Confused about how to achieve that perfect home look? Mai Samih describes the latest trends "At the entrance, there is a living room that ends with a big balcony," says Magda Abdel-Wahed when describing her newly-wed daughter's flat. "The sofa and two chairs are a blend of kiwi and brown, and the curtains are brown striped. On the left is the dining room, which has a green carpet, and there is another room on the right that uses a palette of purple and green shades." The living room of any family's flat is where the family, relatives, friends and guests are likely to spend most of their time, so proper decoration is important to give a good impression to visitors. It also says who the family is, as it reflects the family's style and taste. One problem Abdel-Wahed faced when furnishing her daughter's flat was matching the curtains with the furniture and carpets. Rapid changes have been happening as far as interior decoration is concerned, so it is sometimes a challenge to find a colour scheme that will last. According to Mohamed Mardini, owner of an upholstery and curtain fabric company, the best material to choose when furnishing a flat is one that maintains a balance between quality and price. There is "chenille, for example, a fabric that resembles amaranth but only costs a third of the price," he says, and can easily be matched in silk. The most popular interior design colours this year are shades of brown with black, red, white, silver, or purple highlights, Mardini says. Hybrid colours, such as dark red with olive or sky-blue and yellow, are also popular. Interior designer Hisham Ezzeddin believes that nature is full of colour contrasts, such as green with beige, brown, purple, orange, or pink, and that these contrasts should also be used by designers. Regarding appropriate designs, Mardini says that recent trends are becoming larger and more abstract, such as plain backgrounds with single flowers or regular stripes. Designer Wafaa Abdel-Salam agrees and adds that though more contemporary styles have recently been popular, "classic designs live on." As for living room curtains, Mardini predicts that trends this year will be either pieces of chenille fabric simply hung, or a stainless steel bar with chiffon curtains. Crystal curtain rails are popular, Ezzeddin adds, with metal accessories at each end. Bright, youthful colours like orange, purple, green canary and phosphoric yellow are popular, he says. Sought-after designs include woven materials of different colours. Lighting is also important, and Mardini says that in order to create the perfect home ambiance traditional ceiling lights are disappearing in favour of spotlights and indirect lighting. For carpets, Abdel-Wahed says that she chose washable materials, such as wool, over artificial fibres. Wool is also more durable, she adds. For Mardini, householders should not seek to use the same designs on sofas and curtains, advising couples to aim for "the essence of the design" rather than a straightforward duplication of it. Abdel-Salam agrees and adds that there is a chronological order that should be followed when furnishing a home and people ignore this at their peril. "First, there is the furniture. Then, there are the curtains, and lastly there are the carpets. Any other order can spell chaos," she says. Styling tips for that perfect home - Use translucent curtains in rooms with little or no natural light. - Hang pictures of scenery or use large mirrors in small rooms to make them look larger. - Use blackout curtains if you don't have shutters to keep out the sun. - Don't hesitate to ask sellers to set up a demo version of how your home will look when buying furnishings. This can also help to determine the amount of material needed. - Try to sketch out an image of how your perfect living room will look before going to the furniture store. - Remember to match curtains and furniture carefully when planning your living room.
