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**Understanding Bathroom Design. Part II: Colour** Professional bathroom designers are masterful at merging both function and form to create breathtaking results. In this eight-part series which I call “Understanding Bathroom Design,” I draw on my experience working with some of London’s top bathroom designers to explain this exciting field. This second article reveals the secrets of bathroom colour schemes.

In crafting a new color scheme, most London bathroom design professionals start by pulling out their colour wheel. The wheel can help choose tuneful combinations of colours, regardless of whether the palette is subdued and relaxed or exciting and dynamic. For example, some larger London bathrooms might be great candidates for a high-contrast complimentary look. This will normally pull in two colours from opposite sides of the wheel, maybe combining a yellow base with navy trim for high impact. However, smaller London shower closets would not be compatible with this bathroom design scheme because it might be too overwhelming. In such cases, a monochromatic approach that focuses on a single colour but uses various hues for interest could be perfect. Imagine the same bathroom design as previously discussed, but with powder blue in place of the yellow ... exactly the same dimensions and accessories, but an entirely transformed atmosphere. Perfect perhaps for a North London flat or a West London studio loft.

Sophisticated Londoners can be desperate for that spa sensation which is so popular these days. Bathroom designers can make that happen by using cool, restful colours that include blues and greens. These often combine fabulously with the cream and two-tone brushed metal fixtures that are commonly found in spas and salons.

For centuries, the fashionable ladies of London have used makeup to bring out the beauty of their features while also covering up the tiniest imperfections. Similarly, colour can bring a bathroom design to the next level – perhaps by showcasing interesting architraves, cornices or other features.

In the olden days, bathroom design instructors in London used to teach that painting a small bathroom a darker hue will make it seem cramped. However, today’s top bathroom designers know how false that can be. Using different shades of a deep colour in a smaller room can in reality make the bathroom seem more spacious. Adding texturing detail to the paintwork can add extra dimensions and bathroom designer flair. In the next article in my series “Understanding Bathroom Design,” I’ll focus on child-friendly approaches.

By [|Global Interior Design London]

**Understanding Light in Interior Design. Part I: Introducing Patterns of Light ** Professional interior designers are expertly trained in the use of lighting features to create breathtaking results. In this four-part series which I call “Colour Me Brightly: Understanding Light in Interior Design,” I draw on my experience in London’s interior design community to explain this fascinating subject. This first article is about patterns.  Ask a London schoolgirl to imagine natural patterns, and she may talk at length of curvaceous seashells, the undulating edge of waves on the shore, the grooves in a gnarled tree trunk. Interior designers know that patterns are all around us. Patterns profoundly influence all interior design schemes, transforming our appreciation of color and texture, adding fluctuations and drifts or promoting harmony and stillness. London interior designers will focus on soft, fluid outlines in order to create relaxing patterns. By contrast, bold graphic statements in a wallpaper stencil can be invigorating for a London discotheque or salon. Pattern is a foundat

ional ingredient of interior design, fragmenting overwhelming shapes and plain surfaces while simultaneously lending personality and profundity to a room.  London’s professional interior designers know one big secret: pattern is created not only by fabric and wallpaper. Light also forms any number of patterns through a virtual tussle or rough-and-tumble interaction between light and shadow. Light patterns are foundational to interior design schemes – from snippeted, kinetic and frosted patterns to curvy arcs, spearhead-style lines and theatrical projections of abstract forms.  Patterns of light fall into two main interior design categories. The first is all about objects in the path of light, casting shadows. We draw our inspiration from the natural world where, when sunlight strikes rippling water on London’s famous River Thames, flickering patterns are reflected up into the trees along the water’s edge. Similarly, if an artificial light source is directed onto water – perhaps a pool, fountain or babbling artificial brook – active reflections will dapple the surrounding walls and become an interior design feature. Sunlight may shine through the branches of a tree to create moving patterns of light and shade below, and similarly a low-voltage uplight, positioned behind indoor plants, can create beautiful interior design features on the walls and ceilings. This technique can be stunning both inside and outside the building.  In my next article, I turn to patterns that use perforations and glass.

By [|Global Interior Design London]

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> **The Basics of Interior Design Wood Flooring** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> If you are considering installing wood flooring as part of your interior design project, you are not alone. Your interior design professional will likely have explained that wood flooring is one of only a handful of flooring types that can create warmth, give a natural look and match almost any design taste. Your interior design team can recommend the most suitable type of wood flooring; there are many wood species to choose from and even more finishes available. This article is intended to outline some of the most popular options, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Flooring systems explained: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Most London-based interior design consultancies tend to focus on two types of wood flooring. “Solid wood flooring systems” are sometimes referred to as “real wood” floors. By contrast, “engineered flooring systems” are sometimes known as “semi-real wood” floors. The two flooring systems can look very similar (maybe even identical) but in reality the materials involved are very different. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Wood flooring materials explained: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Solid floors are made from 100% real wood which gives them extra strength, ideal if your interior designer plans to install a heavy grand piano or weighty appliances. By contrast, engineered floors are made from a combination of wood, plywood and hardwood veneer which means that - unlike 100% real wood - they will not react as much to temperature changes. London interior designers often suggest engineered floors for cellars and basements, where temperature control can be challenging and real wood would shrink or expand. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Wood species types explained: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Local interior designers can normally source a wide variety of wood species from speciality stores and warehouses across London and the home counties. Wood species range from the very ordinary to the very exotic - and of course each comes with its own price tag! If your interior designer is seeking a classic look, they may suggest oak and walnut, which are traditional choices in many English homes. These species are popular because of their prices, availability and the attractive grain markings which your interior design professional may make a centrepiece of your design scheme. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Wood flooring coatings explained: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Whether your interior design team have chosen to fit oak or walnut, whether as part of a real or an engineered flooring system, all floors require a top coating layer for protection and to guarantee extended durability. Wood flooring can last for 25 years or longer provided the right coating is used and assuming the floor receives regular cleansing and reconditioning. The most common coats are oiled, brushed and of course combination oiled-and-brushed. Your interior designer will recommend a suitable coating not only to give the floor that fantastic look that you crave, but also to protect it from minor scuffs by creating a robust seal. If your home is outside London and features many skylights, your interior design professional may recommend a more practical UV lacquer coating which is designed to protect against direct sunlight for long periods. Other dedicated coatings are also available - ask your interior designer for more information. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Ethical and environmental issues: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> Any responsible interior design consultancy will encourage you to choose wood species that are not endangered and from sellers who source their woods from sustainable forests. Most manufacturers will provide an ethical statement explaining how the wood is sourced and what processes are used in their manufacturing facilities.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: right;">By Michelle Strassburg, co-founder at wood flooring supplier [|Wood and Beyond]