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The details are not the details. They make the design.

Charles Eames

Fair Play

Well, it’s that time of the year again – the AGHA Home & Giving Fair is upon us and we’re busy organising our stand in preparation for Saturday.

We’re looking forward to sharing our Summer13 Home Inspiration collection with you. So if you’re in Melbourne be sure to pop in, say hello and view our new collection.

Find us at Stand B:2 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Victoria, 3006. The AHGA Home & Giving Fair runs from the 3 - 7 August 2013, Sat - Tue: 9am - 6pm, and Wed: 9am - 3pm.

This season we see paradise reinvented with exotic blooms, toucans and pineapples in a show of tropical extravagance. Brazilian themes, intense colour and tribal psychedelia reflect a continued desire for vibrant colour in the home.

Renewed bohemian lifestyle embraces suburban chic and retro styling. Muted simplicity features heavily with vintage inspired prints in strong pastels and water colours. Fresh blues against crisp white round off the collection. A revitalised coastal feel with traditional batik techniques elevates an otherwise simple approach to an aquatic lifestyle to a stylish expression of relaxed living.

Soft furnishings, decorator accessories, napery, rugs & doormats all coordinate to showcase the best this season has to offer.

#homewares; home decor; AGHA Home & Giving Fair; Summer13 Home Inspiration

Picking the perfect wall art

Selecting the right wall art to compliment a room is, like everything with home decorating, very much a personal preference. However, there are certain guidelines you can follow to ensure your choice of wall art complements your room and does not stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. Here are our top 4 tips to help you select art to add that wow factor to your walls.

It’s all about the feelingHow do you want the room to feel? Do you want it to inspire you, calm you, energise you? Knowing how you want to feel whenever you’re in the room goes a long way to finding the right wall art.

How big? The next step is to evaluate how big it needs to be. Rooms with oversized furniture and high ceilings generally call for larger pieces of art, while smaller rooms might be overwhelmed by large art and may look better with a series of smaller pieces instead.

Colour codingTypically the most suitable wall décor will reflect the hues and patterns in the room. It doesn’t have to match exactly, but it shouldn’t clash against it. In a room that features all neutral colours, avoid wall art that is a dark colour, if the room features a specific print, opt for wall décor with a similar design. And if it all gets a bit too much, then pick up a few black and white prints. The monochrome execution allows you to focus on the image itself rather than on colours.

Go with what you love If you don’t absolutely love the wall art, don’t buy it. Just because it may match your décor, doesn’t mean it’s the right choice. Any artwork you select is seen as a reflection of your personal style and a form of self expression, so be honest with your choice.

#homewares #home decor #wall art #madras link

Pucker up for patterns

Colour isn't the only way to create an eye catching room; texture and patterns are a great way to add some pizzazz to a space. Contrasts of smooth and rough, thick and thin, shiny and dull pump up the interest levels and prevent a room from appearing too bland. At Madras Link, we love patterns and the fun you can have with them so we thought we’d share our top 5 tips for decorating with patterns.

Colour combos -Selecting a common colour palette will ensure that the eye is drawn to the hue instead of the competing designs. This doesn’t mean all the colours have to be the same. Having multi-coloured fabrics is ideal, however using a colour that is similar throughout all patterns will result in a more cohesive look.

It’s all about size - When combining patterns it’s important to consider their size. Mixing pattern sizes is an essential part of achieving balance within the room. The largest sized pattern will have the most influence in the room; from there select additional patterns roughly half the size; this will go a long way in creating harmony within the flow of the room.

Picking the pattern - Pattern choices are as individual as those making them. Mixing patterns is the best way to add interest, but a good tip to remember is to include a solid colour which will create some relief from the visual excitement of the mixed patterns. Whether it is a cushion, a rug, drapes or a throw.

How many patterns? -There are no absolute rules as to how many patterns to pick, but the general feeling is to use three or four different patterns. Too many patterns and your room could look disjointed and messy, while too few will result in a dull space. It’s all about experimentation until you get the perfect mix.

Texture, texture, texture - The feel of the fabric you choose will also impact on which patterns you use. The textures of some fabrics create patterns themselves, while more subtle textured fabrics add an extra pop to enhance the effect of the printed pattern.

For more marvellous patterns, check out our Pinterest boards.

Happy mixing and matching…

Decorating with a hero colour is a great way to really make a room come to life, that's if it's done well and with a certain amount of restraint. At Madras Link, we love colour so we thought we'd share our top 3 tips on how to successfully decorate with a hero colour.

1. Less is more - choose a few conversational pieces for maximum impact. We love the mustard hero items in this styled room - the stool, woven rug, picture frames and cushion all work together to tell the mustard story without being overwhelmed by one block colour. Each item serves a specific functional or decorative purpose.

2. Team your hero colour with a couple of complimentary colours. The key to making your hero colour stand out is to team it with subtle complimentary colours. Here, the use of grey, black and earthy wood provides the perfect backdrop to make the mustard pop.

3. Texture, texture, texture. Mixing different textures makes for an interesting room. We love the way the hi sheen of the stool, the coarsely woven rug, the smooth lines of the photo frames and the introduction of natural materials such as the hemp cushion and wooden accents create a room that's visually enticing.

If you want more ideas about decorating with colour, check out our boards on Pinterest.

#home decor #interior decorating #hero colour.#mustard #decorating with a hero colour

We love a great throw

Over the last several years, throws have become a much loved staple in most Australian homes. The reason they’ve been wholeheartedly embraced is because they’re more than just a functional blanket; they’re a valuable styling accessory that adds pattern, colour and warmth to any room. If you’ve considered adding a throw to a room but thought it was too complicated to work with, think again. There’s lots of ways to use throws so they don't look sloppy. Here are 3 of our favourite ideas.

The bed throw. Neatly fold a throw in a fun print over the end of your bed. It adds instant colour and interest and acts as an extra blanket on cooler evenings. You can change the throw with the seasons at a fraction of the cost of changing your bedding.

A colourful backing to a cushion. This is a great idea to add colour to a neutral chair. Use a throw or two, draping it over the back of a chair after folding it lengthwise. Place a feature cusion in front of the throw or leave it plain for a minimalist look.

Create a casual cascade. Drape your throw over the back right or left side of a high-back chair. Don't worry about how it falls; it will look warm and cosy. Choose a throw with fringed edges so it finishes looking soft as it nears the back leg.

For a huge range of thows in different colours, textures and sizes, visit our Pinterest page.

#home decor; home decorating; soft furnishings; throws; Madras Link;

Tick, Tock

Rise and shine its decorating time! We’ve always loved clocks at Madras Link. They do a whole lot more than just get us up on time or let us know what time it is. We love them because they’re also a versatile decorator accessory that creates a great focal point. They make a huge design statement especially when they are used in a living room above the fireplace mantel, on an empty wall above the sofa, above a console table in an entryway, above a bed, etc.

What’s more, clocks can be incorporated in many decor styles such as traditional, eclectic, country, transitional, etc...The possibilities are endless.

Check out our range of decorator clocks on Pinterest

#Madras Link #home decor #decorator accessories #Clocks

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