pictured here.

You can use books as book ends, add letters, fresh flowers, art, bowls, woodwork, trinkets and more.

I hope you feel inspired to update the look of your bookshelf, I’d love to read your comments below about any tips and tricks that you use.

Happy reading/styling!

Prue

Kitchen styling job for photoshoot

Uncategorized

My Decorator was recently appointed by Wholesale Kitchens to style one of their Kitchens for a photoshoot for their website. The kitchen was one of their clients in Glenorie’s, a gorgeous contemporary sleek white design with a touch of soft industrial. You can see more of the images on www.wholesalekitchens.com.au

Living Room – Spring Makeover, 6 easy steps

Interior Design and Decorator Tips

I love spring. Over the weekend we went on a little road trip out west to see our family and it was so beautiful driving through the lush green country side seeing fields of canola, cute lambs and foals playing in paddocks, wild daisy’s growing by the side of the road, the sun was shining and there was such a breath of new life in the air.

I thought I would write todays post about a few simple changes you can make that will help bring that spring vibe that we all love into our homes. You will see from the above moodboards the difference a few changes can make. Note the furniture remains the same, this is to illustrate how easy it is to tweak your living room to create a new look.

Here are my top 6 tips on how to style a new spring inspired living room.

1. Flowers – go outside and pick some beautiful spring flowers and feature them in your living room, front and centre on the coffee table for all to see and enjoy.

2. Scatter cushions – store away your winter wools, and warm toned cushions and hit the shops to buy some new cotton, light weight fabric and brightly coloured spring ones. Let nature inspire your design and colour selections.

3. Rugs – roll up and store that heavy wool brown toned rug and replace it with a nice blue/green cotton one, it will give your room an instant freshen up.

4. Paint job – get your paint brush out and paint your walls (or even just 1) a nice fresh clear spring tone as pictured.

5. Art – bring out your brighter art and feature it.

6. Decorator pieces – store away any warm toned decorator pieces and use white, bright pastel toned artefacts that you love instead. I have added a quirky Abigail Ahern rabbit lamp to my spring room, it’s good to be unpredictible and add some quirkiness to rooms. I have also removed the old vintage box and added a rustic screen and ceramic stool instead.

I hope I have inspired you to bring some spring goodness to your living room.

Enjoy the sunshine and happy decorating! Prue

How to hang art

Art, Interior Design and Decorator Tips

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How To Hang Art

Originally published 2013. Updated January 2025

What size art for where and how should I hang it? How can I create a show-stopping gallery of art as a feature? What height should my art be placed at on a wall? These questions and more are often asked of me when I’m on a consult so today I thought I would write a blog post to help you all with your art displaying and hanging. I’ve also had some help from the professionals along the way too.

If you have been working with My Decorator, your designer will have a specific height in mind for the piece as it will be in relation to the furniture that is sitting below it, or near it. Interior Designers often create groupings in a room, and art is part of this visual group. Often ensuring art hung above a lounge or hall table will still relate to the room and not be so high that it is no longer relevant to the overall look they are wanting to achieve for you.

I would also recommend opting to use our professional art installer that will professionally hang your art for you. If you are working with My Decorator this can be arranged to happen on Styling Day, when your designer will be in the room with the art installer to recommend ideal placement and height too.

If you don’t have a designer assisting you, as a guide always hang your art around eye level. Eye level when standing and seated, so it’s a little lower than what we would consider standing eye level height. Meaning that the middle of the picture should be at 1450mm from the ground. See the formula below, that Maxwell Ryan from Apartment Therapy uses to achieve this, he also says (or has heard on the grapevine) it is the formula that art galleries and museums use too.

What size art should you choose?

As a general guide choose a piece of art, or grouping of art that is narrower than the item it is sitting above. However you want to also consider scale, you don’t want to hang a small a4 piece of art above a 3 seater lounge for example you want to coordinate the visual scale of the art with that of the lounge. You also want to consider visual weight too, if you have a light coloured lounge, we wouldn’t recommend a dark piece of art. Lastly you want to take into consideration other pattern and print in the room and tie this in, along with colour scheme too.

Step by Step Guide to Hanging Your Art

A. Measure from the floor up your wall to 1450mm high and lightly mark

B. Measure artwork height and divide by 2 (this gives you the center)

C. Measure top of your picture to the tightened wire (a small amount)

D. Subtract (C) “tight wire” amount from (B) 1/2 height amount for the “to the hook” amount. This will tell you how far above 1450mm your hook should go

E. Lightly mark wall just above 1450mm with the “to the hook” amount

Example:

A. Picture is 508mm tall

B. Middle is at 254mm (this mid point should rest at 1450mm)

C. Wire comes to 50mm below the top

D. 254mm – 50mm = 203mm

E. Lightly mark 203mm above your first mark OR 1651mm on the wall

1450mm + 1/2 picture height minus pin to top of picture = where to place hook

How to Create a Gallery Wall

Consider grouping your art together for more impact rather than scattering the pieces on various walls around the room.

When creating a gallery of art select art that is similar in colour scheme so that it looks harmonious to the eye when it is hanging on the wall. Choose lots of different size pieces of art to make up your gallery and group the art so that they are evenly spaced but look visually appealing. You can also add three dimensional items to the mix to create more interest for the eye as well.

Be careful with the scale of your art. If you have high ceilings and large rooms you can hang larger art in your space.

Below are some tips that I have put together for clients in the past that you also may find helpful. I find the below 3M picture hanger works well as the hook is at the top meaning no matter where your canvas string or D ring is you won’t see your 3M picture hanger sticking over the top of your art work.

3M Picture Hanging Strips, these are ideal for use when hanging a gallery wall.

Art can certainly add personality to a home, but the most successful interiors come from understanding how all the elements of your home work together.

Whether you’re considering introducing more art to your home, refreshing existing spaces, or creating a clearer vision for your home as a whole, it helps to begin with a plan.

A Design Consultation is the ideal first step.

Together, we can look at how you live throughout your home, identify what is and isn’t working, and create a clear direction that supports your lifestyle, preferences and future goals.

Sometimes the biggest transformation doesn’t come from adding more. It comes from understanding what your home truly needs.

If you’re ready to create a home that feels more cohesive, functional and reflective of the way you live, click the Book a Consultation button below.

Designing with intention,

Prue

My Decorator

Book your Design Consultation →

For more resources related to this topic see below blog posts:

Vivid Sydney – Inspired Interior by My Decorator

MD Meanderings

Proposed foyer design for Performing Arts Co.

A few Friday nights ago we went into the city to take in the amazing atmosphere at Vivid Sydney 2013. We enjoyed dinner and drinks first at the Opera Bar and then wandered around Circular Quay and The Rocks to see all the different visual light displays.

I couldn’t help but let my designer mind go to thinking how some of the amazing images that were projected onto the Opera House could be used in Interior spaces. So to capture this creative thinking I have put together a 3D image for an Old Warehouse of a Performing Arts Company that shows what some Vivid could look like in a Commercial setting (pictured above). The proposed foyer would have a huge artwork image of the opera house (vivid a fied) hanging in the foyer with some quirky performing arts bowler hats as pendants and tan leather barcelona chairs to create a warm friendly welcome to any visitors.

I hope you had the opportunity to go and see Vivid Sydney 2013, if you didn’t have a look at the slideshow I put together of some of the photos we took. I would also love to read your thoughts and experiences of Vivid Sydney 2013 so feel free to comment below.

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