katie.lacy@letsgetcoffee.co.uk, Author at Modish Living

House tour: A gorgeous grey gem in Cheshire

Stephanie Larbey of @thecheshiregreyhome opens the door to her wonderfully stylish home

We love following a renovation project with our Insta friends and Stephanie of @thecheshiregreyhome is one of our current favourites. Not only do we lust after her beautiful home, but we coo over her gorgeous baby boy, Theo, too. We spoke to Stephanie to find out more about her home…..

Who lives here

Stephanie and her husband, Will, and their son, Theo

Type of property

A semi-detached in Cheshire with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms

When did you buy the property and what attracted you to it?

We bought the house in April 2018 mainly because of the large garden and renovation potential. We started work on it as soon as we moved in, but took our time working on each room – we have only just finished the kitchen extension. This was our first renovation project and it was great to have a blank canvas for us to put our stamp on.

Take us through the changes you have made?

The house had a brown staircase and all the walls were the worst shade of magnolia! We started with the master bedroom and living room. We added panelling and chose grey tones with wooden accessories as we love how the wood and neutral colour complement each other. After being in the house for two and a half years we decided to extend the kitchen and dining room. This was our opportunity to really create the dream space we wanted for our family home. We extended 3.5m at the back of the house as we didn’t want to lose too much garden and also extended along the side of the house to create a study and utility room.

If you were to start the project again, would you do anything differently?

We love the space we have created and took our time to make sure we got it right the first time. However, when we first moved in we rushed some of our paint choices so I would say always test the paint colours in each room before commiting.

What is your favourite room in the house?

Definitely the kitchen! I love cooking in it now as there is so much space and light. It makes me happy every time I walk into the space.

We love the way you style your rustic dining table. Where do you get your ideas from?

I’m always looking at Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration, but I just love natural colours and tones. Nature inspires me a lot too! I can spend ages ‘faffing’ to create different styles.

What is it that you like about rustic furniture?

I love that it’s imperfect! Throughout the house I have used neutral tones and wooden furniture and accessories as they complement each other really well.

What do you think of Stephanie’s home? For more images see @thecheshiregreyhome or for more inspiration of beautiful real homes, see Our Friends series of blogs.

Industrial furniture ideas for a clutter free hallway

Oh, the hallway! The place where everything is dropped down on the way into your home – it can be a real nightmare. It’s one of the smallest spaces in the house but also a space where you need storage for bulky items, it should also look organised and tidy, should anyone come to your door. It is good Feng Shui to have an organised and clear entrance to your home – as this is believed to allow positive energy and wealth into your home.

Have a seasonal clear out and tidy up to help keep this a nice welcoming space to enter your home. We love the industrial look so in this blog we will be looking at hardwearing industrial furniture that will provide ample storage opportunities in this high footfall space.

Remove summer items

It’s getting less likely that you will be needing your flip flops when you head out – we’re far more likely to be grabbing some trainers or boots from now on! So store them elsewhere to clear up space for more bulky autumnal footwear. While you’re at it pack away any sun hats and light summer windbreaker jackets. Hopefully, you will still be needing your sunglasses so get an industrial console table with a drawer to make storing these little items easier and tidier.

Invest in a shoe organiser

With autumn and winter come more bulky footwear so invest in a wooden shoe rack or a hallway bench. This will not only provide a space for storage but also a very handy to sit on as you battle to get big boots on and tie up shoelaces. The Standford bench is a great study choice and for hidden storage, you can add some wicker baskets below.

Think outside the hallway

You don’t have to store everything in the hallway. Keen gardeners can store wellies in their garden shed, garage or utility room, the same goes for sports shoes that don’t get worn every day like muddy running shoes, football or rugby boots. We really don’t want to see them in the entrance hall!

Go basket crazy

Use wicker baskets to create as much storage space as possible – assign one for gloves, one for scarves, one for hats etc, or allocate one to each person in your home. You can place these under a hallway bench or under a console table. An industrial sideboard is not just for the dining room or living room, if you have the space, a sideboard is a worthy addition to your hallway with cupboards and drawers for all those things that you like to keep tidy by the front door.

How and where to store your summer clothes

Brrr – it’s starting to get a bit chilly in the mornings, the kids are back at school and the nights are drawing in – this all means only one thing…winter is coming!

Now is the time to sort through your summer wardrobe and store it away for next year. Here we have put together some tips on preparing your clothes for storage and also some storage suggestions to keep them in top condition ready for next summer. Reclaimed furniture not only looks great in your home but also offers you plenty of scope to store your favourite clothes.

Sort through and decide what to keep

Look through your summer wardrobe and decide whether to keep, sell, donate or dispose of garments. If you have some damaged items now is the time to decide whether it is worth spending the time and money on getting it repaired!

Wash clothes before putting them away

Often clothes are just packed away without washing – the thinking being that they will be washed when they are taken out of storage. This could be a bit of an error – some items may have sweat left on them or stains that will only be more noticeable after 6-8 months of storage. So wash your clothes according to the care instructions and ensure they are completely dry before putting them away into storage.

Roll clothes rather than fold

It is much better to roll clothes to store them long term than to fold them. Folding will leave a deeper, longer-lasting crease whereas rolling won’t. A wooden blanket box is a great place to store away rolled clothing items.

Use wooden under bed drawer storage

A wooden under bed storage drawer is perfect for out of season clothes storage – plenty of space and still accessible. Put a few favourite pieces on top where they are easily accessible just in case we do get a little autumnal warm spell!! And of course, an under bed drawer looks fab under a solid wood bed!!

Swap summer dresses for jumpers and cardigans in the wardrobe

You need the items you will be using the most, most easily accessible – so swap your summer dresses and light blouses for heavier winter jumpers and cardigans in your rustic wardrobe. Dresses, silky tops and summer blazers should be stored on padded hangers or structured hangers to keep them at their best for next summer. If you get a wardrobe storage bag, opt for linen rather than plastic, this will help air circulate around your clothing, a cotton pillowcase will also work – just cut a small hole in the top of it to feed the hanger hook through.

Use draw dividers in a chest of drawers to keep t-shirts and vests tidy

Allocate the bottom drawer of a solid wood chest of drawers for summer clothes storage and use dividers to keep your stored clothes in order. It will be much easier to find things and really help you get your storage space organised.

Organise an end of summer clear out

With autumn (and winter) fast approaching we will soon be switching our wardrobe back to the winter one. Not only that, with the kids at home over the summer holidays clutter will have no doubt accumulated in many other parts of the house! With them back at school it’s the perfect time to have a good sort out and get rid of what you can, ready for spending more relaxed time in your home through autumn and winter. Below are a few ideas of how reclaimed and rustic furniture can help solve your home storage options in three spaces in your home!

Hallway

The hallway can often get cluttered, a place where items are often put down on the way into the home and left there! Of course, this is the first place people see when they come into your home so here’s your chance to make a good first impression. If you don’t have a shoe storage bench then now is the time to get one – it’s also a great place to stash away hats, scarves, gloves and umbrellas when the time comes. If you do have one give it a good sort out – these often get cluttered and really do benefit from a good clear out! You’ll be able to see what you need to purchase ready for winter and you will also know what you have already got, potentially saving you money!

Bedroom

This is the perfect time of year to declutter your wardrobe. Summer clothes that you have not worn this year should now be sold or donated to save cluttering up bedroom storage areas. Sort through your winter clothes as you put them back in your rustic wardrobe, think if you need or want all these items.

A wooden chest at the foot of your bed is perfect for off season clothes storage – as well as spare blankets and duvets. The bedside table is a place where small items often get tucked away – this is a quick job and will make you feel really organised!

Living room

The living room has most likely been used so much more during the summer holidays. No doubt there are still a few items that need to be put away! Take items that don’t belong in there back up to the kid’s bedrooms, have a sort out of coffee table drawers and get rid of any old books the kids have grown out of, review the DVD and music collection and decide if you need to change any decorative pieces in the living room.

A rustic sideboard is a classic piece of living room furniture and will help anyone struggling with living room storage to find a space for everything they need! They also provide you with a perfect opportunity to add an extra display area in your living space – on the surface of a sideboard you can display your favourite pictures, ornaments, houseplant or candlesticks.

Create an interior that’s good for you and the planet

The home has become more and more important to most people after the various lockdowns we have all been through. The increase in DIY around the house and garden makeovers are illustrating this is still an upward trend. Our home is the place we need to feel relaxed, energetic, peaceful, happy, inspired – a place we need to work, spend time with the family and now (at long last) entertain – but also, more than ever we are thinking about the effect home decor has on our general wellbeing and how it makes us feel, as well as it looks.

Not just this, but we are also considering the effect our choices have on the planet – so here we have put the basic elements of a home that is both wellbeing-friendly and eco-friendly home.

Biophilia – bring nature into your home

Bringing in houseplants has been on the home agenda for some time – the benefits of this has been widely talked about all over mainstream TV, newspapers and social media, and for a very good reason. Having nature around you brings a sense of calm, whilst bringing the outdoors in has well documented benefits to both your mental and physical health.

You can start small and get a couple of easy to care for indoor plants. Begin with the living room – add some hanging plants from the ceiling or put an assortment of green plants on a reclaimed wood sideboard. In the dining room you can use a house plant as a living centrepiece on a reclaimed wood dining table or position a large green palm next a rustic console table in the hallway for a soothing welcome. This also includes being able to look out to nature from your home where possible so position your furniture to get the best view of the great outdoors.

Air quality and heat-recovery and ventilation system

Air quality is another area that can affect the wellbeing of you and your home. If you can, open windows as much as possible to let in fresh air – of course, this may not always be possible if you live in an area with high air pollution. If this is an issue for you, look into installing a ventilation system that purifies the air in your home. This would be hugely beneficial to asthma and allergy sufferers. You can also research more eco-friendly ways to heat your home – bear in mind that the initial outlay may be more but as a rule, they are considerably cheaper to run – you may also qualify for a grant which would also help reduce installation costs.

Cut out chemicals

Try to cut out chemicals wherever possible – start with using water-based paints when you are decorating. Don’t overlook soft furniture when you’re checking for chemicals – a sofa for example that has a stain-resistant treatment or has fire retardant properties could well be emitting small chemical particles long after it is in your home. If you’re buying a kingsize wooden bed frame for your bedroom then check what it has been finished with – a more natural product such as a high-quality natural wax is best.

Buy furniture that lasts

Reclaimed wood furniture lasts for years. Reclaimed wood tends to get used in high-quality furniture that are seen as investment pieces that will go on to become heirlooms, bringing you and the family endless joy and memories. An industrial dining table in your kitchen or dining room will hold memories of Christmases and many other family celebrations for years to come. Using reclaimed wood is good for the environment but having this little piece of nature in your home makes it good for your wellbeing too.

3 reasons why reclaimed wood is the eco friendly choice

rustic reclaimed wood dining table with small glass

We are all being urged to become more eco friendly and start questioning the choices we make when purchasing something new. Reclaimed furniture is now a lot more available with many interior designers loving the look of it as well as choosing it to make eco-conscious design options – a rustic TV stand is a perfect contrast piece of furniture in an ultra-modern living room. In this blog, we look at the three main questions we get asked about reclaimed (or salvaged) wood and why it is a great choice for any style home.

1.Where is reclaimed wood sourced?

Reclaimed wood is sourced from many different places. As well as old buildings being demolished, old railway tracks, old ships, fences and other structures, it is found in a few less commonly known places. It can be off cuts of wood from new furniture production and some is now being reclaimed from water reservoirs.

For example, hardwood forests that were submerged many many years ago to create dams – the trees were flooded over with water – these trees are now being harvested from their underwater resting place, dried and nurtured to use as furniture. Old orchard trees that have lain on the orchard floor are also being salvaged and used for furniture and decor production – using these gives the wood a new lease of life and helps reduce landfill.

2. How does using reclaimed wood benefit the environment?

First and foremost reclaimed wood reduces landfill waste, which is where it would be headed if it were not being reclaimed. But there are other benefits as well – it helps reduce deforestation, which is a huge issue in our planet today.

When new wood is cut down on a large scale the trees are often younger trees so a forest never really fully matures – this affects the ecosystem and as such has a knock-on effect on the local wildlife, even ending in extinction for some species. Reclaimed wood furniture is also often hand-finished – this provides employment for people, not machines. For example, an industrial table top or rustic dining table produced from reclaimed wood is more likely to be hand finished than a regular factory produced new wood tabletop.

3. What are the benefits of using reclaimed wood in the home?

Now we have looked at why choosing reclaimed wood furniture is an eco-conscious choice, let’s look at the aesthetic reasons people choose reclaimed wood in their homes. Reclaimed wood furniture is one of those things that will create warmth in your home – a homeliness that new wood furniture just can’t compete with – it will be peppered with age-related undulations such as old nail and bolt holes – none of these in any way affects the quality of the furniture piece but they all work together to create character and individuality. Many people find that having reclaimed wood in the home enhances human wellness as we all seek ways to connect with nature more and more; working at a reclaimed wood desk is a great way to connect with nature throughout your working day!

If you’re thinking of buying reclaimed, but are worried about the cost, take a look at our blog Is Reclaimed Wood Cheaper than New?, or if you’re concerned that it will take more to look after, read our How to Treat Marks on Reclaimed Wood Furniture for some easy tips.

Simple ways to reduce plastic in the home

There has been much in the news recently about the short-term climate predictions for our planet, and it’s not looking good. Of course, no one really knows what the situation will actually be come 2030 or 2040, but if millions of us make just a few changes in our household, like reducing the plastic in the home, we can collectively make a difference together. Here we look at a few easy ways you can reduce your use of single-use plastic and be kinder to our planet.

Shop local

There have been huge campaigns to support local shops over the past year or so, not just to help those who have lost out on business through the pandemic, but there is a green benefit too. If you have a farm shop nearby, go there to get lovely local fresh produce, use a local butcher and a local bakery. UK supermarkets use an astonishing amount of plastic packaging every year – an astounding 900,000 tonnes in 2019. Of course, once the fruit, meat or veg has been removed from its packaging (after the journey home in the car) it is disposed of, ready to end up in landfill or in even worse, our oceans. Without doubt, small local shops use much less packaging – and you’ll probably get a more personal service with a smile.

Shop at refill shops

This may be an option for some of you who have a refill shop near you, if not, have a look online, there could well be one in your neighbourhood. They are becoming very popular now and new ones are popping up more and more. You can also switch to natural cleaning products like lemon, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to help reduce plastic waste in your house. We are starting to see the return of the milkman – this is another top way to reduce the amount of plastic that comes into your household.

Swap to soap

This is an easy and very lovely swap to help reduce your plastic – use soap instead of shower gel and shampoo bars instead of liquid shampoo. The average person uses 11 bottles of shower gel and 10 bottles of shampoo a year – so how much does that come to across the UK? It’s hard to imagine the mountain of empty bottles that leaves behind. Swapping to paper wrapped soaps really will start to make a difference as more and more households make the switch.

Buy less and better quality

In general, we should buy less and make make a collective effort to invest in furniture that is well made and will last. This may not be the cheapest option in the short term, but in the long run it saves buying more as well as helping reduce landfill. Reclaimed wood furniture is a perfect option – solid, aged wood that is repurposed after its previous life as part of a building, ship or a railway track. A reclaimed wood table or a hand-finished solid wood chest of drawers will become a treasured piece of furniture and will last for years and years.

Buy solid wood furniture

The benefits of opting for solid wood furniture deserves more elaboration! Obviously, we should all think twice about buying furniture produced from fast grown and quickly felled new wood – especially when reclaimed wood is readily available as an alternative. Just look at the Skyline Reclaimed Wood TV Unit – it ticks all the boxes for an eco-conscious purchase – it’s handmade in a small family-run workshop here in the UK! The same can be applied to other areas of the home including your kitchen/diner or bedroom – a large industrial dining table crafted in reclaimed wood will keep its perennially cool style, whilst a solid wood bed will last a lifetime.

Why The Industrial Style Is So Popular In Home Interior Design?

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to interior design. People always gravitate more towards trending colours, materials, and overall designs. But ultimately, a good design shouldn’t just look good, but it should also be functional. Among the many interior design styles that have crossed our path, the industrial style is becoming more and more appealing for its simplicity and straightforward design features. When designing your home in the industrial style, you can incorporate other materials such as reclaimed wood furniture and industrial furniture with natural features, even comfy furniture.

With that in mind, we are going to take a look at some reasons why industrial furniture is becoming more popular:

Easy To Combine With Other Interior Styles – many home interior designs incorporate elements of other styles. If you choose industrial as the dominant style, you may combine it with many other elements, such as the rustic feel of a country home décor with a rustic dining table. Industrial style furniture also combines nicely with minimalist style and carefully calculated geometric elements. Home interior style is a long-term commitment that shouldn’t restrict you in terms of design choices.

More Light – in manufacturing spaces, workers need ample light from large windows or bring artificial lighting to use machinery better and inspect products more easily. It can be applied to home interior design projects to improve aesthetics. Homeowners have more flexibility when adding lighting elements to improve the aesthetic and functional aspects of their interior. Following the global pandemic, many people need a dedicated workspace in their home. A combination of natural light from large windows and strategically positioned artificial lighting can enhance productivity and concentration.

Easy To Accessorise – accessorising an industrial interior is easy to do. It’s a more masculine style by nature, which can be made softer with natural greenery. Rugs and paintings also work well in an industrial environment. These elements can inject a bit of organic feel and colour to the concrete/brick design. Although industrial design is forgiving and flexible, you shouldn’t over-saturate or clutter it with too many accessories.

Easy To Choose A Colour Palette – industrial design is known for its neutral colours. You can simply choose any mono-tone or neutral tone when adding industrial interior elements. Natural, muted colours of metals, bare bricks, concrete, and reclaimed wood are the basic components of industrial style. It’s hard to go wrong with colour selections, as long as you stick to neutral colour palette.

It’s More Sustainable – early industrial designs came from a time when there were no plastics, foam, or other synthetic materials. Metal, bricks, concrete, and properly treated woods are long-lasting. You can source sustainable materials to create a home with attractive industrial design.

To learn more, contact Modish Living today and shop our wide selection of stylishly designed home goods for your modern home.

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How to set up the perfect study space for your child

wooden office desk with white office chair and magazine boxes

It’s back to school time of year and after a month or more off it’s important to get back into the swing of things. Homework is inevitable for older children and creating a perfect study place is a vital element of helping them finish it quickly and fuss-free! Help your child by creating a deskscape that will minimise distractions and help them concentrate to get their studying done….

1. The correct size desk

The desk should be big enough for text and writing books as well as a laptop, get a desk with drawers so you have plenty of room for stationery storage. The Arthur Reclaimed Wood Desk merges classic design with plenty of storage provided by its eight drawers.

If your child is a little older and planning to go on to university then get a large desk as they will most likely need more space than when they are at secondary school. A good quality reclaimed wood desk will be part of your home furniture for many years.

2. The right chair

Although your child will not be sitting at this desk all day long it’s still a good idea to get the best desk chair you can afford. Sitting with a bad posture can cause all sorts of health issues as well as affect concentration. Make sure the chair is height adjustable and that the backrest supplies good lumbar support as they are working. If your child can’t reach the floor then consider getting a footrest this will also help with their posture when studying.

3. Limit distractions on the desk

Keep the desktop as clear as possible – this will definitely limit distractions: have everything they need – pen pot, light, close and accessible but not too much to distract. An industrial style desk like the Standford, with its two drawers, is just the right size and would be a stylish addition to any teenager’s room. If you feel you need more storage space then a set of office drawers can easily be added below.

4. Cable tidy

Cables are unsightly – no one really wants to see them but they are an unavoidable part of an office desk. Keep them out of the way by using a cable tidy, especially if smaller children can access them to fiddle with them or if they are hanging loose around the sides of the desk.

5. A portable speaker

This is definitely optional – some children love a bit of background music but others will just find it to be too much of a distraction. So go with what your child wants, you can give this a try and move it to another part of their bedroom if you find they are listening to music that does not help them when studying.

6. Create a wall organiser

This is a great way to keep reminders easily visible and not get lost. They can write a study schedule for the week and tick off tasks as they are completed – it’s a great motivator – everyone likes to tick things off their to-do list. Add a few fun items as well, such as some funny pictures of them with their friends and family or inspirational quotes for when the going gets tough! A corkboard or a magnet board is perfect for this.