These hard working parents with three busy children needed a 'retreat', a special space just for them. It was with pleasure when they asked me back a second time to help them with their master bedroom and

en-suite renovation.

T H E B R I E F

The brief was to create a master bedroom with a relaxed vibe for my clients to enjoy and unwind in. They wanted a calming colour palette and a low fuss, casual space that looked great even with the bed unmade!

An office 'nook' was also on the list, a place to keep files and paperwork along with a small work station where the computer could be accessed easily sometimes during the night when work required.

The existing ensuite was to be gutted and extended in length, other than it needing to be practical the clients were happy to be guided here by my knowledge and expertise to dish up something a little special.

I N S P I R A T I O N

Two of the main points of interest for me was the incredible view of Wellington City through the floor to ceiling corner window, and the colourful glass leadlight in the triangular window. I was keen to promote these features so I was careful not to detract with the design.

D E S I G N D E T A I L S

My spatial experience suggested the planned layout required some 'tweaking' before we could move onto interior finishes. The upgrade to a king size bed wasn't going to fit in the space suggested and the current position of the bed wasn't maximizing the features of the room such as the view. To resolve this issue I adjusted the design to create a false three-quarter wall and moved the position of the bed allowing for the new king size bed and side tables. This option resulted in stunning views of Wellington City from their bed, a larger office/storage area whilst also hiding the entrance to the en-suite allowing for further privacy.

When you reach the top of the stairs the impact is now focused on the bed. By adding several layers such as the textured wallpaper behind the bedhead, the contrasting casual linen head board, the pop of colour through layered cushions and the chunky knit throw I created a relaxed coziness with out too much dominance.

Stunning Ombre style window treatments were made to drape casually on the floor. Not to detract from the stunning views by day whilst creating a cosy atmosphere by night.

Great lighting is key in any area of your home. With only a small amount of space next to the clients bed we opted for hanging pendant lights to free up space on their side tables.

Adding LED strip lighting into shower niches and under vanities created soft mood lighting for at night when its time for bed.

The suspended caesarstone bench offsets the bottom shelf creating a sense of balance.

With the en-suite only being 900mm wide it took some clever thinking to make this space feel bigger than it actually was, without compromising on style! This vanity was custom designed by Compose Interiors to not only add 'wow factor' to the clients en-suite but to provide a much needed practical storage space too. I chose to add a contrasting caesarstone bench-top that was a few shades lighter than the floor tile to add strength and definition to the design.

The en-suite wall tiles were selected for their hi-gloss finish, which would bounce light around and trick the eye into seeming like the space was bigger than it actually was. The texture brought interest and to create a clean line I specified a thin 3mm grout spacing in white, giving the impression of a solid wall.

T H E R E S U L T

I'm delighted with how this project has turned out. My clients trusted my expertise from the beginning and were happy to be guided by my interior design direction and the results speak for themselves. I look forward to working with this family again in the very near future. Watch this space!

"by the end we completely trusted Debbie to make decisions on our behalf as she had spent the time with us to understand

our brief"

You can see the entire image gallery of this project and BEFORE PHOTOS here.

If you would like help in transforming your bedroom or en-suite book a FREE CHATwith me here to discuss your space and how I can be of help you!

Contact Compose Interiors for further information: 021 144 7704 or debbie@composeinteriors.co.nz

Photography by: Nicola Edmonds (http://www.nicolaedmonds.com/)

You should involve your Interior Designer In your home renovation or building plan at the very beginning of the project - along with the architect and the builder.

Your architect, builder and interior designer form a comprehensive team - each with differing perspectives that influence the finished home. Interior Designers view the building plan from the point of view of where light falls, sun entry, outdoor perspectives - all those things that make a room so much more livable. It pays to have both your architect and interior designer working as a renovation team to achieve a cohesive set of final drawings which will reflect your personality and result in a home you will simply LOVE to live in.

There are a lot of valid reasons to involve your interior designer at the earliest stages of planning your dream home.

Here are some key points that a qualified interior designer will consider when looking at your building plans:

Spatial Design - this includes the basic principals of design such as balance, rhythm (flow), emphasis, proportion and scale, all of which make up a space.When these principals are applied properly the room will feel right.

Furniture Placement - what is the purpose (or role) of the room? Who will use the room? What are the planned focal points and furniture requirements, including do you have existing furniture you need to consider at planning stage?

Example: You have a treasured piece of furniture that you want to incorporate into your home. Where will this be situated? Have you allowed enough wall space? How does it effect the rest of the furniture placement?

Traffic Flow - the design of a room impacts on how you move between spaces in your home. If you are planning a large open plan living room space, how will you divide the room into lounge, entertaining and dining areas? Consider the planned features or focal points in the room (fireplace, windows and outlook, feature wall, chair or artwork), how do you plan to use the room, and what furniture you plan to include. Considering these points will help you to define the flow and confirm how you will you move in and around/or through the room. NOTE: Sketching a traffic flow plan onto a furniture plan is a great way to spot any congestion area's.

The Impact Of Lighting On Interior Design - There are 5 basic types of lighting - general lighting, task lighting, decorative lighting, accent lighting and kinetic lighting. Each plays a key role in developing the mood and feel of a room. While it can be difficult to imagine how a not yet constructed room might look with different lighting effects - your Interior Designer will guide you in the initial brief and manage the wiring - for example - to enable the required effects. This is one way in which Interior Designers effectively reduce expensive re-working of tradesman related jobs. The same is true of plumbing decisions in kitchen design - where plumbers will deliver the shortest route to the mains, while the Interior Designer will pay more attention to the workability of the kitchen or bathroom design.

Example: You are planning a large open plan living space but envisage a designated dining space with a statement pendant light. Before the walls are lined the appropriate wiring needs to be placed in the right spot including an appropriate position for the switch and whether or not the light requires a dimmer.

NOTE: A trained interior designer will be able to design and create a lighting plan which can be given direct to the electrician before a quote is completed so they have accurate electrical information.

Flooring - what goes under your feet plays a huge role in the acoustics of your home and also in defining spaces. The type of flooring you choose will have a huge impact on the over all decorative scheme in terms of colour, texture, pattern and style. Flooring takes up the most surface area in any room and gets used the most, therefore great consideration should be given to who lives in the house and how we wish to use particular rooms. Consider ongoing maintenance when you are choosing flooring as a wrong decision here can be a very costly mistake!

- Discussing your budget up front with your interior designer will ensure their advice and suggestions are appropriate to your situation. A good designer will have resources to ensure you get a look you will love for a price you can afford and planning for this at the earliest stages of the house design will ensure there are no hold ups when it comes to fitting and finishing your home.

Other considerations include:

Window Treatments - think about how much natural light and direct sun you will have in the room, are there any privacy issues you need to be aware of and what sort of window treatments will you be wanting? Depending on what you're after, you might need extra space above the window for curtain tracks or blinds that require extra timber to fix too. These are things that should be considered at the planning stage.

Custom-made furniture - Are you planning to build in any custom made cabinetry? Built-in storage is very popular right now, as it gives us space for all our gadgets and knick-knacks while keeping a room looking clean and tidy. If you were planning on some in-built cabinetry; where do you want it to go? Have you allowed for extra timber in the walls to support this and fix too? Have you considered electronics, cables, technical future-proofing?

An interior designer would consider and focus on all these aspects of your home and can also be an invaluable negotiator in a process that often requires objectivity. Having this support will give you the clarity and confidence you'll need to achieve the perfect plans from the outset.

If you are planning a new build, or a renovation I'd be happy to offer my expertise to extend your thinking, solve any problems and provide advice.

Feel free to give me a call on 021 144 7704 to see how I can assist you with your project. Alternatively click HERE to book an initial consultation now.

Spring/Summer is my favourite time of year - so you can imagine how delighted I was to be invited to create an alternative interior design solution for one of the feature homes in the latest Habitat by Resene Magazine. I instantly relate this time of year to serene tropical islands with white beaches and sun, sun sun! With the launch of the NEW Resene colour fandeck 18 jam packed full of gorgeous spring/summer colours it was easy to settle on a 'tropical with a hint of Boho style' theme. Time to spread my LOVE of colour!

I just love how the black and white floor mat grounds the design and balances the bright colours. With furniture and accessories - remember, if you can't find exactly what you want look to modify or upcycle something existing. I painted the coffee table top in Resene Ruby Tuesday to co-ordinate with other features in the room. The Merlyn Arcobaleno chair makes me just want to mix myself a mojito, throw on my sunglasses and sit back with the latest design magazine...

KEY DESIGN TIPS FOR CREATING THIS STUNNING LOOK

Ignore all the unwritten rules about colour and patterns!Grab the latest Resene colour fandeck 18 from your local paint store.Choose a couple of colours that resonate with you and your family. Look for hues that immediately bring the Spring/Summer feel to mind for you.Head to your favourite online home decor stores (or your interior designer) and gather a couple of tropical inspired cushions.Buy an indoor tropical palm or two to help bring the outdoors in.Add texture through wallpaper, rugs, cushions and plants - this creates a layered look.Consider scale, proportion and balance as you go.Add natural products such as macrame, cane furniture and a jute floor rug to complete the tropical/boho look!

Put it all together and stand back to critique! You can apply this theory to a whole room or just a particular space within a room.

Enjoy creating and most importantly - have FUN while your at it! And if you're still having trouble or you have a question, click HERE and drop me an email. I am only to happy to help!

If you would like to read the full Resene article then

Welcome to my FIRST EVER BLOG!

Putting yourself out there can be scary, as all self employed people will appreciate - I'm not a writer, I am a designer - a good designer. The purpose of bringing this blog on to my website is to share my passion for design and for visual perfection - your perfection!

Writing is not my forte, but its time to get over myself and just do it cause I've got stuff to say and amazing content to share - so here goes.

Designing Interiors for clients requires an insight into the homes and lives of the people you design for. Understanding the best surfaces, spaces, styles and living zones to be created takes intuitive understanding & interpretation of another person's style. That's where I excel.

My job as an Interior Designer is to design a home that welcomes you home!

After I trained in interior Design I did win awards and gained notoriety in the small circle of Interior Design in Wellington by gaining national magazine coverage of my design work - on more than one occasion, but it is not fame or exposure that drives me. Creating homes that people love to come home to is what motivates and inspires me.

My job as a designer is to listen to you express how you live and what you like, then translate that into a style that is a total expression of you - your warmth, your positivity, your aspitations and your welcoming attitude. Your home will welcome you home - I promise!

I hope you enjoy getting to know me a little better through this Interior Design. Just as I will put a lot of you in the home I will design for you, in this website - and in particular in this blog and on social media, there is a lot of me. I speak from the heart, I am direct and I know what I am doing [when it comes to designing homes]. Welcome!