KLC blog Coastal Charm | October 2015

KLC blog Coastal Charm | October 2015

  An online blog post written for the KLC School of Design – Coastal Charm For City Living We all know how much better we feel after a day near the sea. It doesn’t matter if it’s a rugged coastal walk, paddling, surfing or just building sand castles with the kids; it simply makes us feel good. This is nothing new – history shows the Romans, Chinese and Indians were all on the case when it came to reaping the benefits of the water from their rivers and seas. More recently, the Victorian’s used mineral-rich spa’s to deal with their troubles, and it was they who introduced the beach hut, lining the beaches of popular resorts just out of the tide’s reach. More recently, scientists have put this ‘feel good factor’ down to the positive effect of the tasteless, odourless molecules called negative ions, which have a bio-chemical reaction within the human system, raising our serotonin levels and therein our mood! We also now know asthma and allergy sufferers, including those with skin problems, physically benefit from something known as surf-generated aerosol, where tiny particles of sea water containing salt, magnesium and iodine as well as other trace elements are dispersed into the air by the wind and waves. Inhalation helps clear airways and helps stimulate immune reactions by the skin and respiratory organs, particularly effective in the colder months when central heating dries the air in our homes. Can this positive mood change purely be down to negative ions and surf-generated aerosol, or is it down to something more than that? Scientific studies in Exeter have shown that people’s moods...
Article in PA Black | October 2015

Article in PA Black | October 2015

Article in the latest edition of the PA Black magazine on choosing the right design style for your home. Please see link here for the full article. (Pages 12-14)...
Holm House Article in Cardiff Life | March 2015

Holm House Article in Cardiff Life | March 2015

Article in the latest edition of Cardiff Life on the Holm House Hotel in Penarth. This article is the copyright of MediaClash – please see link for full magazine. PDF of article: Cardiff Life – Holm House – March...

Ikea at 25: The Welsh designers’ verdicts

Ikea at 25: The Welsh designers’ verdicts By Darren Devine, WalesOnline Oct 31 2012 Ikea is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the UK Its modern, sleek designs have found a captive market in aspirational 20-something professionals devoted to its mix of functionality and Swedish simplicity. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary in the UK, for some, Swedish retailer Ikea has revolutionised British interiors since arriving in Warrington in October 1987. Rooted in its founder Ingvar Kamprad’s upbringing in Småland, Sweden, where the soil is said to be “thin” and “poor”, the company’s philosophy has always been about making the best of limited resources. And in a country that is dark for much of year its range emphasised blonde woods and untreated surfaces to produce a summery feel in homes were sunlight was in short supply. Welsh interior designer Jane Beck says the firm has left a massive impression on the look of British homes – particularly those occupied by young professionals with a taste for the modern. Mrs Beck, who runs welshblankets.co.uk, said: “It’s brought a much more contemporary and Scandinavian feel in and obviously made things much more affordable. “I think some Welsh producers are now finding it easier to bring in contemporary stuff because of that kind of market. “It provides good, sound, affordable, simple design and you can mix the stuff with traditional and contemporary designs. “Hopefully it will spearhead British industry because we need to go the same way.” Globally Ikea now employs 131,000 staff in 41 countries and has annual sales of more than 24.7bn Euros. In the UK Ikea’s flat-pack furnishings have been embraced in...

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