Don’t let the winter blues bring you down, decorating with tropical-style rattan furniture is the perfect way to bring back the waves of sunshine and heat, even when your stuck in the middle of a snow storm!

Typically associated with the tropics or outdoor patios, rattan or wicker furniture can actually fit in just about any room setting or decorating style. Even though it’s a big favorite for sunrooms, it also brings the perfect hit of tiki-style to a family room, bedroom, or den. What I LOVE about rattan furniture is that is instantly gives a room an outdoors-y, summer-y feel. Definitely something I like to be feeling all year round!

Rattan furniture is without a doubt comfortable, and gives off an informal, relaxed style. This does not have to me cheap or second rate when it comes to tropical furniture. A high end, expertly made rattan furniture with a natural finish and accented with rich, dense, cushions can give a room a warm and inviting European type setting.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that true rattan is a natural wood, similar to bamboo, but with a solid, rather than hollow stem. It’s tightly woven or braided into furniture, which makes it lightweight, sturdy, and can last for generations!

As a natural wood, it can be stained, varnished or a coat of polyurethane applied for a natural look. It can also be painted to match any décor. In fact, rattan wood is one of the oldest forms of furniture wood. The color schemes and styles in seat cushions and backing is endless.

Since it’s so lightweight, the furniture can be easily moved and rearranged in minutes to give your home a whole new look!

The bedroom is not left out of rattan décor, as headboards, chests, trunks and nightstands can be constructed with rattan shoots. Though it does not have the heaviness of oak or maple, it can provide sturdy, functional bedroom furniture that will last for years with proper treatment.

If you take a trip to a quality wicker or rattan furniture shop carrying hand crafted furniture – DON’T only consider it for your sunroom or patio. The wicker trend is gaining steam for bedrooms and living rooms, and there are entire rooms sets created to get this unique look. You can also consider purchasing just an accent piece for a new look, and a hint of summer style.

Image Source: Heather Robbins, Molly Quinn, Jules Duffy, Kate Jackson Design

We all love going away on vacation, especially if our time away is spent in a gorgeous, luxury apartment or holiday home. The décor in these places is, quite simply, perfect, and something so many of us envy and aspire to achieve within our own homes. From colour schemes to cosy leather sofas, to even cosier four-poster beds, every little detail has been carefully planned out. It may look like the impossible, but it’s so much easier than you think to re-create this look yourself.

No matter whether you live in a house or an apartment, or if you’re on a strict budget, you can easily add a touch of holiday-lux to your home with these tips:

Firstly, Take Some Inspiration

First things first, do a little research into the luxury holiday apartments and homes you adore and see what it is about them that makes you love them. Is it the color palette, textures, style of furniture? Visit some luxury serviced getaways like this  apartment to rent in Oxford St, London at Urban Retreat Apartments. Browse through their galleries to see what makes them so special.

You can even combine the styles of more than one home, but try not to mix things up too much or else you run the risk of having clashing, uncomplimentary pieces of décor – the complete opposite of what you’re trying to achieve.

Use Simple Color Schemes

As much as it may be tempting to adorn your home with an abundance of color, try to keep things simple. Simple doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re restricted to white, you can use anything from pastels to warm red tones, cool blue, or creams and magnolias. Picking this kind of color scheme will mean you can add color to your home in different ways, through furniture, pictures, window dressings, or flowers.

If you are a lover of color and cannot live without it in your home, then why not add a feature wall? Feature walls are often used within luxury apartments and are an awesome way of bringing your favorite, brighter colors into your home without overwhelming the rest of the room, and can help you frame some of your favorite pieces of furniture too.

Focus on Tiny Details

Most of the time the things that make a place more luxurious are the small details and finishing touches. These don’t have to cost you a fortune and can be anything from a vase of flowers in each room, to mason jars used as storage in the bathroom. Even choosing a colorful set of dinnerware is a fun way to brighten up your table setting and make your shelves pop with color!

Try and keep things as close to your chosen colors as possible, but change your sofa cushions for something a little more interesting that fits in with your chosen theme, and use throws to add luxury to your bedroom. Don’t forget the smaller rooms such as laundry rooms and bathrooms either, they might seem more difficult to makeover into beautiful rooms, but there are plenty of simple things you can do which will make a huge difference.

Summertime is all about spending as much time outdoors lounging around, playing, barbecuing and just enjoying the gorgeous warm weather. A great way to make the most of the summer season is to plan an additional outdoor living area. The perfect place to start is without a doubt – your front porch! Whether you are looking for an easy way to turn your curb appeal up a notch or trying to enhance your summer outdoor entertaining, try these simple ideas for a snappy porch makeover.

1. Attach Curtains to The Roof of Your Porch

If you are looking for a little privacy or just trying to find a pretty accessory for your porch, attaching curtains is a easy way to do it. They are perfect to close up in the evening or even during the day to prevent the sun’s hot rays from heating the inside of your home. When purchasing your curtains, make sure they are specifically made for outdoors and are durable with a UV resistance. This way they’ll last longer and won’t fade so fast.

Historical Concepts

2. Add a Punch of Color with Accessories

You would be surprised at the difference a few simple accessories can make in livening up your porch for summer. Focus on the details such as cushions, throw pillows, blankets, garden urns, and even  a pretty little serving tray. With outdoor decorating you can get away with a lot since you aren’t competing with wallpapers, specific types of furniture and flooring, so amp it up with juicy hues like deep blues, vibrant orange, yellow and fuchsia.

Rethink Design Studio

3. Create a Outdoor Dining Area

If you are lucky enough to have a large enough porch, set up a convenient dining area for your family and guests. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, a small café table and a few wrought iron chairs will easily do the trick. To make sure your dining area is super comfy, throw on a few plump cushions for maximum comfort and a hit of color.

Thompson Custom Homes

4. Hang up A Comfy Swing

This is one thing everyone loves and even fights about during the summer months! A porch swing is really hard not to love and is a fun choice of seating to rock away on a summer evening or watching the life on your street. There are tons of tutorials to make your own swings from wooden palettes, or your can buy a pre-made one and attach it to the ceiling of your patio with either a tough rope or sturdy chain.

Van Wicklen

5. Re-finish Unique Yard Sale Finds

This season there is a yard sale on every corner which makes it a easy way to re-do your porch on a budget. You never know what you can find so make sure to scour garage sales for unique finds like retro patio chairs, small side tables and even urns. You can easily re-paint these with a few layers of spray paint. Take for example these whicker chairs that were given a new life with a quick layer of ocean blue paint.

Sarah Greenman

6. Create a Place to Relax with Lounge Chairs

Invest in a couple of wooden lounge chairs for your porch for the perfect place to relax along with a great view. The sloped back and arm rest puts you in the ideal state of relaxation. Instead of purchasing cheap plastic chairs that need to be replaced every year or so, choose ones made from teak or cedar for maximum durability and easy maintenance.

Michelle Fries Design

7. Set up a Additional Living Room

To create a additional living space on your porch is easy, and you can actually make a second living room this way. All you need to do is focus on brining the indoors out all while following a few simple rules about durability and the right materials. A woven resin patio set can withstand rain and the sun’s hot rays as well as a thick outdoor sisal rug, which is ideal to be used on the porch.

Historical Concepts

About the Author:

Legacy Lifts is a Texas-based special contractor. Legacy cargo lifts and passenger elevators are designed to withstand the elements, including winds up to 130 mph. They can even be customized to match your home’s exterior.