How to make your home smell fresh

How to make your home smell fresh - Modish Living

Fresh flowers in dining room on reclaimed wood dining table with wooden dining chairsThere is something about a good smelling home; whether it be the smell of your family’s favourite food cooking, a wonderful new candle or just the smell of home. Here are a few of our favourite ideas to create an uplifting and homely smell throughout your home and incorporate some cool dining accessories.

Candles are always an easy option for making your home smell amazing and they give you the freedom to change the scent of a room depending on your mood or the time of the year.

When it comes to scents, you may wish to tailor the candle to the room. For example, floral smells like eucalyptus and jasmine or foody scents like basil, lemon or rhubarb would be fantastically in your kitchen whereas a warmer or a subtle, coastal scent would be perfect for your living room, dining room or bedroom. Candles are also great left un-lit in places like linen cupboards so you get a lovely smell when you open the door or get out new bedding.

If you prefer to use tea lights so you can switch up the smell of your room more often, the Bella Ball Tea Light Holders are great. The clear curved glass holders with curved stainless steel framing offer simple, contemporary style which would look great in any room or on a rustic coffee table. Place three together on a solid oak sideboard or above your fireplace or spread around your room.

Alternatively, the Contemporary Anthracite Lanterns make a fantastic statement decor piece in your living room, crafted out of aluminium. Place a tall pillar candle in the centre, or on an oak display unit to create a warming glow and a wonderful smell.

Also in your kitchen, make the most of fruits. Keep fresh fruits like oranges, limes and lemons in fruit bowls which are not enclosed. Not only will they smell lovely and fresh, but they also look great and add a bit of colour!

The unique design of the Encore Stainless Steel Basket Bowl is perfect for any kitchen. With its elegant curve and contemporary caged style, the colour of fresh fruits will pop right through and look great in the centre of your kitchen sideboard, table or on a worktop.

For a slightly different alternative to fruit, you could always add oranges and cinnamon to a bowl of water which will create a lovely warming smell. Or you could add a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil, like mint, lavender or vanilla and put these in a bowl.

The Pearl Wrap Bowls are a statement in themselves but are perfect for placing your pinecones. With their beautiful curved design and inside coated with pearl coloured enamel, their Scandinavian inspired design will work beautifully in any room for a touch of glamour.

Use the largest in the set of three in your living room, or in an open plan house, somewhere where it will reach the largest amount of space. You could place one of the smaller ones in your hallway, on a small console table, so you get a lovely smell when you walk through the door.

The Four Corner Bowls are another great option. The tops of the bowls are elegantly curved and have a dark interior for a little drama.

There are also plenty of other ways to keep your house smelling amazingly fresh day-to-day.

When it comes to cleaning, citrus-scented products are great for creating an uplifting smell. Products for cleaning your worktop or your floors will leave a lovely smell once you’ve finished cleaning. You can also clean your bins with citrus to keep it smelling fresh and hide any food smells you don’t want to hang around!

lemons on reclaimed wood table

In your kitchen, growing herbs is a great option. Herbs like basil and mint have a wonderful scent, and you can use them in your cooking too! Alternatively, fresh flowers always add a welcoming feel, look beautiful and can smell amazing. A bunch of flowers in the hallway on a reclaimed wood console table; or bedroom, on a bedroom chest of drawers, is always a lovely touch.

For more inspiration, have a look at the full collection of home decor at Modish Living, get in touch with one of our team members for any enquiries.

How wood shelving can help your children keep their room clean

Toys on reclaimed wood pained shelf

Toys on reclaimed wood shelvingChildren’s Day is on June 1st this year, and with the occasion fast approaching it may be useful to consider ways to keep playrooms and bedrooms as tidy as possible when playtime comes to an end. The majority of parents will always expect some degree of upheaval, of course, but it’s good to know that a certain level of order can be restored when the toys and games are put away.

The key for many homes is to make the most of the space that’s available. Plenty of storage options need to be incorporated into such rooms, and the excellent Chedworth Wooden Shoe Storage Unit is a prime example of what you can achieve. Everything from bricks and balls to books and bears can hide away at night in the sumptuous Fenshaw Mango Wood Storage Bench, a perfect furniture asset.

Of course, high quality storage means more than finding space for toys. A wooden blanket box offers a chance to store all those necessities without having to search high and low for them at a later date. 

 

Make it fun for the kids to tidy up

Wooden toy box in child bedroom

Another great space-saver would be a tall chest of drawers, and to make it fun for the little ones you could encourage them to use each drawer for a different day of the week. Making tidying up more enjoyable is a must if the children are to be encouraged to get involved. Bringing in a few ‘rules’, such as rewarding good behaviour is always a good idea. If the child doesn’t get involved, it might be useful to put some items away and not allow them out again until after a small act of kindness has occurred.

The eye-catching Onslow Reclaimed Wooden Blanket Box is a welcome sight in any child’s bedroom, because it combines practicality with some much-needed attractiveness, and of course it can double up as a wooden toy box. Rustic furniture always adds a touch of elegance to any environment, even one that’s often festooned with toys and games!

Another superb option which offers more than just a piece of furniture is the Standford Industrial Wooden Coffee Table, an eye-catching item which can store toys on the bottom shelf and act as a play table on top. It’s a solid and dependable table which will offer robustness in even the most boisterous room. Sometimes a coffee table with shelf is more than just a coffee table with shelf.

The sophisticated Elton Oak Coffee Table is another option which features wooden shelving underneath for storage. In keeping with the need for saving space, the beautiful Winchester Rustic Wooden Tall Chest Of Drawers may just be perfect for your needs.

Get the most out of a small bedroom for kids

English Beam Reclaimed Wood Bed in Bedroom with sheepskin rug

Not every bedroom in every home is gifted with acres of space and that means planning the space available carefully. By doing so, you ensure that all space is used efficiently, making the perfect bedroom and play space for your children.

But what are the secrets to getting the most from a small bedroom?

Step 1 – Measure it and Draw it

Measure tape for small bedroom

To optimise the space available, you need an accurate floor plan. And that means measuring the space, creating an accurate plan that has the positions of the windows and any other features accurately marked on the plan. You also need to note the position of the door and the direction in which it opens. That way, before you purchase your rustic bedroom furniture or gorgeous rugs, you’ll know they’ll fit just fine.

STEP 2 – The Bed

Clearly, in a bedroom, the most important piece of furniture is the bed and a reclaimed wood bed can look super stylish, even in a child’s room. As well as deciding on the best location for it, you also need to ensure it ‘fits’ the space though.

Single beds come in pre-determined sizes which is great, except when it leaves either a small gap at the foot of the bed that gathers dust or, worse still, does not fit neatly into a cove etc.

The solution lay in a bespoke furniture, such as a made-to-measure bed.

Step 3 – Position Other Furniture Items

There are other items that are essential in a bedroom. The amount of space dictates how many of these pieces you can fit in. The key is not to be over ambitious as too much furniture means a cluttered space.

Another secret is not to create a ‘box within a box’. This means avoiding positioning furniture around the edges of the room assuming this gives ample play space on the floor.

Consider reclaimed furniture that can be moved too, possibly used in other areas of the home. This means choosing stylish pieces, such as a reclaimed wood bedside table that could be used elsewhere in the home at some point.

Step 4 – Storage

Storage is critical in a small room and that means two choices:

    • The wardrobe – choose a stylish reclaimed wood wardrobe for an appealing chunkiness and sturdiness that offer flexible solutions for storing clothes.
    • The toy box – consider a bespoke blanket box as a toy box using wood that matches the frame of the customised bed. This brings cohesion to the room without being too matchy-matchy. Size is essential too – don’t allow toy box dimensions to dwarf the bed.

Step 5 – The Floor

Pull it all together with a rug.

But choose the correct size rug for the space. Even in a small space, a rug can look super-small and too big a rug will simply swamp it. You want a rug that adds both colour and texture to a space but also provides the lynchpin to pull the whole small bedroom design together.

Our top tip for a small bedroom space is…

Lighting

Table lamps and other accessories clutter the space but a state-of-the-art hanging pendant light makes a statement without ‘getting in the way’. It serves a practical purpose too, provides ample light without being stark and overly clinical.

Working down the list above will allow you to properly plan for the space you have, and avoid leaving things looking cramped.

Our latest obsession: clever storage ideas

Zinc Top Aldsworth Outdoor Storage Box for garden tools and furniture

We’ve all been there – scrambling around to hide clutter and mess when unexpected visitors call. And how times have you felt like tearing your hair out when it seems there is nowhere to put (hide!) anything? This is why clever storage ideas are our latest obsession – because the right containers, offering the right solutions in the best style for the space are essential.

reclaimed wooden storage chest open

We find the most effective storage solutions lay in pairing the right type of storage furniture to the items that need to be contained – and that means taking a room by room approach. But, as you would expect, no matter what option suits you best, it should always be stylish as well as practical.

Hallway storage ideas

Shoes, boots, wellies, coats, hats, scarves, umbrellas… there are a plethora of things that need to be on hand yet stored away in the hallway. With so much already going on, it’s hard to know which storage option to plump for to minimise the clutter.

reclaimed wood storage bench in grey with rattan baskets

We have a collection of clever storage ideas solutions in the form of chic, rustic and quality rattan furniture such as the Rattan May Wooden Storage units with rattan drawers – super handy for separating family things to help that morning school and work routine run more smoothly. Another fantastic storage solution for the hallway is to add a rustic style Winchester wooden trunk, perfect for throwing in shoes and bags to keep the hallway clutter-free.

Bedroom storage ideas

Again, there are several items that routinely need storing in the bedroom that you need quick and easy access to from time to time, but you don’t want cluttering the space, especially if you’re looking for small bedroom storage ideas.

Cotswold Reclaimed Wood Blanket Box for bedroom or hallway

Anything from blankets and bed linen to towels and even clothes can be stored in this stylish wooden blanket box. Crafted in solid reclaimed wood and chunky in style and appearance, there is a satisfying quality to reclaimed furniture, and what’s more, high quality wooden bedroom furniture that will last a lifetime is the best investment you can truly make.

Living room storage ideas

The living room is the place where you go with visitors and guests to relax and enjoy each others company and so storage solutions in here need to be both practical and stylish. If you love the warm and welcoming qualities of the modern rustic style – plenty of wood and exposed brickwork, beams etc. – then rustic furniture with a modern edge, such as contemporary coffee tables will fit into your design scheme beautifully.

reclaimed wood coffee table with drawers

The Farringdon range of reclaimed wood furniture also offers storage perfection. The reclaimed wood coffee table is the perfect platform for drinks and nibbles, whilst having spacious drawers for all kinds of clutter to be thrown into and hidden from view – it’s great for storing the remote controls, drink coasters and magazines too.

Garden storage ideas

The outdoor space of your home should not be overlooked and has much paraphernalia that needs to kept tidily away both during the summer and winter. Whether you’ve been lounging on your rattan outdoor chairs or busying yourself with the bedding plants, you are no doubt looking for garden storage ideas beyond a shed.

An outdoor storage box crafted in faux rattan is an ideal solution. Weather can damage outdoor furniture even those made from the hardiest of plastic, metals and wood, but a faux rattan cushion storage box is hardy and can cater for much more than just cushions. Gardening gloves or smaller gardening implements like a hand trowel can be safely stored so you know exactly where to find them when the time arrives.

faux rattan outdoor storage box

Storage doesn’t have to be boring – take a look at our range of stylish storage furniture options available and have your home clutter free and stylish in no time!

Add a Stunning Woven Texture in Your Home With Rattan Furniture

Rattan dining chairs with reclaimed wood dining table in dining room

For anyone keen on styling their home, an understanding of the seven principles of interior design is essential. Space, line, form, light, colour, pattern and texture emphasise the focal point in a space. That means adding a key element that draws attention to itself.

Chilgrove PE Rattan Garden Sofa for outdoors

Texture is an easy way of adding emphasis to a room or space, both in the home and in outside areas too.

Rattan Texture

Rattan is a fast-growing plant that is sustainable and once dried and woven, produces furniture and other items that is not only of exceptional quality but superior strength too. It can have a smaller, more delicate weave or pattern or, as in some cases we illustrate below, it can be larger, chunkier and more robust in its finish.

Rattan Furniture For Outdoors

Because of its strength and ability to withstand all kinds of weather, rattan garden furniture is an increasingly popular choice in garden furniture across the country.

Trends for the outdoor space for the coming summer season is for a laid-back approach to rattan garden furniture – opt for loungers or hammocks, bringing a relaxed approached to seating in the garden.

Marden PE Rattan Garden Corner Sofa Set

The rattan sofa, both stylish yet neutral, will work well on the patio or in the conservatory, with the weave of the rattan inviting people to take a seat and relax a while too.

For a higher chair that is both relaxed seating and perfect as an al fresco dining chair, there is a range of rattan garden chairs that fit the bill. As well as texture, rattan pieces tend to bring earthy yet neutral tones to a space, perfect for any garden space. We like to think of rattan furniture as deceptively simple.

Chilgrove PE Rattan Garden Chair with Cushion for Outdoors

Perfect For The Conservatory

Rattan is a material commonly associated with the conservatory. Deceptively lightweight but brilliantly robust, rattan doesn’t warp or weaken with heat hence, a firm favourite for the conservatory or the orangery.

rattan garden chairs

Dining in Style

Rattan isn’t just for the patio or the conservatory. As a material, it is a stunning addition around the dining table.

No matter what your style – contemporary, rustic, industrial or farmhouse country chic – the wood dining table, complete with large weave rattan high-backed dining chairs and soft, cream coloured cushions is simply perfection. Where else will you find a dining table with such character?

Rattan in the Bedroom

Want something different but still within budget? Want a bed frame that makes a statement, packs a punch but without being overly quirky or so eclectic that it is a bespoke piece that is too individual to be part of any design scheme other than its own?

A rattan bed frame is the ideal solution – different without being ‘odd’, it has a warmth to its appearance, as well as being stylish and the centre of attention.

In our minds, there is no doubt that rattan is one of the best materials for use in and outside of the home, offering an elegance, stylish woven texture that is perfect, no matter the design or trend.

How to choose the perfect rug for a room

Louis de Poortere rug in dining room with white dining table

The main purpose of modern rugs is to define a space, and that means choosing the right size, colour and shape. It is, however something people often struggle with, and here at Modish we want to make buying our rugs more of a pleasure and less of a pain.

Here, we provide some advice for those looking to purchase a rug for every room in the house, whether to complement industrial office furniture or as the perfect addition to the bedroom.

Our top tip for getting the right size rug is to create an ‘ideal size’ out of newspaper or marking out the rug edges with masking tape. When in doubt, opt for a rug that is slightly bigger rather than smaller – but there are several tips that work specifically depending on what room you’re looking to style with a rug. Read on to find out what they are…

How to use a rug in… The Living Room

Rugs look fantastic next to wooden living room furniture, but a great tip for small to medium sized living rooms would be to opt for a rug that fits all of your modern living room furniture on it. This helps to define the size of the room, giving it an ‘ordered’ appearance. Choose colours that complement your colour scheme or use contemporary rugs to introduce an accent colour into a space.

Louis De Poortere Vintage Patchwork Yellow Rug in Living Room

In larger areas, choose a rug that is large enough to fit well in the room and with the ‘front’ legs of furniture resting on it. This stops you breaking your budget with a very large or custom-sized rug.

If you have a large sofa, the trick is to choose a rug that is longer than the sofa. If you don’t want a too-ordered look, pull the sofa off-centre and have one end of it not sitting on the rug to create an abstract feel to the space.

The rug for The Dining Room

In an open plan dining room and kitchen, a rug is a great tool for separating the dining space. Opt for a rug that your contemporary dining room furniture fits on, making sure you have enough of a ‘border’ on the rug for chairs to fit, so that diners are not balancing their chair (two legs on the rug, two legs off) when eating.

And yes, for round dining tables, choose a round rug.

Louis De Poortere Fading World Rug - Atlantic Deep in dining room with dining chairs and table

MEASURING TIP: place the dining chairs under the table and measure 50cm from the back legs. Add this to the measurement of the table and this gives you the minimum sized rug you will need.

The Bedrooms

In the master bedroom, rugs are a great alternative to carpet and they also complement wooden bedroom furniture perfectly. Like the dining table, you need a border of 50cm on a rug that you are fitting under the bed and any bed side tables you have. In the kids’ bedrooms or guest rooms, you can use rugs in various ways, including being a pleasant focal point that welcome people into the space by creating a path.

Think safety too – making sure that rugs do not ‘travel’ when walked on.

The Hallway

A long, runner rug works well in a hallway but if you have a large entrance space you may like the idea of placing a larger rug to define this area too. Choose complimentary colours and don’t forget that darker colours absorb light so think lighter shades or patterned rugs for maximum effect.

Your Home Study

With more and more of us working from home, the home study or office is increasingly common. In this space, you can be bold with your rug choice but again, ensure that it fits under your desk and office chair, leaving plenty of border so you don’t have the irritation of ‘falling off’ the rug with every movement.

Louis De Poortere Spring Leaves Green Rug

A rug in the right place, in the right size and proportion lends texture, depth and interest to a space, as well as providing a definition and a boundary. Which rug will you choose?

Now that you found out how to choose the perfect rug and know how to measure your space get shopping! Browse the luxurious Louis de Poortere collection or make your feet comfortable on a sheepskin rug and get cozy on a reindeer rug.

Choosing the best bed position in the space you’ve got

Oak painted bed Hudson Living bedroom furniture

Once you’ve chosen the perfect bed for your needs, the next question you have to ask yourself is where is the best bed position in the space you’ve got. On the face of it, it seems a simple enough question to answer. And yet, when it comes to practicalities, knowing where to position contemporary beds is tough.

Winchester Rustic Wooden Bed with blanket box and bedside table

Shop Winchester Rustic Wooden Bed

The Main Wall Bed Position

Conventional wisdom is that the bed in the master bedroom occupies the main wall – the biggest expanse of wall in the room. But this is not always a practical solution. In some rooms this positioning makes sense but in others, it depends on size and proportions of the bed.

In a square room, using the bed as a focal point is a great move as it gives the rest of the room definition. This may mean the headboard of your stylish bed being on the main wall or it may mean it being on another wall.

Elegant Hudson Living Marlow Bed Painted in Grey in bedroom with bedside

Secure Sleeping Position

We may credit ourselves with more intelligence than other mammals but we still have a deep-rooted primal instinct to sleep in a secure location, or so psychologists tell us.

You may not realise it, but you will position your bed in a location where you can see the door but are not over-exposed. If the wooden bed frames can be viewed in their entirety from the doorway, you may feel too ‘open to attack’. This insecurity makes us less likely to place our bed too close to a window as well.

Of course, with a stylish reclaimed wood bed, you may want it admired and so placing it at a visible point that means its beauty is admired.

Bed in bedroom with wardrobe

Superstitions and Customs

There are many superstitions and cultural customs that shape our sleep, including not sleeping with our feet facing the door.

In some cultures, showing the soles of your feet is rude. In other customs, this bed position is frowned upon because of the association of corpses being carried out feet first.

In some countries, the superstitions and cultures are so strong that even if the only logical place was to have the bed end facing the door, the bed would be placed across the available space.

If you don’t have such superstitions or cultural reasons, having your bed face a door can be a practical solution in your bedroom.

It’s About Comfort

There are many other wisdoms, conventions and superstitions that dictate or guide where we should put modern beds, such as enjoying the fantastic view from the bedroom window but, if you feel overlooked or spied on, then this is not a comfortable position.

bed in bedroom with large windows at modish living

There are also guiding principles such as Feng Shui that help to align your bed for optimum romance and good fortune. There are also suggestions that aligning your bed with points of the compass also help for a better night’s sleep and so on. But if none of these solutions provide you with the comfort that you seek, you won’t get a great night’s sleep.

And there lies the solution – the position of your bed is down to comfort. The comfort of you and your partner, if you share your bedroom space, as well as how the space can comfortably accommodate the dimensions of your bed and how it fits with the beautiful rustic bedroom furniture that accompanies it.

Browse the Modish Living collection of beds to choose the one which suits your needs.

How to achieve a timeless Scandi bedroom

Hudson Living Marlow Solid Oak Bed King Size in Bedroom with white walls and bedside table and small round mirror

The classic Scandinavian bedroom is a timeless interior design that works in both modern or more rustic homes. The pale colour scheme, Scandinavian furniture and non-cluttered approach creates a calming and relaxing space, free from distractions, all of which help to create an environment perfect for a good night’s sleep. But how can you emulate the Scandinavian design? Here, we share some simple design ideas to help you create the perfect Scandi bedroom…

White: the all important Scandi colour

Simplicity is key to all Scandinavian interior design whether that’s in the bedroom or any other room and so, invest in a good quality white paint – and plenty of it. Paint the walls and ceiling white. If your skirting boards are painted, these should be white too. If they are exposed wood, leave them in their natural state. You may not think that painting a room completely white is a bold move but, the secret to the style is to be as bold and bright with as brilliant a white paint as you possibly can.

The warmth in an all-white bedroom is provided by the natural wood of Scandi furniture, the wooden floors and other small, but key details.

Hudson Living Marlow Solid Oak Bed King Size

Key Scandi details

To maximise the Scandi style, you should focus on the key influential details of the scheme. We’ve already mentioned the importance of wood and the colour white, but the other key feature of the Scandi bedroom is black accents. Monochromatic shades are the basis of any Scandinavian design, so to get the look think white walls and ceiling paired with pale wooden or rustic furniture with chic black details, such as a wooden chest of drawers with black metal handles and feet.

tall wooden chest of drawers

White, black or grey

Whilst a Scandi bedroom is highly desirable, for some, the sheer brilliance of whitewashed walls and ceiling in the bedroom is too much. The lack of colour is something many of us are not used to and as such, you may need to balance out the white without compromising the fundamentals of Scandi style. If you are not ready for the complete white look, even with black accents, then choose a softer neutral or pale grey. Natural grey walls or layered grey textures, such as curtains, rugs and furnishings are the perfect alternative for a Scandinavian bedroom.

Clean lines of Scandinavian furniture

Scandinavian interior design had a big influence on mid-century interiors and furniture styles across the globe. Hence, it may be possible to find both period pieces, reclaimed furniture and modern furniture that fit right into the design scheme in the bedroom. Scandi furniture is minimalist and practical. Natural materials such as wood, leather or faux leather feature predominantly, softened with cosy textured accents.

Hudson Living Kielder Oak Bedside Table

Be tidy and declutter

We don’t want to lecture you about keeping your bedroom tidy, but it must be said that the Scandi style is minimal in clutter. And that means learning to live in the space in a way that is tidier than what you normally may have been, up to now at least! It also means knowing how you arrange things too. If clothing is on display, for example, cut the clutter by placing same-coloured items together. The best solution, of course, is bedroom storage. A wooden wardrobe and solid wood chest of drawers in a pale or textured wood will help you order your things so the room flows and fits together.

reclaimed wooden wardrobe with bottom drawers

Accent with black

Every space and interior design style needs an accent colour and as we touched on earlier, for the Scandinavian bedroom, that colour is black. Use it well and it will complete the look to your bedroom perfectly.

Shop all style of furniture for the bedroom at Modish Living and choose your favourite wooden bed and bedside table to go with it.