Adding The Wow Factor To Your Curtains!

Curtain poles have an air of magic about them. The right curtain choice and curtain accessories can absolutely make or break a room. To see what we mean, imagine a gloriously decorated room, perfectly dressed from every angle, And now picture a plastic curtain rail hung crookedly over the window. Uurrrgh! The room would be utterly spoilt.

Don't let that happen to you! Take a look at our favourite ways of adding the wow factor with our curtain poles.

Firstly, and certainly most importantly, don't forget that the right curtain treatment can completely alter the feel and dimensions of your windows. This tip is for you if you're plagued by less-than-pleasing windows. By hanging your curtains higher and wider than a poky window, it can be made to give the impression of a much larger space and, indeed, hide those windows altogether if necessary.

Point two is to think outside the box. Don't be constrained by convention in colour, style or material. Bring your own touch to your house, whether that's ornate swags, eyelets, pleats or simply using an oar to hang a Union Jack! 

Thirdly, there is no point in breaking the bank over fabric for your curtains and then scrimping on the finish. If budget constraints mean that you need to prioritise, go for the better finish every single time. You can see in the picture below that it's possible to make simple fabric choices look a million dollars with a bit of flair and knowhow. If that knowledge doesn't come easily to you, get in contact with the Relics of Witney team and let us steer you in the right direction.

You may be faced with the quandary of how to dress to very different windows within one room. Using a consistent height and finish can help to create cohesion; see below for an excellent example. By using dark poles at the same height, coupled with floor length curtains in a near match to the window and wall colour, the disparate windows are barely noticed.

If you've really gone to town with your fabric choice, let it sing by down-playing the details. Try our simple steel range of curtain accessories.

There are as many finishes for curtain poles as there are fabrics, when different finishes are taken into account. This is not meant to confuse but instead to encourage you to explore your creativity. Consider painting, waxing, gilding or leaving raw for a whole range of possibilities.

Paint is a great way to go when you want to tie your curtain pole into either the fabric or the paint used in the room....

Consider the placement of your pole. If you want to visually hide your curtain pole, perhaps because your fabric is very busy, then place it against a background of a similar colour. Here, by painting the pole in same colour as the ceiling, the pole seems to disappear.

Using wooden curtain poles can help lead the eye outside to a leafy garden scene. Liberon and Osmo (both stocked by Relics of Witney, and available in store or by mail order) have manufactured a variety of oils, varnishes and waxes to give our solid timber curtain poles the full spectrum of finishes.

Gilding is the way to go when you want to highlight particular features. Gilt creams are particularly easy to use for beginners.

Lastly, don't forget about finials. Relics of Witney stock a large range, including contemporary, classic and country. There is no need to insist on the same finish throughout. You can see in the image below how effective changing things up can be, for example by using a wooden rail and silver ball finials.

The world is your oyster!

Images via Cabbages and Roses, ddiydesign, HeartHome mag, Casafina, Homestyle, Kate Forman, Relics of Witney, Kate Forman, hgtv, IvyClad, Peony and Sage, fabricut

Enter your email address:

to subscribe to Relics of Witney

The Best Holiday And Coastal Display Ideas

The holiday season is upon us!...so, this month, we've rounded up the very best holiday display ideas with tips on how to make them your own. We're migrating in droves, either to warmer, balmier climes or staying put here in good old Blighty for a cheap but cheerful staycation. Either way, we're building up precious memories. Memories that can sit gathering dust on the shelves of our minds, distorting and fading as they go, OR those same memories can be stimulated and tantalised each and every time you see one of these lovely holiday display ideas in your own home.

Keep your senses alive.

Remember the feel of the sand under your feet with this stunning display of bottled sand....

Use one of our stunning oak peg rails to hang treasured souvenirs...

This holiday display idea is just the ticket if you can't bear the thought of dusting any extras; show off a carefully curated collection in one of our lanterns...(you can find some here but to see them all, pop in to Relics)

...with a whole host of sizes to choose from, we can cater for every suitcase-full!

An empty fireplace, bereft of its winter logs, is an ideal space for gather shells....

Try giving an old wooden palette a lick of Earthborn paint in Fresh Air for a quick-fix of holiday fever...

A small shelf perched on top of a carved wooden corbel (Relics of Witney stock a variety of corbel designs) makes a charming made-you-smile vignette....

...Or simply create an ever-changing space for treasured holiday memories, perhaps using a lick of paint to create a feature wall.

We've posted these holiday display ideas for August so that there's lashings of time for you to get intentionally gathering while enjoying the last of the sun's summer rays upon your face.

Have fun!

Images via: egg2cake, Pottery Barn knock off, unknown, unknown, completely coastal, hometalk

Enter your email address:

to subscribe to Relics of Witney

The Best In Craft....Stunning Painted Terracotta Pots

As we write this, the sun is shining its little heart out, the birds are singing and we feel summer has well and truly arrived. And where better to be than pottering around outside in this beautiful balmy heat.

We've rounded up some of the best painted plant pot ideas for you to look at, drool over and then, we hope, get out there and paint for yourselves!

Earthborn paints are ideal for this as you won't need to use a primer, meaning that you can get on with the fun bit of applying the stunning colours whenever the mood takes you. 

Although if you intend to use your pots outside, it's worth sealing the paint with a weatherproof finish, or try using Earthborn's Silicate Masonry Paint.

Taping off sections, or painting by hand gives a gorgeously graphic finish....

Try Earthborn Lido and Marbles for this two-tone treat...

...or Fresh Air and Gregory's Den if a muted finish is more your cup of tea...

We love this ombre effect. Within the seventy-two shades available, Earthborn have plenty of tonal variations to play with to make this look your own.

We're smitten by this next idea. Earthborn paints are absolutely 100% safe for children (certified as suitable for use on children's toys), meaning that there'll be no hidden nasties to worry about when applying the paint to your children's feet.

To create this upside down drip effect, first give your pot a coat or two of White, and then let Earthborn eggshell in Daisychain drip slowly down the sides.

Pick two of your Earthborn favourites, leaving the terracotta rims bare, for an instant summer display that will brighten up dull fences...

For summer holiday fun, get creative with your kids. How about these two adorable ideas for starters...

...or for something a little more adventurous, have another look at our pot-gilding ideas. Reading Room and Trilby would give a similar effect.

Earthborn Claypaint has an unbelievably matte finish and so is super-easy to write on, and acts as a good key for applying transfers....

Wouldn't this be a pretty outdoor display...

And now it's time for us to stop for this month and head outside into this glorious sunshine. Will you be joining us, paintbrush in one hand, plant pot in the other? Just don't forget the sunscreen!

Images ia Carolyn Roehm, webstagram, Earthborn, Relics of Witney, 2Modern, Cottage Living, Design Sponge, Kim's Kraziness, My Clever Nest, Surprise DIY, The Whoot, Relics of Witney, Nest Of Posies, Welke

Enter your email address:

to subscribe to Relics of Witney

The Best Front Door Paint Colours

If you're anything like us, here at Relics of Witney, you won't be able to resist eyeing up beautiful front doors. Your head will be turned this way and that as you walk down a new street, being inspired, and squirrelling away ideas for the future.

 

Try Dulux Party Surprise 1

 

We all know that changing the colour of your front door is one of the simplest ways to make a dramatic change to the front of your house. 

 

Try Little Greene French Grey Dark

 

Choosing the right colour can instantly boost your kerb appeal, and, consequently, your house value. However, it's one thing to be bowled away by a particular shade you've spied but quite another to be able to confidently pin down a specific paint colour for your own front door.

 

Little Greene Carys

 

Here's where we'd love to help you. Coming into Relics of Witney is a little like hiring your own designer, only it's free! Between us all, the Relics team has decades of experience helping our customers choose their perfect paints.

 

Try Little Greene Dark Lead Colour

 By giving us relevant information about your home, the way it faces, as an example, and the period it was built, we can help you put together a look that will perfectly suit the way you live.

 

Try Farrow and Ball London Stone

 If, for instance, you live in a stone property, whose door is mostly in the shade, then we would steer you towards colours like Dulux Weathershield Green Stone from their Heritage range, which seems to radiate light, even from within the most gloomy of settings.

 

 

Or, if you feel that you would like your period home to have a slightly more contemporary feel, then we might suggest a harmonious shade to tie in with the brick or stone work, such as Dulux Weathershield Chalky Downs.

 

 

We've said it before but it's worth saying again (and again!) that Dulux Weathershield has absolutely fantastic staying power against all the varieties of weather. For your house exterior it's always worth choosing the very best exterior products to avoid needing to rectify peeling paint again in a couple of years. Using sub-standard paint is a complete false economy.

 

Farrow and Ball Pelt

 

Front door paint gets some of the highest traffic of your home, and is certainly the area that is most noticed. Take the time to get it right. The perfect front door paint should protect your door from the elements, withstand the elements and create a warm welcome for your guests.

 

Try Dulux Weathershield Fuschia Lily

 

 

 

Images via Pinterest, Voysey and Jones, Telegraph, Pinterest, Pinterest, unknown, Leopoldina Hayes, Farrow and Ball, unknown

Enter your email address:

to subscribe to Relics of Witney

How To Choose Kitchen Paint Colours

When choosing paint colours for our kitchens, many of us simply don't have the option of painting our cabinets, nor do many of have beautiful wooden cabinets to paint!

If you're not prepared to put in a LOT of maintenance, painting melamine isn't the best way to go. It may look fabulous at first but with all the scrubbing and hard-knocks that kitchen doors inevitably take (let's be realistic!), they'll be peeling and flaky in no time at all.

Far better, if you've inherited a kitchen that must stay but needs an injection of character, is to give your space a kiss of character on the walls themselves.

With our extensive range of wipeable paint finishes, perfect for removing accumulating kitchen grime, Relics of Witney can offer you long-lasting peace of mind for a kitchen that will still look lovely in years to come.

So, where to start when choosing wall colours for your kitchen?

Here are a few, key pointers but for tailored advice to suit your needs, do contact the team at Relics. For more tips, take a look at Farrow and Ball's new booklet, available for our customers in store!

First of all, look at the design elements of your kitchen that can't be changed. Are they cool or warm? Choosing paint accordingly will make sure that your final choices will enhance, rather than distract from, your existing kitchen.

The brighter the room, the bolder you can be with your colour choice. If you've always yearned for deep and moody walls, kitchens, with plenty of white cabinets to blow away any traces of gloominess, are a good room to dip your toe into the dark side. Try Farrow and Ball Off Black.

On the other hand, if you have very low levels of natural light, perhaps because of an extension, don't be afraid to stick with neutrals. We have some really fabulous shades to choose from. Take a look at this kitchen with walls in Farrow and Ball Hardwick White...

Or this kitchen with walls painted in Farrow and Ball Mouse's Back, with woodwork in Pointing...

Consider tying in two or more paint colours to add depth and interest, such as in the kitchen below, which uses Farrow and Ball Pavilion Gray, Strong White and Cornforth White.

Finally, the right paint colour can and should counter any visual unbalance in your current kitchen. For example, orangey-warm wood can be toned right down by contrasting with muted colours, such as Farrow and Ball Blue Gray....

And our final piece of advice? Choose a colour that you LOVE! Paint fashions will come and go but kitchens are a room where you'll be spending a great deal of time. Let us help you get it right!

Our newsletter this month will help you think about tying in your door and window furniture. Have you signed up for yours yet?

Images via: Unknown, Weird combinations, apartment therapy, period living, sooz gordon, unknown, fresh home, g, Country Homes and Interiors, Farrow and Ball, Modern Country Style, homes-kid, Housetohome

Enter your email address:

to subscribe to Relics of Witney