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

Our most popular blogs of the year

Wycombe Oak Dining Table and Chairs with Bench

As the year draws to a close, there are award ceremonies and ’best of’ lists of all kinds. Not ones to be left behind, we thought we would do the same. We have, of course, created best-selling charts of our furniture items for you to take a look at, from the reclaimed wood dining table to the large sideboard but we also thought we would look through the year’s blog posts.

We use our blogs to provide information and ideas covering a broad range of topics, but which four blog posts caught your imagination most?

The Scandinavian style dining room

What is there not to love about the Scandinavian furniture style? A fusion of light coloured woods with natural materials, there is a clean, crispness to this style that makes it ideal for every home, from the family pad to the apartment of the Millennial.

Our get the Scandinavian style in the dining room blog with these new sets blog attracted a lot of attention, mainly because it gave ideas on how you can create the perfect backdrop against which the dining table can sizzle.

The best industrial coffee tables

As living room pieces go, the coffee table is a staple piece of furniture that can help to provide the balance and symmetry that the room needs. It can also be a talking point which is why we brought you a round up of the latest industrial coffee table to our range.

The new in: the best industrial coffee tables crafted from reclaimed wood blog brought together many beautiful industrial pieces that got people talking. From the round best of tables to the industrial coffee table on wheels, there was something in this blog for everyone of every taste and budget.

The industrial furniture look was popular throughout 2018, a trend that we expect to see continuing. There is something refreshingly uncomplicated about the fusion of familiar materials such as reclaimed wood and steel, one of the reasons why the industrial dining table too remains a popular style choice for many.

Stainless Steel in the dining room

Anything that shimmers, sizzles and glimmers is ‘gold’ in our eyes but when it comes to using metallic finishes, knowing when and how to use it in the home can be problematic. When is it too much? Can you have too much chrome, stainless steel or gold finish?

In our blog beautiful stainless steel pieces you need to have in your dining room, we shifted our focus on using metal finishes to an important room in the home and how, with the right backdrop and setting, a ‘silvery’ finish can lift the room from ordinary to extraordinary.

The busy hallway

A hallway is a place of transit, one of the reasons why we always leave decorating this space to the last minute. With this in mind, we have long championed the hallway as a space that should be stylish and functional.

In the blog what is the perfect storage for a busy hallway we gave you plenty of ideas for adding storage to the hallway. Versatile storage solutions, we looked at everything from cubed shelving storage units to hallway benches.

What’s in store for 2019?

There will be many styles and topics we’ll cover in the New Year too, from looking at the latest trends to how to use colour schemes, how to style reclaimed wood furniture and the reclaimed wood table and more. But of course, we want to hear from you too. What would you like to see more of in the coming months on our blog?

5 Things to consider when choosing a bed headboard

A bedroom is a place of rest and rejuvenation, and one that should be steeped in style. The rustic bed, of course, is one of the main pieces of furniture – if not, the main piece of bedroom furniture – with the headboard playing an important role too. So how do you choose the right one?

1 The size of your bedroom

Top of the list for consideration is the size of your bedroom. A larger room can take a larger, more imposing headboard whilst a smaller room may need one that is smaller but no less in terms of its styling.

If you can fit in a king reclaimed wood bed but don’t want to overpower the room with a tall headboard, then consider the Winchester rustic bed is an ideal compromise. The king bed frame itself has plenty of detailing with height but is not overly imposing. Full of character, this is surely one of our most beautiful reclaimed wood bed frames.

2 The size of the headboard

However, just because you have a small bedroom doesn’t mean that a tall headboard is out of the running. Bear in mind that a tall headboard and footboard can ‘chop’ a room in half, however, there is a pleasing cleanliness to the lines of this style of bed.

It is in no way a style compromise but the Nilsson Rustica reclaimed wood king bed makes for an exciting addition to any master bedroom. With the footboard perfectly mirroring the slightly-taller-than-usual headboard, this is a delightful piece of reclaimed wood furniture with more than a hint of rustic charm about it.

3 Make it the focal point

Every room needs a focal point, the central point around which the rest of the room rotates. This allows us to ‘make sense’ of the room in terms of its style and use. The good news is, the headboard can act as this focal point.

A taller headboard standing above the rest of the items in the bedroom instantly attracts the eye. This luxury king bed, also from the Nilsson Rustica rustic furniture range, has a taller headboard that appeals to the eye.

Again, it’s clean, symmetrical lines bring a welcome sense of order to the bedroom, with a headboard that isn’t over imposing.

4 Materials

Fourth on our list is the choice of headboard material. There are some beautiful padded, upholstered bed headboards in a range of colours that fit with many different trends and styles.

Reclaimed wood is a material that is tipped to become even more popular during 2019 and so you can take your place in this with some beautiful reclaimed wood bed frames with headboards.

5 Trends and styles

As well as reclaimed wood being a hotly tipped trend for 2019, you may also want to consider some of the other trends coming our way and how that translates with your style likes.

There are many bedroom decorating ideas that caught our eye but the streamlined, minimal look is tipped o huge success. And no wonder – calming and pleasant, it gives an edge to your bedroom that is a sheer delight. If you fancy this style, choose a headboard and king bed that packs a punch but isn’t overly detailed or fussy, but still has character.

Choosing the best bed position

Where you put your bed is dictated by a number of factors, from the floor space available and architectural features, such as a bedroom fireplace or a large window. Choosing the right reclaimed wood furniture and bed position is also about your likes, as well as the look you are choosing to create. Just how do you go about it?

Place the bed before all other bedroom furniture

The bed is usually the largest piece of bedroom furniture and one that has the most impact on how the room looks when everything else is in position. Place your bed where you want it and build the rest of the room around it, from the small chest of drawers to the wooden dressing table.

The traditional spot is…

Traditionally, the bed in the master bedroom is placed on the longest wall and in the centre. This frames the room and allows the rest of the rustic furniture to come together in a sense of symmetry and style. Frame it with bedside tables and maybe a wooden blanket box at the footboard of the bed and you have the perfect set-up.

If you fancy something different, read on…

The bed in front of the window

If you are lucky enough to be afforded a generous sized window or windows in your master bedroom, the placing of a king bed in front of it can create a romantic, yet edgy feel to the room.

If you are going for the bed-in-front-of-window placement, there are a few tricks to getting it right;

This bed position works best when the window is tall and/or large so that light is not blocked too much by the bed. If the bed ‘swallows’ the light, consider if this what you want.
Framing the bed is essential so it doesn’t look like you’ve put it there because there is nowhere else to put it. This means using curtains to frame the top end, complete with matching bedside tables. For drapes, consider using a blind in the window recess.

Face the focal point

Again, if you are blessed with an architectural feature in your room, placing your bed opposite or facing this is a great way to balance the room. From facing the Victorian fireplace to facing the large, ornate window with sloping ceilings etc., if you have a fixed focal point, make the most of it.

Consider Feng Shui

It is an ancient system of creating peace, harmony and balance in and around the home, and its principles can lend itself to the placing of the bed in the bedroom too. There is a principle called the ‘command position’ which means you place your bed in relation to the position of the bedroom door.

If you can, place your bed opposite the door. However, having said that, you may feel uncomfortable sleeping in this position. Within the Feng Shui system, it is important to understand that your feelings of comfort outweigh what the rulebook says.

The two-foot clearance rule

If you are struggling to place your bed due to dimension constraints, then you may need to spend some time moving it around until you get it in the space where it looks ‘right’ and it feels ‘right’.

There is a ‘rule’ – but aren’t they made to be broken? – that dictates a two-foot clearance around the bed, the minimum amount of space needed to walk around it.

Setting the dining table for Christmas entertaining

Every year, around this time of year, we see hundreds and hundreds of Christmas decorations in every shop we walk into. Whether it’s a new festive table cloth to adorn your reclaimed wood dining table, a display piece or two which would look oh-so-fabulous on that large sideboard in your kitchen diner, or a handful of gorgeous new baubles for the star of the show, the Christmas tree, it’s safe to say Brits love decorating for Christmas!

Eco-friendlymas

We’ve also noticed this year, there has been an increased focus on an eco-friendly Christmas. Like lots of areas of our lives, people are becoming more conscious of the impacts of their actions, and Christmas hasn’t gone unnoticed. Many shops are now offering decorations made out of recyclable materials and there is quite the trend online of people using or even making their own wrapping paper (an all-over stamp design can look really effective!).

If you are looking for something eco-friendly and homemade for your dinner table, these napkins are super simple. Most of us will have old clothes or blankets or bed linens lying around which we can repurpose into napkins. Simply chop your fabric into squares, sew down the edges to ensure the material doesn’t fray and roll up, securing with a piece of string embellished with a little piece of your Christmas tree. If you are using smaller items of clothing, you may need to use more than one garment. But with several different patterns around the dining table, you’ll create a cosy cottage feel which is full of personality.

Think outside the box

There is also a trend of people using non-traditional Christmas items to create their dinner table settings. After all, your entire house doesn’t need to resemble Santa’s grotto! If you are entertaining an army of friends and family (first, make sure you’ve got an extendable dining table at the ready), you may find place settings to be helpful. We love all the creative options we’ve seen on the internet this year; names written on chalk placemats in chalk or spelt out using Scrabble letter tiles and trays to name a couple. You may even find a way to put people’s names on the backs of your upholstered dining chairs (just be careful it won’t ruin the fabric!)

You can also get creative when it comes to your centrepieces. This year we’ve seen beautiful botanicals everywhere we’ve looked. To add artistic flair to your dining table, you could opt for succulents and potted plants for a fresh splash of green, even adding a terrarium for a little bit of drama. If you are missing this Christmas sparkle, you could even fill your terrarium with Christmas lights instead of a plant, or you could hang tiny baubles on a potted plant or two.

If you’ve been creative with other aspects of your Christmas dinner table, you may wish to keep it simple when it comes to each setting. We love the simplicity of this table setting with the flash of red and the little garnish on each plate taken from the garden (perfect for tying each setting into your botanical display in the centre of your table, perhaps?)

For the traditionalists

But there’s also a lot to be said for simplicity. If you are not so sure about opting for something a little out of the box or it would require you to shell out on lots of sometimes-expensive items for your dinner table (after all, that’s not in keeping with the eco-friendly trend we’ve discussed), then something traditional like this setting may be an excellent option.

We loved the fun addition of Santa’s coat looking after the cutlery for each place setting on this dining set up contrasted against the otherwise simple décor. If you fancy a little drama, you could drape sheepskin rugs over your dining bench or pop a mini Christmas tree or two at the centre of your table.

Let us know your favourite way to decorate your Christmas dining table – we’d love to see photos if you’ve already been entertaining this year fully decked out in Christmas glamour.

How to jazz up your Christmas dining table

Recently we asked our Houzz audience whether they plan to decorate their homes before 1^st December? The answer was a fairly resounding no (with 60 votes suggesting they’ll wait until December is upon us and only 9 saying they’ll decorate earlier). Whilst you may not decorate your home for Christmas just yet, it’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas – after all, Christmas is a big operation!

One of the many things to think about when preparing for Christmas Day (it’s 29 days and counting!) is setting the dinner table. Whilst it must be, above all, functional, many of us wish to add a little festive sparkle to our table setting.

The Perfect Base

Of course, the first step is ensuring you’ve got a rustic dining table which works for you and your family. If you don’t, now is a great time to make amendments! Perhaps it’s your first-year hosting family Christmas and you’re lacking in comfortable dining chairs for each of your guests? If this is the case, additional upholstered dining chairs may be the answer. Or maybe you just don’t have enough space around the table? Opting for an extendable dining table or dining table with bench combination (perfect for squeezing lots of guests, perhaps all the grandchildren, along one side of your dining table) may be just the ticket.

The Perfect Setting

We thought we’d share a few of our favourite table settings we’ve found to perhaps give you some inspiration for your Christmas dinner this year.

We love the traditional colours of this table setting. The classic gold table mat with holly themed china creates a quaint country cottage feel and the handmade merry Christmas tag with a piece of the Christmas tree adds a lovely little touch.

If you like this look, this red padded tablemat with patterned china is another alternative which may provide inspiration. The ‘believe’ tag is something you could easily recreate and is just a little different than writing your guests’ names or Merry Christmas.

For those that love classic elegance in the dining room (think velvet dining chairs in rich colours), the opulence of this gold and white scheme is great. We particularly loved the subtle nod to Christmas provided by the rustic bauble placed on the dinner setting and the fresh feel of the white roses which are scattered along the table.

If you’re looking for a simple scheme to match your reclaimed wood dining table which you’re planning to leave bare without a tablecloth to display the beauty of the wood, this understated setting is stunning. The plain white china and napkins with a touch of greenery and white candles through the centre makes for a cosy yet clean finish – perhaps for modern homes where you don’t want to compromise on heart.

The Perfect Frosting

In another blog we spoke about how you could use the upcoming Christmas Card Day on 9^th December to make special Christmas cards for family and friends which are far more personal than the shop bought kind (and may even help you to rethink whether you need to send quite so many cards). However, you could also use the day to make decorative cards to place on the dinner table.

It is a great activity to do with your children or grandchildren (or even for keeping the little ones occupied on Christmas Eve whilst you run last minute errands) and will add a really personal touch to your Christmas lunch. Write names of your guests, write each guest a special message which will make them smile or even just write Merry Christmas – the options are endless.

Let us know which of the dinner settings is your favourite. How will you decorate your dinner table this year?

Simple steps for a perfect Christmas day dinner

Beam Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and Bench

With the Big Day weeks away, many of us are turning our thoughts to planning Christmas Day dinner, a truly wonderful spectacle and fantastic family time. With a plan, you have a vision of the day in its entirety. You have everything in place beforehand with no last minute internet shopping or a dash to the shops.

1 The Christmas day menu

Top of your list should be deciding what you plan on feeding your guests at dinner, as well as various snacks throughout the day. There is also the drinks menu to consider too. Spend time being inspired by recipes, as well as considering festive feasts from other countries.

Once the menu is complete, make the shopping list and start your online shop, ordering vegetables from your local greengrocer and so on.

2 Turn your attention to the KITCHEN

This room is an important space all year round but when it comes to the festive season, it will be the place that is under pressure. It needs to be tidy with everything in its place and within easy reach. If you are bringing out the Christmas crockery from the large sideboard or the kitchen dresser, swap them with your ‘normal’ set to give you plenty of room.

3 Deep clean the DINING ROOM

Declutter the dining room, swapping one set of beautiful accessories for your festive-themed ones on your small display cabinet. Bring in the outside by using what nature gives us such as beautiful holly sprigs with red berries, pine cones and more.

4 Consider the setting

It may be part of the fun spending Christmas dinner balancing wobbling on an old chair but wouldn’t it be nice to have everyone enjoying a pleasant seat with plenty of elbow room?

If ever there was a time to invest in an 8-seater reclaimed wood dining table, it is now. If you are worried it will look too big, opt for an extendable reclaimed wood rustic dining table that will party ‘fold away’ when you don’t need the entire space.

Upholstered dining chairs add colour and texture and perfect for everyday use as well as special occasions. Finding enough comfortable seating is an annual nightmare but there is a solution – a dining bench. From plain, simple, stylish and functional benches to those with back, sides and a little more embellishments, they are an investment worth making.

5 The details

Christmas shouldn’t be about worrying that everything is perfect or running around from morning until night, but it is a busy time. The more guests you have, the busier it is.

You need to think through the smaller but still important details;

Assign tasks – from someone always making sure people have a drink, to guests’ coats being collected and retrieved to clearing the table, loading the dishwasher, there are many tasks that can be assigned to others.
Entertainment – you don’t need to book Coco the clown and even though there are gifts galore, a board game or two to keep everyone amused is an investment you can bring out year on year.

The basics – from having more than enough toilet rolls to tissues, wipes and all of those small things that make a huge difference when you don’t have them.

Finally, enjoy your festive season, no matter what you are doing or who you share it with.

A beautiful Christmas in your own home office

Working from home brings many benefits, no more so than when the festive season gets into full swing. As well as being able to alter your working pattern to accommodate parties and events, you can also have fun decorating your home office. Take a look at our stunning, yet simple ideas for adding a touch of festive cheer and aplomb to the home office.

Cosy Christmas accessories

Christmas decorations don’t always have to be tinsel, baubles and Christmas trees. We love the natural look, a perfect complement to the reclaimed wood home office furniture in this snug home office.

It takes a while to notice the decorations because the room looks so snug with plenty of texture and soft lighting. As well as a few accessories dangling from the pendant lampshade, there are also some pretty accessories, such as the miniature Christmas tree on the table.

Elegant and understated, this is a fantastically warm and welcoming home office.

Update your wall art

Wall art is great for any home office, inexpensive to add and update from time to time. Swapping your usual choice for a few festive additions is great for adding a festive touch. If you don’t want to change your current art, simply opt for a plain black frame and a simple Christmas print and prop up on the mantelpiece, industrial shelving or on the small sideboard, perfect storage for the home office.

Add greenery with small, artificial trees

The one Christmas decoration that we think is perfect whether you are big into Christmas decorations or not is the small, artificial Christmas tree.

Sitting on its small disc of wood, the miniature tree with pretty snow-tipped firs is ideal for any home office. In the grey of winter, they add a dash of colour. And when you haven’t got a lot of space, a cluster of three trees won’t get in your way, even on a small computer desk or on your industrial shelving unit.

Team it with a white accessory such as this small classic porcelain house and you have a picture-perfect festive scene! Spray the bases of the trees gold for an extra kick of glamour!

Have a small, real Christmas tree!

There is nothing to say that you cannot have a real Christmas tree in your home office – quite the opposite in fact.

Like most people, you probably don’t spend the whole working day sitting at your industrial desk. Reclining in your leather office chair to read important papers or to have ‘thinking time’, brighten up the landscape in your home office this Christmas with a real Christmas tree.

There are smaller, miniature ‘living’ trees that would make the ideal addition. Add a few lights and a bauble or two, if you feel inspired, or stick with the ‘au naturel’ appeal with pine cones and pretty ribbons.

And when Christmas has passed, dig a hole in your garden, add a little compost or organic matter, plant your Christmas tree and watch it grow from the office window.

Inspiring ideas to create a festive hallway

The hallway is the space where you will welcome guests and visitors when they call by this Christmas so why leave the hallway bear of festive cheer?

1 Declutter

Top of our list before you start adding tinsel and garlands is to give the hallway a de-clutter and a spring clean. It’s tempting after a long day at the office to just kick your shoes off and throw your coat on the wooden hallway bench but when everyone does that, you end up with a coat-and-shoe-mountain.

And you’ve probably noticed that some of those items really don’t need to be there…

De-clutter – take stuff out of the hallway that could ‘live’ somewhere else in your home
Consider updating the storage – a simply wicker basket for scarves, hats and gloves is a great way to stop items creeping through the hallway or being lost

Have a downstairs cloakroom? It is bound to be the place that your guests will want to visit. As well as a deep clean, add some typical festive scent with a room deodoriser.

2 Update the console table

We all know that the lack of space in the hallway can create a pinch point but that doesn’t mean the hallway should be without a stylish piece of furniture or two. If you do nothing else, add a hallway console table.

A half-moon console table adds shape and texture to a hallway but if you feel the better option would be the better option, why not opt for the rustic furniture charm of the Belfort narrow console table? The gold coloured frame and the beautiful black reclaimed wood top are very festive as well as glamorous.

3 Ambience and atmosphere

Creating ambience and atmosphere is done by appealing to the senses – and the hallway is the perfect place to create the welcoming, festive atmosphere;

Scent – what aromas and scents do you associate with Christmas? Heavier spiced scents so choose room deodorisers and candles that are scented with cinnamon or berries. Scented potpourri sat in a ceramic bowl on your hallway console table will be gently wafted through the hallway as people move around.
Lighting – the romance of lighting should never be understated and if there is one thing you can get away with at Christmas it is an abundance of twinkling lights! From garlands trailing up the bannister with pretty lights to clustering lights in bowls on the hallway window ledge, there are many different ways of adding light to the hallway. The softer and gentler the glow, the better.

4 Don’t forget the porch or entrance

Technically not the hallway but we are all for creating the right impression from the doorstep. Candles in beautiful lanterns holders, a pretty wreath on the door are just two festive charms we add to our porch.

And finally, we think that adding a Christmas tree is one of the best hallway decorating ideas. It sets the tone beautifully, and the ideal place to hide a present or two to gift your guests as they are leaving.

Create a festive bedroom

Christmas decorations aren’t just for the living room and the dining room – the bedroom can enjoy a touch of festive spirit too. But mindful you don’t want to clutter this relaxing space, just how can you add Christmas decorations? Here, we give away a few bedroom decorating ideas you’re sure to love.

Au naturel

Gaudy coloured baubles and brightly coloured tinsel have their place but in the bedroom, opting for a more natural feel is a great way of adding Christmas cheer. Try these ideas this Christmas;

Bedroom features

If you are gifted a bedroom with architectural features such as a sweeping bay window or a beautiful fireplace, make these the focal point of your Christmas decorations. Something as simple as a garland across the fireplace is a sheer delight, especially if you opt for an artificial one complete with tiny, twinkling lights. Or, add real-life bunches of evergreen holly with its bright red berries to top your reclaimed furniture.

Add a miniature Christmas tree

We asked our followers on Instagram and Houzz about the number of trees they have in their house and it seems that many of us are a ‘two Christmas tree household’! The main tree occupies the living room whilst the other Christmas tree will often be in the hall or the dining room.

Only a handful of people of those who responded said would consider adding a Christmas tree to their bedroom but we think a miniature tree – especially a beautiful real tree in a pretty ceramic pot – is a wonderful addition.

Christmas trees are great in kids bedrooms too. Add a timer to the fairy lights and you won’t be making midnight runs around the house switching off the lights.

Bedroom furniture
Baubles on the bed side tables – don’t throw away those old bauble missing their string or hooks. Instead, cluster them in pretty festive bowls and add to the bed side table.

Stars on the wardrobe – wooden ornaments, especially the shabby chic painted ones are ideal for adorning various bedroom furniture items but we think they look great on the small wardrobe or scattered about the rustic shelves in the bedroom.
Lights on the headboard – again, those twinkling lights will add a festive and warming touch to your stylish boudoir.
Don’t forget the window ledge – a great place for everything from candles to fir cones with lashings of glitter, the bedroom window ledge is ideal for adding a few festive touches. Cluster a bunch of small Christmas trees in pots at one end, with a pretty star at the other.

Christmas Decorations on Wooden White Window

Bedlinen, cushions and throws

Using plenty of warm colours is also a great way of adding decadence to your bedroom over winter but we also love some of the festive themes bedlinen, throws and cushions that come to the market at this time of year.

And when Christmas is passed, you can pop them into your wooden blanket box for safe keeping until next year. Opt for passionate reds or cools blues, with some of the snowflake designs being an absolute delight too.

Do you decorate your bedroom? Do you add Christmas decorations to the kids’ rooms or do you prefer your Christmas decorations in the living room only?