Archive for the 'Trend' Category

Euro 2012 – Opportunity for a Shopping Spree?

Friday, June 8th, 2012

It’s the start of the Euros! We’re right behind our lads and will be cheering them on. However, if you don’t fancy a month of football use it as an excuse to go shopping and find out what to buy in our summer trends blog!

With the Euro’s in full swing, for most it’s a time for male bonding, good quality beer and an unprecedented amount of football chanting. However, for the fairer sex, this can often feel like a time of neglect, so why not use this time as an opportunity for some much needed retail therapy and bag yourself the latest fashion trends.

The top Spring/Summer 2012 trends are a mixture of bright neons, audacious lip colors, statement necklaces, dip dye hair looks, sheer pieces and much more. These fashion trends are chic, bold and most importantly, extremely wearable. With that said, here are a few handpicked fashion must have’s that are certain to have you adorning bang on trend looks for Spring/Summer 2012.

Colour blocking it:

There’s nothing like vivid colour blocking to grab someone’s attention, what’s more, colour blocking is the perfect accompaniment to great weather. Fun and playful dresses in striking combinations are in, even Hollywood A- listers are donning a mix of hot pink, emerald green, lemon, tangerine and a slew of other vibrant colours and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t too. Try layering for a fun and edgy look.

Floral chic:

Nature isn’t the only one which gets to boast blooming flowers; this season’s trend embraces floral prints, giving some of our otherwise standard daily fashion staples a botanic twist.
Add floral accents to your wardrobe with pretty as a petal jeans with a healthy injection of soft pastels as well as hues with Spring flowery images.

Maxi dress to impress:

A summery maxi dress is an essential piece in every woman’s summer wardrobe. These floor length dresses are not only elegant but flattering and a smart way to stay cool in the humid summer heat.
Team this with a nicely fitted blazer and sandals and you’re on your way to a great summer.

Trail blazer:

Possibly the most eye catching trend of them all, is the neon blazer trend. Aside from its fabulous array of colours, the neon blazer trend adds just the right amount of oomph to anything, easily transforming a mediocre outfit into a hot off the catwalk certified winner. If you’re a bit of dare devil, mix and match with other colourful pieces and statement jewellery.

Make a statement:

A chic and chunky necklace is the perfect way to finish off a trendy summer look. From oversized gold necklaces to multi – coloured gemstone necklaces, edgy metallic silver chockers and uber big pearl pieces, there’s a style to suit everyone. This trend is a perfect complement to a strapless playsuit or a simple summery cocktail dress.

Say it loud lip colour:

The top lip colours for Spring/Summer 2012 are electric tangerine, hot red, neon pink and bright coral and they have one objective, which is to make a statement. Don’t be afraid to play up with your look by painting your lips with loud hues – a definite winner!

With your fashion essentials sorted, you can let the boys be boys and enjoy countless days of fun in the sun.

If by chance your new wardrobe is bursting at the seams, Big Yellow can help you out with storing your winter possession until Autumn/Winter 2012. We can keep your possessions safe until they’re ready for collection and storage space starts from a pocket friendly £5 a week.

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Decorating your home Mad Men style!

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

For many the 1960’s are well and truly long gone, however for a growing few the 60’s are coming back. From the start of time (well fashion) people have done the ‘in-thing’ and followed what’s trending and it appears with the hit US TV show, ‘Mad Men’ starting its 5th series the next biggest trend is to kit your house out ‘Mad Men Style’.

You may be thinking this is just ‘hearsay’ but the TV show is starting to influence the interior market in a big way due to the high demand and popularity for the new trend. This means that the ‘new’ look is now easy to achieve.

This is not just hitting our homes; it is starting to change the office space too! Combine brass, teak and leather to create an understated yet powerful vibe. American walnut is a staple of the mid-century look. Try the modern-retro steel lines of the Danish oil-stained Clybourn desk, from Crate & Barrel.

Vintage phones are also popular again, for example the Sagemcom Sixty cordless version (available here) that comes in an on-trend burnt orange. This combines the modern trend and high street fashion with a vintage feel.

Retro prints are also back in vogue, and you cannot do the Mad Men look without ‘Lucienne Day’s’ textiles. Use them on a variety of surfaces, including soft furnishings and wall coverings. Try spirografica for an exclusive range of cushion designs. A selection of fabrics and wall coverings is also available from the Victoria and Albert.

Don’t think you have to make this change right away. Start attending car boot sales and vintage markets to pick up bits and pieces here and there. As you build up your collection watch your space change style with a very small amount of effort!

If you decide to take on the ‘Mad Men Style’ but think the modern chic look of today might creep back into fashion in the future, you can store your current furniture at Big Yellow Self Storage for as little as £5 a week!

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Space-saving gadgets

Friday, April 27th, 2012

The April showers have hit us hard and fast, which surely means summer is round the corner? Who knows, but it seems about the right time to oust out the winter stragglers and spring clean the clutter.

Often when we try to de-clutter our homes, we find ourselves buying storage boxes and other compartments for a neater, more organised scene. However the result is much the same in that we still are as cluttered in terms of space, but with a tidy setting of organised mess.

Here at Big Yellow, we’ve been spying around to find some cunning gadgets to store away the winter warmers, the rainy reminders and the things you simply want to keep to yourself, away from prying eyes!

Great Space Savers
First up, is something worthy for an old school James Bond, from Secret Storage Books. Even if you’re an avid bookworm, there’s always room at the end of the bookshelf for a secret binder. No, unfortunately this won’t open up a secret tunnel to Blofeld’s lair, but it can hide your secret or most precious items: your future wife’s engagement ring, the key for the secret tunnel to Blofeld’s lair or simply your keys and precious cash.

Storage compartments in your bed seem to be a necessity these days, but when your bedroom is small, the drawers on the side of the bed are not easily accessible. Take a look at Adam Dachis’ excellent, secret storage creation using a bedspring storage unit from IKEA.

Now here’s a trick that’s taking the world by storm, the infamous Vacuum Compressed Bags. When you’ve created a hidden storage unit, trying to cram as many items in as possible is tasking. The Vacuum Bag is simple – fill them up with your winter clothes, suck out the spare air and there you have it, a compressed flat shape bag which can gives up to three times more space. This will go perfectly in the hidden storage under your bed.

If you’re really one for surprises, then you should build your own secret storage using Denise Nyland’s step by step guide. In just two hours, you can have your winter goods stored out of sight without using up any space within your room.

Of course, when it comes to squeezing your snowboards, skis and other large winter goods into your walls, you may find it is a task not worth the hassle. So find out where your nearest Big Yellow Self Storage is at www.bigyellow.co.uk and get it stored with us! Here at Big yellow we, offer you that space to rent from as little as £5 a week.

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Under the stairs

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

You know that place that you walk past every day and stick coats or bags under. Maybe it’s the home of your vacuum cleaner, or maybe it’s just where you put your very own Harry Potter!

In this blog, we’ll be looking at how to gain back space in your house and create your very own mini office under the stairs!

First up, is your under stairs space sealed behind a panel or is it open? If it’s sealed, take the panels off and open the space up. By doing this you’ll create loads more space instantly as you’ll be widening the corridor area up. Most under stairs areas are usually covered in with boarding and wallpaper on top or paint. They’re relatively easy to take down but if you are unsure then ask a local handy man or builder.
Once you have your stairs opened up, start thinking about your new office area. It’s going to be small so don’t expect a Wall Street style pad, but more a convenient area to work from home if necessary.

To make maximum use of the space we’d recommend erecting a small wooden desk space that runs around the back of the area for its full length. This can easily be done with basic woodworking skills and some timber from your DIY store. It could be as simple as a flat bit of wood with four legs screwed to it! To get some more ideas about what this could look like check out http://www.home-designing.com/2008/09/ideas-for-that-space-under-the-stairs

Once you’ve got your desk set up you can get some smaller storage drawers like these from IKEA to put your office bits and pieces in to keep them neat. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40216357/
Think about a chair and one which won’t take up too much room. Forget really big arms etc and opt for a slim line version if you’re not planning on spending too much time in your chair. Something without arms will be easier to tuck under your table when you are not using it. IKEA again have one that fits the bill:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80074841/

Once you’ve got your desk, your storage and your chair sorted, you’ll never know what you did without your very own office at home!

If you find you have too many files to store under your stairs, then why not consider a small locker at Big Yellow Self Storage? Prices start from £6 a week and rental periods from just 1 week.

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