Happy Weekend! x

Happy Weekend!

Thank you so very much for bearing with me over the past few weeks!

It's been a little bit of a 'flood' of events over the past week or so hence not being able to get onto my love, Palatial Living, so to share all the inspires me - and a few great projects along the way!

A lot has been happening in both work and family life... I am preparing to head off to China week after next for nearly 2 weeks on a sourcing & development trip - which is very exciting but will be a lot of hard work - meeting suppliers and visiting their showrooms, with at least 4 internal flights and an express train trip to boot! All in the name of style & product!

My super - wonderful -lovely students for my Cert IV Design Monday night class at ISCD will have to do without me for 1 week -  I will miss them... I love teaching at ISCD, if you're thinking about learning more about colour & design be sure to check out ISCD's website for on campus & distance learning through their iDE [international distance education] program. Which leads me to my fabulous & very resourceful iDE Cert IV Design students - who continue to blow me away over the month of may I had over 8 students submit their work - and you cannot believe the creative pieces they turn out! Am simply continually amazed!

On the home front - we've been cleaning out, throwing out and working out the 'what to do next' phase! Recently our new bed & side tables arrived [thank goodness - the bed was dying!}and our existing tall boy and blanket box no longer matched  in colouration to the new pieces... I love the 'old' pieces so was thinking of way to keep them and to not spend more money, & of how I could best re-purpose them...

Solution - I sanded and repainted them - Voila! The last coat of paint on the drawers is drying as we speak! So I plan to post pics of the before and after paint project for you - I am so pleased with the outcome and can't wait to add the crystal drawer knobs, I purchased in my fave home wares store Port Douglas last March whilst on our baby moon, onto the drawers! Stay tuned...

So a little more garage cleaning tomorrow and a trip to the local tip... and definitely a glass of wine!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend & a very Palatial time doing it!

See you soon...



images via patterson maker, matchbook mag, pretty stuff, crush cul desac

Colour Can Change Everything...

Did you know that colour can change everything? It really can - your mood & atmosphere, the light, the design, the balance and your world! Have you been thinking about furthering your colour & design knowledge, or maybe even changing careers into the world of colour & design in industry, or start up your own small business - in a part time lifestyle paced study mode?

If these types of ideas & questions have been lingering around you for a while - now IS the time to take it with both hands! You haven't missed the boat - at ISCD [the International School of Colour & Design] located in North Sydney now have enrollments for a May 2011 intake  [for Sydney-siders] for the Certificate IV in Design [a nationally recognised certificate- Foundation course] for a 26 week course on Saturdays from 10am -1.30pm, that I am to be teaching! You could have your Certificate IV in Design completed by December this year, from there the sky is the limit ... so get moving and make the change! Click HERE for more details on the Certificate IV in Design with ISCD or contact the school directly HERE to further enquire.

Alternatively if you live away from Sydney and cannot attend the campus classes your best colour & design learning option is to get hooked up with ISCD's fabulous iDE [International Distance Education] program for the Certificate IV in Design. I currently have over 30 correspondent students who are located throughout Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore who have taken the next step with their love for love & design and joined the iDE program... CLICK Here for more details on the iDE Program to study at home in Certificate IV Design, alternatively contact the school for more details.

Remember - Colour Can Change Everything!

Can't wait to see you!

Note - this post are views expressed solely by Sarah Verity. This post is not an advertisement, and by no way or means has this post been supported or paid for by ISCD.  ISCD contracts Sarah Verity through Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions for educator/ teaching services only.  

images ys voice, house beautiful, crush culdesac, tumblr, patterson maker



Trends for Tomorrow Part II...

 

So now for Part II from the ISCD Trend Evening 'Tomorrowland', and this part looks to the fabulous 100% Design London 2010& London Design week [exhibits]. I have create more of a bulleted list for you with all the links included so that you can indeed go on your ON trend & design hunt through these talented designers & artists. These trends are not the ones that I believe that it is so important the the interpretation of these trends is yours - and it really does come down to how you put your own spin on these trends and how you can incorporate them into your design work whether is be at home or with a client.

  

Here are some Key Areas that were identified at 100% Design London 2010/ London Design Festival.

• Achromatic colour palettes - using lots of Greys & Blacks - shading & tinting
• The juxtaposition of Old & New items, materials and surfaces
• A wide use of Timber in Natural and Neutral stains or left unfinished
• Unfinished treatments of timber & surface tops - being exposed to use and elements - thus creating scratches and marks - memory mark making.
• The idea Raw and keeping colours and surfaces in a raw state - introducing hues of Orange & Terracottas as an accent to the Achromatic colour palettes - using real Earth colours to complement the unfinished treatments.

Achromatic colour palettes

    

Achromatic colour palettes with accent of orange

Ikea's answer to Achromatic colour palettes

• Botanic Nature Trends
• Bold use of colours especially with Greens/ Purples combination
• Vibrant, High Value Hues
• Grahame & Brown Wallpaper
• Pieces by Erica Wakely
• Reuse is the new trend in the sustainability race
• Orchard Studios - flat pack chair rubber band chairs
• Design with a low carbon foot print
• Rubber bands & using recycled materials in design

Orchard Studios - flat pack chair rubber band chairs

 

• Straight edge furniture
• Dare Studio
• Check out works by Edward Robinson
• Handmade [made by hand - not mass assembled] products

Edward Robinson - Bramcote

Edward Robinson - Bramcote

Edward Robinson - Harbour Chair

Edward Robinson - Harbour Chair

Edward Robinson - Harbour Chair designs

• Lighting - handmade designs/ bespoke
• A movement back to the hand crafted
• Check out pieces by Esther Patterson - Curiousa & Curiousa- Intertwining designs and motifs inspired by childhood memories with a love of form and function, Curiousa & Curiousa challenge perceptions of comfort and beauty, creating individual, hand-made lighting, furniture and pattern design. Applying traditional techniques for a modern age, Esther Patterson, the company founder, is a maker who is committed to working with UK suppliers and other crafts people, from hand-blown glass and bone china lighting to bespoke upholstery and furniture production.
• Lace cut-out lighting
• High chroma colours - brilliant values
• Emphasis on Affordable & Accessible design
• Finishes showing were matte & matte white/ polished gold such as colouration from 'one light only' designs.

Owls - by Matt Pugh Design, Bath [UK] based designer Matt Pugh designs and produces contemporary furniture and accessories.With longevity in mind he creates timeless, well made, unique pieces from quality sustainable materials combining simple detailing with rich colours and playful designs.Choosing natural materials as they have a timeless quality and have minimum impact on the environment. Each piece is designed and made to last more than a life time

Owls - by Matt Pugh Design





Owls - by Matt Pugh Design

Lee Broom East London - 'One Light Only'; One of Britain's most exciting young designers, Lee Broom, launches his fourth collection, One Light Only, at the London Design Festival this September. With last year's Heritage Boy collection gathering praise from fellow designers and press alike, Broom's latest collection sees him tackle a wider audience with a more affordable selection of offerings.

Lee Broom East London - 'One Light Only



Esther Patterson from Curiousa & Curiousa - handmade lights



• Eco push - how long will these products last? rejection of fast consumer goods
• Christopher Guy - colours in hand carved & upholstered furniture - predicts for Purple, in all spectrums including violet, indigo, iris, lavender and plum continues to be on-trend in 2010/11. The darker regal hues deliver a real wow-factor adding colour and warmth whilst the paler shades such as lavender are softer and more feminine; both palettes create a unique eye-catching style.Christopher Guy’s multitude of original designs are all hand-carved and available in a wide selection of hand finishes, with a myriad of upholstery fabric and colour choice.

Christopher Guy - Hand carved & upholstered 'Button Back Love Seat'

• Bestill - Botanical cut lighting, paper light shades by Jordy Fu - she describes her Cloud Lamps as taking “a simple and sustainable approach to add magic and intimacy to domestic lighting.” Each delicate paper-cut expresses a different motif – one features angels shrouded in clouds and mist, while others elegantly remember long-faded flowers, or the rooftops of a magic world.True to their flexible medium, each lamp flat-packs to ship, and Jordy includes an energy-efficient soft white light bulb. They come in a variety of sizes ranging from bedside table lamps to floor and pendant lights.

One of the real common threads I deduce from the designs & works that were shown over the London Design festival was - sustainability. We all know about being green and eco-conscious. That is now not enough - in design we need to think about how to re purpose - items into another use, to another client, another room or re-vamp. How we can lower our foot print with the materials we use and the waste we create, further consideration into the paint and treatments we use . And a turn back to craft artist/ designer works - bespoke - made by the hand, not mass assembled products. Although my own personal design mantra is 'fit for purpose' - 'use what you can where you can, then take it from there'.

On an end note I can't believe that it's a year ago I was there at the design festival traipsing around with my sister - time flies! If you get a chance to visit London at the end of Sept & 1st week of October I highly recommend getting yourself to some of the design exhibits - there are so many great exhibits from amazingly creative talented designer and artists that are on the tip of creating the next trends....Now you can further investigate to your design on-trend heart's content!

 

 

images via inhabitat, NotCot.org, 100% Design London & London design festival



First of the Key Trends...From the design magnetic centre MAISON&OBJET.



The Gift tag from the fab ISCD goodie bag! 



Back view



Hope the start to your week was a colourful one!... So last week I promised to devulge a few of the'trends' that were presented and discussed over the Thursday evening last week when I attended the ISCD 'Tomorrowland' trends evening... So I have worked out that I will need to post a blog a day for the remainder of this week so to get you across it all and so you have time to google them all up!

First Up a snapshot of what is Maison & Objet's Trends -

MAISON&OBJET has examined its sector and analyzed the major home trends for autumn 2010. In an era of overexposure, a violent and ancestral desire is being expressed for a return to appreciable privacy. Three key themes are being focused on this session by members of the MAISON&OBJET Observatory: Please Disturb, Microcosms and Archaic Shelters.

Here are a Few Key Topics, within a conceptual sense to get you thinking...

 Please Disturb. Vincent Grégoire

1. Please Disturb - Intimate & Intimacy - What remains intimate in a technological age?  There is no longer privacy. Do we want to me disturbed? Check out the work of  Vincent Grégoire, who is a trend hunter, director of the "art of living" department of the NellyRodi consultancy and forecasting firm and a member of the MAISON&OBJET Observatory.'It is impossible nowadays to completely close your door. In modern life, there is always an eye peeking through the keyhole. Our interiors are no longer enclosed and impregnable cocoons, they are laid bare and stripped of their sanctity....... The home has become a cry, a savage wrench in the face of an aggressive reality which nobody now wants to conceal. Privacy no longer exists, it needs to be saved through destruction.'

Microcosmes - François Bernard

2. Microcosms - Public vs. Private - what do we really see into someones life with reality everything - from tweeting to blogging, to reality tv, to facebook...turning to our homes - the home now becomes our sanctuary. Explores the privacy & it's need,  and the reaction to overexposure. Inner silence. Cocoon retreat. Microcosms, the search for calm. An artisan who explores this is François Bernard - whose [above] images are evident of this reaction & response to Microcosmes. François Bernard is director of the Croisements trends agency, a member of the MAISON&OBJET Observatory.

'Another effect of this aggressive reality and the loss of privacy is a turning in on ourselves and our eternal silence. If our homes are no longer impregnable, a world must be created within a world, an oasis of calm in the middle of the cry..... The modern home becomes invisible in order to calm us. The feeling of security must be discreet, hidden, both shameful and necessary..... No more of the mundane – objects must provide inner peace.'

Check out the works of Siwen Huang, whose pieces relate to this area of calm, shade & light, here's a snippet of her interview from "LIGHT MONTAGE " ( 2009-2010)

What did you discover/produce?

Light is an indispensable element of our daily lives. “Light is around us day and night, changing our perception of the thing or bodies on which it impacts, and the space that contains them.”

What is your vision of textile futures?

Magical colour created through structural surfaces…..intangible yet visible.

What inspires you?

The kaleidoscope

Key words - Illusory Environments, Light, Shade, Shape, Colours.



'Soft Partition I' Textile Art - Siwen Huang



'Soft Partition II' Textile Art - Siwen Huang

'Soft Partition III' Textile Art - Siwen Huang

'Soft Reflection' lighting piece
 Siwen Huang

Archaic Shelters - Elizabeth Leriche

 

3. Archaic Shelters - Fragile to Raw. Feather to Stone. Neo Primitive Retreats. New Pre-History. Re-Establishing our Roots. Back to Basics. Elizabeth Leriche looks into this 'fragility of human rawness' and our need to reconnect with our human origins [through design]. Elizabeth Leriche, is director of the Elizabeth Leriche trends agency, a member of the MAISON&OBJET Observatory

'So, clearly the main trends for this autumn can be seen as a reaction to a world which is out of favour and often thought to be over-aggressive. Faced with this real or virtual danger, our ancestral reflexes re-emerge....Out of a need to reconnect with origins we have ignored for too long, the neo-primitive is emerging and establishing itself as the major trend of this new decade.'

-------------------------------------

These are definitely areas that have started me thinking about how colour, style, furniture & decor pieces can used to help create these sensory interior environments.

Challenge| See how you can incorporate these concepts & trends into your client's work. Enjoy. S x

 

sub text & images via Tunmblr, Maison & Objet and Cosmoworlds

ISCD Visiting Victoria!

How exciting - for all of you wonderful southern state neighbours in Victoria [Australia] who love colour, style & design then I have a treat for you! ISCD otherwise known as The International School of Colour & Design are coming to you! Yes - You! ISCD is travelling to Melbourne & Geelong to discuss with you on how you can make your colour & design dreams come true... Join the fabulous Prue Royle - Founding Director of ISCD to work out how ISCD can get you there!

Prue will be in Geelong on Wednesday 13 October from 10am - that's tomorrow so get your skates on!And also on Friday 16 October in Melbourne from 10am.

But make sure you book an appointment with Prue!

ISCD Founding Director - Prue Royle

Check HERE for more details and to make an appointment that could change your life into a colourful & creative one!

images via ISCD

Happy Weekend!

I had a great time last night at the ISCD trends evening - and promise to make sense of my scrawled notes to share with you next week, I'm sure you'll find something amongst them noteworthy! For now it's one of those things I get when I have been surrounded by fabulously creative & successful people that I begin to get a headache of ideas!

So for now it's a BIG Happy Friday & Happy Weekend whilst I get a chance to mull over all these ideas that seem to be enveloping me at the moment - hopefully procrastination won't win!

 Hope you have a wonderful weekend - thanks again for stopping by at Palatial Living, I hope that a small corner of your life this week was a Palatial one! Take care & Enjoy. S xxx

image via vi.sualiz.us from Everythingfab

A Big Thanks x

beautiful letterpress by ruby press via Etsy.com

my signed copy of homelove by megan morton x

A Big Thank You to the ever gracious Megan Morton, International Stylist and HomeLove author, whose presentation last night at the ISCD trend evening 'Tomorrowland' was no less than awe-inspiring and ever so helpful by imparting some of her top fave places to shop for styling props and items for clients, as well as best design books, great food+styling+design blogs to visit [one day Palatial Living will make her list!] and of course for being so lovely to sign my copy of her published book of beautiful rooms, helpful advice and triumph creativity - 'HomeLove'! Thanks again Megan  - hopefully one day Palatial Living will provide some details or images that might inspire you! S x

images Ruby Press via Etsy.com & photo by Sarah Verity - of 'HomeLove' inside cover - signed by Megan Morton

Trend Seminar 'Tomorrowland' at ISCD...

As posted late last week on Palatial Living ~ If you haven't heard or haven't booked yet - but will be in Sydney on Thursday evening there's a fabulous Trend Seminar called 'Tomorrowland' being held at the International School of Colour & Design [ISCD] North Sydney...

I am always excited to hear Prue [Royle] Founding Director of ISCD deliver her trend presentation - I have loved them hearing them for years, and am also super excited to hear from Megan Morton, in the chance to meet her & have her sign her book for me 'Home Love', also her blog name. Also check out her fabulous props studio room that she now also hires out from the aptly named 'The Propery' . Very clever. Enjoy x

Extract from the ISCD website

Discover the trends of tomorrow today...We all have an ongoing fascination with colour trends and design directions, where they originate from and how we can integrate them into our lives and our homes.

“Today trend awareness is key, not trend forecasting” explained Prue Royle, Founding Director of iscd at DesignEX 2010. “Trend Aware” is Prue’s theme for this year’s annual trend seminar held by iscd in October. Translating global themes for the Australian market can be complex, especially when the socio-demographic mix, political flavours and environmental issues around the world are so varied.

 

- The Presenters -

Prue Royle (iscd) - Launch into the future of colour and design. Prue will ensure we are “trend aware” and tackle the important task of distilling global themes for the Australian market.

Cindy Childs + Rebecca Harkness (Colourwize Design + Ncs Colour Centre) - Take an express tour through prestigious and ever inspiring trade shows Maison d’Object in Paris and 100% Design in London.

Megan Morton (International Stylist) - Hear the crucial reality of translating trends for magazines. Discover the creative process and see how trends evolve from brief to page in the world of styling.

Sean Adams (The Seed) - Where are we going? Discover the top ten social observations Sean’s agency 'The Seed' have observed in their continuing international research.

- Details -

When: Thursday 7th October 2010 6:30pm

Where: iscd Auditorium 99 Mount Street, North Sydney

Cost: $30.00 per ticket

Bookings through trybookings - click here

images via ISCD website & Inside Out magazine

Behind Design...

I'm looking forward to attending a seminar, 'Behind Design', at ISCD [International School of Colour & Design] this week...I think it's so important to consistently & constantly educate yourself through courses, seminars, talks or professional network evenings - there's always something to learn from others, especially those who you admire, or have excelled in something that you hope to too!

Amongst a great line up of designers, I am looking forward to meeting 'the' Mr Jason Grant of Real Living magazine styling fame [and so much more], and I really like his stylish on-trend blog it's a great read -  visit 'mrjasongrant'.



Jason Grant - Freelance Stylist



I am most excited about is the opportunity to meet a designer whose work I have admired for some time - Shannon Fricke. You may be familiar with her work for uber-stylish & on-trend Australian design mag 'Inside-Out'; or her fabulous TV shows on Australian cable channel 'The Lifestyle Channel', or her publishing prowess with several great design, colour & style books out; or a fan of her blog? And yet I have probably only touched the surfaced of her multi-faceted talented design life! I also love that she is an entrepreneur, a wife, a mother & a pet owner - amongst other things. Well here's hoping I get a chance to meet her, and maybe my copy of her book signed! For more of Shannon's work visit her blog & website.

If you're in Sydney this week  & you're interested in design and would like to hear some industry people chat about their work - 'Behind Design' - head to  ISCD (International School Of Colour and Design in Sydney) webiste HERE. The dates are 22nd & 23rd September. The session for Thursday 23rd September is Sold Out. Hurry!

images via real living magazine and the design alphabet blog

Editorial-a-rama... H&G Advice with Cherie Karlsson

I can't tell you how bowled over I am this month with all my favourite interior mags and their dedicated editorial pieces to interior designers, stylist & colour professionals of whom I watch very closely and adore... and this is no exception! In this month's [September 09] issue of Australian House & Garden magazine my colour & design educator, twice over, from ISCD and not to mention mentor and inspiration for professional work life balance - Cherie Karlsson - is a contributor in the H&G Advice section, page 232, offering assistance on '3 Ways To - Paint it White'.... and for someone that knows her grey scale and how to teach it like each line on the back of her hand, then ways to paint White could not have been a better area for Cherie to comment upon. Understanding White and all it's shades & properties would have to be one of the most fundamental underpinnings of understanding colour & light.
You might be able to tell that I regard Cherie in very high esteem - she is incredibly accomplished in both professional [a business women, contributor and an ISCD educator] and family life [with husband & four children - still all at school], but most of all - it is with her wisdom that she imparts her life & work experience with a serene, humble & confident approach - with such generous vigor, who is ever so patient & an amazing communicator to all levels of understanding, and someone that will always have a profound effect on my [colour design] life...

So here's to seeing more of Cherie's contributions to H&G in the future! Happy Painting...

For more information on courses at ISCD please visit their web site, or get in touch with news at the school & in the colour design community with their blog.Images & artcle from Australian House & Garden Issue September 2009.

What Design Style Are You?

I recently came across a great article in the Sydney Morning Herald and fun style quiz I thought I would share with you... take a look.

Are you a retro bohemian or a sleek minimalist?

Find out your design style with our quick quiz, then read on to discover how to get in touch with your aesthetic side. When it comes to decorating, it pays to know your inner stylist. Especially since your two best friends seem so effortlessly intimate with theirs. Without hesitation, Anna, for example, gravitates to dark, rich colours, exotic pieces and vintage finds with an intriguing history. Julie, on the other hand, is chic yet sensible, hates clutter and fills her home with understated elegance and strategically positioned heirlooms. To confound you even further, both seem to innately understand how to accentuate their style with mood lighting and colour, while the only thing you can be sure of drawing attention to in your home is a hotchpotch of disparate ideas and general mess. For better or worse, our homes are an extension of who we are and an expression of personality.
But pop culture philosopher Alain de Botton, author of The Architecture Of Happiness, has a much deeper assessment that gives hope to those of us still trying to sort out just what our sofa says about us: "What we call a beautiful house is one that rebalances our misshapen natures and encourages emotions which we are in danger of losing sight of . . . we respect a style which can move us away from what we fear and towards what we crave.
" It's a comforting thought that we all aspire to live in harmony by surrounding ourselves with beauty. But, still, how do we find that style we so "respect"?
Or, put simply, what kind of wall clock will get us ticking? The stainless-steel industrial disc, sans numerals? Or the post-modern, acid-yellow cuckoo clock? Award-winning interior designer Andrew Parr of SJB Interiors (sjb.com.au), urges us not to be coy. Take a bold approach, he advises, as this will present a style template. "Make a decision to be monochromatic, contrasting or loud and vibrant and remain true to this general vision," he says. "Observe items that capture your imagination and remember them in your compositions.

Try to mix polished against matt, rough against smooth and, finally, observe how simple repetitive items or groupings make maximum impact." Sought for her calming "modern style that is not too hard-edged", interior designer Lisa Stein (lisasteininteriors.com.au) says it's a matter of getting focused. "Think about how you already live and dress, what colours you are drawn to, what shapes in furniture you like and what textures bring you comfort," she says. She also suggests you start filing magazine clippings and to make a mental note of favourite items already in your house. "These can form the basis of a whole new look," she says. It's about eliminating the ho-hum and accentuating directional pieces. "You can't go far wrong with a warm, contemporary look that can be embellished and mixed up with antiques or family treasures," Stein says.

Of course, having an eye for style is made better with experience but if you are just getting started there are four main decorating themes to choose from. Winning the popularity contest is modern - think clean lines, solid colours and designer-labelled furniture. This look has industrial chic and sanitised minimalism at its extremes but somewhere in the middle you'll find a softer option perfectly suited to busy lifestyles.

Traditional is an aesthetic usually built around historical elements like antiques or reproduction furniture. These are stocked at top-shelf retailers and include sub-styles like French provincial, country or romanticism. Then there is retro, which borrows from mid-20th century modernism but includes Scandinavian design, 1950s tiki and pop art. Hardest to define but equally enduring is ethnic or bohemian. It's a style that takes cues from the well-travelled collector. Asian, African or South American influences are obligatory - it's the Lonely Planet answer to interior design.

Luke Harrison, general manager of the International School of Colour and Design, says the quiz will categorise readers into one of five groups: sleek new earth, Hamptons white wash, New York loft, sophisticated retro and nostalgic nest - intriguingly, the leading trend. According to Harrison, its popularity is a sign of the times. "People don't have the budget these days, so we have to be more creative in our choices and personalise a look," he says. "Nostalgic nest is the style you can't buy from a shelf. You have to mix the old with the new. It's the most individualised of the all the groups." Sounds like at the end of the day it's all up to you. But don't forget, stay focused and don't be afraid to branch out . . .

To find out more about your style or discover more about decorating to suit your own style, the International School of Colour and Design is holding a free Personal Style Discovery Workshop on March 21 from 10am to 1pm. Bookings essential, phone 9114 5988. See iscd.edu.au

Take the test of discovery
1. Which items would you most likely accessorise your home with?

a Sea shells

b Key designer pieces

c Artefacts from travels

d Items inspired from nature

e Lots of pieces inspired from the past

2. Which of the following activities would you ideally like to do?
a Walk on the beach
b Dress up

c Make things

d Anything outdoors

e Shop for antiques

3. Which colour would you most likely find in your home?

a Neutral palette

b Metallic palette

c Warm palette

d Earth palette e Cool palette

4. Which of the following movies would you rent first?

a Something's Gotta Give

b Lost In Translation

c The Notebook

d An Inconvenient Truth

e Casino Royale

5. Which colour are you most attracted to?

a White linen

b Charcoal

c Coffee bean brown

d Rainforest green e Ripe cherry red

6. Which of the following best describes where you buy your clothes from?

a Department stores

b High Street boutiques

c A mix of places

d Eco-friendly/socially responsible retailers

e Shopping centres

ANSWERS Mostly As: Hamptons White Wash
You don't live by the sea, you live with the sea. You like a calm and balanced environment. Your home is treasured and a temple to all you love. You fill it with loved memories, often with pieces that have a story to tell. You love details (sea shells, raffia) and you create your home to be a central meeting point - an environment for people to come together and spend time. Rooms go beyond their initial function (eg, the kitchen is used not only to prepare food).
Hamptons White Wash

Mostly Bs: New York Loft A global trendsetter.

You believe the built environment is more spectacular than the natural one and you're hooked on architectural detail. Your style remains distinctive, yet ever-evolving and true to your own self - you don't buy off the shelf. High ceilings, open-plan, rich and luxurious are key components. You pick up on trends but integrate them into your life. While you enjoy the finer things in life, you fill your home with loved memories and key pieces collected over time. A balance of function and excess.

New York Loft A global trendsetter.

Mostly Cs: Nostalgic Nest Like a bower bird, you collect bits and pieces. You are earthy, sentimental, individual and your home is rich with detail. You treat your home as a gallery filled with happy memories, photo albums, unique souvenirs from travels and your own made treasures. Displaying your true self on the walls, your collection tells a story. Spending time away from the home - outdoors and exploring - is just as important as spending time in the home. You are not concerned with what your neighbours' homes are like: you are true to your own style.

Nostalgic Nest

Mostly Ds: Sleek "New Earth" You love the outdoors and bring that into your living environment. The technological side of the environment is considered. You evaluate trends and bring those that complement your lifestyle into your home.

Sleek "New Earth"

Sleek "New Earth"

Mostly Es: Sophisticated Retro - You recognise and respect good design from the past and present. You pick up key pieces over time and enjoy making them work together. While you are aware of innovations, you do not necessarily follow trends. As you are both confident and authentic, you have been collecting pieces for years and you display them with pride in abstract ways in your home.

Sophisticated Retro

This quiz was developed by the International School Of Colour And Design to show people the various styling trends available to them. It is not a determiner of a definite style but is intended to open your eyes to the manifold different decorating styles. These five decorating styles are the most relevant for our current lifestyle.

Article by Susan Redman - February 26, 2009 SMH

For more images visit this link - The Five Key Design Styles - Images from SMH & ISCD