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

Discover our sleeping tips for when the clocks change

When the clocks fall back an hour at the end of October, it officially signals darker evenings. Whilst this can be a joy in many ways, it also presents some of us with a problem and that is, adapting our sleep pattern to fit with the change in time.

This isn’t an uncommon problem. Jet lag is similar. The body’s natural rhythm becomes disrupted by changes in time zones. It can take a period of adjustment to get back to our natural sleep pattern but there are things you can do to encourage your body to wind down at the end of the day and enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

1 Accept that your sleep may be disrupted for a few nights

Some people are sensitive to the change in the clocks and so when you know this will be the case, taking steps to be prepared can help.

Start by decluttering the bedroom, clearing the tops of your rustic furniture and making it a relaxing space helps get you in the mood to nod off. A change will have an impact on how you feel about the room. For example, fresh linen on your reclaimed wood bed is a sheer delight, as to is having a wafting gentle scent of a diffuser or scented candles. Lavender is a restful scent that can lull your whirring sense to a state of calm.

Clear the top of your small dressing table and wooden bedside table too so that there is no unnecessary clutter to detract from it being a restful space.

2 Have a bedtime routine and stick to it

A bedtime routine is just as important for adults as it is for children! A warm bath can help you to relax before bed, as too can set a time when you will have your bath and go to bed. The temptation is to leave it until we feel tired, but this can make us overtired and more fretful about not getting to sleep!

3 Digital, screen-free zone

With your reclaimed wood furniture decluttered and a few choice accessories around, you now need to set a rule and one that can and will revolutionise your life: the bedroom is a digital and screen-free zone. Ditch the mobile (leave that somewhere else) and if you read via an electronic reader, leave that for daytime reading opting for the printed word instead. Reading helps the mind to slow right down and when you feel the eyelids start to droop, put your book down, turn off the light and allow yourself to sink into sleep.

4 Don’t eat too late

Some people believe that the less your body has to do at night time, the more likely you are to fall to sleep. Eating before bed means the body is busy digesting food in the gut and for some people, that means being awake. Allow yourself two hours after dinner before bed and steer clear of spicy foods that could lead to indigestion.

5 Don’t worry about not sleeping!

It may take a few nights but eventually, your body will fall back into its natural rhythm. In the meantime, enjoy your bedroom and a good book!

Gorgeous ways to style our new rustic mirrors

Farringdon Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table and wooden chairs

No matter what your style, accessories need to be well chosen and placed so that they sing not just their own praises, but the other pieces in the room, such as the reclaimed wood furniture you have. Reflect on how beautiful these mirrors are by taking note of how they are placed so that they can be enjoyed in any room.

Round mirrors

Angles and clean lines have their place, but the beauty of the round mirror should not be underestimated. Promoting the natural flow of the room, a round mirror is ideal in so many ways and for the rustic style, it certainly promotes the warmth and comfort that this style oozes.

Knowing where to place a mirror can be difficult but when you use it to frame a piece of furniture, such as a reclaimed wood trestle dining table or sideboard you’ll find it stands out all on its own. The Sinatra round wall mirror is ideal above the large sideboard either in the hallway or the dining room. Don’t hang it too high – in fact, if you hang it slightly lower than you normally would, you’ll find it will have more impact.

The Farringdon dining table and fabric dining chairs make for a perfect setting with this wall mirror and there are others that deliver the same exquisite detailing to a space.

Arched mirrors

The arch of the Hatfield wall mirror is a delight that adds grandeur to its appeal. The rustic finish is also ideal not just for the rustic style but within the industrial setting too.

In this setting, we have placed it above the Farringdon sideboard, a beautiful addition to any home. In fact, the Farringdon Collection basks in the glow of its popularity, which is why we chose the Farringdon extendable reclaimed wood dining table with the timeless combination of wooden dining chairs and dining bench.

Again, accentuate the dimensions of the mirror by hanging a few inches lower than you normally would and you’ll find that it and the sideboard lean on each other perfectly in the space.

Pull a statement together by illuminating it

Mirrors are practical for a number of reasons, one of which is the way that light is reflected in the space and how it can change the feel of a room in the blink of an eye.

Daylight is the lighting that every space and room covets but when the sun sets (or doesn’t get a chance to peek through the clouds), you need to rely on electric light.

It can be stark or soft, casting a gentle illumination over the space. Layers of light work so well in any room and the pendant light over the dining table is both practical and decorative. Its soft glow will highlight the grain of the wood whilst also setting the perfect backdrop for any meal, whether you are entertaining guests or enjoying a family meal together.

We opted for the Bordur white woodchip pendant light, perfect for this setting. The bell-shaped shade is not overly large that it distracts and clutters the eyeline. It provides a beautiful contrast to the black arched mirror that sits just behind the table too.

A superbly rustic setting, with the mirror taking pride of place in its supporting role.

Let our tempting armchairs warm up your cosy nook

You may have swapped your flip flops for a cosy pair of slippers now that the chill of winter has set in but that doesn’t make it a dull season. Far from it. For many of us, the grey of winter is the ideal time to kick back and recharge our batteries. When the rain is hammering at the window and dark evenings long, who wouldn’t want to sink into a cosy armchair in a reading nook to enjoy the season’s best sellers?

How to create a stylish nook for reading, lounging and napping

The perfect reading and lounging nook needs to be an appealing space but it also needs to be practical with layers of soft light and warm textures and colours. The first place to start is with the armchair…

The armchair

The most crucial addition is the armchair. It needs to be supportive and to fit in the space (don’t forget to measure), and it needs to be your kind of style too. We have armchairs for every style and better still, they all sit beautifully nestled beside the reclaimed wood furniture within your home.

The traditional wingback leather armchair

It seems the best place to start simply because the shape of this leather armchair is synonymous with so many of our memories. Stately in appearance and posture, the gentle sloping back of the winged armchair is perfect for reading and napping. Supportive of your body no matter which posture you find comfortable, the tan leather will age beautifully as well. A worthwhile investment? We think so.

Traditional with a twist

If you feel you want to make a statement with your reading armchair, then look no further than the winged armchair made of tweet and leather. Based on the traditional shape of the winged armchair, it mixes the best of both worlds when it comes to fabric. There is the warm touch of tweed combined with the soft touch of leather. Dark in colour, there is a drama to this chair that makes it one of our favourites. We see it nestled next to a reclaimed wood coffee table complete with the gentle glow of a pendant light for winter afternoons spent reading.

Modern with plush velvet

If there is one fabric that entices everyone to run their fingers across its short, yet luxurious pile it is velvet, which is one of the reasons why the modern, deep seat of this velvet armchair is so very popular.

Its neutral colour makes it a joy to style with the right accessories and means it will maintain its appeal across all seasons. Surround with scented candles – the joy of a flickering flame and gentle scent hanging in the air – and a small side table for a glass of wine or warming hot chocolate to ease away the stresses of the day.

Scandi inspired armchair

There is something about this armchair that makes it worth more than a second glance. On the face of it, it is one of those fabric armchairs that has a hint of Scandinavian style about it as well as a nod to the modern style seen in the 1970s. Either way, it is incredibly comfortable, the deep seat enveloping you as you lower yourself into its confines. Why not include a footstool alongside scented candles, a table lamp and a side table.

Which of these cosy reading nook scenes lures you in?

3 of the best ready-to-party rustic extendable tables

Farringdon Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table and chairs

Planning on entertaining? Want the dining table that will offer you the style and space you need in the dining room or kitchen diner? We have three of the best rustic, extendable dining tables to make all future dinner parties a breeze.

Limited floor space? Opt for a round extendable dining table

The beauty of the round extendable dining table is that it is not only an inclusive shape for a dinner party but is also perfect for when the dimensions of the dining space are not as generous as you would like.

With the Alton round extendable dining table, the extra leaf is cleverly hidden away but when you need it, up it pops extending your table to a beautiful oval shape. Complete with a central pedestal leg, this round table which easily accommodates six to eight diners is also perfect in terms of no bruising encounters for knees against the legs!

A boxy delight

For many people, the perfect dining table is a vast rectangle filling the dining room or kitchen diner. It’s angles and straight lines are a pleasing combination and with a dining table to suit every style from the contemporary to the rustic and industrial, rectangle extendable dining tables will never lose their popularity.

A reclaimed wood 6 seater dining table to 8 seater dining table is a worthwhile investment. From festive parties to summer buffets, the boxy shapes of the Farringdon reclaimed wood dining table is perfection, whichever way you look at it.

Extending quickly and easily, diners won’t clash elbows and with the boxy legs in each corner, there is little chance of bruised knees either. Dress it with a dining bench mixed with upholstered dining chairs and you have the perfect setting.

Beauty of oak

As a slow-growing hardwood, there really is a sense of luxury around anything oak. And an oak extending dining table is surely the epitome of practical and decadence?

The Kingsbridge industrial style dining table will sit beautifully alongside upholstered dining chairs – why not use a mix of different coloured upholstery? – and again, extends to offer more space easily making an 8 seater dining table available larger gatherings.

There is so much detail to this oak dining table, it’s hard to know where to start. The parquet detailing on the tabletop is too good to be hidden away but for more formal dinner parties, adding a linen tablecloth or runner would compliment the wood beautifully.

The u-shaped legs also mean that seating diners at either short end of the table are a viable option.

Be practical

Just remember to measure your dining room before you order any extending dining table. Typically, you need a meter of space from the back of the dining chair to the wall (measure it as if someone is sitting on the table) or the nearest piece of furniture such as the drinks cabinet or sideboard. Any less, and simply walking around the table will be too much of a squeeze.

5 Ways to go Eco-Chic in your kitchen

Farringdon Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and chairs

We all know that we have to play our part in slowing climate change. Take a long hard look at your lifestyle and habits, and you’ll be amazed to find just how wasteful and environmentally unfriendly even the most mundane of everyday tasks can be! And the eco-friendly kitchen is a great way of doing your bit towards climate, change but how?

1. Opt for products made from recycled or sustainably sourced materials
When plastic was invented, it revolutionised our lives so much so that today, we don’t blink when we buy plastic utensils for the kitchen. Cheap and robust, they may last a lifetime but they take a lot of energy and natural resources to make.

If replacing items in the kitchen is on the horizon, look for;
– Crockery made from recycled materials or made from ‘waste’ materials such as offcuts
– Reclaimed wood furniture in the kitchen is just as robust, strong and stylish and something ‘brand new’
– Stick with sustainably sourced materials from wooden spoons to a reclaimed wood dining table
– Reclaimed wood is used for all kinds of furniture including the kitchen bench, wooden dining chairs, coffee tables and more.

2. Opt for natural materials
Again, the issue many of us have is that synthetic materials tend to be not only cheaper but more readily available. Like plastic, many synthetic materials are made using a huge amount of energy and natural resources such as oil. You’ll also be surprised at just how many things contain plastic without realising.
Natural materials are strong, easy to look after and like reclaimed wood furniture in the kitchen, are stylish too.

Why not try…?
– Linen – table linens come in all shapes, sizes and colours, perfect for adding warmth and colour to your reclaimed wood dining table. White napkins, for example, instantly transform a table into a chic vision, perfect for everyday meals and when entertaining too.
– Bamboo – an underrated material until now, bamboo is made from the tall fronds of leaves from a fast-growing plant. Grown in tropical climes, bamboo is sustainable and with many manufacturers who use bamboo part of fair trade deals too, you know that your bamboo pendant light hasn’t cost the earth, nor a community to make.

3. Be more aware of the products you use
We mentioned earlier how plastic tends to be in things that we never thought it would be. Some pan scrubbers, for example, have tiny beads of plastic within them which when used are released into wastewater. These beads are found in the ocean and rivers too.
Consider swapping from your usual products to those that are certified as environmentally friendly. You might also want to consider reducing the number of chemical-based products you use too.
4. Reusable food storage
Ditch plastic film and other products for reusable and sellable food storage, a much more environmentally friendly way of storing food and cheaper for you too!
5. Compost and recycle
And finally, if you are not doing so already, compost food waste (or place it out for kerbside recycling) and make the most of the recycling facilities on offer in your area.

Make your Airbnb home perfect for a Christmas getaway

If you’re planning on opening your home to Airbnb guests this Christmas, you’re not alone. As a company, Airbnb is growing with the UK market enjoying an upsurge. According to recent statistics, Airbnb rentals in Cardiff have exploded with a growth of 206%. And it shows no sign of slowing over Christmas either.

With this in mind, you may want to welcome Airbnb guests into your home this Christmas. We show you how to get your home Airbnb rental ready!

Decorate for Christmas

Just like you decorate your home, you need to add a few hints of festive cheer with some stylish Christmas decorations. In the dining area, if there is one thing that highlights the beauty of reclaimed dining chairs, a rustic dining table and furniture in general, it is twinkling lights and the flicker of scented candles.

Add a wreath to your front door and an elegantly decorated Christmas tree that lights up your home!

A note on scent – use musk flavoured scents for Christmas along with other warming notes such as pine and spices.

Food

Traditions vary from culture to culture but if there is one thing in common, is that food is a central part of the season. If you’re Airbnb guests are joining you Christmas dinner or a festive buffet, something that will come in handy is an extendable table. As well as reclaimed dining chairs why not invest in a reclaimed dining bench too?

Traditions

We’ve already alluded to Christmas traditions and so if you enjoy a festive tradition each year, why not ask your guests to pull up an upholstered dining chair and take part? Quite often, the main reason why people opt for Airbnb is to get closer not just to traditions and culture but the people too.

Be practical

Just like at any other time of year, it pays to be practical and organised for Christmas guests. As a season, it is one of the busiest and so you’ll need to be prepared well in advance.

Aside from a deep clean, you’ll also want to make sure that you have catered to your guests’ comfort. For extra guests, invest in a Selma foldaway bed that during the day is also a beautiful sofa. And take a look at the Compton velvet sofa bed too, another alternative that is both practical and stylish.

Up the ante when it comes to other stylish features too. The trends of Airbnb rentals show that people are looking for an experience in the home they are staying in, as well as the country and people too.

Reclaimed wood furniture is beautiful no matter what the style but the allure of being eco-friendly could be what sets you apart from other Airbnb rentals too. Aside from a reclaimed wood coffee table alongside the sofa bed in the living area, why not opt for a reclaimed wood bed in the guest room along with stylish accessories?

And finally…

Update your listing to make it an attractive proposition for anyone looking to get away from it all this Christmas.

Rustic style seating that’s ready to party. Oh, yes!

It’s always sad to see the back of summer but the remaining months of the year offer plenty of excuses to hold a party or two. There is spooky Halloween and the beautiful pop, zing and colours of Bonfire too, as well as celebrating other festivals such as Diwali, the festival of lights in late October. And then, of course, there is the festive season!

Hosting a winter party is in some respects similar to summer parties – great food and great company – but there needs to be a few extra hints of comfort and warmth. And that’s where rustic seating alongside a reclaimed wood dining table – an extendable table if you like hold large gatherings – come in very handy.

Wooden dining chair with comfortable seat pad

If you want to keep the rustic dining chairs simple, yet elegant and with a hint of the classic contemporary about them, then you would be hard-pressed to find better than the Farringdon reclaimed wood dining chairs. Neutral in tone and colour, they sit well in the dining room or kitchen diner, no matter how many times you change the décor. Or, you could always opt for a reclaimed dining bench for a relaxed seating option.

Extra gracefulness with leather dining chairs

As a material, leather is hard wearing and cool to the touch but also naturally luxurious and chic. In the rustic setting, leather dining chairs make perfect sense. If you want a hint of the contemporary, the ever-popular Allegro leather dining chairs are an ideal choice. Easy to keep clean too, leather is a material that ages beautifully too.

Opt for the beauty of upholstered dining chairs

There is always something very decadent about upholstered dining chairs nestled alongside a reclaimed wood dining table. Within the rustic style, colour is important and so we have two options that work well;

The Ambrose upholstered dining chairs are sold in a pair and are a classic delight in a beautiful light, neutral cream. The stud detailing lends itself to both the rustic and rustic-contemporary styles. Sat alongside the Dorset or Farringdon dining table, they really come into their own.

If you feel a darker colour is in order, the Brook grey fabric dining chair is exquisite. With hints of the industrial about them, it is more than neutral in colour and shade so when your rustic dining room takes on a new hue, they will too.

The versatility of dining benches

If you’ve opted for a 6 seater dining table alongside your reclaimed wood furniture, you may be tempted by the allure and versatility of the dining bench. As always, we have different styles and options.

For bums-on-seats versatility and paying true homage to the rustic style, the Dorset reclaimed dining bench is a dream of a choice. With its white painted legs and bare wood dining bench seat, it delivers exactly what you need it too. As well as sitting alongside your reclaimed wood dining table, this bench is also ideal for the hallway too.

Or, if you feel in need of a little more refinement but want to keep the versatility of the dining bench for the upcoming party season, why not go all out with a high-backed, brown leather dining bench? With hints of the iconic Chesterfield design – brown leather, button backed – what’s not to love?

Top tips for creating a warm and cosy home

Winchester Rustic Wooden Blanket box in room

Creating a peaceful, cosy haven in your home is about creating a space that appeals to all the senses. Inviting you in, there is nothing more pleasing than finishing the end of a busy day to find your house welcoming you home. Just how do you create such a space?

Scent

There is no denying the impact that scent has on welcoming us into a space. But during the winter, the scents that appeal to us vary from those of summer. That doesn’t mean that floral notes are not welcome anymore, but rather than a heady perfume, we welcome subtle notes.

As well as opting for the delicate florals of white candles, the deeper notes of musk can be just as enticing. But just as you vary the scent of the candles, vary their sizes too. Cluster large candles with smaller ones and enjoy the hypnotic, flickering flame in the evening and wake to the gentle scent of the best scented candles hanging in the air.

Texture

As well as scent appealing to the senses, plenty of different textures in the home also make it feel snug and cosy.

Plush fabrics are essential for the winter months. Sheepskin rugs, wool throws and blankets make a great addition and work well against a leather sofa, armchair and reclaimed wood furniture or even with a reclaimed wood coffee table, perfect for placing that hot cup of cocoa and favourite book.

Wool is enjoying a resurgence in recent years. Not only is it long lasting, wool is a natural insulator making it warm in winter and cool in summer. Invest in wool throws and blankets to keep your living room and bedroom the perfect temperature throughout the seasons. And why not add a wooden blanket box to keep them in too?

With so many patterns and colours, there is bound to be something to sit alongside your large fabric sofa or leather armchair!

Visual

There is a saying in cookery that we eat with our eyes first and when it comes to feeling warm and snug in our homes, there is a lot to be said about the visual appeal of the room.

As well as richer colours – who can resist a dark jewelled red or a rich, forest green for soft furnishings and rugs in the winter? – adding layers of light instantly add an attractive cosiness to a room.

Better still, layers of light work well in any room in the home, including the hallway and landing.

With lighting, it’s important to get the layers right. You’ll need practical lighting – the sharp, bright light for when you are working in the kitchen or cleaning the living room – and then you need ambient light, a gentle light that illuminates the room, plus in the background, a softer light that stops darks shadows and corners infringing on the room.

Pendant lights can offer all layers of light. Perfect for spotlighting the dining table, for example, a bamboo pendant light casts a pleasant shade. Clustered pendant lights or pendant lights fixed in a row make a great statement feature too. Choose natural materials, such as a jute pendant light, that will fit with any style from rustic to contemporary.

What other ideas do you have for creating a cosy, warm home?

Create a cosy reading nook with a Scandi twist

Autumn is on the doorstep and the promise of chillier evenings and crisper mornings are with us. It also means that we have the perfect excuse – not that we ever need one – to curl up on an autumn afternoon with a good book. What makes this even more of a wonderful thing to do is the surroundings in which we do it and that means getting the style just right.

The Scandi style is perfect for this. Clean lines with detail, rather than clutter, it still exudes a warmth that makes it a popular choice for many. So how to create a Scandi style reading nook?

Start with the comfiest armchair possible

The best thing about enjoying a chapter or two is that you get to physically and mentally relax in a soothing, calm space, perfect for allowing the stresses of modern life to slip away. But it means having a comfy armchair into which you can sink.

A leather armchair is perfect and with a light, neutral fabric colour you have the start of a Scandi-style reading nook. Choose one that is wide and generous in its proportions so that you can lounge whilst you read. Why not add a small footstool too, for when you’re lulled into having a little nap?

Start to frame the armchair

With your warm-to-the-touch velvet armchair in place, you now need to frame it in its position. This alone is what creates the standalone space that is clearly your reading nook.

A must-have piece of furniture is the Scandi reading nook is an oak side table. Its light colour coupled with the soft curves of its rounded legs make it a typical Scandinavian piece and ideal for resting your unfinished book and that large cup of hot chocolate that makes relaxing for a few hours so very pleasant.

Accessories

With the two main pieces of furniture in place, you can now start to dress the space, giving it a calming visual appeal, making it the perfect space to loiter.

The Scandi style is all about including neutral but warm colours, with natural, soft materials that make the space inviting and warm, without the clutter and fussy detailing.

A large grey rug is cosy underfoot, adding the perfect finish to your reading nook, along with these other accessories;

– Light – you’ll need to consider the lighting in the space. The best light by which to read is natural light, with shade from the bright sun. However, with light lacking in autumn and winter, a table lamp or a wicker pendant light would be a wonderful light solution.

– Mirror – decorative mirrors are ideal on two fronts: adding detail but also being practical by reflecting light in your reading nook giving it both a practical edge and a visual warmth.

-Senses – creating a calming space is about appealing to all senses and infusing your reading nook with a gentle, pleasant scent will make all the difference. Candles and diffusers fit the bill perfectly, adding fragrant notes without being overpowering.

With your Scandi reading nook in place, now all you need to do is find the perfect novel…