Recreating the look and feel of a particular period in history through your home interiors can be an ongoing challenge. While property shows, a sneak peak through neighbours’ windows and browsing flea markets will always provide us with useful pieces of information, here are just a few of the more unlikely places that could provide the in-depth interior design knowledge we need to give our homes an injection of genuine creativity.
Museums
Museums are best known for their collection of antiques and ancient relics, and within some museums this also includes a collection of furniture and interiors throughout the ages. As an example, The Dr Susan Weber Gallery at London’s Victoria & Albert (V & A) museum tells the story of furniture design and production spanning the past 600 years and displays more than 200 outstanding pieces, including chairs, tables, bureaux, stools, chests, cabinets and wardrobes.
Blogs
Leading interior magazines such as Country Life and Elle Decoration all have blogs that are updated on a regular basis and can provide an insight into key interior news and trends. Independent blogs are also a great resource and a Daily Telegraph list of the 20 best interior blogs includes sites such as Habitually Chic, by a New York interior designer while the chronicler of all things off beat, My Friend’s House, is a joint venture between two friends/ interior writers from South London.
Apps
Whether you’re commuting to work or just relaxing at home, the chances are your plethora of modern gadgets from smartphones to tablets are never far away. There are a number of free iPad apps that can help to provide design inspiration such as Houzz, one of the most comprehensive collections of home design images on the iPad, and Cool Hunting, from the popular design, culture and technology publication of the same name.
The Sash Window Workshop can also support you in transforming your home interiors, covering anything from sash and casement windows to timber doors.