There are so many different carpets on the market. Choosing the right carpet pile is just as important as the colour. These are some of the main types of carpet piles that are typically available on our high street.

Loop pile – Level loop pile carpets, the fibres are formed in loops of equal height, creating a flat, textured surface. The loops help keep dirt on the surface, making it easier to maintain if they are vacuumed often. However, the loops can also to hold the dirt in if it does manage to seep through the fibres. This type of carpet is perfect for commercial environments such as offices and some retail areas.

Berber Loop Pile – Longer, higher, thicker loops make this type of pile softer, but it is more prone to snagging and unravelling. Good for both domestic and some commercial environments.

Saxony Cut Pile – Where the loops are cut at the top, making individual carpet strands. It has a softer feel and finish to loop pile but not as hard wearing. Best used in domestic areas such as living rooms or in formal commercial environments such as such as meeting rooms or rest rooms.

Plush or Velvet Cut Pile – Very similar to the Saxony cut pile, but a richer looking pile with little or no twist to the yarn, creating a deep and luxurious smooth finish. Used in domestic environments or in high-end commercial environments.

Cut and loop pile – A mixed combination of loop and cut yarns to create a wide variety of patterns and textures, including sculptured effects. Often uses multi coloured yarns, which can help make imperfections less noticeable. Slightly more durable than pure cut piles and often used in rugs or in commercial formal/ feature areas such as boardrooms.

Shag pile – A high yarn with little density exposing the sides of the yarn rather than the tips, to give a random casual effect. Used typically in rugs for domestic use.

Colour is seen as a powerful psychological tool in marketing. By using colour psychology you can send a positive or negative message about your business that can help you encourage sales or attract clients. This is the same in interiors. When businesses want to attract clients into their venue, how colour is used can have a great impact on how we feel in that environment.

What does colour say about your business? Just for a bit of fun, I have built up this colour table to give you an idea of how colour can be associated with different business and the psychological appearance it can have. There is no hard set rules to this, but it can be used as a guide if you wish!

Click Here To Download Your Copy

I have been watching a brilliant series from the BBC called ‘Design for Life’ where world famous French product designer, Philippe Starck invites 12 hopefuls to his school of design in Paris in effort to find new British talent in design.

Philippe Starck - Design For Life

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mx9y1

It was great to watch Philippe Starck in a different light and get a small insight his thought process and approach to design, describing himself as “type of new bottle opener… “. The applicants are given the chance to demonstrate their abilities by working on real design projects. Starck gradually whittled down the class based on their performance, until the winner, Ilsa Parry, is rewarded with the opportunity of a work on a 6 month placement with him. Philippe gives the impression of a mad French man but his comic approach has an underlining message. It certainly gave me food for thought in the direction I am taking in Interior Design.

This was a great series and would love to see more of this sort of thing. Throughout watching this series, a growing feeling of nostalgia was building up from my student days at Kingston University.

Philippe Stark has recently brought out a kitchen range by Warendorfer Küchen GmbH in four different kitchens types:

Library Kitchen

The Library kitchen – with book shelf which is to reinforce the connection between culture and food in domestic life.

Primary Kitchen

The Primary kitchen – that brings neo-baroque design into the kitchen made up of bright yellow, mirrored glass fronts, etched decorative flourishes and pretty wall accessories.

Duality Kitchen

The Duality kitchen, which can be accessed from two sides.

Tower Kitchen

The Tower kitchen – with its striking towers, which can be rotated through 340° and which offers a completely new approach to kitchen design.

All four kitchens are complemented by equally striking functional tables supported by spectacular trumpet shaped feet in polished chrome.

Even though I have not seen these products in reality, I’m interested to find out what other kind of intelligent details these kitchens hold that changes the way we work around and use the kitchen. This also brings me to the ebook I am currently writing infusing raw food and kitchen design together, which I hope to be out soon next year.

I’ve just come back from a super inspiring trip to LA for a Live Retreat with Ali Brown and James Roche, surrounded by over 100 inspiring women (including a few men) who are all building amazing businesses on line.

I have come back to the UK extremely excited and charged up about where I am going with my business and more sharply focused on what I will be offering to you soon. I’m seeing my business in a new light and am now set on a new journey that will give more interior design service and assistance both in the home and commercially.

Whilst I was over in LA I had to take a few days off for a whirlwind mini tour around with my Platinum colleagues Carmen, Linda and Ellen. Where we took a journey to Hollywood, walked the walk of fame, down Sunset Boulevard, past Beverly Hills, cycled along Venice Beach and shopped in Santa Monica. Phew not bad for 1 and half days.

On top of that I met up with Karen Knowler at the retreat where she is a Diamond member. It is great to see her super business mind in action and get a sneak peek at her thought processes.

I’ve only been away a week and I’ve noticed a difference in our weather. Our days are much shorter and there is a chill in the air. Autumn is on its way.

Susanna, Melissa, Linda and Carmen

Ali Brown, Susanna and James Roche