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

How to decorate a small home office

It is predicted that by 2020, half of the UK workforce will spend some or all of the working week working from home, according to smallbusiness.co.uk. And that means more of us will be looking to create and decorate a practical and stylish home office with home office furniture. Just how do you achieve this?

Choosing a home office style

Just like the rest of your home, you want your home office to be stylish and practical. The industrial bespoke furniture style is a pleasing one, perfect for every room in the home, including functional spaces such as the home office.

Reclaimed wood furniture offers clean lines and practicality as well as warmth and a feeling of creating a room that is unique to you. The industrial home office is ideal and with a huge array of industrial furniture to choose from, creating the home office is a cinch.

The home office desk and chair

The desk is often the most important piece in the office and needs to fit with your needs. The home office desk doesn’t have to be huge with a foldaway design being perfect for the smaller home office – without compromising on style nor practical use.

You can, of course, always opt for a custom-sized industrial reclaimed wood desk, with a beautiful reclaimed wood top.

Maintain the industrial style with a leather office chair, opting for an adjustable and moveable chair to support you as you work and move around your home office.

Home office storage

We may work in a very different way today than we did years ago – there are far less paper and filing, for example in the modern office – but that doesn’t mean the home office doesn’t need storage. What it does mean is that storage needs are different.

The key to successful storage is accessibility. The easier and quicker we can retrieve an item and put it back again is the key to a tidy, functional home office.

With the home office desk and leather office chair in situ, you can begin the process of the furnishing the rest of the room.

Our top tips for furnishing a home office would include;

Mixing shelving and cupboard space with an industrial display unit that offers both. A bookcase with doors is a fantastic investment.

If you want less of an ‘office’ appearance, opt for more cupboards, such as a sideboard, that will hide away work paraphernalia. Soften the edges with a few well-chosen accessories.
Ditch filing cabinets and other typical office furniture, choosing items that you would see in other areas of the home. The hallway console table, for example, makes a practical addition as a narrow desk.

Get colour-wise

Colour is important in any room but for the industrial home office, it plays a crucial part in adding both warmth and light.

Opting for lighter shades on the walls and ceilings will open up the room, with darker colours adding drama but pulling the walls in.

Keep the walls white or a very light shade of blue, cream or beige but add pings of colour with other items. A rug with pops of colour such as a yellow and grey rug will lift the room instantly or choose a darker colour that fits within the industrial style.

And finally, don’t forget to adorn the walls with your favourite artwork and choices. And don’t forget, a beautiful wall mirror would be ideal for bouncing around the light as well as being a statement piece.

5 colours that go well with brown leather furniture

If you love the rustic furniture style, then you are not alone. There are warmth and familiarity etched within it that makes it the obvious and ideal choice for so many of us. Perfect for the style is brown leather furniture, from the sumptuous leather armchair to the brown leather sofa, the rustic coffee table, to the rustic sideboard. But what colours go well with brown leather furniture that sits well within the components of the rustic style?

Dark brown

Orange, of course, has a tan or brown base, more so with the darker autumnal shades but if you feel that it is too bright and garish within your rustic styled room, why not opt for brown? Use a darker shade than your brown leather sofa or brown leather armchair to really bring out its natural brown colour and grain. There are some beautiful coffee shades of brown, such as deep chestnut, russet and sepia. For an orange base, mahogany or sienna shades of brown either.

Blue

Orange and brown are on the warmer end of the colour spectrum, fantastic for the rustic styled home but that doesn’t mean that introducing cooler colours will bring a cold breeze. In fact, cooler colours such as blue can bring a fresh feeling to a rustic room, ideal for when you want to lift the feeling of the space. Lighter blue shades are ideal against brown leather furniture although we are loving the current on-trend navy blue on walls that add a hint of Victorian drama to a space, ideal for a twist on the rustic style. Or keep walls neutral, opting for coloured accessories and detailing such as a blue rug.

Gold

Everything that sparkles deserves to be in any room and as we know, a metallic finish is a decorative element that adds detailing, the glue that brings the different elements together. The rustic style may be exactly that – slightly unrefined in its finish – but that doesn’t mean an injection of glamour alongside rustic furniture and brown leather sofa can’t be used. Gold coloured accessories are ideal with its yellowy glow that is so very attractive. As well as gold coloured bases to lamps and frames, using refined gold coloured accessories such as a gold rug and scattered cushions are also a great way of bringing out brown leather furniture in all its glory.

White

Fresh, crisp, clean – white in any room or style is always a welcome neutral backdrop against which other colours and shades glow and shimmer. White is ideal in a rustic style room, perfect for allowing the true stars of the show to sign in all their glory. The grain in reclaimed wood rustic furniture will appreciate the neutral shading of white, as too with the brown leather armchairs and sofa and you can even add a white coffee table for contrast. Use it as a wall colour, introducing depth and warmth with coloured accessories – choose a beige or cream rug if you want to maintain a neutral palette or why not opt for a midnight navy for drama?

As colours go, these are our current favourites to match with brown leather furniture in a rustic style room. What are yours?

Choosing the right kitchen chairs for rustic furniture

If you have an informal seating area in your kitchen, such as a breakfast or a kitchen island, opting for stools is a great way of adding yet more use and versatility to it. But when it comes to it, which kitchen stool is the ‘right’ option? Should you opt for upholstered or leather bar stools? What other factors do you need to consider?

Leather bar stools – the pros and the cons

The leather is a naturally hardwearing material that goes well with reclaimed wood furniture. Robust and stylish, leather is sumptuous material but it can be expensive, a downside of choosing leather bar stools.

The alternative is faux leather, a material that has all the style and robustness of real leather but without such a huge price tag.

Perfectly for keeping clean (sticky fingers marks just wipe away), there is a ‘something about’ leather upholstered bar stools that make them must have for any kitchen chairs, more so for the industrial or rustic styled space. If there are two styles perfectly combining to make a hybrid style it is these two and faux leather bar stools are the perfect additions.

Upholstered bar stools – the pros and cons

Another fantastic option is the upholstered bar stools. Whilst leather upholstery looks sumptuous in its appeal, there is a plushness to fabric upholstered bar stools that also appeal. As kitchen chairs, they add texture to the kitchen, as well as warmth and decadence.

Upholstered bar stools will sit well within the industrial or rustic kitchen.

The overall style and design of the upholstered bar stool don’t have to be fussy either, although many people steer clear of upholstered stools as they worry about food and drink stains. Most upholstery on these kinds of stools is hardwearing and tough, so it’ll take a light wash every now and then.

What to look for when choosing bar stools?

When you have decided which suits you and your budget, there are other factors to consider too;

Height – too small, and you will be sat too low down from your breakfast or kitchen island but too high, and you will feel ‘perched’ above it. Clearly, finding the right bar stool depends on finding one at the right height. If you are struggling to find a bar stool at the exact height, consider adjustable bar stools.

Dimensions – dimension is not just about measuring height and width but how an item of furniture will ‘sit’ into a room. A small kitchen may be overpowered by a certain style, whereas a large kitchen would benefit from two or three statement stools at the kitchen islands. For example, a leather, high-backed bar stool in a statement colour would be perfect for the larger space but maybe a less imposing style would suit a small space or bar area better.

Style – so many stools to choose from…! The industrial and rustic furniture styles are two functional schemes that demand a certain streamlined finish but also one with warmth and aplomb. From functional bar stools with sparse detailing to those with a hint of sumptuousness, opt for a stool style that sits alongside your kitchen cabinets and dining area.
Cohesion between bar stools and dining chairs – whilst you may want a bar stool for practical reasons, what you don’t want is to create a sense of disconnect between you informal kitchen area and your dining area. Opt for bar stools that complement your leather dining chairs that sit alongside your industrial or rustic dining table.

Once your bar stools are in place, you’ll wonder how you managed without them!

Uplift a rustic dining room with leather dining chairs

Beam Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and Leather Dining Chairs

The leather is a material that is an ideal choice for the rustic dining room as it goes so well with reclaimed wood furniture. As a natural material, it exudes warmth as well as more than a hint of the practical, something we know our customers look for. With this in mind, we take a look at three rustic dining room landscapes and how leather dining chairs make the perfect partners to a reclaimed wood dining table.

Rustic charm with the Beam Collection

If you love the boxiness of the rustic style, an extendable rustic dining table must surely hold all the charm it needs. The temptation is to match the chunkiness of the table with dining chairs with equally generous proportions and statement.

But this rustic landscape can become too boxy which is why choosing a more streamlined leather dining chair is the perfect foil. Sometimes, doing the opposite gets the best results and so the slightly bucket-style of the Cerato leather dining chairs with turned, spindle leg is the perfect fusion of refinement and the rustic.

Retain the rustic look by opting for the Beam sideboard, an item from the same range as the beautiful dining table. It will bring symmetry to the dining room without the ‘show home’ characterless look.

Rustic elegance with a hint of the industrial style

If ever there were two styles that effortlessly fused together it is rustic and industrial. In many ways, both are similar, taking the natural and basic components of their landscapes – the rural and the industrial – and using them in their best light within the home.

A beautiful rustic dining table, complete with dining bench and leather dining chairs bordering on the industrial look is a brilliant piece for the dining room. This table from the Chelwood Collection would look stunning with the Chelwood reclaimed sideboard and dresser, giving a refined appearance to the rustic dining room.

Extendable rustic dining table for ample dining space

There is a balance that needs striking between giving diners plenty of space at the table but also not swapping the dining room floor space. When you need to ‘go large’ with the dining table, an extendable one is a perfect choice.

A bit like the extendable Kensal table, a roomy 6-seater dining table that offers plenty of elbow room whether you have six or more people crammed around it. Again, we opted for leather dining chairs with a clear industrial style twist to them, but you could go for faux leather dining chairs – both are a great way not to swamp the space with more chair than elbow room.

Balancing the dining room, we used the slimline console table as an open shelving unit for some well-chosen accessories, as well as beautifully detailed and versatile cabinet dresser from the same range. This just pulls the space together, connecting the dots between the table and supporting furniture.

The rustic furniture style does have an edge to it that essential means being overly ‘matchy-matchy’ isn’t necessary but you do want cohesion within the room. Leather dining chairs bring the note of change to the room’s tempo. To do this, you need items that have purpose and style, both of which you get with leather dining chairs. Which would be your choice?

Which colour is best for a leather chesterfield sofa?

Brown Chesterfield Leather Sofa in Living Room

It’s an important purchase and so little wonder we want to make the right choice in every way, from size to style and colour. With colour trends changing quickly, choosing the right colour and shade can seem like an impossible task. You want your leather sofa to make an impact whilst also providing a versatile backdrop to the rest of your rustic style home.

Shades of brown

The leather sofa that fits well within the rustic living room is the brown leather sofa. There is both decadence and opulence to a brown leather sofa, whether a small leather sofa or a large one that makes it as popular today as it ever was. But there are many shades of brown which impact on the colour choices that fuse with your chosen leather sofa.

Dark brown

At one extreme of the spectrum, you have dark brown, something that we often refer to as Bartollo brown. This is a beautiful shade, dark, chocolatey and velvet in its tone. It brings warmth and opulence in equal measure, as well as being a fantastic option for the busy family home.

But it does depend equally savvy and bold colours around it. If you want to ‘open’ the room, opt for warmer shades of beige and cream, or even a light but earthy orange if you want a zip of colour. Dark brown leather sofas and armchairs also work well with darker colours, from forest green to a midnight navy or, if you are feeling bold, a crimson red with gold is a combination made in stylistic heaven.

Mid-brown

A popular choice because it gives the best of all colour combinations is mid-brown, such as the crystal tan of our leather Chesterfield sofa. This tan leather sofa sits well within bright, bolder colours used in the rustic style as well as cooler colours, such as a blue rug. Using darker brown rustic furniture brings its grain out to the best effect, perfect for when you opt for a reclaimed wood rustic coffee table to frame it.

Light brown

Tan, mocha, coffee, call it what you will, a lighter brown leather sofa or armchair is a sheer delight. In some ways, it is very similar to that of a cream upholstered sofa – visitors will think your ‘brave’ for opting for such a light-coloured choice.

Again, make sure that any wooden furniture has a darker wooden shade to it, or it can look a little vague and washed out especially when creating a rustic feel in the space.

Ring the changes with grey

Grey is a colour perfect for the rustic style and when it comes to a living room sofa, it is an ideal neutral shade that doesn’t compromise on impact. Shape and style of the sofa play a part too, as does size. From darker shades of grey to lighter hues, to beautiful patterns, the smaller grey leather sofa can be a bespoke creation of yours with leather seating, for example, and upholstered arms. Creating your own bespoke sofa is the answer you may be looking for. Creating your own perfect seating in your rustic living room, whether that’s a 2 seater leather sofa or a larger three-seater sofa, you can enjoy the comfort of your sofa, knowing that it will age gracefully in design, style and colour.

How to use patterned rugs in the living room

Patterned Rug in Living Room with Velvet Sofa

Patterns are all around us, from those we create to those that nature gives us. Using pattern in the home adds detailing and texture, lifting a space to give it character. We’ve long been told that mixing patterns is ‘dangerous’ in terms of interior design but with patterns in fabrics, soft furnishings, wallpaper, bare brick wall and on the floor, just how do you create a cohesive style with patterns? We take a look, setting the patterned rugs in the living room as the main feature.

What fits your style?

If you are adding patterned living room rugs to an already decorated room, you will need to be clear about your style. For example, bold floral tropical prints are very much on trend but maybe don’t sit well in the ultra-industrial styled living room.

The Scandinavian furniture style never goes out of fashion but trends tweak it, adding warm twists. Using pattern rugs is an ideal way of lifting what some find a bare space. A warm abstract grey rug with white patterning slides into space without jarring against the basic principles of this style scheme. It fuses perfectly with an all-white backdrop, and the lighter woods and colours used in this type of scheme.

The geometric rug in this industrial living room sits well with the patterns in the wall under the window and the brickwork too. Paired with the velvet sofa, perfection is not hard to find…

Choose neutral, light tones for guaranteed success

We are considering adding patterned rugs to the living room with the décor in place, something we know many customers do. If you are renovating from scratch, designers suggest starting with the rug colour and bring the rest of the room to the rug.

However, with everything in situ, success in adding pattern comes in the style of pattern fitting with your overall room design but also colour.

Dark background to patterns can make them feel overly oppressive as well as old-fashioned and out of place in some cases. Opting for lighter, neutral tones is a guarantee of success. Imagine a white and sand rug alongside your reclaimed wood coffee table in your industrial style living room, and you can see just how successful it would be.

Be bold

Colour and pattern can lift a room but take care with boldness in both colour AND pattern. Occasionally what can work in a room is a bold colour with a traditional pattern rug, perfect for framing a leather armchair by the fireside or even alongside your leather sofa.

More than one patterned rug in the living room

Can you mix patterns? We often think the rule book says no but rules are meant to be broken…

Choose similar colours and patterns that are also similar such as a traditional pattern or a light coloured palette. A multi-coloured rug, for example, offers many possibilities. The great thing about using different styles of patterned rugs is they define areas and zones but, keeping a sense of cohesion with similar colours or patterns stops the feeling of the room feeling cluttered and disconnected.

Bring texture to the dining room with industrial sideboards

A pattern is wonderful. It adds charm and interest, lifting a room to become a three-dimensional space to the eye. A pattern can hide things as well as casting a spotlight on key areas. Creating a focal point, using pattern in any room doesn’t have to be about just patterned wallpaper – how about introducing patterned reclaimed wood furniture.

In the dining room

The industrial look is as popular today as it ever was, the perfect styling for the dining room from the reclaimed wood dining table to the chairs and beyond. We will cast our styling eye across the range of patterned sideboards, and how they can be used to maximum stylish aplomb in the dining room.

Pattern in the industrial style

We often think that the industrial style is a by-word for minimal, with very little fuss and detailing. Whilst it may not be the most ostentatious of interior design styles, using geometric patterns is perfect. Why? The uniformity of geometric shapes and patterns is ordered and sleek, ideal for any room.

Dimensions are important

The large sideboard is the cupboard and shelving space that adds much-needed storage to the dining room – this means an industrial sideboard is a must.

Size is important. Too big and it closes down space, but too small, and it won’t offer the storage space you need. However, there is one question that needs a definitive answer – just how tall should a dining room sideboard be?

The answer: a bit higher than the dining table. The most ‘common’ height is around 91.5cm tall. If you want everything in proportion, measure the height of the dining table and opt for a sideboard that is slightly taller. The Retford sideboard, a recent addition to our range, is a beautiful dark wood piece that stands at just over 91cm.

However, in terms of dimensions and height, you will need to be confident that the height of the sideboard doesn’t close down the room. The Chalfont sideboard with its cupboard and drawer space is low and long, something that may sit better alongside your industrial dining table.

But a small sideboard can work just as well such as the beautiful Wardour sideboard, another recent addition. Its bijou nature makes it ideal for a smaller kitchen (or even the living room next to a velvet Chesterfield sofa) and the sundial, radial pattern. As industrial furniture goes, this must surely be one with the most beautiful finish and patterning to it.

Pattern ‘type’ plays a role

Using a pattern in a room can make people nervous for fear that it will be a clashing catastrophe. Stay with the same pattern shape and/or colour for success and you will have a stylish success on your hands.

For example, the parquet type patterning on the Kingsbridge industrial sideboard is versatile, ideal alongside any other pattern. Equally as successful would be the patterns of the Mitcham industrial sideboard, a medium-sized unit that offers plenty of storage solutions too.

Which patterns for the industrial look?

Florals and tropical prints may not sit well within the more utilitarian appeal of the industrial look but there is a twist on the style where they would fit in. The glamorous industrial style swaps black steel for the gold coloured finishes, not unlike that found in the Chalfont range.

Our top tip for using patterns is to choose an overall palette and combine with plain walls, using the patterns in the rug and other soft furnishings, as well as key accents, with industrial style furniture.

Inspirational home decor with textured drinks cabinets

Kingsbridge Reclaimed Wood Cabinet in Living Room

Textured reclaimed wood furniture adds sublime detailing as well as depth to a room. It also shows your interior design credentials simply because incorporating textured furniture requires imagination and courage. Opting for the ‘right’ textured furniture is relatively simple when you know how.

A drinks cabinet is a superb addition to any room. A textured drinks cabinet is beyond fantastic. Its texture and pattern allow it to both stand out and blend in, becoming a focal point around with your soiree with friends will revolve. But what do you keep in a home drink cabinet?

Beauty with pattern and texture

The industrial style is stunning and sells itself and so it’s no wonder that a tall, statuesque oak drinks cabinet is the order of the day, more so when the room has plenty of wall to ceiling height.

With geometric pattern and black steel legs and framework, opt for a wine cabinet that has a presence but is not imposing. Of course, the contents need to be just as wonderful and so why not visit your local antique centre or auction for beautiful glasses? From art deco inspired triangular cocktail glasses with cut-glass stemmed wine glasses, an array of different glasses are perfect for the drinks cabinet.

Industrial glamour

If you love the industrial furniture style but want to add a twist, then look no further. The industrial style with a hint of Hollywood glamour is the perfect fusion, wouldn’t you agree?

The dramatic dark depths of black wood combined with the gold coloured finish of the legwork makes this dark wood drinks cabinet a work of art next to an industrial dining table. A sculptural masterpiece for any room, there are plenty of other pieces in the collection to add balance and symmetry to a space, such as the glamorous industrial coffee table.

Frankly, if there was a wine storage cabinet that demanded to be flanked by a sumptuous velvet armchair (or two), it is this one. But the contents would have to ‘match’ in our eyes. Thus, consider adding all the spirits you possibly can, from the bulbously shaped bottles of liquors to brightly coloured cocktail and mixers.

Scandinavian elegance

The industrial style is always a winner but if you favour a lighter feel to the interior design, then adding textured furniture from our Scandinavian style inspired collections is a great move.

The simplicity of this beautiful light wood drinks cabinet is to be celebrated. But don’t let the ‘simplicity’ fool you. There is detailing to this piece that makes it the perfect drinks cabinet for any room.

The turned legs, the parquet patterning, the streamlined no-handle doors are sophistication at its most elaborate. Imagine opening the doors to reveal a well-stocked home bar, with the latest pre-mixed cocktail drinks, as well as delicate, light glassware and your favourite wine bottle.

To show this piece off, it would work best in a room where everything supports one another, from being flanked by a brown leather sofa and matching armchairs, to an unpretentious side table or two.

Which drinks cabinet suits your interior design style?

How to style an industrial dining table with upholstered dining chairs

Kingsbridge Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and Velvet Dining Chairs

There is an assumption that when it comes to the industrial style, there is no option for including dashes of colour. There is a utilitarian nature to the industrial look, with everything streamlined and clean with a nod to the industrial heritage of old. But that doesn’t mean it has to be sparse or devoid of texture and detailing.

But it can be difficult to introduce colour without it looking brash and out of place. And so rather than adding coloured accessories such as a large pink vase or a statement colour pendant light, adding colour furniture can bring the cohesion that an industrial style room needs. Using coloured dining chairs in the dining room is a perfect example of how to introduce colour that adds drama to the industrial furniture style.

Choosing the reclaimed wood dining table

On the one hand, the industrial dining room is all about simplicity and so the raw feel and appeal of this reclaimed industrial dining table is a great place to start. Or you can always add small but noted detailing such a parquet design tabletop industrial dining table. Whichever option you choose, coloured dining chairs add a certain depth to a reclaimed wood industrial dining table.

Tips on creating cohesion within the industrial style

You can use colour and by following these hints and tips, you’ll find ‘matching’ coloured upholstered dining chairs to your dining table a cinch;

Opt for colours that fit naturally within the style

If you are concerned that bright colours will jar against the industrial backdrop of your industrial 6-seater dining table, then opt for a colour and a shade that is close to the industrial look. Taupe, beige, tan or even grey upholstered dining chairs would sit beautifully alongside an industrial dining table.

Mix it up

If you want to make more of a statement, there is no denying that coloured dining chairs will hit the spot. In some instances, peoples have chosen a different colour for each seat or, if this rainbow approach doesn’t appeal, then opt for three dining chairs in one colour and the remaining three chairs in another. For high drama choose two contrasting and strong colours such as rich navy and fuchsia pink or if you want less of a hit, opt for complimentary colours such as softer blue dining chairs with a pleasant taupe colour.

Think material

If you are unsure of coloured dining chairs, you can always add extra detailing with the choice of dining chair upholstery. Velvet dining chairs, for example, add texture – who can resist the softness of velvet plush? – which means they still pack a punch even in a neutral colour such as taupe or grey.

Think shaping

Another means of adding drama with dining chair seating is to consider the overall style of the chair. Adding colour won’t work in the industrial style dining room if there are too many competing elements. Thus, choose either one colour with different seating styles or one seating style with different colours. Try to keep the material the same, whichever option you choose.

A linen upholstered dining chair with arms, for example, in the colour of your choice adds the hint of luxury you need. Choose a neutral colour for the industrial style, bringing in a note of change with dining chairs without arms if you feel this is needed.

Are you brave enough to add colour to the industrial style landscape?