Libruary and Living Rooms
Cunningly concealed nook Short of room but need a permanent space to work? Slip a nifty desk and shelving within a run of storage cupboards, behind full-height, hinged panels. Wardrobes typically measure 60 centimetres in depth, which is perfect for concealing a modern desk. With a setup like this, your ‘office’ can enjoy the light and space of the full room when in use and disappear in a jiffy when the day’s work is done.
It can be useful to make shelves adjustable, but think about whether or not you really need this feature. If you’ve put consideration into your layout, chances are you’ll never change it. Shelf tracks can be unsightly and will increase the cost, so if you’re not going to use them it’s not worth paying the extra. The shelves on this magnificent unit are perfectly symmetrical. It’s a good example of a piece that would be ruined by adjustable shelf heights.
If you'd prefer a desk area that remains set up, think about fitting it into an alcove and adding folding concertina doors to hide it away. Then you can transform the space into a peaceful haven for impromptu guests at the drop of a hat, while your desk chair becomes a handy spot for overnight bags.
“The darker the night, the brighter the stars,” wrote Dostoyevsky. Your bold move gives you the perfect excuse to indulge in rich, theatrical colour contrasts. Play up dark walls with jewel tones, natural timber, reflective metallics, greenery and dramatic artwork. Far from restricting a colour palette, dark walls come to life when coupled with shades such as pale aqua and mint, silver-grey, teal, mustard, dusky pink and pumpkin yellow. And you can never go wrong with white.
A louvre is a small rectangular glass panel that can pivot open to facilitate air flow. Louvre windows have a series of these panels and the amount they are opened will affect the breeze that can flow into a room. Opening and closing louvre windows – fully or partially – can vary ventilation paths and control air speed.
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