rustic Archives - Page 31 of 45

How to choose the perfect wardrobe for the stylish bedroom

A room becomes a bedroom when there is a wardrobe but like all other storage options, the wardrobe must a personal solution. We take a look at how to choose the perfect wardrobe for you.

1. Consider height, width and depth

No two bedrooms are the same and for a wardrobe to ‘fit’ it needs to boost the correct dimensions.

In particular, check the height because there is nothing worse than investing in fantastic solid reclaimed wood wardrobe only to find you have to ‘chop a bit off the top’ to make it fit.

2.Plan for delivery too

But there is also something else you need to consider – getting it into your home, up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Opting for a flat-pack product is all well and good but where are the character and individuality? The good news is that there are large wardrobes and smaller wardrobes that have the right dimensions for your room.

3.Freestanding or fitted?

The next question you need to ask when shopping for a wardrobe is not only will it fit but which is best: fitted or freestanding.

We prefer the versatility of a freestanding wardrobe because it can be moved to a new location in the room, as well into another bedroom.

A small wardrobe would have more versatility if this is something that you need.

4.Style

It is a big decision, especially when you want a wardrobe that fits with your overall style choice.

Choosing a bedroom set of reclaimed furniture is one solution to this and gives a cohesive finish to your bedroom.

If this isn’t the case but you’re looking for one piece of reclaimed wood furniture, you will need to bear in mind that as a purchase, the wardrobe is one of the most expensive purchases you will make, especially if you are opting for quality and solid wood.

·If you like the Scandinavian style in the bedroom, this open wardrobe will help you feel right at home. A simple structure, it boasts beautiful quality and finishes. No wonder that the Wycombe wardrobe is so very popular. Great for smaller bedrooms, you have the use of a ‘full’ double wardrobe without the boxiness of doors closing in on the room.

·Hanging and drawers space give you more options than a wardrobe that is hanging space alone. The large wardrobe with deep drawers from the rustic, yet refined Thornton Collection is a shining example of this versatility.

·Dark wood has an elegance that can only come from its patina, a beautiful look that develops with age. Perfect for a bedroom that you want oozing with class and elegance, the Winchester dark wood wardrobe is simply divine.

·If dark wood is too oppressive for your tastes, painted wardrobes are fantastic. With an appealing ‘coastal style’ to their appeal, the Dorset white painted wardrobe is satisfyingly rustic or if you want to vamp up the elegance, the Savannah white painted wardrobe has a refined edge to it.

5.Budget

And then, of course, there is the price tag, but we think investing your money in an affordable and chic oak wardrobe that will last the test of time is a far better use of your hard-earned cash than the rickety wardrobe that threatens to topple…

How to give your bedroom a speedy makeover every day

Standford Reclaimed Wood Bed and Wardrobe

On September 11th, it’s Make Your Bed Day. Making your bed seems like such a trivial thing in the overall picture. And really, it is. But making your bed before you leave the house is guaranteed to get your morning started in the right way and often leaves our minds feeling clearer and thus improving our moods.

There are plenty of other reasons to make your bed too. Like these, for example…

Research shows it helps to keep the rest of your bedroom tidy (haven’t you ever noticed a made bed has the magical power of making the rest of your room look tidy, even when it definitely isn’t?)
Daily bed making, once it becomes a habit, also improves productivity by kickstarting a chain of making good decisions throughout your day
Few things feel better than jumping into your bed after a day at work and sinking into a perfectly plump pillow and settling in for the night in smoothly made sheets

Perhaps not so trivial after all!

So, by now you might be wondering how to take your bed-making to the next level. Luckily for you, it’s really quite simple and only takes a couple of minutes away from your regular morning routine.

Making the perfect bed starts with the bottom – the sheet. After you’ve got comfortable and had a night’s sleep, your sheet is unlikely to still be perfect. Take the time to pull each corner flat again to ensure that anything lying on top e.g. your duvet, has a perfect base to rest upon.

Creating the look of a luxurious bed does often come down to the type of duvet used. A bigger, fluffier duvet will create an overall plumper look which is fantastic for creating a sumptuous finish and also minimising a creased appearance.

However, you can also give your duvet a quick shake to fluff it up each morning.

And finally – lots of pillows! Whether or not you sleep with lots of pillows, having several pillows plus a few decorative pillows creates a styled appearance you’ll love the finish off. Two (or three, if you really go for it) pillows plumped up and standing upright against the headboard look fantastic, like something in a stylish boutique hotel. Finish with a couple of colourful scatter cushions to tie your bed into the rest of your colour scheme and you’re good to go.

When it comes to adding colour, perhaps think about the style of your bed. For example, the cool toned wood of the Nilsson Rustica Wood Bed looks perfect with peaceful colours such as blue and grey. Opt for very light grey linens (they not only look stylish but are easier to keep looking perfectly clean than white) and finish with lots of blue accessories, and lots of texture – a few pattened cushions and a chunky knitted throw should do the trick.

A very simple style bed like the Standford Bed allows you to have more fun. Why not play around with a couple of contrasting colours for something special, or inject a fantastically bright pop of colour – yellow is always a fun choice, and is another colour which looks great with blue. You could even do a selection of pastel colours.

Thornton Reclaimed Wood in Bed and Blanket Box

When it comes to light wood, like with the Thornton High Reclaimed Bed, keeping the colours light and neutral will create the most tranquil setting you could imagine. Shades of grey look stunning for that chic space you’ve always dreamt of. However, pops of pale colours also work wonders – a soft pink or sage green will look truly stunning, and aren’t colours you’ll tire of either.

Having a good selection of reclaimed wood furniture also helps. After all, the bedroom should be peaceful – something which is hard to achieve in a room full of clutter.

A wooden blanket box at the end of your bed is the PERFECT hiding place for fresh linens when you want to do a complete bed-change, but will also fit in unseasonal throws and cushions if you like to change up your bed’s styling to make the seasons. A small chest of drawers will also do the same job if you’d prefer to have your furniture up against a wall as opposed to in the middle.

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bedside

Bed side tables on each side of the bed are also great for minimising clutter and giving a perfectly made bed the perfect frame to finish the look of brilliantly. Gorgeous table lamps or a large statement candle on each bedside table will add a pop of interest, especially if you opt for all-white bedding, too. And don’t forget a fantastic wooden dressing table to ensure hairbrushes, makeup and styling products can be tucked away in a drawer rather than cluttering beautiful wooden tops.

Have you got any fantastic bed making tips?! We would love to know.

Amazing coffee tables with storage to celebrate Lazy Mom Day

Come Lazy Mom Day on 7th September, every mum should have their feet up and their entire day spent recharging their batteries.

This, of course, means one thing – a suitable space to put their feet up and enjoy the day lazing about catching up on reading, social media and whatever else the mum in your life likes to do.

If you haven’t got one already, maybe for Lazy Mom Day you should consider investing in an important piece of rustic furniture – a rustic coffee table. But, this time, one with an addition that makes it incredibly popular. Our reclaimed wood coffee table range with storage is literally flying out of the door. But, just why is it so popular? And why are these types of coffee table perfect for Lazy Mom Day?

Coffee tables with storage – the inside story

There are many reasons why this kind of coffee table is popular;

Functional

Every piece of rustic furniture in our home needs to tick more than just one box. In other words, it needs to be functional and practical as well as looking great with your existing décor.

The rustic coffee table with storage is universally functional. It suits almost every home and it is deceptively simple, but stylish too.

Size and dimension

A coffee table needs to ‘fit’ the space in which it sits. It should neither be too large nor too small but there is another dimension to consider within a coffee table with storage: depth.

A wooden storage chest can offer a depth of storage that is perfect in some living rooms, whilst in others, the slightly shallower depths of the rustic coffee table may suffice. Which would you opt for? If you’re not convinced by either, then the simple yet elegant mark of the wooden blanket box is another beautiful option – especially if crafting is a hobby – you can store all you need within your ‘coffee table’ if you choose one of these.

Versatile

Any room or any space will benefit from the addition of a coffee table with storage. Consider putting one in the hallway that will double up as a telephone table, or use one or two in the bedroom as a replacement for a bedside table – ideal if you have a low bed.

Longevity

And finally, there is a longevity to the rustic coffee table with storage that makes it such a popular choice. Built to last, and to be well-used, with that use only adding to their charm, it’s no wonder that they are becoming ever more popular in the home, and not just in the living room. Durable and sturdy, they’ll last for years of drawer opening and closing, whether you’re looking for keys in the hallway, or getting out reading glasses for a much-needed book break.

So, wherever mom wants to be ‘lazy’ (and let’s face it, she never is) why not consider looking at bringing a coffee table with storage into any room she likes to relax in – and why not bring her a nice coffee to go with it while she puts her feet up too!

Update the home office to get the best from your work space

Quinton Reclaimed Wood Desk and Bookcase

We think of the office as a formal place of work which, for most of us it has been for a long, long time. But in recent years, designers have shown us another way.

It doesn’t have to be functional metal filing cabinets, monstrosities that graced many an office over the years. It doesn’t have to be an office desk, devoid of all character and detail.

In other words, it doesn’t have to be dull and functional. The home office can be beautiful and functional without compromising on style with reclaimed oak furniture, and all the right accessories.

So ditch the whiteboards and the filing cabinets, ditch the expanse of desk and miles of shelves, bereft of any character or personal bits and bobs.

The home office is about to undergo a Modish Living renovation.

What the home office means to YOU

Before we fire full steam ahead into creating the perfect home office, we need to ask the important question: how will you use it?

Just as we ask this question before we style a new kitchen or create the perfect family dining room, you need to be clear how you will use the space, for the answer to this question informs the best choice of home office furniture.

Are you a student? Is this your main place of work? Will it be the space where your kids do their homework? What tech do you have? How do you work – on a PC or stood at a desk, designing, sketching and drawing?

You see, we don’t all work the same thus the home office shouldn’t all be designed the same.

The home office desk landscape

It is, perhaps, the most important piece of home office furniture. And that means, getting the right home office desk, whether a wide or narrow desk, should be your priority.

Before you consider storage, consider dimensions. You may have space for a huge home office desk but do you need such a vast table?

Consider bespoke home office desk options for when you a. need lots and lots of work space and/or b. when you have limited space to work with.

Keep it stylish

Not everyone has the gift of a spare room to convert to an office and so, a smaller corner of the living room or dining room becomes the workspace.

It can work but in terms of style, choosing a desk that is functional but uber-beautiful and in keeping with its surroundings is essential. This simply designed home office desk, for example, is understated but functional, perfect for the minimal or even the rustic styled space.

Stylish storage

Storage is also essential in any office but again, it seems that for too long we assume that the only option was a filing cabinet and that the office had to be completely devoid of anything pretty or personal.

Those days are gone – hurrah! – and so you have a whole range of options before your very eyes. Choose from sideboards to display and shelving units to elegant bookcases.

And accessorise to your heart’s content. Beautiful sculptures mixing with books and files, offset with the glamour of standing floor lamps and tabletop lamps, dressed with mirrors are diving.

In fact, the home office will become a place you will WANT to work…

A simple care guide for your leather and reclaimed furniture

Natural materials are hardy – leather can withstand all kinds of rambunctious play and reclaimed wood has already lived longer than most of us and had a long, long story to tell – but every now and then, they need tender, loving care.

Although robust, treated well and with more than a little care and thought, they will age even more gracefully and beautifully.

The beauty of reclaimed wood

Whether it is English beams from ancient lofts or discarded fishing junk from the other side of the world, most of the wood we use is reclaimed and of the best quality.

Woods such as oak have a dense structure and that means they age beautifully but unlike MDF and other timbers, they don’t always welcome a hot cup of coffee on the surface…

·Wipe up spills as soon as they happen

·Clean the whole item each time, rather than small patches or you’ll find different colours and patinas in one area to the other

·Furniture polish gradually builds on the surface so use a damp cloth to wipe the surface instead

·Use coasters and mats

·Don’t allow it to sit in full sun for days, weeks and months on end

·Always lift your furniture, never drag it across the floor

Nourish it

Nourishing it your reclaimed furniture, whether a reclaimed dining table or sideboard is about loving it and using it, but also about adding a little something to it – in this case, waxing it.

Buy a high-quality waxing product – we suggest Mylands Wax, a British wax that works well on our reclaimed wood furniture. Use a clear wax if you want to avoid adding a darker shade to it.

Follow the instructions but they are simple enough – use an old rag and apply the wax generously making sure it gets in all the crevices and the cracks. Rub it along the grain and leave it for half an hour.

With a fresh rag, remove the excess wax and buff it. Now sit back, admire it and fall even deeper in love with it.

Sideboards, a reclaimed dining table, coffee tables and our reclaimed wood bookcases and display units would love a little waxing every now and then.

How often should you wax? Regularly but don’t overdo it. In the first three months you have the furniture, wax it monthly and then alternate months after this.

Leather care

Leather is a cool to the touch material that is deliciously robust, and one reason why investing in a brown leather sofa or armchair is a great move.

But it too needs a little help;

·Gently vacuum leather furniture on a regular basis and flick a duster over it too

·Place the leather sofa or armchair in the right place – that is, away from stark sunlight and radiators, and not too close to the drying heat of the open fire or log burner

·Sunlight fades it, discolours it and cracks the leather too – as does moonlight, so take care placing it in the window

·Treat it with respect! Sit on the seat, not the arms!

·Dyed clothing can rub against the leather leaving a slight mark or staining

·Your aniline leather sofa and armchairs are not standard, so standard cleaning products and polishes don’t cut the mustard – opt for conditioning treatments specifically for leather!

5 Useful tips on measuring the space in your home

When something comes flat-packed, it often isn’t an issue to get the item into the home, through the doors and into its final resting spot. It may mean carrying it in bits, however!

With items of furniture that come readymade, there can be an issue. For example, the large headboard of a bed, a delightful piece of reclaimed wood, beautifully styled and finished may not fit up the stairs if you have a low ceiling height in the hallway.

Or maybe the turn in your stair means getting anything larger than the vacuum up and around the corner is nigh-on impossible.

And then when you do get the item through the front door, getting it into the living room or the kitchen proves problematic because there just isn’t the space…

When ordering readymade, reclaimed wood furniture, we suggest you do the following;

1.Measure the entry doors to your home

Whether that is the front or back door, making sure that the item will fit through the door is important. Measure width as well as height, making note of steps and lips, as well as other issues that could impact on the moving of items into your home.

Items may be readymade but they often arrive in separate component pieces, especially rustic furniture such as the rustic dining table that will need its legs attaching to the table top. But still, the bigger the table top…

Of course, if you have patio or bi-folding doors and we can access them through the garden, it shouldn’t be an issue.

2.The staircase

The staircase in any home can present a challenge when getting items up and into the bedrooms, whether the modern bedroom furniture or rustic bed, or double wardrobe.

For example, the headboards of many of our beds are large and inflexible. Thus, there needs to be the head height to manoeuvre it safely from the ground floor.

With the stairs, take note of its shape and measure the width of the staircase and the height too, important if you have an overhang of the floor above.

Beds require some assembly but the chest of drawers from most of our collections are completely assembled prior to delivery.

3.The kitchen

Access to the kitchen can be easy, depending on its location to the door we are using to bring the furniture in.

But don’t forget, if you have fixed wall and floor kitchen cabinets, manoeuvring pieces into or through the space can be difficult. Some of our items come ready-made, such as the sideboards.

Assembly of items is rarely difficult or problematic. We offer free assembly on items from our Beam Collection simply because items are much heavier to handle.

4.The dining room

Again, access can be an issue so measure the doorway – height and width – and note the position of any other features or items that are immovable. Most pieces come partly pre-assembled with just the legs needing to be adding to large sideboards and so on.

5.The Living room

It’s a similar story in the living room, with sofas arriving without their legs or castors, ready for assembly.

But remember, any sofa, whether it is a two-seater or a three-seater, is not an object that bends! Thus, to get your plush velvet sofa into position, we will need space in the hallway to manoeuvre it into the room.

Measure the hallway, as well as the doorway height and width. Are you confident the items you order will fit through the door?

How to keep your cat happy in your new home

If you’re thinking about adding a cat to your family, the chances are you’ll want to give it the very best. So before welcoming your new feline friend, have a think about how you can make your home more cat-friendly?

First of all, entertainment is key. Not only will it keep your cat content, chances are you’ll also protect those beautiful reclaimed wood furniture pieces you spent time saving pennies for. A window perch for looking out (even better if it has a view of a bird feeder), a cat tree for climbing or a water fountain is a great option.

Entertainment which also creates an opportunity for exercise is also important, particularly if you have a house cat. In order to keep your cat fit and healthy, a wall mounted structure may be a more stylish option than a giant cat climbing frame which also takes up precious floor space. There are plenty of DIY projects to make cat structures and trees if you’re willing to put the time in.

You may also wish to think about cat-friendly furniture. A glass-topped reclaimed wood dining table is a great idea if you’re looking to protect the natural grain of the wood and will also be enviably easy to clean. Additionally, you may want to consider something more durable in terms of seating. Beautifully upholstered dining chairs look stylish, but they may not be the best pairing with kitten claws. So how about durable wooden dining chairs instead?

Once you’ve lived with your cat for a little while, the chances are you’ll discover its favourite sleeping spot. The chances are it’s not that plush cat bed you splurged on. To welcome your cat, roll with their favourite spot. A folded towel or blanket makes a great makeshift bed and shows you care if you pop on their favourite spot – whether that be a shelf on your rustic shelves or under your reclaimed wood coffee table.

Finally, do some research into things around the home which may be toxic to your new cat. For example, although cats love plants, a lot of common plants e.g. lilies can be toxic for cats. Instead, look for plants which are safe for felines or plant a tray with kitty grass which your cat is able to nibble at throughout the day.

Have you got any tips to welcome a cat into your home, or any tips to protect your rustic furniture from cats and other furry friends?

How to Create Harmony and Style in the Living Room with Cream Sofas

We assume that because cream is a neutral colour that it is easy to work with. But as most interior designers will tell you, working with neutrals can be tougher than working with bold colours!

One slip or mistakes and the room plummets from stylish to insipid, devoid of character and boldness.

We take a look at two of our sofas available in cream and how with clever choices of colour, shape and form, you won’t be anywhere near creating a neutral living room that fails to commit.

The Edale Sofa

The Edale cream sofa has a hint of Chesterfield about it with its button back and low, curvy arms. Where it differs is the curves in its overall shape, a change from the straight, angular appearance of the Chesterfield itself. But what of Edale sofa inspiration for the surrounding décor?

The velvet Chesterfield sofa alone is something worth celebrating which is why we would use the fading black rug to draw attention to the floor and to the curved of the cream sofa itself.

Carrying the black from the rug would be the narrow console table, perfect for running along a wall close to the cream sofa, giving you ample storage options without the clutter.

Harmony is across this living room and the statuesque industrial display unit would make a fantastic addition – opt for two, for column-like structures that add drama.

But finally, adding more than a hint of the unexpected is the reclaimed wood coffee table on wheels but look at the wheels! The thing we love about reclaimed wood furniture is the quirkiness of it and how sometimes, this can be as obvious as you like!

The York Sofa

Everything that shines and sparkles is sheer silver when it comes to styling a room in our opinion.

The York sofa again alludes to the iconic Chesterfield shape. A fabric chesterfield sofa sits well in any living room and with its neutral backdrop, it lends itself well to adding more colour.

As well as earthy green being an option, there are navy cushions and throws to consider for York sofa inspiration. Or why not opt for a classic contrast of black and white?

A lighter cream rug, one of many living room rugs from which to choose, would work well under the York sofa, especially if using darker coloured scatter cushions for drama and effect.

Stick with high-shine, polished stainless steel for a glamorous look too. A reclaimed wood coffee table, complete with criss-crossed stainless steel legs would work a treat for your afternoon cup or evening cocktail when guests are over for dinner.

For cohesion, choose a side table from the same range. The lower level side table from the Luxe Kensington range is perfection in itself. You could opt for two but we would place one at the far end of the sofa, using it for a dramatic table lamp that fits with the glamorous appeal of this neutral, but characterful living room scheme.

Bold with neutrals

Using neutral colours is not difficult but an item could be easily lost. When choosing a cream sofa, opt for one with detailing such as the button back or a curvy shape that attracts attention, preventing it from sailing into the background.

And use colour, including metallic finishes, and you won’t regret your choice of a cream sofa!

Tips to create rustic glamour in the dining space

Maddox Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Rustic glamour is the seamless combination of wood and anything that shines. All our collections lend themselves to this popular, on-trend interior design style – including the industrial edge of the Maddox Collection – but only if you know how.

So here’s how to do it.

Let the key elements ‘shine’

The key elements of the rustic glamour look are wood and anything that shines, from glass to clear plastics, to mirrors and more.

Both need their opportunity in the rustic glamour landscape to shine. All this comes rolled into one with the Maddox reclaimed wood dining table.

Just look at the beauty and warmth of the wooden table top on this rustic dining table perfectly foiled by the mirrored metal legs. Doesn’t it make your spine tingle?!

Sticking with the dining room scene for the moment, the matching Maddox display unit in the background emphasises this – just in case you hadn’t notice the effortless rustic glamour chicness of the room – with the mirrored metal display units being the cohesive narrative the room needs.

Get personal

Sometimes, the accessories are the things that support and bolster a style and the rustic glamour fusion is no different.

As well as adding your own family photos to the wall and the Maddox display units and bookcases, add those statement words and signs that you see too.

From ‘love’ to ‘family’, the rustic glamour style is all about spelling it out so that everything is clear and obvious.

Luxurious textures

It doesn’t seem possible but the rustic glamour style, even with the most beautiful reclaimed furniture can fall flat, just like other styles, and that is because the textures are too one dimensional.

Texture can be the flippant surprise that catches people off guard and makes them sit and take notice. It is important in this fusion of because everything can be so obvious that adding a hint of luxury as an undertone is just what’s needed.

Fabric dining chairs can be wool, velvet dining chairs or hardwearing cotton ones. The detailing on some of our dining chairs are also perfect foils for the industrial sharpness of the Maddox collection, bringing yet more glamour.

Of course, that doesn’t mean leather dining chairs are out of the frame – far from it. In fact, leather is a material that oozes sophistication, a sub-species of glamour in the interior design world.

Can you have too much glamour?

We doubt it.

The more obvious it is, the more rustic glamour the room becomes. There is an edginess to the Maddox Collection that we know customers love because it has more than a hint of the unexpected.

Adding yet more glamour and shine with separate pieces brings the collection to life, but dampens those angles and lines, without blunting its on-trend industrial demeanour.

Choose artwork that is so far from the industrial look that you think it won’t work – that’s glamour.

Choose items that have an elegance all of their own– that’s glamour.

Why not opt for a traditional addition or even an antique shelving unit – that’s glamour – because it is unexpected. And this alone creates the fusion that a rustic glamour landscape needs.