With the sunny months fast upon us, we will soon be making the most of those long summer nights and heading outside to relax on the balcony, the patio, the deck, or even by the poolside (if you’re lucky!). So it’s around about that time of year that we start thinking about our outdoor decor and what we can do to make sure our homes have a creative flow, both inside and out.

Furnishing your exterior furniture can be a tricky business – as normal fabrics (especially those with a high cotton content) will perish in too much direct sunlight. It’s always a good idea to look at fabrics specially tested for being used outside – however sometimes it is difficult to find a great pattern/design as the choices are much slimmer.

We’ve put together a range of outdoor fabric (for every style and every budget) that will kick-start your inspiration and make sure you’re summer look is stellar.

After reading a little article on ‘Stuff’ a few weeks ago, I was intrigued to know that a lot of effort and research goes into launching a colour prediction. Almost two years of following market research and pop culture trends allow experts to forecast what colour will filter through the design networks in the coming seasons.

As Pantone put it: ‘everything impacts colour‘ – BUT just how accurate was the forecast for 2016?

Designers Guild Furniture is distributed in New Zealand by Icon Textiles. Every unique piece of Designers Guild furniture has been carefully considered and designed to combine timeless style with extreme comfort and outstanding quality.

One of the trends emerging this year sees a lot more greenery in interior settings. Not just with pretty pot plants, but foliage that is taking over the entire wall!

Botanical wallpaper is a great way to bring a sense of freshness into your room, if you are not so much of a green-fingered gardener. We are also seeing a wider variety of wallpaper that is moving away from the floral and instead focuses on the beauty of the greenery.

We’ve pulled together our favourite leafy wallpapers as inspiration for Spring! Check it out:

A glorious celebration of colour and pattern by Clarissa Hulse for Harlequin

The Callista collection of exquisite fabrics include a silk and cotton mix jacquard weave, silk dupion prints and a beautiful voile that has been dip-dyed then embroidered and hand embellished

For 2016, British brand Scion has created Lohko, a retro-contemporary range of printed fabrics, voiles and wallpapers with an assertive, architectural feel.

Loving the latest from Mark Alexander, a textile branch of the ROMO group that deliver quality, natural blends in beautiful muted palettes, with a splash of accent colour here and there.

See what the boys have come up with for 2016…

SKYCITY AUCKLAND and IRVINE FLOORING

Hotel carpet needs to handle some of the highest traffic levels of any commercial environment.

Auckland’s SkyCity Grand Hotel called on the technical expertise of Irvine Flooring to assist with their latest carpet selection. Custom design capabilities and creative solutions that Irvine Flooring can provide would be put to the test on the floor of the popular luxury accommodation.

Introducing the latest from Liberty: Chesham Cabinet collection: a new interiors collection inspired by antique doll and cabinet houses from the 1800’s and beyond.

The elegant colour palettes and diverse print combinations draw on their distinctive, period interiors. A series of innovative prints created in-house, from stunning archive documents and interesting collaborations.

Charley Noble was the sailors’ name for the galley chimney, which drew the heat from the galley stove and carried it safely above decks.

As you can imagine, it was a pretty important piece of equipment in the galley – for no-one wants hot coals or embers burning in the kitchen of a wooden ship!

Designmade Christchurch: The Last of the Summer Ice Cubes

It has taken us a little while – but the photos have come through! We’ve included a few of our favourite snaps from the night below!

Thanks again to everyone who made the night special. It was great to see all of our friends and have a great night out after a progressive five year move into the new location at 400 Barbadoes Street.

Hopefully we will have a few more soiree’s like so in the future…. watch this space!!

Rarities and objets d’art of the natural world!

Shimmering mineral surfaces, woodgrain textures, sea corals and precious stones define this beautifully curated new collection of nonwoven wallpapers.

2016 collection of Elitis Fabrics, Wallcoverings and Accessories.

JAB Anstoetz: Interior Furnishings are our Passion

For customers around the world, the name JAB Anstoetz stands for visionary design and top quality textile creations that set new trends time and again.

 In the most recent collection, JAB Anstoetz has brought out two contrasting looks – one for the signature summer style and one that inspires an older era of glamour parties and gatzby décor.

Unashamedly floral and exquisitely drawn and coloured, our prints this spring flow directly from nature and from classical botanical paintings, interpreted in the signature Designers Guild way.

New Year, No Regrets – Premium Solution Dyed Nylon

Each new year we all begin to consider how far we’ve come, what we’ve achieved and what we are looking to accomplish in the next 12 months.

 If there is anything I have learned from my previous new years resolutions, it’s that if a job is worth doing – it is worth doing well. Aim for quality, not quantity this year. And with that in mind, let’s take a look at Irvine’s latest release – the Premium Solution Dyed Nylon (PSDN)

And on the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

…interiors inspired by the warm, cosy and traditional festive feeling.

Christmas decorations usually come out of storage on the 1st of December and are sadly taken down only 25 days later. It’s a very short amount of time which means that decorations are often cheap, recyclable and don’t often make the statement in your home that you see in the Christmas movies.

…Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there…

Barry Manilow’s Copacabana is not quite where the inspiration for the latest collection from Matthew Williamson originates from, but it brings to memory an era of feathers and colours and a variety of tropicalities… oh my!