In this heat, there is nothing quite as calming as a room with a white tonal colour scheme. It simply demands relaxation. However it can be tricky, but by following the below advice you will have your own spa-like sanctuary.

Add textures… with such a restrained use of colour it’s extremely important to use a variety of textures, tactile seagrass wallcoverings, soft cashmere throws and pillows, linen, cotton, silk, all in shades of white, greys and pebble. Add interesting pieces of furniture, each individual item will be more prominent in a white room, so make it a special piece, a feature. Then layer with metal accents, chrome, bronze and zinc on lamp bases, photo frames, etc. Their reflective surfaces will distribute light. Lastly layer your accessories with care, meaningful objects, such as worn books, vases with flowers, if you add coloured objet d’art it will look kitsch and you will loose the desired effect.

Casual linen curtains, unlined, give this space an wonderful airy feel.

This fabulous wallcovering is available from our showroom.

 All furniture, rug, lighting and accessories available to purchase at Ian Thompson Interior Design.

Off-whites and putty, beautiful, and a little cosier for our winter climate, giving the best of both worlds.

 A very tactile wallcovering, in one of it’s colour options –  a moody soft grey – available at Ian Thompson Interior Design.

A Hempel design in Austria.

Textures…textures…textures.

Hello everyone, over the holidays, our showroom is closed on Saturday the 12th, Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th.

Re-opening on Wednesday 16th, 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Have a great time…

Naturally, nautical accents are the norm in a coastal home, but the key to keeping it chic and not kitsch is using restraint. The base palette should feel airy with white elements for the walls, we tend to use architect’s white for the walls if the home is in Ireland, it’s softer and not cold if the sky is grey outside.  Incorporating rope fixtures, wooden furniture the colour of driftwood, sea shells, ticking fabrics, chunky linen textures is just beautiful.  To keep it on trend use old industrial patinated iron or steel items, with seagrass and glossy glass for their shimmering surfaces reminiscent of water.  The colour of the sea and sky is the choice, from faint misty greys to deep and stormy navy.

The Nautical look using a pale base with ticking blues and taupes and linens.  Perfect for warm summer days and stormy winter ones too.

A calmer hue of Aqua and soft linen and cottons, perfect for the coastal bedroom.

All above available at our showroom, on the Lisburn Road, Belfast

An American Keller Donovan Design.

The use of seagrass and taupe linen colours keeps this bedroom airy and yet cosy.

All items in this, Ian Thompson Interior Design look book, are available at our showroom on the Lisburn Road, Belfast