Guest Post: Design Tips Your Home Will Love

Image thanks to Kate Hiscock

This is a guest post via bettaliving.co.uk, I love these tips and hope you will too!

Are you looking to give your home a bit of a revamp? Well, we've put together a collection of top design tips that will help your home look fabulous without too much effort.

You might want to freshen up a room for the summer but don't want to completely restyle, or perhaps you just need a bit of guidance on how to finish off a recently redecorated room. Well, follow these fantastic design tips to add those all-important finishing touches to your living room and bedroom.

Living room or lounge

Colour can have a huge impact on any room, so getting it right is really important. There are many different colour schemes that will work in your lounge but the stark contrast of black and yellow is a big trend at the moment. Alternatively, if you want to stay neutral, opt for a textured chalky off-white, rather than a brilliant white.

Have a think about your seating arrangements. Most homes go for the traditional three piece suite, but modern fashions are challenging this, with the corner sofa rising in popularity. On second thoughts, who says you need a sofa at all? Just think how much space you could open up.

Bedroom

One of the most important rooms in any home is the master bedroom. No longer is just a place to catch forty winks; bedrooms have become a space to relax and chill out as well. This makes their design and style all the more important.

If you have plenty of space in your bedroom that you want to make the most of, try getting a bigger bed. You can of course go for a king size or queen size, but increasing the height will also make a difference. Small furniture in a big room always looks odd and can actually make the room look smaller than it is. A tall headboard could make all the difference.

For those looking to make their bedrooms feel bigger, try painting the walls a darker colour. Although logic suggests that dark walls will make the room feel cramped and enclosed they actually do the opposite.

It might surprise you to note that many designers will actually suggest mixing styles and designs. You don't always have to have matching furniture, particularly if you are trying to tone down a particular look. For example, a traditional four-poster bed will take the edge of a cool contemporary bedroom.

Visit bettaliving.co.uk for some more design inspiration and tips for the home.

Guest Post: How To Maintain Your Red Hair

Below is a guest post but, as someone who dyes their hair regularly, I really love these tips and I think you will too! 

Image thanks to Derek Gavey

Red hair is the colour of the moment when it comes to the perfect look for your tresses, with the celebrities working anything from auburn tones to deep shades of red in 2013. And it looks as though this trend shows no sign of wearing thin. There is bad news though: it's hard to maintain. Evidence of which can be seen just about everywhere.

So, this is for all those gals (and guys) out there that have dyed their hair red and now have no idea how to look after it.

Wait to wash

I hate not washing my hair. It just makes me feel a bit gross, but by waiting a couple of days after using red hair dye, you'll have luscious red locks for longer. This is because not washing your hair (aside from rinsing and conditioning) between 24 and 48 hours after dying will give your hair a chance to build up its natural oils, giving your hair colour the time it needs ‘to take’ i.e. attach to the hair oils.

Stay fresh with dry shampoo

Because there's no way I could go a few days without washing my hair with nothing to help me feel a bit fresher, I'd strongly recommend investing in a bottle of the dry stuff. If you usually wash your hair every day, it's time for a change. Try washing every other day, or every two days if you can bear it.

Protect from the sun

Did you know that your hair can get damaged by the sun? Yep, it works in the same way as your skin. If you want to maintain that red or auburn hair colour in the summer, you'll need to keep it out of harsh sunlight. There are some UV protection sprays that will keep those locks looking lovely in the sunshine.

Stay away from colour shampoo 

You probably see adverts galore for colour shampoo. There's probably some in your bathroom. Avoid it. The pigments in the shampoo are designed to keep your hair looking great for longer, but they have been known to change the tone when used regularly.

Fix those roots

Home hair dye kits usually last for around 6-8 weeks, but even if you manage to keep that vibrant red for that long, your roots will still start to show. Now let's be honest, roots don't look pretty. I definitely don't understand why they made it into a trend. Anyway, there are a number of hair dye kits designed specifically to just cover regrowth – take advantage!

So, there you have it, some top hair colour ideas on how to maintain red hair. Have you got red hair? How do you maintain the vibrant colour?

Featured: The Perfect Gift for Your Groom

What can make the most special day of your life even more special? A beautiful gift, of course! While the real gift of marriage is the promise of everlasting love and undying commitment, a physical representation of this certainly won’t go amiss. 

Wedding gifts given between a bride and groom should be meaningful, personal and of course symbolic of their love and commitment. A luxury watch envelops all of these concepts. 

Grooms buying for their new wife have it relatively easy, with a heart-shaped locket or exquisite pair of sparkling earrings making the perfect pre-wedding gift. Men, on the other hand, are generally far more difficult to buy for, but luxury watches are the perfect solution. 

Luxury watches – a traditional gift

In-keeping with a tradition that spans back across the ages, a watch can make the perfect gift from the bride to her groom-to-be. While there are many creative and contemporary gift ideas for a groom, marriage is a sacred institution that has been creating lifelong bonds since the beginning of time; something which a traditional gift is more capable of reflecting. 

Smart and stylish

A handsome watch brings an outfit together to create a classy, stylish ensemble that will not only ensure your husband-to-be looks great but feels good too. With a luxury watch adorning his wrist, your fiancé will look even smarter waiting at the aisle on your wedding day and for the years to come. A stunning gents watch can have a dramatic impact on the way an outfit looks, has the power to turn heads. 

A personal touch 

To make a luxury watch even more special, you could engrave something on the back. Engravings could include your wedding date, both of your initials or perhaps a written vow – maybe even something that is reminiscent of your wedding day? Personal touches like these often make the biggest emotional impact and show you’ve gone the extra mile to get him a gift he loves.

Eternal love

With the proper care and maintenance, a good watch can last a lifetime. With this in mind, it really is the perfect symbol of your love and commitment that will hopefully last a lifetime too. 

Being romantic, stylish and practical, a luxury watch is so many things encompassed in one lavish item that it will surely be cherished as a treasured gift forever. Whatever your choice of material, design or strap – pick something luxurious which matches your husband’s wedding bands and will sit just as proudly on his wrist as the ring sits on his finger. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article.