My Ombre Interior Obsession - Guest Post by Cherie Barber

Ombre isn't new but it’s definitely now! And yes ... I'll admit it, it’s my latest renovation obsession.

Ever since the first dip-dyed trusses sashayed out of the hair salon, onto the streets, and into our fashion magazines, the world has been in love with these soft colour graduations from one hue to another. First devised as a way for colour curious to dip their toes into the world of hair colour without the threat of regrowth, the Ombre or Balayage technique involved lightening or colouring hair from the bottom up rather than the roots down. The result looked as though you'd been at the beach all Summer and the sun and surf had woven its magic.

Rocket forward a few seasons and adventurous stylists were blending pastels and more powerful hues to create styles that My Little Pony would be proud of. The trend moved into manicures, clothes, you name it … and then came interiors!

From fashion pages to the family room, now more than ever there are inexpensive ways to bring the Ombre trend to life in your home.

It was obvious that Ombre’s soft blending of colour would be a hit in interiors. And since it made its first splash, we've seen it used in so many ways. From wallpapers, to paint effects, mosaic tiles, and furniture finishes.

An Ombre wall treatment (be it paint or wallpaper) is a great way to play with colour without it becoming too overwhelming. Its subtle variations are so gentle to live with that you're less likely to get tired of it. When you're Renovating For Profit, it's a great on trend look that buyers will get excited about, rather than scared by.

It didn't take long for 'upcyclers' and interior stylists to recognise that Ombre was an easy way to revamp old furniture and bring it up to date. It's as easy as taking a paint colour you love and adding different amounts of white paint to create variations of that colour, graduating from dark to light. I love how it has been used on these drawers and wall shelves below.

But my latest Ombre obsession has to be these dip-dyed sheer curtains from Leuvia. I've seen DIY versions of these all over Pinterest with varying degrees of success. Most look 'clumsy and striped' rather than soft and graduated. It's the reason I've never bothered (or recommended) getting a pot of fabric dye and giving it a go.

So when I came across these sheers available in four shades (Slate, Caramel, Malachite and Sunset), I was won over. They're practical because the colour sits at the base of the fabric where curtains take most of their wear and tear ... and they're gorgeous because they allow light through the white top while allowing a colourful band to contrast against your furniture at the base.

I've recently used these in my own beach house near Byron Bay and a little boy's footy inspired bedroom, showing just how versatile these curtains are. The semi-sheer fabric changes the way light plays in your room and alters the mood as the sun moves across the sky and then dips beneath the horizon.

With pinch pleat tops, these sheers are full and wide (a versatile W262cm x L250cm), so they fit even the largest modern windows and sliding doors (get rid of those vertical blinds please!). Plus, Leuvia has recently introduced an alteration service so you can have them hemmed or altered to fit your windows perfectly!