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

Create a hallway of fame with these reclaimed consoles

Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Console Table with Drawers

The console table became a must-have item of furniture in the homes of 17^th century French and Italian aristocracy and since then, it has remained a useful and stylish piece for the hall or entrance way of the home. In modern homes, it slimline features make it the perfect choice for offering storage without consuming too much space.

But its unassuming features doesn’t mean your reclaimed wood console table can’t be styled to give your hallway an extra pap of zing…In fact, in terms of hallway storage ideas, it could be the best decision you make.

Rustic beauty

The rustic style of reclaimed wood furniture may have a slightly less refined finish but that doesn’t mean it is any less elegant. Bring out the freshness of the white console table in the hallway with a vase of tall, striking white flowers. Add a basket for easy storage of small items (drop your car keys in and know you’ll find them again) and for when the daylight starts to fade, a beautiful lamp to cast a soft glow.

To balance any console table, don’t forget the expanse of wall behind it. A framed mirror does just the job, as will a large piece of artwork.

More storage (without adding bulk)

Hallway storage is essential for a busy household and so a console table with drawers and a shelf is ideal for increasing options but without adding extra bulk. On the lower level shelf, adding baskets is an ideal way of keeping hats and scarves in check or use it as the base for storing school and work bags.

Candlelight adds a gentle, romantic light to the hallway and this console table is ideal for pairing with lanterns. Balance the table with a lantern at either end or, if you prefer, opt for the two sizes and cluster together in the corner. Add height with fresh, scented flowers nestling in a brown vase to add a colour element that draws everything together.

Again, don’t forget the wall behind the hallway table. Beautifully stylish, the Pebble hallway mirror allows for light to be reflected around, a feature that completes the scene.

A modern twist

The beauty of reclaimed wood furniture is just how beautifully it fits with any home and any style. The Worcester reclaimed wood console table with drawers is a common feature in the rustic style and no wonder: it brings an added depth of refinement without compromising on the components that make the style.

On the surface, it looks like effortless styling but how do you stop a collection of items from looking jumbled? Think in layers of height and you have the solution. In this case, choose two pieces of black and white prints, both in black frames but one taller than the other. The next layer is the glass jar or lantern (or another object) that is no taller than your tallest print. A tall, white vase at the other end of the table adds clarification as too do the smaller accessories in front of the items. When arranging your items, have everything ‘within touching distance’ of the other. In other words, no blank spaces.

Above the collection of well-chosen and placed items make a bold, bold statement. A mirror that has a vast expanse of glass is ideal but don’t hold back on its shape or frame.

Three ways to style a hallway console table. Which is your preferred option?

How to turn a spare room into a dream home office

Quinton Reclaimed Wood Desk and Bookcase

Room to work at home can be problematic. If you have a spare room, however, you could turn it into your dream home office. Fortunately, with just a few tweaks and additions, the addition of a wood bookcase and some other furniture, it can become the home office that you need.

How much space do you have to work with?

The good news is that for a dream home office, you really don’t need that much space. There are many tips on creating a home office, one is accurately measuring the room so that as you create your mood board of the must-have desk and leather office chair, you know you can fit it all in (leather armchair for lunchtime naps included).

Start with the most important item: the desk

Aside from it needing to be the right height and offering the worktop space that you need, style is important too. A streamlined home office desk will work well in the smaller office as would other standalone desks.

You could also opt for the ‘fitted’ bespoke desk solution for your home office. The Oldman reclaimed desk, for example, can be made to measure, perfect if you have constraints of space or you want to create a myriad of worktop space around corners in the home office.

Choose your office chair carefully

With your choice of reclaimed wood desk made, there is another serious consideration: getting the right office chair for you. And that’s the important bit ‘for you’. It needs to be the right height – opt for an adjustable desk chair – and it must offer you the lumber supported needed as you sit at your desk.

There are, as you would expect, several options when it comes to office chairs. But here’s the best bit: it doesn’t have to look like a chair from a busy office. It can be the epitome of style too, perfect for complementing your chosen desk. A leather office chair on wheels, for example, is perfect for easy movement. Or you could throw the rule book out of the window and enjoy the stylish aplomb of the Aviator office chair (and if you have the room, the Aviator half-wing desk is a must-have too!).

Make it a versatile space

Occasionally, you may work with a partner in your home office or even welcome clients to your working space and so you’ll need some accessories and essential additions to turn it into a versatile space.

Consider additional seating such as a leather armchair or two, flanked by a reclaimed wood coffee table that complements your bespoke desk. As well as choosing a neutral canvas of colour for our office to make it a productive space, add dashes of colour and texture with soft furnishings, such as small rugs, scatter cushions for the armchairs and maybe a throw or two for extra style notes in the room.

You’ll need to check the lighting levels too, making sure you are not working in shade or that the sunlight streaming in through the window is not too dazzling.

Is the spare room in your home the perfect location for your dream home office? It could be…

Tips on choosing the perfect armchair

Bristol Leather and Tweed Sofa and Armchair

It is the spot that invites to nestle within its confines, shutting out the maddening crowd. You read here. You scroll through Instagram. You sit here, just thinking, enjoying a cup of coffee or a cold glass of white wine at the end of the busy day. Where is this? Your favourite armchair of course.

Choosing the perfect armchair is a combination of getting the right shape and size of armchair, as well as choosing a style that satisfies your personal choice. Here’s what you need to consider.

Get the right size

There are two ways of looking at this: you may want a bigger/wider/taller armchair to cocoon you in but you don’t want it to look lost or to swamp the space you have available. And so before you order your must-have leather armchair to go with your reclaimed wood coffee table, we need to be practical – and that means getting the tape measure out to decide if your chosen armchair will fit into the space. Don’t forget, you’ll need a small gap around the edge of the armchair so that it looks balanced and part of the room and not something you have shoe-horned in at the last minute.

To match or not to match, that is the question

In the living room, there is a certain stylistic elegance that people enjoy about armchairs matching the sofa. Bringing symmetry and cohesion to the living room, an obvious stylistic link – same shape, fabric, style and colour – between armchairs and the sofa makes sense.

But an armchair that is different in style, texture and colour to the sofa is no bad thing. But you’ll need a connection between your chosen armchair and the sofa. It could be colour, for example, pattern, material or shape. A brown leather armchair, for example, with a similar but not the exact same style as your brown leather sofa will complement it beautifully.

Get style savvy

Adding an armchair to any room will be a stylistic choice – your own personal likes as well as ensuring it picks out the key elements of your chosen interior design style. For example, the industrial style with a hint of 1920s glamour combines the beauty and sartorial elegance of deep shades with sumptuous materials like velvet, and the golden hue of gold or brass metals.

Glamour should never be underdone and so you could introduce an armchair in a different colour and shape into your living room but fuses effortlessly with your sofa because it has all the style elements. A bit like adding jewel-coloured fabric armchairs alongside your fabric, velvet sofa. But in a traditional style, such as the farmhouse or rustic interior design, a wingback armchair wouldn’t be out of place or the leather and fabric armchair combination that is one of our most popular chairs.

Frame it

We talk about framing furniture a lot in our blogs and we do so because it is important. It makes the difference between a collection of items in a room and a room full of style and connections.

Once you have made your choice of armchair, you need to give it supporting players. It could be a rug, for example, acting as a platform for your small armchair and small side table. Or you could use a slim bookcase instead of a side table, with a pretty lamp to illuminate the armchair. Create a relaxing atmosphere with scented candles or a diffuser.

Sit in it

There is no compensation for trying the armchair out for size and comfort. We have many in our studio – why not pop along to try out an armchair or two?

Rustic styling tips for small bedrooms

Worcester Reclaimed Wood Bed and Blanket Box in Room

Styling a small bedroom means solving many problems but it is possible to create a relaxing space. The rustic style lends itself perfectly – streamlined, yet warm and comfortable, it brings many options to the smaller bedroom.

Limit the colour palette

Reducing the number of colours you use on walls and soft furnishings will bring a sense of symmetry and cohesion. The rustic interior design style effectively uses a neutral but warm colour palette which means that cool light blue walls or warm pastel yellow will work perfectly with reclaimed wood furniture.

Maximise floor space

A clever trick and one that you can use in any small space is to maximise the amount of floor on show. The more floor you can see, the bigger the small bedroom will feel.

And that means choosing a reclaimed wood bed that not only fit with the rustic style but is also non-bulky and overly oppressive.

With space between the underside of the bed and the floor, the headboard and footboard of the Standford reclaimed wood bed won’t look or feel too much in the smaller bedroom.

Consider painted bedroom furniture too, such as in the Worcester Collection, a range recently added to the Modish stable of beautiful rustic reclaimed wood furniture.

Maximise light

Light is important in any space but in a smaller bedroom, if it is at a premium, you need to take steps to make more of every inch of daylight and ambient light too. Mirrors and shiny surfaces clearly make a marked difference in a small space. A floor mirror will work wonders, especially in a shaded corner.

Consider storage options carefully

Storage options in the smaller bedroom need to be carefully thought through. Not having enough makes it a less-than-practical space but you don’t want to crowd the room either. Consider which bedroom storage options will offer the best solutions. For example, a tall chest of drawers in a small room that has high ceilings won’t look out of place – the Winchester tall chest of drawers is a stunning example as are the tall drawers from the white painted version from the Dorset Collection.

Other chests of drawer options include the ample storage offered by a 6-drawer chest. With less height but broader width, the six-drawer option would be ideal along one wall. Accessorise with a pretty lamp and key pieces to add harmony and symmetry to the bedroom.

Frame the room

Like all rooms, a small bedroom needs points of reference that make sense to the eye. And that means getting to grips with framing the space. The easiest means of achieving this is with bedroom rugs. As well as adding colour, they bring texture too but choose size wisely – always leave a gap around the edge of the rug and the wall – and consider how much colour you want or need the rug to add. The rustic bedroom style relies heavily on neutral and light shades of colour but a darker shade of a highlight colour wouldn’t go amiss. A green abstract pattern rug wouldn’t look out of place.

Don’t squeeze everything in!

Choose pieces carefully starting with the bedframe, followed by storage options but think outside the norm too – there is nothing to say that a blanket box won’t work in a small bedroom as storage.

Beautiful seating ideas for an industrial table

Mitcham Oak Industrial Dining Table with Faux Leather Dining Chairs

The industrial dining table is a sought after piece of reclaimed wood furniture for the home. Elegant and stunning, choosing beautiful seating such as upholstered dining chairs to complement the industrial dining table is easy to do when you look at the choices we have on offer.

Seating is one style component

Dining chairs (or the dining bench) are just one of many components in the style of a dining room. Choosing seating that complements the industrial dining table is clearly a consideration, as is the colour scheme in the room, the space available and how many dining chairs you need.

The Mitcham industrial dining table is an impressive example of industrial furniture. Its solid reclaimed wood top is balanced by the intrigue of the spider legs, a stylistic element that sees it stand out from the crowd.

In effect, the seating solutions need to be simple but still have detail to be noticed in their own right. Faux leather dining chairs make a fantastic addition, simple but charismatic, they are the perfect partner.

Refined styling

The Mitcham industrial dining table is an exquisite piece, containing all the depth and moodiness that many associate with the industrial style. The Rocco industrial dining table is a piece of industrial furniture that is equally as popular. There is a lighter approach here to this piece from the addition of reclaimed oak as its tabletop. If there is one English wood synonymous with quality, elegance and exceptional durability, it is oak. A dense, heavy wood, its grain is beautiful and with the romance of reclaimed wood furniture bringing its own story and history to the table, leather dining chairs and a dining bench are the perfect seating solutions.

Rustic industrial elegance

The Lansdowne industrial dining table with a heavy rustic flavour is a popular choice. It has the potential to be both an ‘everyday’ dining table but with the addition of a tablecloth, napkins and other accoutrements, it transforms into the beautiful swan of the dining room.

Like the other two tables, get the seating solutions just right, and it can welcome an influx of guests around the table. The faux leather dining chairs are ideal, as is the same style of dining bench which instantly allows for more guests to gather at your table.

Adding luxury and glamour

There is nothing in the rule book that says the industrial style can’t be luxurious and glamorous. The Hoxton industrial dining table with its cross legs at either end of its expanse certainly packs a style punch. And so the dining chairs should too. Fabric or even velvet dining chairs would work a treat with this table. As well as choosing the cream fabric dining chairs, you could design your own with our bespoke option in the Daley dining chair collection.

Other factors to consider

There are a few hints to bear in mind when choosing dining chairs for your industrial dining table. Chairs that are higher backed look like they swallow more space and of course, those with armrests will limit how many chairs you can squeeze around the table. Consider the leg structure too – a U-frame, for example, will mean guests can comfortably sit at the short end of the table without their legs being crushed.

Which dining chairs will you choose?

How to measure for a TV stand

Kingsbridge Reclaimed Wood TV Stand in Room

Whether we intend it to be or not, the TV in any room becomes the point around which we gather. Since the advent of the digital age, programme choice has burgeoned, with our viewing no longer restricted by time either. With hundreds of channels to choose from, it’s no wonder that the ‘box in the corner’ is a staple in the home.

None of this means that we can’t or shouldn’t make the TV unit of which is stands elegant and stylish. We conducted a poll recently on Houzz asking about people’s preferred option when it comes to the TV unit – do you think the TV unit needs to be bigger than the TV itself or ‘just right’.

We Asked, You Answered

The favourite was clear – a TV unit that was larger than the television was the preferred option and we can see why. Like everything else in the room, the TV needs to be ‘framed’ so that the room is balanced and symmetrical. But how do you ensure the TV unit is not overly large and domineering?

Time to measure

To get the right unit, whether that is a small TV stand or a large, rustic TV stand that complements your living room, you need to measure. Here’s how:

Step 1 – the space you have

Essentially, unless your chosen reclaimed wood TV stand fits into the space you have available, its addition will make the rest of the room and reclaimed wood furniture look disjointed.

If space is at a premium, there are solutions from wall-mounting the TV to a corner TV storage unit.

Step 2 – TV unit dimensions

You’ll need to double-check the dimensions of the TV unit but it is also worth paying extra attention to its styling, as well as what storage solutions it offers. A TV storage unit with shelving and drawers is ideal for hiding away cables and remotes, perfect for sitting alongside your reclaimed wood coffee table from the same collection.

Step 3 – The TV itself

They come in a range of sizes, from the smallest at 32” (measured from corner to corner of the screen) to the ginormous 85”. Bear in mind that the bigger the TV, the more space you need between you and it to optimise picture quality.

If you want a TV unit to be longer than your TV, you’ll need to measure your flat screen TV. Measure in depth (how thick it is), as well as its height and width. Essentially, when matching the TV to the unit, you’ll need to decide how much bigger it needs to be whilst also fitting the space you have available.

The finished product

Styling the TV unit so that it complements the rest of the room is essential and that means it must be balanced.

Make sure the TV unit is not the biggest item in the room if you don’t want it to be the point to which the eye is automatically drawn. Disguise it by ensuring that the 3-seater sofa remains the largest item, framed by a reclaimed wood coffee table and side tables, with the reclaimed wood TV stand being the perfect proportions.

As a minimum allow a few extra inches either side of the TV so that it is framed in its position and people notice the beauty of the TV unit and not the television itself.

And finally, opt for a TV storage unit that has cut out sections to its backing so all those annoying cables and wires are hidden from few, maintaining the sleek appearance of the rustic styling living room.

Unwind in an aromatic experience with scented candles

The home should appeal to all senses. Naturally, we tend to focus on what we see because, after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Texture is important too which is why the touch and beauty of reclaimed furniture make it so very popular. But once you have everything in place, what other small touches do you add?

Gentle, calming aroma in the home

We have 10 million olfactory cells in our nose, all of which play a vital role in how we feel. For example, you’ll detect when milk has ‘turned’ from a few paces away, just like a pleasant aroma in the home can help us feel calm, settled and comfortable.

Adding scent to your home

There are various ways of adding different layers of scent to your home but two of the most popular ways are scented candles and diffusers. Slowly releasing their pleasant notes throughout your home, we have a range of the best candles and diffusers for your home.

Both scented candles and diffusers work in any room, from a pleasant perfume at the door to a centrepiece containing beeswax candles on the beautiful tablecloth on your reclaimed wood dining table to a restful aroma floating across the bedroom, there is something for everyone in our new collection of best-scented candles and diffusers.

Handmade, quality scented candles

All candles in our range, whether large candles or small candles are handmade by Rathbornes in Dublin, a sign in itself that you are buying a quality scented candle. The process of candle making is important simply because it dictates whether the final product is delicately flavoured or too harsh or too weak to make a difference.

The scent

It’s essential you have the right scent for you. Different aromas appeal to different people evoking a different reaction. What some will find ‘too strong’ and overpowering, you will find just right.

The burn time

You’ll also want the fragrant notes to dance through the air for some time and so we have a range of the best scented candles with different burn times. Travel candles with one wick will last for several hours as too will those candles with two wicks. For an intense experience, luxury scented candles will bring instant gratification.

Better still, as they come supplied in a beautiful bowl of their own, they are much safer than freestanding candles. And with black candles such as that with the depth of a dusk scent also available, there is something to complement every interior style too.

Scented diffusers

Scented diffusers, are ideal for supporting the main fragrant you choose for your home. They release their fragrance slowly, the scent encouraged to dissipate through the room by your movement. Delicately fragranced, they don’t overpower with concentrated scent in one area but moving them around occasionally can help to spread their delightful scent.

In the spotlight, the beautiful Livia oak collection

Oak is a beautiful wood. Slow-growing, its grain is tightly packed together, making for a robust timber. Reclaimed oak furniture is, as a result, full of character and history without its durability being compromised. And so it’s no surprise that we’ve decided to add The Livia Collection to our range, from its sumptuous oak dining table to living room furniture you’re sure to love.

How would we describe it in terms of style? Rustic oak with a hint of glamour reminiscent of the 1920s and art deco period. Geometric shapes add a distinct flavour to the pieces and, as you would expect, there is a show-stopping piece for every room.

In the living room (or anywhere you want to really make a statement…)

Central to the whole collection is this truly evocative piece, the Livia display unit. Decadent with its array of shelving, the brass frame is unusual and amazingly stylish. A real attention grabber, you just need to make sure that any accessories are equally as gregarious.

The low-level TV display unit would make the perfect foil to the large display unit. There are two options, the smaller, two-door unit or the four-door oak TV stand. Perfect for accommodating the largest of flat screen TVs (at just under two meters, a 65” inch screen TV would nestle perfectly on it) and with plenty of storage too, it brings the sublime combination of style and function to the room.

The oak coffee table with a brass inlaid frame on its top is the perfect third piece in the living room, bringing symmetry and cohesion to the space.

The dining room

Not to be left out, there are plenty of pieces for the dining room, bringing more than a hint of character to the space. The generous proportions of the 6 seater dining table is a must-have. Again, it has the brass inlaid frame and the skilfully crafted square pattern top mirrors that of the pieces in the rest of the collection. Velvet or leather dining chairs would sit well alongside this table, as too would the oak drinks cabinet.

A dining room with storage in the shape of a large sideboard is one that has everything when you need it most. The simplicity of the large sideboard in the Livia Collection belies its beauty. Similar to the TV units, it offers immeasurable practicality with easy-to-access storage with sublime beauty.

For the hallway (and possibly the bedroom too…)

A slim console table in the entrance vestibule of your home is a versatile addition. Perfect for adding to a warm welcome home, the lithe features of the Livia slim console table means it can slot into any hallway and provide ideal hallway storage too. It would also be perfect for the landing too, with a table lamp to cast a warm glow of an evening.

Mimicking the slimline console table but a piece in its own right is the square side table. It will be delightful in the lounge but we also see this being a perfect piece for the landing too, next to a small sofa, creating the perfect reading ‘nook’ in an underused spot in the home.

Consisting of ten delightful pieces, the Livia Collection won’t be one to get overlooked.

Round or square dining tables for small spaces?

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Round Dining Table and Sideboard in Room

There are those who will not be swayed from their love of the round dining table but there are others who argue the grandeur of a square dining table is not to be underestimated. But for a smaller dining room where space is limited, is there a clear winner in the argument?

1 Consider the flow in the dining room

There are those that say the square edges and angles of the square dining table do not lend themselves well to people moving around it. The smaller round dining table, they say, is much better. With no angles and corners, the very circular nature of a round table means that flow in the smaller space is encouraged and emphasised.

This doesn’t mean that a round dining table should be the only option. The simplicity of the square dining table, such as this industrial styled piece from the Mitcham Collection, would suit the smaller space perfectly.

2 Improves conversation between dining guests

Whether you are entertaining or it is the daily family meal, the dining table is an important platform for bringing people together, young and old. There are those who say that the round dining table encourages the flow of conversation.

With a round dining table, there is no ‘head of the table’, no one person ‘in charge’ or more ‘powerful’ than the rest, something that is denoted at rectangular dining tables the world over. And so the dining table, whether it is a generous 6-seater dining table in the dining room, or a smaller, more compact (and extendable) round wood dining table is perfect for every dining room, larger or small.

3 Ideal for all size spaces

The round dining table undoubtedly holds its own when it comes to being the perfect match for the smaller dining space. But this doesn’t mean the round dining table can’t or shouldn’t make an impact.

The industrial style is delicious in so many ways. It is a fusion of strong materials, all with an industrial character and history that supports the use of reclaimed wood in so many ways. It’s no wonder that reclaimed wood furniture is so very popular and in particular the reclaimed wood dining table.

But make a real stylish impact with a look-at-me industrial dining table. It oozes decadence, a mix of materials and design that means this dining table from the Luxe Kensington Collection is a must-have. Pair it with beautiful upholstered dining chairs and you have the perfect stylish combination.

The reclaimed wood round dining table from the Blackbone Collection also means that the round dining table is more than capable of making a statement, despite its smaller size in terms of dimension. It doesn’t make a smaller style statement, however…

So who wins the argument – the round dining table or the square dining table?

It’s still 50/50. Essentially, it comes down to personal preference as well as ensuring that whichever shape of dining table you choose, the room can accommodate it and you can move around it easily. And that means getting your tape measure out…