For Every Bedroom We Plant a Tree With The Woodland Trust

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01/05/2012 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Ideas,Fitted Wardrobes

For every bedroom we plant a tree which helps to maintain the country’s unique landscape.

We’ve now raised half a million pounds for The Woodland Trust the UK’s leading woodland

conservation charity which in turn has helped the Trust to plant over 50,000 trees, care for more than 4,000 acres of woodland  and help maintain the country’s natural beauty.

Richard Hammonds, comments, “It’s our corporate social responsibility to give something back to the community and we’re delighted to do this in such a way which helps preserve this country’s landscape”

We plant a tree for every bedroom we fit and every customer who buys a wood veneer bedroom receives a year’s single membership to The Woodland Trust.

The Woodland Trust works to create and protect native woodland across the UK.  The Woodland Trust is planting six million trees to create hundreds of Jubilee Woods and 60 special Diamond woods of 60 acres and above to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee.

The Jubilee Woods project aims to create hundreds of new woodland areas along with a flagship Diamond wood situated in the heart of Leicestershire’s National Forest just 20 miles away from Hammonds’ factory in Hinckley, Leics.

Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the charity said: “It is fantastic to have such long standing support and a very special relationship with Hammonds.  We have worked with this friendly, family business for the past eight years and their generous funding has allowed us to create new native woodland here in the UK, as well as continuing our conservation work to protect precious ancient woodland. The support that Hammonds continues to provide to the Trust has had a huge impact in helping us shape the UK landscape for future generations.”

Fitted furniture can make the most of your awkward shaped room

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01/05/2012 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Designs,Bedroom Storage

Fitted furniture can really make the most of your awkward shaped room. Odd shaped rooms and sloping ceilings can be a nightmare when it comes to looking for furniture to fit them. That is why fitted bedroom furniture could be the answer to your prayers.

Rooms come in all shapes, sizes, widths and heights. Some have high ceilings, or slanted ceilings. Some have uneven walls or chimney breasts. You may have seen them as quirky features when you brought the house but when it comes to using it for storage and getting furniture to fit these character enhancing features you may find it a bit of a challenge.

Fitted furniture can do wonders for any room whether it is a loft conversion, an office or a guest room. It can help bedrooms to become boudoirs.

Fitted furniture fits perfectly into any space with no unsightly gaps, making sure there’s a place for all your possessions. It can be hard making effective use of space in odd shaped rooms but fitted can create loads of storage space you didn’t even realise you had.

Fitted furniture allows you to utilise all the rooms’ space to its full potential whilst still keeping it a sophisticated, stylish and practical.

Bright White Fitted Furniture! Ideas on how to style your Hammonds bedroom

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01/05/2012 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Ideas

Bright white fitted furniture is one of our most popular finishes and at Hammonds we’re ready to inspire you with lots of different styling ideas.

Our most well-liked finishes tend to be lighter colours such as bright white fitted furniture.  These neutral finishes include vanilla, white and cream, and it’s easy to see why; this is a classic, practical look, with plenty of longevity.

The styling possibilities with these colours is endless. A fitted bedroom with a bright white or other light finish provides a blank canvas so that your imagination can run wild!   Here are a few ideas..

Contrasting the simplicity of the Wave wardrobe colour with a black wall and dramatic bedding trimmed with a daring colour.

Add to the passionate look with a splash of colour through all of the soft furnishings. Imagine bold pinks, purples and reds.  It’s a contemporary take on bright white you never dreamed of!  

If dramatic isn’t your style, then how about a more subtle look that still has that wow effect. White with cream?  Here is Palladian accessorised with hints of silver and cream, with no strong colours at all. Silver lamp stands pick up the dazzling Swarovski crystals on the handles. This soft pallet allows your bedroom to be a truly relaxing place and looks so sophisticated.

Soft, pastel tones also work beautifully, here we have a gardenia colour on Rialto Curved.  This cream finish looks fabulous with a fresh nautical theme – with hints of palest blue, red and taupe picked up in the striped bedding and bedroom chair.

So investing in easy-to-live-with light finishes in your fitted bedroom provides heaps of opportunity to create your own unique style in your bedroom.

Fitted Bedroom Inspiration Fresh from the Catwalk

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18/04/2012 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Ideas

For fitted bedroom inspiration look no further than the catwalk.  This spring the runways of London, Paris and Milan were awash with palest pastel colours.  These gorgeous ice cream shades from pastel pink to lovely lemon and purest peppermint are fresh, light and carefree and will look perfect in your bedroom.

If you’re thinking of a makeover then take a tip from fashion and think candy floss and sugary spring shades.

These tints will work in any interior whatever the style and size of room and though in fashion this spring – this looks is a real classic and work perfectly in the bedroom.  Even better these lighter, pale colours will make your room look bigger and brighter.

And fitted wardrobes make the perfect backdrop for any restyle.  Built in storage in super practical neutral colours is ideal – so you can change the look and style of your bedroom whilst keeping your storage needs sorted.  Some of our most popular fitted wardrobe finishes are gardenia, frost high sheen and coconut glass – all can be styled without breaking the bank.

You can add a dash of runway style with a few simple things. For your sweet as sugar catwalk look mix up a few pastel colours and use them on accessories, ceramics, fresh flowers or wall art.  Soft furnishings such as throws or cushions in the right fabrics and colours can add instant style.  Choose sheer fabrics or add layers with pretty garden florals for window treatments.  Bed linen should be pretty and youthful.  Textures are sheer, think chiffon, pure cotton and Broderie Anglaise.  Of course wall covering and paint will make an instant fashion statement.  Lighting options from vintage inspired chandeliers to crystal bedside lamps and French painted bases – there is so much to choose from!

So whatever the weather get some fitted bedroom inspiration from the catwalk and refresh your room this spring.

Fitted Wardrobes will put the spring in your step

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13/04/2012 - Posted by admin in Fitted Wardrobes

Fitted wardrobes are just perfect when you’re spring cleaning.  Practical and organised fitted wardrobes are an ideal way of helping keep your things neat and tidy once you’ve done your sorting.

So now that the sun is shining and British Summer Time has officially started it’s time to start packing away your winter woollies and injecting some sunshine into your wardrobe.

So take a deep breath and begin by separating your stuff into four categories: things that need repairing, those that are headed for the bin, those that can be given away or sold at a car boot sale or on eBay, and those special items that you absolutely can’t live without. 

When in doubt, ask yourself this question, ‘Is this something I either use or love?’  If not…get rid of it.  Remember, each time you get rid of something that has outlived its usefulness, you make room for something new!

As part of your spring cleaning, think about rotating your wardrobe seasonally and storing clothing properly, then you’re really maximizing your wardrobe potential.   Organise your fitted wardrobes by grouping clothing into categories such as:  Spring/Summer, Autumn/Winter and Occasions and even holiday wear.

We can do our bit with our wardrobe solutions, Hammonds interior storage is designed just for you with shelving, drawers and slide out shoe racks, pull down and multi-length clothing rails.

When doing your spring clean the key word is clean!  So after you’ve emptied your fitted wardrobes, cupboards, and drawers, clean them thoroughly from top to bottom.  Then put back (in an organised fashion) only those things that you know you are going to use this Spring and Summer.

Now that your fitted wardrobes are looking beautiful and organised make sure you keep them that way for as long as possible.

Style your bedroom on a budget

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29/02/2012 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Designs,Bedroom Ideas

Ever wanted to achieve that designer look, or recreate that boutique hotel style, but then realise you don’t have the cash flow to back up your aspirations?

Well we’re here to let you in on a little secret; giving your room a makeover needn’t cost you a lot of money!

It can all be done on a shoestring budget and it’s all done with soft furnishings, a few key accessories and a splash of colour.

Using our fabulously versatile harmony range as an example:

Here you see two very similar yet stylistically different bedrooms. For arguments sake let us say one is a (remarkably tidy) teenage boy’s bedroom and the other room (prim and proper, as expected) girl’s room.

Just by adding a few colourful accents rooms can be transformed. With just one tin of colour emulsion or a couple of rolls of wallpaper the room is instantly removed from the bland beige walls and has style injected straight away.

By adding a few key pieces such as photo frames, mirrors and notice boards your new colour scheme is echoed throughout the room with much more effort than tapping in a picture hook.

Follow this up with brand new bedding, and the colour at once leaps from the walls and lands on what should be the focal point of all bedrooms , the bed (because let’s face it without it, it would just be a room).

So checklist: tin of paint/ couple of rolls of wallpaper, few hanging accessories, a new duvet cover. In reality this isn’t going to break the bank picking up all 3 may not cost you more than £50!

So although the transformation may be time hungry, it need not wolf down your wallet.

Remember, anything is possible when you have the right bedroom furniture!

Lion the witch and the sliding wardrobes

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29/02/2012 - Posted by admin in Fitted Wardrobes

We may not all go to our wardrobes and find Narnia in the back of it, but that’s not to say that we can find what we want to find either.

It’s true that not everyone will have the space at home for a walk in closet, however the space you do have, if used creatively has a lot of potential.

Sliding wardrobes come in a great range of colours and finishes but here at Hammonds we’re also proud of our interiors.

Our wardrobes are tailored to your needs, the at home design visits make the most of your wall space and provide you with the options for hanging rails, draws, shelves and many other innovative options such as the Slide Out Shoe Rack.

The interiors are available in aluminium and also, new for 2012, wooden fittings. Both are crafted to a high standard with smooth edges so that clothes don’t snag, and different fitting options are available for both! But enough about the insides! … as functional and friendly as they are. Let’s face it, 90% of the time you won’t be looking at them. So this is why we have introduced, also new for 2012, six new door finishes, which in addition to the 23 other colour options which are available on four different styles of doors, it makes the combinations and possibilities simply endless.

Fitted Wardrobes – So what lurks in your bedroom wardrobe?

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30/01/2012 - Posted by admin in Fitted Wardrobes

So what lurks in your bedroom wardrobe?

Do you have fitted bedroom wardrobes  that are smart and organised or do yours  hide nasties in the depths?

When was the last time you opened  your wardrobe doors wide and had a really good look at what’s  inside?

Bedrooms  andfitted wardrobes, that are either freestanding or fitted  are often used as a dumping ground for things we can’t think of anywhere else to keep  them.  As a nation it seems we hate to throw anything away.  People hang on to the strangest things – clothes that don’t fit, old school uniforms,  bird cages long after the bird has died and footie boots that will never again see the penalty spot again.

Our research shows the Top 10 Items We Hate to Throw Away and that clog up our wardrobes are:

1. Clothes we don’t wear
2. Books we’ve read
3. Clothes that don’t fit
4. Odds and ends
5. Shoes we don’t wear
6. Clothes that have gone out of fashion
7. New clothes we’ve never worn
8. Old mobile phones
9. Sports equipment we no longer use
10. Out-of-date computers

People keep stuff for lots of reasons very often things that have a strong sentimental value but they just create clutter and can squash and damage what you should have in your wardrobes!

So maybe it’s time to have a really good look at your bedroom.  Hopefully  you will have beautiful fitted wardrobes that are all super organised  – with lovely interiors, items stored perfectly, clean and smart with no unwanted items abandoned  there…..but if not….tell us  what is the strangest thing lurking in your wardrobe?!

Bedroom Storage – Size Matters: Top Tips for maximising bedroom space.

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30/01/2012 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Storage

We would all love a bigger bedroom, but unless you’re planning to move house then the next best thing is to make the most of what you do have!   So how do we create a bigger room without packing up and moving house? The answer is simple…

Here at Hammonds we can create space you never thought you. Combining fitted furniture with exciting design and space saving bedroom storage solutions. Fitted furniture can make any room look sleek and clutter free. It offers masses of storage and looks perfect in any room. Why not compliment it with freestanding furniture as well? It can be suited to your daily needs and if you leave space between itself and the wall, it gives the effect that there’s more room than there actually is. All this can stop the bedroom from looking so cluttered and cramped.

Really get smart with your bedroom furniture, think about over bed storage (pictured right), windows seats, maximising unused space such as corners and under the bed too.  Sliding wardrobes are particularly useful if you are restricted on your room size.

And finally without giving away all the trade secrets; think about using light finishes and high sheen which reflects the light, and even super glamorous mirror doors.  All of these things can make your bedroom look twice as big and twice as sleek and organised – just what we all want in our homes!

How to create a mood board for your bedroom

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19/12/2011 - Posted by admin in Bedroom Ideas

When you were a teenager you probably stormed off to your bedroom in a mood, but now it’s all about what mood your bedroom can set.

Top designers and professional stylists everywhere value the merits of a mood board, and here at Hammonds we’re no different!
Your bedroom is not public space so it’s all about what your room can do for you.

We here at Hammonds feel a bedroom should be made to suit you and your needs; and a mood board is a great way to bring those needs out into the open and is a great way to get your bedroom ideas and favourite styles down on paper.

Our top tip is start with ideas, texture, colours, and fabrics. Take inspiration from magazines, books, fashion, clothing, any interiors – not just bedroom styles and take lots and lots of photos. The chances are if you think it’s worth getting your camera out for it’s something a bit special.

Get an A3 sheet of card and start adding your bedroom ideas and inspiration?  Start with your items, fabrics, pictures and colour charts, and let them come together as a coherent thought.

Our designers love to seemood boards, it helps us help you realise your room’s potential. So if you have an idea… “stick it down”!