INTERIORS
OUTSIDE-INSIDE INTERIOR DESIGN cont .
LOOK INTO FLUID FLOORING
With the average house size getting smaller , many of us are turning to the outdoors to extend our space . Be that in the form of a conservatory , or a covered patio area , the key to a seamless transition from your living room / kitchen to your outer extension is fluid flooring – a coherent floor from the interior to the exterior will blur the boundaries between the indoors and outdoors , making the outside area feel like part of the home when the doors are open and in turn adding a far greater sense of space . The door between the two is important here – one of the most effective ways to extend a living area outwards is to use sliding bi-fold doors made from framed floorto-ceiling glass that will leave the whole ‘ wall ’ that was previously dividing your living space and your garden open .
BRING THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE IN
If you have an outdoor space that you use often , it can be a great idea to continue your outdoor style inside . One of the best things about interior design is that there are no hard and fast rules , so you can use outside furniture and lighting to create a smooth transition between the inside and out . Look online and you ’ ll be surprised at the varied selection of outdoor rugs , lighting and accessories that would look just as good in a living room or open-plan kitchen .
If you really want your outside to feel like part of the home , opt for a covered exterior , which can come in many forms – a balcony , deck , covered patio , covered porches , or a loggia – and allow you to enjoy all the benefits of the indoors while remaining connected to the outdoors .
BE CREATIVE WITH CONCRETE
As part of a broader trend for industrial living , concrete has become a surprising material of choice for homeowners to get creative with in the home . Having been used in construction since as far back as the Roman times , it ' s now working its way indoors , mainly in the form of furniture , flooring , wall tiles , tabletops and home accessories . Concrete is a great choice of material because it looks edgy , is extremely tough wearing , incorporates grey – a timeless and very chic colour choice , taps into a wider trend for exposed raw materials and can either be adopted in a rough-and-ready style , or a more sleek , minimalist design that ’ s durable and made to last .
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