living room Archives - Page 9 of 31

How to choose the perfect rug for every room

Pink velvet sofa with pink faded rug and metal and glass coffee table

With the colder weather fast approaching our thoughts are moving away from the great outdoors and more towards cosy days indoors. A rug will warm up the floor of your room, give it an additional feature and help keep your feet toasty warm. Here are some tips for choosing the right rug for your room.

Think about the room’s function

For obvious reasons, you don’t want a nice plain cream rug right by the main entrance to your house! The hallway and the kitchen are high traffic areas so a rug produced from a more hard-wearing material is the only real option. If the room does have a busy footfall you will most likely want a rug with a low pile so it doesn’t show irritating footprints in between cleans. Also, consider the colour you will be buying, a darker colour would definitely be best or one with some patterning. Reclaimed wood furniture and cream rugs work so well together but it does have to be in the right room of the house like a dining room or the living room, it’s also a natural choice for bedroom rugs. You can also place a rug to protect your carpet in certain areas – it’s way cheaper to replace small rugs than large areas of expensive carpet.

Get the size right

Large living room rugs should fill a room and finish 30-40 cms off from the wall. One of the purposes of a smaller rug is to bring the furniture in your room together so try to avoid the ‘floating rug’ look. Try to get one slightly bigger than the space you want to fill, it should be just touching – or placed under your furniture. Rugs can also be used to create “zones” in an open living space, one to identify the dining area and the living space or to identify a reading corner in your living room and so on.

Think about what shape works best

In the hallway a long rug is most likely needed – but you could lay two smaller ones running down the hallway. This would probably be cheaper than getting a long runner and there’s also the option, rather than two exactly the same, that you could get two that complement each other to add a bit of style to the entrance to your home. In living rooms, think also about layering rugs, so they overlap slightly, to give more texture and add an additional feature to your room.

Make the most of colour, patterns and style

We love to see a red rug in a neutral coloured living room it will add a lovely warmth to the room as well as being an eye-catching centerpiece. You can see below how a Louis de Poortere gold rug ties in statement furniture and feature lighting and really helps make the most of the sun flowing into a south-facing room.

How to warm your home with cosy autumnal lighting

Green hanging lights over wooden table with red berries

As the days grow shorter we turn to artificial light in the home during our waking hours. Who doesn’t love a cosy welcoming home? Here we’ve chosen some of our favourite lighting pieces for each room to give your home an inviting autumnal glow.

Kitchen and dining space

Luckily for us, pendant lights are hugely on trend right now! We just love them here at Modish Living, there are so many styles to choose from! We love a rustic natural look in the home, and they don’t come much more natural than sustainably sourced bamboo. Natural bamboo complements any interior style. For example, if your dining area is channeling an industrial feel you don’t have to go for metal industrial pendant lighting just because you have industrial dining furniture – a bamboo black pendant light looks completely at home here and adds a softer element to catch the eye. If you want a more neutral and blended look, try a white pendant light.

Photo featuring: Bamboo Half Moon Double Pendant Light

Living room

A pendant ceiling light does not have to be restricted to hanging over the dining table or in the void over the stairs anymore. Pendant lights look great in any room with a high ceiling and you can always add a dimmer switch for when you want to tone it down. They also look fantastic hanging over a sofa end table where they will provide plenty of light for reading, knitting, sewing etc.

Photo featuring: Karine Jute Pendant Light

Of course, living room lamps will also provide a subtle glow where you need it most, the Vance Neutral lamp will blend in perfectly with their surroundings with the base being made from natural woven sea grass and a soft glow lampshade. And let’s not forget candles – the ultimate in atmospheric lighting.

Photo featuring: Vance Neutral Lamp

Bedroom

Good lighting in the bedroom will help create a relaxing ambience – It’s very unlikely you will be able to wind down for sleep with a glaring ceiling light on and even worse, you don’t want to get all snuggled up and sleepy and have to get out of bed to switch the light off! But a big ceiling light is probably a necessity while you are getting ready for a night out. This is a room where different lights are a must. For the bedroom, the Sassa wicker bedside table lamps are our top pick, produced from natural wicker they will blend in with modern and rustic style and easily merge into your existing colour scheme. Another great look is pendant lights suspended over your bedside tables – not only does this look great but it leaves you with more room for a book, a favourite picture in a frame, reading glasses and your phone.

Photo featuring: Sassa Wicker Table Lamp

Hallway

The hallway is a place where you don’t generally need to have lighting for specific tasks – but it is so much nicer to walk into a warm and welcoming home when you get in from the wet and cold. Ceiling lights are a must for practical reasons, but you can add a warm and welcoming glow with a table lamp on a wooden console table or achieve an atmospheric glow from some fairy lights like our wire weave fairy lights.

Photo featuring: Wire Weave Fairy Light

Top lighting planning tips:

For perfect placement, the bottom of the chandelier or pendant should be around 75 cm above your dining table.
Always go over the top – you can always turn something off if it is too bright or add a dimmer switch – but adding extra lighting retrospectively is not so easy.
Make sure you have plenty of light to do what you love doing when in your favourite chair on those dark autumnal evenings.
Most rooms will need a ceiling light but think about where else you might need extra lights for reading etc. Take the opportunity to light up dark corners or highlight your favourite features in a room.

How to choose the right accent chair

Woman dressed in mustard trousers resting on an armchair next to green plant

Sat in the corner of a room or by a window, accent or feature chairs are hugely popular right now. An occasional chair to enjoy a coffee and relax in or team your chair up with a side table and a lamp and you have a designated reading corner. You can put an accent chair in the living room, kitchen, a bedroom and even the hallway. There are three key considerations that makes the perfect accent chair – style, colour and shape. Here we look at how to find the right stand-out chair for your home.

Photo featuring: Grayson Fabric Armchair

Choose your style

As you are just adding one chair you may want it to slot into the style of the room…. but then the beauty of the accent chair is that it doesn’t have to either! Go for a retro look, industrial, Scandi or classic. You might have a oswald 2 seater sofa and want to add a modern armchair to the room. The Edward Leather Armchair, being in a stunning brown leather is contemporary and extra comfortable, while the Ava White Armchair would make a bold statement in a retro-influenced living room or bedroom.

In a more formal setting, a brown high back chair with a classic button back and decorative stud work wins hands down.

Photo featuring: Ava White Armchair

Colours

If you have a neutral decor scheme you may want to add a pop of yellow, rich blue or bold red these are all great options. These colours would also work well with a black or brown sofa to introduce a bold contrast to a room – you can also use the colour to base other accessories on.

You can of course also be a little more daring by choosing a completely different bold colour. Say you have a room with various shades of yellow then you could add a bright blue armchair, these work well together but your accent chair will become a feature that draws the eye.

Photo featuring: Grayson Fabric Armchair – Midnight Blue

Shape and texture

There are so many chair shapes available – we love the Reeves Rattan Armchair – ideal for a neutral coloured bedroom or the perfect small armchair for a morning coffee or afternoon reading.

The Oswald Armchair is a vintage brown leather and has both texture and shape with its luxurious super soft leather and gorgeous curves, the perfect addition to a funky living space.

Photo featuring: Oswald Armchair Vintage Brown Leather

Want to create a calming living room? Here’s how

Neutral colour scheme living room with cream sofa and industrial coffee table

Our living rooms need to cope with many different activities from a kids playroom and TV room to a sophisticated space to entertain guests – but it should also be a space for relaxing after a busy day. In this blog, we look at ways to create a refreshing and calming space.

Calming colours

The decor needs to be light and airy. Neutral, white or off-white walls is a great start, then you can introduce calming colours such as blue, green, pink, grey, white, violet or yellow – these are all colours that are known for their relaxation and calming properties. Reclaimed wood furniture is a great choice and works harmoniously with these colours. Natural daylight is the best way to light up a room so it should always be allowed to flow in.

Living room layout

The layout has a fundamental effect on the feel of a space. The largest piece of furniture, and where you will probably spend most your time sitting, is the sofa, so place this first – you can use elements of feng-shui to help layout the room and create a naturally calming feel. Ideally, you should position the sofa against a wall – to give a truly secure feeling it should be “anchored” against a solid wall. Furniture pieces should be positioned so that you, and good energy, can flow around the room. You may need to try your sofa in a couple of different positions before deciding on its final position.

Photo featuring: Hudson Living Ohio Cube Coffee Table

If you have the room you can opt for a large coffee table like the Hudson Living Ohio Cube coffee table, as featured above. Or the Lansdowne rustic coffee table, which has the added bonus of a shelf below as well as two drawers for hidden storage. For smaller spaces, the Luxe Kensington modern nest of tables would work – you only need to pull out the lower table when needed so the room does not feel cluttered.

Photo featuring: Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Industrial Nest of Tables

Practical storage

As with any room in your house, being clutter-free is essential when creating a calming environment – a wooden sideboard, well-placed side tables and book display units will all help keep things in their place. A TV cabinet is a must-have – a place to keep all media-related items tidily together and essential to hide an ugly bundle of cables! The Abingdon reclaimed wood TV cabinet ticks all the boxes, it’s finished in a calming distressed white, has two cupboards and a hole for feed plugs through the back – perfect!

Photo featuring: Abingdon Reclaimed Wood TV Unit

Tranquil Textures

Now you have the main elements sorted you can turn your attention to the finer details, those homely finishing touches. Cushions, throws, a sofa blanket, a rug – these are all things where you can add additional splashes of colour and stamp your personality on the room. Add a table lamp for subtle lighting, set one on a sofa end table or in a reading corner. The mesmerising quality of candlelight makes them the perfect relaxation aid and you can try diffusers to add aromatherapy to your wind-down routine.

Photo featuring: Industrial Lansdowne Rustic Wood Side Table

Elements of nature

The importance of houseplants is well talked about – not only do they remove toxins and clean the air, they also enhance your mood and create a living space that is generally more soothing to be in. Houseplants blend with reclaimed wood beautifully, combining to make a space full of gorgeous natural elements. So we really should make room for some of these leafy lovelies in our calming living room!

Which is for you? Maximalist, Minimalist or Meditative

home sweet home plaque with dried lavender

Do you live for vibrant colours and bold, eye-catching patterns? Maybe you prefer a blank canvas with clean crisp lines and clear white surfaces? Or do soft neutral colours and touches of nature make you happy?

Whatever interior style tribe you belong to, reclaimed wood furniture will elevate your scheme. We look at each tribe and what reclaimed wood furniture fits…

white kitchen with reclaimed wood table and sideboard

Maximalist

Bold colours, rich fabrics and patterns are just begging for an aged reclaimed wood table or sideboard. The tapestry of life visible in the natural grains of wood will complement rich fabrics and bright colour schemes, by adding a focal point for the eye to rest on. You can also introduce a “bold and bright” element to an otherwise neutral room, by simply adding accent chairs around a reclaimed wood dining table. Consider a velvet dining chair to create a warm and sumptuous atmosphere.

Minimalist

Decluttered, clear surfaces, minimal colour and furniture are what the minimalist loves. This may risk looking lifeless and soulless but adding reclaimed wood furniture adds life to a minimalist home. Keep the wood light or white painted to blend in with the scheme and a natural wicker light fitting for additional texture and warmth in your room. Bedrooms are particularly suited to minimalism. Create a calming and tranquil space by adding reclaimed wood bedroom furniture to your blank canvas, just a few, well-chosen decorative items, will complete a personal and welcoming haven.

Meditative

Linked closely with biophilic design this is a mix of fresh, neutral colours that make the most of natural light and the colours of nature. Natural reclaimed wood really is the obvious choice to complete this theme through your living space. Consider reclaimed wood shelving as a way to display houseplants by adding height and plenty of space, to really embrace a meditative decor style. A reclaimed wood sideboard is not just a place to stand your houseplants on but it also provides handy storage space.

houseplant display in front of large window

Where To Spend & Where To Save with Home Staging

Home staging is an American concept that they have long used to sell properties. In a nutshell, it is about showing your home in its best light, suggesting the lifestyle the buyer could have if they bought your property. It sounds a good idea and simple enough, but spending too much and spending it on the areas can prove a costly mistake. So, what should you be doing to get the best possible price when you sell your home?

1 The kitchen

For many buyers, this is the room that can make or break a house viewing. A kitchen that looks dated and tired is not visually appealing.

The solution is not always to rip out and replace the kitchen, however. Replacing worktops, painting cupboards doors or replacing them, updating the tap and generally decluttering so the work surfaces are clear can make it look far more attractive than it currently is, without too much of an investment.

2 The dining room

Another important area. The dining room lost its popularity for a while with homeowners preferring the more socialable kitchen/diner set-up. However, in recent years its seen a bit of a come back and whilst a tired or dated dining room is not as off-putting as a dated kitchen, there are still some tricks to making it more appealing.

Declutter by getting rid of furniture if needed or putting it in storage so that buyers can see the dimensions of the room. Reclaimed wood furniture is very beautiful but furniture around every edge of the room closes it down.

With your reclaimed wood dining table, add a stunning centrepiece such as a floral display (great for colour and scent too!) and arrange the dining chairs so that the room’s accent is on the important bit – the dining table and the space the room offers.

3 The living room

Like the dining room, you need to place an accent on the dimensions of the space and what potential buyers could do with it if it were their own.

Thin out bookcases and the like so that the range of furniture in the room, from the wooden coffee table to the beautiful sideboard and display units, shine through.

When buyers can feel the space in the room by seeing the edges and the furniture that is in there, it will have the feeling of space and style that they are looking for.

4 The bedroom

Clever home staging is about drawing the buyer’s eye to the points you want them to notice.

Bedroom furniture that has the same style is key as it creates symmetry in the room, but you also want to balance it by clever placement. The large chest of drawers, for example, shouldn’t dominate the room as the reclaimed wood bedframe should draw the eye first – make sure you have the best bed linen for viewing day!

A rug can help draw the eye around the room and with key items such as a wooden blanket box helping to ‘hideaway’ blankets and spare linen, the room will have the feeling of organised space that people want.

5 The spare bedroom

And finally, don’t underplay the spare room by leaving it looking sparse. Make sure that buyers understand this space too. For example, a single bed with sideboard and a wardrobe and a small chest of drawers showcases the room perfectly.

With hallway rugs adding pops of colour and texture, the smallest and cheapest home staging tweaks will make a difference.

10 Items That Are Cluttering Up Your Home

Pile of books with what's cluttering up your home writing

Whether you’re thinking of selling your home or simply want to create a fresh and more ordered space, you’ll need to de-clutter. But what items are cluttering up the space in your home and what should you do about it?

1. Things that are not yours – simple but true, if you have items in your home that are not yours and are just taking up space and gathering dust, either return to the sender or find another home for them. From library books to furniture that friends are storing at your place, now is the time to move them on.

2. Thin out your bookcase – if you are an avid reader, you will possibly have hundreds of books. Thinning out your bookcase is part of the de-cluttering process as is investing in display units that match your interior design style to store your edited book collection. Pass your books forward to friends and family or give them to charity and you will not only create space for new tomes, but share the pleasure of a great read.

3. Small appliances that don’t work or you don’t use – heading into the kitchen, you’ll no doubt find an appliance or two that you either don’t use or are broken. Recycle them (many councils recycle at the kerbside) and free up kitchen cupboard space.

4. Containers that don’t do anything – from baskets to plastic boxes, we buy these containers assuming that they will be perfect for helping us de-clutter and store things. Ironically, the trouble is, they are often aren’t and simply create more clutter! Get rid of these and replace them with other solutions, such as a coffee table with storage or a slimline console table with drawer for the hallway, so you still have places to store your belongings, but in a much more stylish way.

5. Toiletries in the bathroom – often the smallest room in the house, thinning out your toiletries will mean clearer surfaces. Easier to clean and keep clean, less clutter on tops and open shelving will work wonders for the appearance of the bathroom.

6. Spare bed linen, duvets, blankets… – from piling on top of the wardrobe to piling them in boxes under the bed, spare bed linen and the like are bulky and take up space. Consider a blanket box for the bedroom, which can also serve as an occasional seat or even update your bed to one with underbed storage drawers.

7. Magazines in the living room – there is something about reading a printed glossy mag that is a real treat, but you’ll soon find that they pile up in inconvenient places. The solution is to recycle or opt for storage solutions such as a coffee table with drawers.

8. Stationery and ‘stuff’ in the home office – it’s your work space which means you’ll be surrounded by the things you want and need, but if you’re not careful, it can look messy and unappealing. Clear surfaces by recycling items you don’t want or need and opt for home office storage solutions that allow for easy storage of items.

9. Out of date technology – we all have them; phones from years ago or chargers that we are no longer sure what they are for… streamline these tech bits and bobs and consider adding something like an open shelving display unit for charging phones and other tech.

10. CDs and DVDs – like books, CD and DVD collections grow over the years, but with todays streaming services, how many times do you ever put a DVD or CD on? If they are now obsolete in your home, ask yourself if you need to keep them. If you can’t bear to lose your favourite album or movie, consider sliming down your collection and how you are storing them. A reclaimed wood TV unit with cupboards and drawers is a perfect solution.

6 of the Best Coloured Armchairs

The quickest route to show off your interior design confidence is with a bold colour. A pop of unexpected colour in a room not only adds personality, but let’s the world know you’ve got this interior styling thing sorted!

However, if, like most of us, you don’t exude that confidence and are wary of any other colour of the rainbow other than white and grey, here’s an interior trend that you can jump on and be brave with…..the jewel hued modern armchair.

Coloured fabric armchairs exude sophistication and add an instant wow-factor to your space, whether that’s the living room, hallway, bedroom or open plan living/dining room.

1. Ava White Armchair

With its soft shade, upholstered in faux sheepskin, this chair will inject glamour into any room.

2. Edward Leather Armchair

We love this armchair for its shape as well as its colour. It’s solid oak frame, this stunning brown leather armchair is a perfect addition to anyone’s home.

3. Reeves Rattan Armchair

This wooden armchair with a black painted finish will liven up any dull corner in any room. Crafted in super strong ash wood, rattan back and wide armrests provides both comfort and support.

4. Grayson Fabric Armchair

A modern fabric armchair providing both comfort and sophistication. With it’s retro shape and it’s slim metal frame, adding a touch of modernity to the overall design. Small occasional chairs are a great choice for the home as they can be easily moved around and placed wherever needed, whether that’s the living room, bedroom or even a home office.

5. Oswald Armchair

The Oswald Armchair showcases an elegantly minimalistic design, making it a versatile fit for various interior themes. Cloaked in premium top grain full leather hide, its inviting warm brown tone harmoniously complements the ash legs.

6. Preston Armchair

Dive into the epitome of comfort and sophistication with the Preston Armchair. This lounge chair, designed meticulously for those seeking a blend of style and relaxation, promises unparalleled serenity. Whether you’re indulging in a book, catching a quick nap, or just unwinding after a long day, the Preston ensures every moment is cloaked in luxury.

What’s your favourite?

The Latest Lighting Trends Lighting up our World

Cluster of bare bulbs hanging from ceiling

Lighting in the home is both a practical element as well as a tool for creating ambience to a space. From the hallway and the living room to the bedroom and beyond, choosing stylish lighting will be top of your list. But what are the current trends? From glass table lamps to natural materials, we take you through the top trends for 2020.

Natural materials are still hot

Last season, we saw the re-emergence of natural materials such as bamboo and wicker. Although many still think of these materials as a throwback to the 70s and only for outdoor furniture, they have proved their worth in terms of stylish pendant lights in recent times. In the coming year, with the emphasis remaining on making better decisions in terms of materials and their impact on the environment, bamboo and wicker will remain stylish options.

Recycled and reclaimed materials

Recycled and reclaimed materials will also remain top of the list when it comes to stylish lighting solutions in the home. Think recycled glass table lamps or wood chip pendant ceiling lights to complement your reclaimed wood furniture.

More refined industrial lighting

The industrial style is never far from the headlines, but as with all interior themes, there are always slight tweaks and changes to bring it up to date. This is true of the industrial style lighting coming our way this season. With a more refined edge, industrial pendant lighting still has its place in the kitchen and dining area. Opt for dining room lighting with a slightly retro feel about it.

Edison style bulbs

If you want to give your lighting a lift but without changing the fitting, you’ll be pleased to know there is a solution and it comes in the shape of Edison-style light bulbs. Mimicking the original light bulb, which was big, round and had a large filament on show, these bulbs make a great addition for kitchen pendant lighting as well as pendant ceiling lights in the hallway and table lamps too.

Mid-century modern lighting

The mid-century style is set to make a comeback in terms of lighting styles. However, this doesn’t mean hunting for a decadent chandelier. Instead, you are looking for pendant lighting that has glamour and the wow factors. Opt for pendant lighting that uses plenty of glass with a minimal fitting. Also, consider those pendant light fittings that are plentiful. In other words, clustered pendant lighting will work in any room.

Smart technology

If you haven’t joined the smart home technology revolution, then now is the time. There is some suggestion that smart lighting can save you money as you can switch off lights in the kitchen, hallway, bedrooms without leaving the comfort of the sofa ….

Better still, you don’t have to ditch your current light fittings. Simply get yourself hooked up with special bulbs and plugs, and your Google or Alexa home bug will guide you through the setup process.

Go with your own style

When all is said and done, lighting trends are only as current and popular if people like them and opt for them in their home. Make a statement – your statement – with lighting solutions that you love.