Once all the frivolity of the festive season has died down, if you are anything like me, you will be sitting there thinking of all the New Years resolutions you will be making, and most likely breaking!

If you have a busy life, as most of us do these days, then generally Christmas time is the only time of year we may be at home, allegedly relaxing!  Historically, it as this point we start to make plans for the year ahead, whether it is holidays or home improvements.

If you have a home improvement project planned for 2012, then it is never too early to start contemplating the types of furniture and finishes you intend to incorporate.  As an Interior Designer, I see the same mistakes made time and time again, where Clients have not planned early enough in advance.

When designing a lighting scheme, it is vital that you know what you will be lighting and where it will be positioned.  For instance, in a Dining Room, usually one would position the decorative and task lighting directly over the dining table, then the decorative and mood lighting positioned accordingly.  If little thought goes in to this aspect early on, the electrician will automatically position the lighting cable at first fix stage, in the centre of the ceiling.  The table may not require a central position once the storage and other furniture are included, so floor layouts play a huge part in design, even at first fix electrical stage.

We encounter this kind of oversight on a daily basis at Controliss blinds.  Our 240v remote control blinds require a switched fuse spur to be installed remotely, from the window.  The feed from the spur then runs up to the top of the window reveal, for connection to the roller blind motor on installation.  The introduction of this fuse spur and feed should be done pre-plaster stage to avoid consequential damage by having to install retrospectively.

If you have the facility within your project, it is well worth considering how you can conceal the roller tube and brackets.  Many of our customers, particularly Architects and Designers will make provision to recess the blind tubes within the ceiling recess, or within a stud wall cavity.

If you are fitting our 240V electric blinds at a later stage in your project, we are able to offer a very stylish concealed headrail system, called a Contour Cassette system.  This system houses the roller blind, and conceals the fixings within, so the result is streamlined and sophisticated, the epitome of design finesse!

Our customer service team are always available to offer advice on fabric choices and methods of integration.

So if you are currently sitting back, full to the brim with turkey, contemplating your interior projects for 2012, spare a thought for not simply what you wish to achieve, but how!

Whilst I embrace the idea of the whole family participating in choosing the Christmas tree, and decorating it all together by the glow of the open fire; the reality in our house is very different!

I see the Christmas tree as an extension of our homes Interior décor, why would I leave the decisions in terms of colour scheme and decoration to a seven year old?

Not very festive I know, however, having followed a career in Interior Design for over fifteen years, I have a reputation to consider! I do try and decorate the tree whilst the children are otherwise engaged, or take the view that I should allow them a small amount of input, I can always reposition their bauble once they have left the room!

By way of compensation, the children each have their own Christmas tree in their own bedrooms, far safer, away from public view where they can express their individuality to their hearts content!
For those of you who take the whole business of decoration as seriously as I do, here’s how I go about decorating our tree.

Initially I would suggest deciding on a colour scheme, ideally an extension of your existing interior scheme or possibly something that contrasts well with it. There are no hard and fast rules, sometimes it is nice to incorporate the latest ‘fashion shades’ but not if it is going to ‘fight’ with everything else you have.

Christmas is a time for tradition (apart from external interference on the decoration front) the classic combinations of red and gold, black and gold, black and silver are always firm favourites. Just as in an interior scheme, if you opt to use more than 2 colours, then the proportions of those colours should be varied. For example if you choose, red, something like the rich red of our Oscuro Allure Roller blinds, Oscuro Midnight and brand new Oscuro Golden Toffee Roller blind fabric; then you would want perhaps 60% red, 25% gold and 15% black.

Having decided on your colour scheme, accumulate your decorations from a variety of sources, so that they are not all the same, adding interest to the finished result.

Think outside the box, it is possible to utilize materials as garlands from non-related sources, as Christmas decorations. For example floristry ribbons, rolls of organza as well as the usual tinsel have been used in our house previously, or even builders hessian tape when I was going through my contemporary rustic phase!

In terms of illumination, you should have plenty of lights on the tree. As a guide there should be roughly 100 mini lights per foot of tree. The lights should go on before any other decoration, taking care to distribute them evenly through the branches. I opt for white lights, but as long as lights of a single colour are used, the effect remains sophisticated.

Following the lighting, should be the garland, this should overlay the lighting cable where possible. For something different try using the garlands vertically rather than horizontally. If you are using ribbon, twist it as you move downwards with it, starting from the top.

Next lay out the baubles you have in terms of colour and size. The larger baubles should be used at the bottom of the tree, with smaller ones closer to the top. You may like to cluster the baubles or distribute them evenly.

If you would like to try something completely different, then having baubles of the same colour in varying shades creates a great effect if you fade the baubles from the lightest version of the colour at the top to the darkest version at the bottom. An example of this colour fade can be seen within our new collection of Controliss blackout Roller blinds; from the deepest Oscuro Artisan, through Country Tweed, Yellow Ochre, Acorn, Sunburst and Pyramid to the lightest Golden Toffee!

A cost effective way to create impact, is to wire 3 or 5 smaller, less expensive baubles together (odd numbers work best). Loop some fuse wire, or floristry wire through the existing loops of the baubles, at different heights to create a cluster effect.

On occasion I have not used any baubles at all, but have made oversized bows with metallic floristry ribbon and graduated the sizes from top to bottom. Inserting metallic spray painted wicker decorations within a theme, be it bells, angels, reindeer or even shoes, can also work well.

Once the tree is beautifully decorated, the colour scheme can be extended to your gift-wrap and ribbons for a totally designer look. A few years ago, I wrapped all of the presents in brown paper, and colour coded them according to recipient with different coloured ribbons!

A step too far you may think, but Christmas is about fun after all, so express yourself and create your own designer Christmas tree.

If you are really lucky you might just find a beautiful Controliss remote control blind under the Tree for you!

13 DAYS TO GO…..

With only 13 days left before Christmas, time is getting very short for Christmas shopping, tempers are getting short, feet are getting sore and wallets are becoming lighter! So before its too late, why not shop on-line?

Although our order books are heavy, Controliss Blinds are miraculously still offering a made to measure remote control blind service, with FREE delivery in time for Christmas! This offer is only available until 5pm tomorrow, 13th December 2011; so if you would like the luxurious experience of motorised blinds in your home for Christmas, delay no longer!

Our revitalized website was launched last week, showcasing lots of fabulous new collections, put together by my good self! We are now offering superb motorised curtain tracks, capable of spanning 10 metres; which as an Interior Designer, I appreciate how special this facility is!

We have a fully stocked Somfy Shop, for all of your gadgets; intelligent hand held remote controls, wireless wall mounted switches with interchangeable face plates! In fact everything you might need to accompany a Controliss blind, whether it is battery powered or 240V, either as a stocking filler or an extra special treat!

The Controliss customer service team are fully experienced and are always on hand to help with your fabric choices, and any queries you may have with measuring.

When your new blinds arrive, if you need a little extra help there is no need to stress, our technical support team can guide you through installation and programming, so all that is left for you to do: is relax! Sit back and enjoy the beautiful, whisper quiet motion of a Controliss remote control blind.

Having told you how we can improve your festive experience and relieve your stress, our tech support are currently still working on an effective cure for indigestion!!

For most people, using the colour pink in the home would only seem appropriate for a girl or woman's room, but pink has positive psychological effects that make it well worth incorporating into a home for any gender. In the early 1900s, pink was actually considered to be the preferred colour to dress young boys because of it being a tint of red, which was regarded as an aggressive and, therefore, more masculine colour. Blue was believed to be the suitable colour in which to dress young girls, but, since the 1940s, this practice has been inverted.

While pink can be used to create an amazing bedroom or other space intended for use, in the main, by a young girl/girls, it could equally be used to establish a powerfully soothing area in the home. The colour's advantageous influences are that of physical tranquillity, nurture, warmth and love. It has even been proven to be capable of encouraging friendless and discouraging aggression, with numerous uses in prison holding cells – including the inmates' clothing - generating positive results.

When used with creams and hints of charcoal or black, a pastel pink can impart a more opulent character, instead of giving a room a more effeminate look. Controliss remote control Roller blinds are available with varying shades and textures of pink and cream coloured fabrics, that would provide the ideal finish in the continuation of a cream-based décor and also as a luxuriously convenient accessory to grant more privacy in the room.

Harlequin's Vine Pink Rug or the Sultana Table Lamp by Currey & Company are just two examples of products that would subtly incorporate the necessary pink colour into a more classically themed room without being too overpowering.

If the room you wish to introduce the colour into has a more contemporary trend, the Ligne Roset Confluences Sofa Group is available as a 4-seat settee, in assorted shades of pink, that can be disassembled and put back together in an utterly original, puzzle-like style. This design could prove more functional than a standard settee, and of course, it is unlikely that you know anyone who has anything similar.

For those who cherish all things pink, there are innumerable home wares and accessories that are available to bring all hues of the colour into your home, from the soft, baby pinks to the bright and sickly. Whereas, for those who have aspiration to make use of the colour, but do not want it to be overwhelming, products can be bought that blend it with more neutral colours to allow the pink to modestly sweeten the mood created within a room.

Controliss Blinds showcase Lutron's award winning and imaginative Kirbé® Vertical Drapery System that represents an exciting and unique industry first. This entirely new design of Lutron blinds smoothly raises and lowers the curtain fabric up and completely out of the way at the touch of a button. The Kirbé vertical curtain system is a captivating fusion of vertical motion with Lutron's beautifully engineered quiet drive motorisation technology and traditional soft curtain fabrics.

Lutron Kirbé eliminates “stack back” – the mass of fabric remaining when a traditional curtains are opened. Curtain fabric stack back can equate to one-third the total width of traditional curtains which in many scenarios can block a large portion of the overall window aperture. Utilising the unique Kirbé system increases the number of applications where you can use curtain fabrics, including restrictive spaces, French, Bi-fold or sliding doors and floor-to-ceiling windows by recessing the system into a recessed pocket for totally unobstructed access and views.

The Kirbé vertical drapery system features a number of Lutron innovations that enable automated control of rolling soft furnishing curtain fabric in a window blind possible.

Header mechanism with Lutron Quiet Drives

Integrated Lutron QS, QED or QS wireless silent drives with limitless control options including Lutron HomeWorks, GRAFIK Eye QS, third party home automation systems or standalone remote control. Reliably and delicately smooths and pleats the fabric as it is taken into and let out of the top mechanism.

Perma-pleat bottom bar™

Weights fabric and maintains a smooth and even ripple fold pleat to keep curtain fabric uniform.

Controliss Blinds head into December with a brand new enhanced website design, a new collection of the latest electric curtain tracks, Lutron blinds and our new Somfy shop for easy on-line ordering of Somfy's most popular controls.

With increased usability and visual appeal the newly designed streamlined web interface provides Controliss web visitors with an unparalleled on-line shopping experience for configuring and buying electric blinds.

Electric Curtain tracks

Our exciting new range of electric curtain tracks feature the very latest technology in motorised curtain track systems. These amazing curtain tracks are ultimately included more and more frequently in high-end interior projects, both commercially and residentially, where effortless control maximum impact is desired. Offering very sleek lines over a span of up to 10 metres, these smooth running tracks, with Touch Motion facility are second to none.

Lutron Blinds

Controliss blinds recent Lutron dealership approval is now visible on-line with a dedicated Lutron Blinds section offering information about the amazing collection of Lutron Sivoia Shades including Roller, Roman, Venetian, Curtain Tracks and Kirbe Vertical Curtain system.

Somfy Shop

As if this wasn’t enough, the busy Controliss team have introduced a new user-friendly Somfy shop, showcasing a comprehensive catalogue of popular Somfy controls and accessories from Somy's versatile selection of Telis remote control handsets, home automation accessories; not solely for window blinds but garage doors and electric gate automation too!

The new Controliss website, not only looks great, but the increased functionality allows our visitors to browse with consummate ease through our extensive ranges; whilst our Customer Support Team are always on hand to offer help and advice in choosing the perfect electric blinds.

I can confirm that I am firmly in denial!  Having been presented with a "Chrismas Wish List" by my 7 year old yesterday, I slipped in to panic mode, realising that the big day is only 4 weeks away!!  I haven't done a thing, which is not unusual for me; favouring a 'last minute rush' each year!  I couldn't decide whether the 'wish list' was incredibly cutesy or really manipulative.  After each item, in brackets appeared "only if you have enough money" and then the very last item was "Keep my family happy" in brackets ("the main thing").  Well, needless to say whatever the motivation, mission accomplished!

In addition to not doing any Christmas shopping, at the moment of speaking we don't have a kitchen to cook Christmas lunch in! Christmas is traditionally a time when people try and get projects completed, so that the fruits of their labour can be enjoyed at leisure over the festive season; hopefully our kitchen will be one of these projects!  At Controliss Blinds we are extremely busy keeping up with Christmas demand for our motorised blinds; our order books are high for both 240V electric blinds and battery powered blinds.

We have some exciting new fabrics ready to come online in the next few weeks, and as the 'In- house designer" at Controliss, I have had the delightful task of putting the collections together. We have some fantastic, inspirational contemporary fabrics alongside superb, opulent classics ranges.  We have a new designer Visio-lux range, of cosmopolitan screen fabrics (which incidentally I have chosen for my own kitchen!), these fabrics look incredibly stylish and diffuse the light, providing privacy without blocking the light completely.

I can't wait to enjoy the experience of mains powered remote control blinds in my own kitchen.  The former stable block has become the kitchen in our barn conversion, so we have a series of windows along one elevation, so the motorised blinds are perfect as we can program them to operate as a complete group, moving up and down simultaneously, at specified times, how impressive?

We have chosen some fairly high-tech appliances from Siemens, incorporating s Steam Oven alongside 2 conventional and a microwave. I figured if it is good enough for Kelly Hoppen then it is good enough for us! Adding to the touch control technology of our motorised blinds, is the sleek De Dietrich Downdraft Extractor which rises majestically from the island worksurface at the mere touch of a button!

Obviously I shall only be able to impress my guests with my fabulous new blinds if I have an equally impressive kitchen installed, so fingers crossed!!

Having established ourselves as market leaders in the supply of motorised blinds, Controliss can now add Lutron approval to our repertoire!

Lutron are undeniably the most highly regarded company providing progressive light control solutions for a diverse group of homes and facilities. Lutron have their name firmly established in the home automation market, offering fully integrated systems for light control, blinds and shading to complete home automation.

Lutron boast an elite clientele around the world, all of whom, have dramatically benefited from the look, feel, and energy saving effects of Lutron products and systems:

Caesars Palace, The Bellagio, Nasa Cape Canaveral, St Paul’s Cathedral and 1 Whitehall Place, to name but a few!

We are privileged to announce that Controliss have been awarded a Lutron dealership and we fully intend uphold Lutron's esteemed position in the marketplace.

At Controliss, we have always prided ourselves on providing a quality product at an extremely competitive price, with Customer Support that is second to none.  It is these attributes that equip us to move up into the realms of Lutron blinds dealership.

We will not be relinquishing our established Controliss range of electric blinds, in fact on the contrary!  I can let you into a little secret, we are about to add to our inspiring fabric ranges for electric and battery powered roller blinds and launch a completely new designer collection of hand finished Roman blinds.

The Lutron dealership broadens our horizons and allows us to promote a thoroughly bespoke service for electrically operated blinds with sophisticated technology.

There are so many options available to our Lutron clientele, including roller blinds for skylights,  floor to ceiling windows, multi storey windows and complete curtain walls.

Curtain tracks over 18 metres long, even curved curtain tracks for the most challenging spaces.  All equipped with superior Lutron motor technology and ultra-quiet electronic drives.

In addition to the diverse fabric ranges offered by Lutron, there are also bespoke headrail and trim options, in fact almost anything is possible with Lutron!

The possibility of moving house is so exciting, and creating a home to bring up children or run your business from is a fantastic project. I must admit I can get a bit carried away with design ideas and what I would like in a home. Not only homes but offices could reap the benefits of having a creative room or an area where people can sit, think, plan and create.

I would love to be able to design an inspirational room, which would inspire me, allow me to work at my maximum potential and meet with colleagues, so they can work at the same level of creativity. With this in mind, I have started to plan my own brain storming haven.

Firstly, the space needs to be well lit, I think natural colours are always good for a base, then you can include bright objects and pieces of art to catch the eye, make you think, let you daydream and ultimately get those creative cogs turning.

Something I have wanted for ages is a black board, it sounds a bit old fashioned but I can then write up all the projects that need working on and cross them off when complete. One better than this, as a friend mentioned to me last week, is blackboard paint you can use on the walls, then you can write on them and rub it off! It sounds like a brilliant idea, it’s like creating your own artwork repeatedly.

Comfort is up most, you need a good area at which to sit and work, that does not strain your neck or cause any long-term problems, and so ergonomic furniture is perfect.

I love to listen to music when I’m working, just in the background, then I feel that I can switch off and tune in at will when working on a project. Plus, when a brilliant song comes on, it really gets your thoughts going.

In an office, something interactive is always great to allow people to be creative and engage in a process, so giant games of jenga or Sudoku are a great way to give people a 5 minute break but feel like they’re doing something creative.

If you need a room that will act as a stimulus for those creative urges, there is a huge range of inspiring wall prints, original furniture designs, and the devices you need that could  help you keep your mind focused. For example, by installing Controliss remote control blinds in place to control the light in the room; without leaving your desk you can open your blinds to brighten the room or close them to a level that makes the light less glaring and create a mood that fuels your imagination.

Babies and toddlers are notoriously explorative. They like to amble around the house, showing interest in all manner of objects, unaware of what is safe to touch, and what could actually cause them harm.

By taking a look around any home, you will inevitably be able to spot areas that could put a child at risk of injury.  The home can be a dangerous place for them to exercise their curiosities, but there are many products on the market that can make it less hazardous to your inquisitive youngsters.

The first problems to be on the lookout for are objects that are, even if only partly, within reach of a little one, such as a lamp placed on a side table, a radiator or a window blind with low hanging cords, that could fall or have parts that could do some harm to a child.
As a solution for each of these given examples, you can obtain electric cable shorteners that will help keep the cables that are required for appliances out of the way to avoid tripping, electric shock or strangulation and may also prevent them falling off their base.

Another precaution is to stop a toddler from burning themselves on a hot radiator by purchasing a radiator cover that will not only act as a barrier between the hot surface and the child, it could improve décor by having something aesthetically better than a normal radiator. The Perfect Playthings Radiator Cover from Safetots is a padded fabric cover for water filled radiators that is available in various colours, while Jali can provide made-to-measure covers and cabinets in a style to suit your tastes.

In addition, the installation of Controliss cordless motorised Roller blinds would make your home safer for young children. Our wireless remote control blinds have full remote control operation, giving you, not only exceptionally convenient window blind control; but with no need for draw cords, there are no worries about younger children damaging the blinds or, more importantly, hurting themselves.

Accidents also occur when larger pieces of furniture topple over which, needless to say, can cause serious injury. A simple way to avoid this happening is to attach furniture straps to the wall and at each end of the back of your furniture where they can be hidden from view.

In their inquisitive nature, toddlers will also try to open many doors, cupboards and cabinets. This can be bothersome as, once they are opening doors, they could wander outside, access cupboards containing dangerous objects like cleaning chemicals or glass, or they could hurt their fingers by shutting the door on them.

There are many different locks that would present great difficulty to infants trying to gain entry to certain cupboards, cabinets, draws and even a fridge or oven, but are easy to use by adults. And for larger doors, there are door stoppers that will prevent the door from closing on little fingers and can simply be pushed onto the door edge without the need for screws or adhesive.

If you are worried about your child opening the front door and wondering outdoors, The Door Guardian is designed to resist forced entry and so is very capable of stopping a child who cannot reach it from opening the door. For anyone who can reach it, the Door Guardian is merely moved aside to allow the door to open. It is suitable for other external doors too, such as a balcony door.

A common piece of baby safety equipment is the baby monitor, however these have moved on from being able to just listen to a child in another room, now mums and dads can watch, as well as hear, their baby on a monitor using a camera that is placed in the baby's room, some of which even include a night vision vision mode.

The advancement and design of home child safety products give parents many more options, concerning the protection of their child. The result of this is that there is less need for them to be anxious when the toddlers are roaming around the house; playing, discovering and growing.