Exterior Motives

Interior design is usually about the inside of the home, but it’s important to make sure that you don’t neglect your exterior in the process. Although we will spend little time looking at the outside of our home in comparison to the inside, it’s those small moments when we’re walking to our front door, or pulling up into the driveway that a well-crafted exterior will make all the difference. Sometimes it’s just about making a few small changes in order to create a huge difference, so here are some ideas to get you thinking about any exterior changes you could make.

Updating your lighting fixtures is a great way to give the front of your house a touch of your own character. If you want a wall light, this Calvi light from Astro would make a sweet accompaniment to your front door. It has a good blend of traditional and contemporary elements to it, making suitable for both types of houses, it comes in polished nickel but I think that this matt black is rather lovely.

‘Calvi Wall Light in Black’ from Astro

If you have the right structural elements and can hang a pendant lighting in your porch area you can really turn your lighting needs into a beautiful feature. For a little vintage glamour this Menton Lantern from The French House is a charming piece that’ll give your front door area a strong look.

‘Menton Hanging Lantern’ from The French House

To turn your path or driveway into an exciting feature, some well-placed lighting will do just the trick. John Cullen always have fantastic lighting solutions especially for the exterior of homes, these Kew LED Spotlights are great for helping to make a feature out of a plant border and giving some life to your front garden.

‘Kew Exterior LED Spotlights’ from John Cullen Lighting

When it comes to your exterior, sometimes all you may need to do if spruce up your front door which could just mean a lick of paint. If you love a bold, strong colour, a front door is the perfect place really express yourself; this pink door against the crisp white external walls makes a beautifully sweet but modern statement.

‘Pink Front Door’ by Look Linger Love via Pinterest

If you want to create more of a classic look, then a strong timeless colour will keep your front door looking lovely for years to come. Blue Gray by Farrow & Ball or Dock Blue by Little Greene in the examples below are great classic style staples.

‘Blue Gray by Farrow & Ball’ by Tone on Tone Antiques via Pinterest

 

‘Dock Blue’ by Little Greene

A great way to introduce some of your personal style is by finding some house numbers that suit not only your taste but the features of your home. These French enamel numbers from Willow & Stone are a sweet way to add a vintage feel to your front door, and will look especially great on the front of a small cottage style house, against a white wall.

‘Individual Enamel House Numbers’ from Willow & Stone

House numbers can be more than just a way to help out the postman, and you can really get creative with the way you display them. I found this interesting design in Pinterest which would make a great addition to a contemporarily styled exterior. The thin metal numbers are placed on a dark treat block of wood with a succulent feature added as well. It shows how you can turn a necessary part of your front door area into an interesting feature.

‘House Number’ from Interior Barn Doors via Pinterest

Other small ways you can update your front door is with a new post box or letter plate. This is a really great way to give a hint of your style, or to emphasise the house’s period or design. This Art Deco style letter plate from Grace and Glory Home has some interesting features to it, I especially like the curves in the design and the polished brass finish, all great Art Deco motifs.

‘Art Deco Letter Plate with Clapper in Polished Brass’ from Grace and Glory Home

This vintage post box from Melody Maison is full of style, and will give your front door area its own sense of style. The rustic design will look extra beautiful with some ivy growing up and around the post box.

‘Vintage Mounted Metal Post Box’ from Melody Maison

If you have the space, a few large planters can help to create the perfect exterior to your home, and even if you’re lacking in ground surface, a few smaller planters placed on the window sill or steps leading up to the door will still create a beautiful look. For a contemporary feel, keep it clean and simple with these cement style planters from Iota.

‘Fresco Cube Planter’ from Iota

For something unique, antique planters will really give your exterior an individual look. These planters from Violet Grey are mid-century and have a pretty style, one placed either side of your front will really create a warm, welcoming and glamorous look.

‘Mid-century Planters’ from Violet Grey

Dressing up your exterior is a great way for your home to give off an amazing first impression. Whether you want to play up to the home’s period or a particular style you love, or want to create a coherent and smart looking area, there are all kinds of ways to make sure that the outside is just as beautiful as the inside.

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Stylish Lighting

This article first appeared on www.cambridge-news.co.uk

Really good lighting is crucial in all homes and once you’ve worked out what you need, there is still the tricky question of which fittings to buy. There is a bewildering range of light fittings on the market and unfortunately, an awful lot of them are, well, awful.

In order to avoid mistakes, I think it helps enormously to decide what style of fitting you prefer and then to find a small number of suppliers (two or three, but one is fine if they can provide for all your needs) and stick to them. We’ve put together a selection of different types of fittings from some of our favourite suppliers to show you what we mean.

Jim Lawrence design and manufacture some of the best light fittings around. They are fairly traditional, although with careful selection, some of their fittings work well in more contemporary homes. Here are some of their products we’d use for classic or country projects.

  

  

By contrast, more contemporary interiors normally require much simpler light fittings and I particularly like the fittings from Astro Lighting. If your own style is more for clean lines and unfussy design, these types of fittings are likely to work in your home and fit with the rest of your furnishings.

      

  
For glamorous, statement light fittings, I love these from Ochre. Made from a range of materials including glass, metals, coconut, horn strips and horsehair, they are works of art in their own right and will add more than a touch of style to any interior.

      

  

For really elegant light fittings, my first port of call would be Heathfield and Co. Their fittings work with a range of interior styles because they are classic and well designed. They also make bespoke lampshades for their lights which means you can get just the colour and fabric to fit your scheme.

  

  

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