If you think dirt can make a man look masculine, you’ll be surprised that this is absolutely untrue when it comes to decorating his place of comfort- the bedroom.

Men can be still be in Vogue without losing their masculinity. And the catch? Nothing! Just plain and easy-to-follow steps in making a man’s bedroom appealing.

Forget about the usual bright-coloured and over-the-top wall paper designs, pillows, and bed linens. Throw away the idea of having an elaborate interior design and flamboyant fixtures. Instead, make way for bold and yet simple motif that will completely radiate manliness in every corner of the room.

Brave Hues

Let’s begin with colours and shades that create a mannish appeal. Always consider hues that are neutral and can bring in an ambience of vigour and authority. Consider painting your walls in a series of block shapes using a combination of black, grey, and white. Then be a little braver than that by adding shades of green, violet, and blue. Doing this will make for a powerful, yet attractive atmosphere. It is highly recommended that you combine only two colours, but you can add more as long as they still look confident and not soft. If a tanned skin looks manly, so is a room that has mocha and brown hues.

Wallpapers

Similar to colours, wallpapers should be simple and yet prominent. Think of your wall designs as a companion that tells a lot about your own traits. For a less overpowering effect, cover just one wall with wallpaper. Some modern wallpaper are made of prints from old movies or football’s best moments. Make the designs the reflection of your personality.

Bed sheets and blankets

Spruce up your bed not with excessive pillows and multicoloured bed sheets or blankets. Choose plain white comforters, if you may. Another option is to have striped pillow cases or cushions. Make sure the stripes have dark shades. It’s a rule of thumb to match the hues of your walls with that of your bed. Always pick something from the colours of your wall and use it again for your bed sheets and blankets.

Carpet and Flooring

When it comes to your carpet and flooring, always choose the colours that bring out your adventurous streak in a modern style. It’s always safe to pick neutral colours and dark shades. Teak and walnut for your wood flooring create a “macho” effect. If you want to become more daring, put some animal prints on them.

Window Treatments

Keep window treatments as simple as possible. The Controliss wood blind collection has an assortment of wood blinds that will go well in masculine bedrooms.

A house without windows can make even large rooms claustrophobic. Windows that provide ugly views are equally depressing. What if your house is afflicted with this unfortunate characteristic? There’s no need to worry. We’ve come up with several solutions, from the artistic to the downright quirky, to those who find themselves in this quandary.

Mirrors

Mirrors mounted on opposite walls will bounce light off the surface, creating a feeling of depth and adding more dimension to your room. Two wall framed mirrors can mimic windows when you join these two together at the sides. How about adding window hardware like curtain rods and window blinds on top of the mirrors? You can also add a fabric valance on top of this suits you. If you want to add more interest, look for mirrors that have interesting shapes, like hexagonal mirrors or rounded ones.

Paintings

Adding a painting with a scenic view will effectively improve your blank wall. Choose paintings with natural views to create an illusion of a window with a good view. The best part about this is that you can change your views. With real windows, you are stuck with the same views everyday.

Metal Wall Hangings

Interesting metal wall hangings can add depth into whatever light you have in a room. A combination of metal and mirrors will work well and create interest than a boring wall. Look for sculptures made of metal or wall art made of mirrors and your guests will forget that you don’t have windows. These works of art may even break the ice as they are great conversation pieces.

Wall Murals

Wall murals can provide you and your guests something beautiful to look at. Murals can considerably improve your room’s appearance because it opens up the space. If you have an artistic hand, creating your own mural can help you inject more of your personality in a room and give you space to express yourself.

Faux Windows

Two Japanese engineers came up with the solution. They’ve hung window blinds on a blank wall and added an electroluminescent sheet underneath to give an illusion of a window underneath. You can then control the amount of light the same way that you would for traditional blinds.

Isn’t that cool? Some people might still think this strategy is quite depressing. Although we’d think that venetian blinds in a cheery colour like Satin Sun Flash would do the trick.

We’ve blogged about how the automated home can be rather expensive or impractical, but the team at Controliss couldn’t help but think about the possibilities of a home full of gadgets, James Bond-style. That’s why if you’re a gadget freak, here’s the definitive guide to your ultimate dream home:

Solar Roofing

Word’s out the solar roofing has become more efficient. Solar roof tiles now claim to be able to provide about 8 to 20% more solar energy than last year’s crystalline silicon panels. For example, 30 tiles with 14-inch exposure areas can generate about 860 kilowatts per hour after 6 hours of solar exposure. Not only that, curved solar roofing are now available so your roof can be as suave and sexy as James Bond.

Keyless Door Locks

Nothing is as uncool as fumbling around with your keys after a night out in the pub. While it would be cooler to have a microchip implanted in your brain that controls your doors the moment you think about opening your door, that kind of technology is not available yet. Fortunately, keyless door locks are now available which allow you to open your door when you say “Open Sesame” and silently pressing the key fob.

Gadget Sofa

Let’s face it; it’s hard to find a cushy sofa that satisfies the gadget lover. Yet, this doesn’t keep you from spending endless hours on it. With the gadget sofa, you can spend your whole life without moving. The intelligent sofa has two LCD screens inside each armrest that could pop out and fold back nicely when they are not used. It also has an iPod and iPhone dock and hidden speakers with a subwoofer.

Touchscreen Walls and Surfaces

Hollywood’s touchscreen surfaces may be just around the corner because of the invention of a thin polymer film that can be applied to plastic, wood, or glass. This film can detect up to 16 touches at the same time. Think about all your walls magically transforming into a television or wallpaper that can change according to your mood. How about connecting with your friends in social media sites on your wall?

Remote-Controlled Window Blinds

Now this technology is within your reach. Imagine how cool it is to have your window blinds go swoosh whenever you press a single button in the remote control. You can have light enter the room by tilting the slats of Controliss venetian blinds or completely blocked out such as our superb collection of blackout shades.

With all these cool gadgets in your room, you can act and feel like James Bond. With Controliss remote-controlled blinds, the futuristic home is now within your reach.

If you’re feeling like you’re in outer space whenever you’re inside your kitchen, you’re not alone. Most kitchen appliances have this cold, futuristic look that it’s hard to create a homely atmosphere. To balance out the starkness of your modern kitchen appliances with the nature-inspired finish and discreet elegant style of Scandinavian interior design.

Interior designers love the simple lines and charming details of an eighteenth century Swedish country home. It has a touch of Nordic classic style but made from down-to-earth local materials. The look is very distinct but with restrained detailing. The Scandinavian style gives you just a tinge of the traditional mixed in with minimalistic lines.

Scandinavian Colour Palettes and Finishes

If you’re won over and would like to incorporate Scandinavian home design into your kitchen, you can work on a palette that is cool, like pale blue-grey, blue-green, or grey-green. These colours can be painted on your walls and then for the ultimate Swedish look, paint your kitchen cabinets the same colour in a darker, more solid shade. If you find these colours too cold for your kitchen, stick with pale ochre or a yellow on the creamy side. However, stay clear from pastel colours because Scandinavian colours are deep and luminous.

Painted Wood Finishes

Aside from the colours, Scandinavian interior design’s distinct characteristics are matte painted finishes. Paint your walls and then use a stronger tone of the main colour on your doors wooden and wooden mouldings. The finish should be soft so choose eggshell as paint.

Although Scandinavian design uses wood, it is often painted. Wood can be incorporated as panelling or as flooring. Any kind of wood can be used as long as they are on the pale side. Scandinavian design does not use wood in dark finishes.

Tiled Surfaces

Tiles will look great on the floors and also on stove tops and the splash board. Create a chequered pattern with the tiles or add decorative panels in a plain background. If your dining area is also near the kitchen, separate the two areas with different floorings. Use carpeting that use natural materials, such as coir, sisal, or seagrass in the eating area. These can create interesting floor coverings plus they can withstand food spills better than any other material.

Scandinavian Accessories

Scandinavian lighting should exude an earthy feel. Go for dull metals instead of crystal or glass. Modern lighting such as pendant lights or recessed lights goes well in this design style. Aside from the lighting, window treatments should also echo the simple natural lines of Scandinavian home design. Speaking of nature-inspired accessories, wooden blinds are perfect in a Scandinavian-style kitchen because it softens the hard mainstreamed appearance of most kitchen surfaces.

Our collection of Basswood wooden blinds will definitely satisfy your need for Scandinavian-style windows, because they are real wooden blinds in a painted finish. What’s more, they are operated through infrared remote control. Now that’s what we call the fusion of the traditional and the modern that characterises Scandinavian design.

Just as layers are never out of style in fashion, layering window treatments will always be a design classic. Layering window treatments do need an expert eye in order for it to work. Just as you wouldn’t pair summer shorts with a heavy winter coat, you wouldn’t dream of matching a heavy velvet curtain with metallic venetian blinds. That’s why we at Controliss have put together a few basic tips on how to layer your window treatments for the ultimate fashionable home look.

The ultimate layered effect in window treatment is not only chic, it can also add another UV protection layer to your home. Most of the UV protection could be incorporated in the kind of glass you choose for your windows. If you have an older home, you could have your windows protected with a UV-protective film.

Before these innovative UV protection layers, sheers were used as the first layer in window treatments. Sheers allow light to trickle in and act as a barrier against harsh ultraviolet rays that may damage your interiors. It also makes for a good privacy screen. However, if your window showcases amazing views, sheers may ruin them. That’s why with UV treatments in the glass, you can have roman shades and long curtains as second and third layers. If you think that it’s too much, roman shades can do the job as well.

Here are a few more multi-layer window treatments that always come up in interior design magazines:

- Roller blinds with fabric valance or cornice. This design layering classic will never go out of style. Our roller blinds collection gives you amazing choices in different colours and prints. You’ll love the different textures of our roller blinds. Fabric valances or cornices spruce up the roller blinds and even hide the hardware of remote-controlled blinds.

- Bamboo blinds with curtain panels. You’ll be doing our environment some good if you choose the eco-friendly bamboo blinds. Bamboo grows fast and so you don’t need to worry about contributing to damage to the environment. Bamboo has a unique grain texture that is highlighted with the addition of curtain panels. Curtain panels also balances out the simplicity of the bamboo blinds, giving it a touch of class.

- Wood Blinds with a Top or Long Treatment. If you like the richness of real wood, we have a fabulous collection of wood blinds in different grains and shades. If you want to achieve a more casual atmosphere, neutralise the formal feel of wood blinds with top window treatments. Long window treatments, such as sheer curtains will soften the masculine lines of wood blinds.

Now that you’re well-versed in layering window treatments, check out our complete line of remote-controlled blinds and unleash your imagination.

In designing a space, the feminine touch never fails to please. The female magic always works to make any home or office become delightfully alive, and no other colour says “woman” than the pink shade does. This rose colour is so dainty and so charming that it is often used as a theme hue for individual fashion styles, for events, for causes, and of course, for styling the home. There is just something so delightful about this rosy hue, that it is temptingly inevitable for any homeowner to use it in making his or her home lovelier.

Go for the Classic Pink Mix

You have to take care though, in choosing the right kind of pink. Overly-sweet hues, the same shade you see on candies and sweets, when used outside the nursery or child’s bedroom could make your home displeasing. For elegance and sophistication, the classic pink mix never disappoints, as it involves various shades and tones of the hue, from hot pink to pearl pink, so as to provide a colour scheme that’s balanced – both vibrant and subtle at the same time.

Always test how the hues would look like in your home, especially if you’re planning to use pink on your walls or on your floor. The kind of light you have in your rooms matter too, as it may make the pink look painfully glaring or soothingly soft.

Interior designers have long determined that it’s best to use pink hues with warm undertones if you wish to give your room a vibrant, blushing colour and it’s great to use pale pink for your wall backdrop and for your base. For areas at home that you use often, bright and deep pinks work best as it evokes a sense of excitement and vibrancy.

Going for the Monochromatic Tone?

If you fancy a monochromatic scheme, keep in mind that the pink hues work well with greys, and whites, which tone down dark pinks. Cool pinks on the other hand, go well with reds and oranges. Take care to combine warm tones though, as they tend to be too heavy on the eyes if there’s too much. If you love their fiery saturation that much, you could just pick accent pieces instead.

Contemplating on a Complementary Scheme?

If you’re aiming for a complementary scheme, choose a seemingly contrasting colour, like green for example, to complement your pink hues. The combination gives off a fresh spring look that’s simply visually pleasing. With this scheme, you could even play up the spring theme by adding accents like floral wallpapers or curtains with flower designs. Adding other spring-inspired feature pieces could make your pink home just perfect. Try our safe remote-controlled Roller blinds in Rubor Candy for a striped twist to this colour.

Pink is a delightful colour to play with, have fun in making your home vibrant with this exciting rose colour!

We at Controliss appreciate England’s significant architectural history; that’s why we’re pumped to find out that Heritage Open Days 2010 are set on September 9-12. If you’d like to take a peek at wonderful properties that are usually not open to the public, mark these dates in your calendar. You can now discover for yourself these architectural wonders without having to shell out cash for the entrance fees.

Founded in 1994, Heritage Open Days are organised by local volunteers, property owners or managers in cooperation with English Heritage. They hold tours and other events that focus on England’s culture and local architecture. Heritage Open Days are very popular in England. Just this year, the organisers are estimating that they’ll be welcoming about 1 million visitors.

From September 9 to 12, you can explore hidden architectural delights in various English cities, towns, and villages. All these for free! This year, Heritage Open Days will cater to military history enthusiasts, romantics, and environmentalists.

A Glorious Past

Known as the Battle of Britain Command centre, the Bentley Priory in Stanmore, Hertfordshire has opened its doors after 70 years of being a Royal Air Force base. You can also visit the World War II Beacon Hill Radar Tower in Harwich, Essex and the Royal Air Force College in Cranwell, Lincolnshire. If you’re into classical architecture, check out the domed vault of the 18th century ironstone Gothic Temple at Stowe, Buckinghamshire. From this temple, enjoy breathtaking views of the Stowe Landscape Gardens. Another great example of the Gothic Revival style is The Grange in Ramsgate, Kent. Built in 1845, it was the former home of Houses of Parliament architect Augustus Pugin.

Romantic Getaway

If you’re in love and in the mood for some romance, head on to No. 3 Alexandra Gardens in Ventnor, Isle of Wight. Distinguished composer Edward Elgar honeymooned in this elegant Victorian villa that overlooks the Isle’s south coast. Jane Eyre fans can journey to the Peak District National Park where they will find the Elizabethan North Lees Hall. Charlotte Bronte was reportedly inspired by this Hall when she described Mr. Rochester’s Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre. Speaking of Janes, the former home of Jane Austen’s brother Chawton House in Hampshire is also part of Heritage Open Days.

Modern Architecture

Technology buffs and environmentalists alike will enjoy touring the Aardman Animation headquarters in Bristol. This sustainable building is the home of the force behind Wallace and Gromit. You can also visit the glass-encased office block designed by Norman Foster. Marvel at this kidney-shaped Willis Building in Ipswich, Suffolk which is guaranteed to evoke the admiration of modern design enthusiasts. Relive the 1970s with the Anderton House in Barnstaple, Devon. If you want more modern design structures, Bristol offers Basil Ward’s The Concrete House which was built in 1934.

European Heritage Days

Heritage Open Days is England’s participation to the European Heritage Days. Today, about 49 countries participate in this memorable event. The United Kingdom holds four European Heritage Days, including Open House London, Scotland’s Doors Open Days, Open Doors Days in Wales and European Heritage Days in Northern Ireland.

UK workers spend longer hours on average than workers from other European countries. However, companies are still behind when it comes to considering interior design in the workplace. UK workers still work long hours in ill-designed workplaces and cramped offices that affect productivity.

A tastefully-designed workplace will do wonders on worker productivity and boost their morale. The company’s image can also rise if their work places have an inviting atmosphere. Better-designed workplaces may also attract higher quality employees.

To get you started on workplace design, think about the following aspects of office interior design:

Workplace Layout

Rearrange the desks and chairs to give workers extra space. Think about the position of equipment and the flow of traffic in these places. Place office equipment near people where they are used most.

Colour

The colour of the workplace should be more vibrant to alter the mood of your workers. Think about adding a splash of colour instead of the usual boring beige walls. Also, the colour of the walls will determine the amount of light that is reflected or absorbed. White walls reflect light while dark walls only reflect a small percentage. Pale walls can reduce the amount of artificial light that is used, bringing electricity bills down and reducing eyestrain.

Lighting

Work to simplify the lighting of the work area. Strip lights, desk lamps and light emanating from computer monitors will put unnecessary eyestrain to your workers. Find out how much natural lighting can enter the room and choose artificial lighting that complements natural light. Better yet, allow your workers some control on the amount of light that enters the room with Controliss remote-controlled window blinds.

Investing in the interior design in the workplace is a good move for company managers and owners. Not only do beautiful interiors inspire creativity and trigger better mood, your employees will thank you for it and return it with higher productivity.

Being the perfect host to an overnight guest does not have to be stressful. If you want to make your guests feel welcome, the trick is to put yourself in their shoes. You’ll be sure to find out that house guests are in an equally difficult bind because they also do not want to be a burden to you. Here are a few top house guest worries and their solutions:

- Make sure that the furniture in your guest room is not high maintenance. This will put your house guests at ease. If you don’t want them worrying about ruining your bedside table with a water ring, consider a table with a glass top.
Install bedside sconces or bedside lamps. This eliminates the occurrence of bruised knees or stubbed toes that result from making your way to the bed in the dark after you’ve turn off the lights.

- You don’t want to put your guests in a position where they need to rummage through your refrigerator for something to eat. Some people get hungry during the night. Some wake up with a growling stomach and had to starve before the host gets to prepare breakfast. Leave some food, like fruits or energy bars, in the guest room to curb unexpected hunger pangs.

- Avoid placing a large flower arrangement on the bedside table. A simple arrangement with few blooms will do. Leave room for your guests to keep their things. You won’t also have to worry about pollen allergies just in case your guests have them.

- Place a rug near the bed so your guests won’t have to worry about waking you up while they walk around their room. The rug will also keep the room cosy.

- Guests have different temperature needs. Don’t let them feel too cold or too hot in the room by making a versatile bed. Cover the mattress with cotton sheets and add a cotton coverlet. Top the bed with a down duvet. This will allow your guests to adjust to the temperature according to their tastes.

- If your electric outlet is in an obscure place, add a power strip or a charging dock where your guests can easily charge their cell phones or plug in their laptops.

- Don’t let your guests wake up earlier than necessary because of harsh sunlight. It may take some time for them to fall asleep on an unfamiliar bed, so they’ll need to wake up later than usual. Make the guest room a haven of relaxation by installing blackout roller blinds in the windows. In this way, your guests can sleep later than usual and feel more refreshed. We have introduced a line of blackout shades in various hues to suit any style.

With these thoughtful tips, you’ll be sure to have satisfied guests who will be more pleasant company. They’ll have nothing but praises for your entertaining prowess. In addition, you won’t have to be bothered about nagging thoughts about whether or not your guests had a great time with you. For sure, they loved every minute of staying in your home.

For most of us, large airy windows are a must in a perfect home. After all, nothing is as relaxing as basking in morning sunlight while sipping your coffee and reading the newspaper. However, direct sunlight especially in the summer may not be as inviting as you would imagine. Direct sunlight can be harsh to the eyes and creates unwanted contrast in a room. Parts of the room that do not receive too much sunlight can appear darker, while bright spots can appear glaring and harsh. Another disadvantage of allowing direct sunlight into your home is the weathering of furnishings due to the UV rays.

Diffusing Natural Light

To help diffuse natural light, Controliss has included sheer vertical blinds. While white window blinds can do a good job at reflecting and redirecting sunlight, Controliss vertical blinds in Haze and Verso sheer fabrics can draw the light into the room while diffusing it. These sheer vertical blinds create a translucent voile effect that softens light entering the room. Because the harsh sunlight is evened out, the soft light transforms colour, making it warmer and creating a homely atmosphere.

UV Protection and Solar Heat Gain

A great bonus of using sheer vertical blinds is the UV protection it provides to your room and furnishings. Banish the worries of finding sunspots in your carpet or hardwood floors with our sheer blinds.

Aside from letting in soft light, sheer blinds can also reduce the solar heat gain. Solar heat gain coefficient is a number from 0 to 1 which measures the percentage of solar energy that actually enters your home through the windows. A lower number is more ideal. Standard double-pane windows have a solar heat gain of 0.76. This means that 76% of solar energy comes into your home. Adding light-coloured window treatments, such as sheer blinds, can reduce the solar heat gain coefficient.

Sunlight in Winter

While it may be great to help diffuse sunlight during summer, winter time is a different experience altogether. Let the sunshine in to get the most of the free heat energy. Raise your blinds every time direct sunlight hits the window. This means that you should raise it in the mornings for windows facing east. Blinds in west windows should be raised in the afternoons while the blinds in south-facing windows can be left open most of the day. You can safely lift up your blinds without breaking a sweat using remote-controlled sheer roller blinds in Vero Ivory.

Controliss Sheer Vertical Blinds

Aside from the sheer roller blinds, Controliss sheer vertical blinds are also available in two kinds of fabrics, verso and haze. Verso fabric has a soft vertical weave that has a translucent design. Verso vertical blinds come in white and dairy. Haze vertical blinds are available in neutral shades of white, brulee, and sage.