contemporary Archives - Page 11 of 12

All you need to know when decorating a small living room

cotswold reclaimed wood coffee table with two drawers

Decorating a small living room can sometimes be tricky, so to help you when decorating, we’ve put together some tips to make the most of your space.

The most important thing in a small living room is to try and make it as bright as you can to create the illusion of more space. This starts with your walls and flooring. In a contemporary space, white looks great, but if you are looking for something a little more unique, a soft grey, blue or green will work beautifully with most reclaimed wooden furniture. When it comes to flooring, light wood will create a Scandinavian style in your living room, perfect for pairing with any decor.

There are also other things you can do to create a bright and open space. Contemporary mirrors are great for making your room seem bigger, reflecting the light around your space. Opt for a simple frame and design for the best effect or even one without a frame. However, besides your mirror, try and keep decor and accessories to a minimum to create a clean and open look.

Lighting is also important, especially if you have small windows which don’t bring much light into the room. A statement light in the centre of your room will bounce light off the walls and also works to bring all your decor together. A ceiling lamp or three is great for making your room feel taller, and won’t take up the floor space as a floor lamp will.

When it comes to choosing furniture, make sure you think about how it will fit in the space – measuring is key! With style, open styles in light or mid-toned wood are a great choice for any room especially for larger pieces. A wood coffee table looks wonderful in any living room, but sitting at the centre of your living room, a design with a light frame or more open design will work better in a small living room. If you don’t have much space, you could even push your coffee table to one side of the room.

A bookcase is a great addition to any living room, and a small living room is no exception. Industrial style shelving is perfect for achieving that minimalist look which works so well in smaller spaces and is a great place for displaying a few of your most loved pictures and possessions for a personal touch.

Shop the Stanford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bookcase

Finish your space off with a little luxurious rug. If you have wooden floors, a rug is great for bringing some warmth into your space. Again, neutrals and light colours are perfect for any space and are also versatile if you want to update the decor of your room in the future or even move it to another room!

For more inspiration for decorating a small living room, browse through the living room seating and storage collection.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 choose the perfect garden furniture set

Small Round Table and 2 Chairs Bistro Set in Clay

The garden is an important space so it’s essential to search for garden furniture sets that will blend in as part of your home. As soon as the finer weather arrives, you want to be out enjoying the sun and fresh air in style and comfort.

It is far more pleasant when you have the right garden furniture set. Take a look at this right-point guide to choose the best garden furniture.

Plan It!

Just as you would make a considered purchase when it comes to furnishings for the interior of your home, it should be no different when it comes to the garden.

How do you want your outdoor ‘room’ to look? How many rattan garden chairs will you need to make the space welcoming and comfortable? Do you have a style or a theme you would like to emulate?

Seating

Once you have calculated the space and the requirements, you now need to look at seating. There is a range of seating options in various materials.

If you plan on moving seating around, you will want a lighter weight material such as rattan garden furniture. Wooden or metal furniture can work just as well, and can be fixed into position too.

Easy Care Materials

You want to spend the summer enjoying your garden, not repairing things, cleaning furniture, or spending hours keeping something looking good. Our garden furniture sets come with easy-care fabrics suitable for outdoor use which is worth the investment several times over.

Don’t forget storage

Those large L-shaped outdoor sofas look great but how will you protect it over the winter? To extend the life of garden furniture, when not in use, it should be stored away in a place that is not overly damp.

Be Bold

Garden furniture doesn’t have to be ‘all the same’. Just like your home, the way you use your garden could be very different to how your neighbours or friends do. And that’s why being bold and personal in your purchases really work, like this stunning industrial style dining table.

Quality

If you do nothing else from this list, do this one: choose quality items that are well-designed and built to last. Choose materials that require little, if any, maintenance. Hardwoods are better at withstanding weather and although they are more expensive, they are well worth the investment when considering a garden furniture set.

By looking after your garden furniture, storing it away in winter and keeping it clean, you will get years of use from it.

Don’t Forget the Details

Accessories are just as important in the garden as in your home. Why have fantastic furniture but nowhere for your guests to put their drinks? As well as a garden coffee table, consider adding outdoor rugs to brighten up the patio, throws for when the evening turns cooler and pleasant lighting to set the ambience.

Consider Dual Purpose Items

Storage in the garden can be useful over the summer months. Throwing outdoor cushions, throws and rugs into a storage bench is ideal for when there is the occasional summer downpour.

Also, don’t forget to add a welly storage close to your garden to keep all your boots dry and clean.

Once you have the right garden furniture, you will enjoy summer days and nights in the garden. Enjoy!

Hallway decor ideas: how to brighten up your hallway

The hallway is often the last place to be decorated and yet, it is the space through which we all pass several times a day. It needs to be both practical and functional, which can result in many of us feeling that the hallway lacks style. But not with these great hallway decor ideas! Whatever the season, give your hallway decor a facelift and turn it into a stylish space that works for your home and your family…

White painted walls

Hallways tend to be on the smaller side and often with little natural light. Whilst dark walls go well with rustic furniture and can add colour, depth and drama to the space, it can also make a hallway look smaller and narrower. If you shy away from white thinking it will be too stark and impractical, take another look. Use good quality, washable paint from a reputable manufacturer and paint walls, ceiling and woodwork in a subtle off-white or chalky white to add a warm brightness to your hallway decor.

Creat an art gallery

Just because a hallway needs to be practical doesn’t mean it can’t be stylish. Hallways are usually gifted with large expanses of walls and this is perfect for creating your very own art gallery. As well as family photos, there is a growing range of affordable and chic contemporary art that can transform your hallway from ordinary to extraordinary.

Related: Practical and stylish hallway storage solutions

Stylish hallway storage ideas

By its very definition, the hallway is the space where coats are kept, muddy boots are flung and where the dog paraphernalia lives. For a welcoming hallway, you want it to be tidy, but with all this stuff at hand for when you’re rushing out of the door. The right hallway storage furniture is the answer here. A hallway storage bench with wicker baskets for dog leads and gloves, as well as space to store school bags, shoes and more, is a worthwhile investment that fits well with any decorating scheme.

Try colour block walls

We’ve already discussed how colour can be difficult to add in a hallway, but that doesn’t have to mean it’s out of the question. Colour block walls help to create a colour statement and are a fantastic solution. Pops of colour bring life and personality to a space – choose light vibrant shades of green and blue or a fresh yellow. Instead of looking at your hallway just from the front door, think about how many other views of it you have. For example, sitting in the lounge, in your kitchen/diner or from the top of the stairs looking down. Work out what sections of walls you see and use this to determine your colour block walls.

Hallway decor practical additions

Of course, there needs to be a range of practical additions to your newly decorated hallway, such as….

Umbrella pots are great for stashing brollies and perfectly placed for grabbing hold of one on your way out of the door.
A wooden bench is perfect for sitting to pull off or pull on boots and shoes, as well as an ad hoc storage area for bags and scarves in baskets under the seat.

• Add carefully chosen hallway furniture, such as a rustic console table with a wall mirror above to bounce light around the space and a contemporary rug to add a dash of colour.

With all these great hallway decor ideas, you’re sure to be able to create a welcoming and stylish entrance to your home.

7 Mistakes You Do When Decorating Your Living Room

Contemporary canvas art painting in living room

We spend a lot of time in our living room so it is natural to want to decorate the space well. We want our living room to seem homely and welcoming whilst at the same time impressing our guests. Many of us are happy to spend many hours decorating our living rooms and will have spent many more choosing colours and décor and yet, when the room is finished we are unsatisfied with the result.

The reason could be because there are simple decorating mistakes that are made time and time again. By knowing what they are before you begin you can avoid making them and end up with a room to be proud of.

Lighting

Living rooms are used both night and day so it is important to get the lighting right. Contemporary lighting schemes involve creating drama with sculptural light fittings. Try placing an oversized lamp by an armchair for reading or fitting a dramatic pendant.

Patterns and colours

One or two carefully chosen patterns can add drama and interest to carefully selected parts of your room but you can have too much of a good thing. Use neutrals for most of your colour palette when it comes to pattern choice and stick to one or, at most, two patterns for decorating individual pieces such as a beautiful Louis de Poortere rug or eye-catching scatter cushions. Choose different shapes, materials and finishes to provide diversity and individuality.

Rugs

Bigger is better with rugs. Many rooms are spoilt by having a “floating rug” that seems like an afterthought. Rugs that touch all the main pieces of furniture will bring the room together.

Focal Point

Too many rooms lack a focal point so the room feels directionless. A single, large, piece of contemporary artwork placed in a prominent position will give the room focus. Be careful not to hang your art work too high as you will usually be sitting down when using the room and you should not need to strain your neck to see it.

Clutter

Messy wires and too little storage can quickly ruin the effect you are trying to achieve when you redecorate. A coffee table with drawers will offer storage for magazines, books and those all-important but easily mislaid remote controls.

Make sure you think about where your electronics are going, especially if you have a wall-mounted television. If you are planning on repapering or repainting you can take the opportunity to have sockets moved so that wires can be neatly hidden away. For wiring that is not so permanent in nature use trunking or cable tidies to stop the cables becoming tangled and unsightly.

Windows

Big heavy curtains, whilst ideal for blocking out light and noise, hide the windows and can make the room feel dark. Instead choose a blind that can be retracted completely during the day.

Furniture placement

Although tempting to increase floor space, pushing your furniture up against the walls can actually make your room look smaller than it is.

By knowing the mistakes that others have made when decorating their living rooms, you’ll be able to avoid them, allowing you to create a living room you can really be proud of!

How to Transform Your Home Into a Contemporary Space With Art

Cow portrait canvas painting contemporary modern art

So, you’ve been aiming towards a contemporary home, you’ve decluttered and minimalised. You’ve painstakingly redecorated in neutrals with bold statement colour here and there, added contemporary lighting, and introduced sleek pieces of furniture. Maybe you’ve even gone as far as renovating your bathroom and/or kitchen into a seamless contemporary masterpiece.

But your home just isn’t feeling quite right, and you’re not sure you’ve put your own stamp on it. If this is you, one sure-fire way to bring your home to life is to introduce an art collection or expand upon your existing collection with some contemporary art.

How to choose the right art for your home

There are a number of aspects to choosing the right contemporary art for your home, and if you’ve never purchased artwork before, it can seem a little daunting. Panic not, however –below, we’ve explained the basics, so that you can get it right first time.

Colour

Colour is one of the primary reasons for choosing a piece of contemporary art, Go for colours that echo the rest of your room and, if necessary, finish the room with some extra touches, like cushions or ornaments that complement your new art collection.

If your room is mainly black or white, then choosing art that is predominately that colour with an accent colour like red or yellow and one or two matching ornaments of soft furnishings in the room brings about balance within the room making it feel complete.

Rhythm

Choosing art that echoes your furniture in terms of shape or rhythm will also help complete a space. For example, if your study desk has a curved finished, then selecting a painting with a curved composition works well. Emulating shapes in a subtle way has a big impact on any space.

Size

When it comes to size and position, think about symmetry. Lining up a large canvas painting with the edges of your bed looks seamless and sleek, and truly contemporary. Don’t be afraid to oversize on your art for maximum impact!

Texture

Art that has been hand finished with oil or acrylic paint really gives the piece character, really making it a feature and bringing your room to life. If your room is full of earthy tones, then a textured canvas works very well.

Where to hang your new art?

Choosing where to hang contemporary art can be daunting at first, but the best place to start is your new contemporary living room. This is the space you spend most of your time relaxing – not counting the time you spend asleep in your contemporary bedroom of course. First of all, think about where you might like to hang or place some contemporary art, whether it be on a wall, a shelf or even on the floor – don’t be afraid to think outside of the box be creative with placement. Don’t forget, you can always move furniture around and relocate it to suit your new art addition – you’d be surprised at how much a room can be transformed with careful art-furniture placement.

With the right contemporary art, and the right placement, you’re sure to pull the look of any room together, giving you a seamless finish to any room.

Let the Valentine’s Day countdown begin!

Contemporary modern art grey hare canvas painting

Sick of looking at all of the cheap plastic trinkets that are meant to show you care about your partner just one day a year? Or the expense of a piece of jewellery you’re not too sure of just to make sure you get them something? Bored of the traditional chocolate and flowers? If so, then why not consider something more longstanding to reflect both the commitment to your relationship (and therefore your home) and opt for a statement piece of furniture or special accessory instead? Every time your spouse or partner admires it, they’ll be reminded of your good taste and generosity – better yet, it will no doubt become a unique talking point for guests.

Show the love with contemporary art

There can’t be a more thoughtful gesture than selecting contemporary art as a generous Valentine’s Day gift. Many couples enjoy art galleries and exhibitions together. Why not have some of this atmosphere at home to complete your room? Animals and wildlife have always been a traditional subject for art, so our Giclée canvas animal prints could be the perfect gift to hang in the dining room while you enjoy your Valentine’s Day meal, or perhaps behind the couch while you snuggle up and enjoy a romantic movie. The signed work of Brighton artist Ant Fox is stunning and a treat for anybody to own. Art is a personal decision, yet with a little consideration it will be enjoyed for years to come and echo the furniture and design of your living room as well as showing your other half just how much you know their taste.

Give the gift of time with contemporary clocks

Any home needs a good quality contemporary clock; not just for good time keeping but also for visual effect, and to complete the overall look of the room. It can sometimes be difficult to find the right size of clock for your taste, but these days you can find some really striking clocks that offer are a fusion of traditional Roman Numerals, together with a contemporary finish and metals. These contemporary clocks are made in 10 colours or finishes, which means you will be spoilt for choice. There will no doubt be one to suit your dining room or kitchen, especially if you have gone for an industrial or rustic look. Choose from chic industrial styles with contrasting numerals next to the frame, or a more understated black open design, to suit yours and your partners’ tastes.

Contemporary Sheepskin Rugs

Sheepskin rugs are very much sought after these days, thanks to the various colours available and the romantic overtones they portray. There are various light or dark shades and different sizes to suit your tastes and budgets and best of all – much like your relationship, each one is unique. Why not embrace this option as a lasting addition to the lounge? They really are reworked classics to add a feel of luxury to your home. This gift really will become a talking point next time you have guests and best of all, you won’t just be buying a token gift that will be put in a drawer and forgotten about. Instead, you’ll have a beautiful gift that adds both style and substance to your living area and reflects the home you’re building together.

And finally…..

Valentine’s Day gifts don’t have to involve chocolates or flowers. With consideration and generosity, something for the home can reflect your good taste as a couple and your way of life. Either contemporary art, a contemporary clock or a contemporary sheepskin rug will become a much-loved addition to transform the home. And the good part is that all of these can be delivered to you right in time for Valentine’s Day.

Keep the romance alive for longer with a more long-lasting statement-piece as your gift this Valentine’s Day and give a romantic cosy feel well beyond February 14^th.

Contemporary and Rustic Style: What are the Differences

Rustic reclaimed wood furniture for dining room

Contemporary vs rustic, or in other words, clean and streamlined vs organic and rugged. The two prominent styles of today’s home interior design couldn’t be any more different, but they can actually work pretty well together in any style home, if you know how. Let’s take a deeper look at rustic style interior design and contemporary styling – which one will you prefer?

Contemporary Style

Contemporary design celebrates all that is streamlined, sleek and geometric. It aims to support modern living. Our increasingly stressful and busy work lives mean coming home to a modern space has a therapeutic effect -move over complicated and intricate detail and say hello to calming simplicity.

When it comes to contemporary vs modern the differences are subtle. Living space in a contemporary style home tends towards a minimalist layout – less is more in terms of furniture and decorative objects, whereas modern still takes a fresh, on-trend approach, but may mix it with different interior schemes for some added character. With either style, kitchens and bathrooms are formed with clean lines, essential modern appliances and neutral shades. To bring the space to life, you may want to mix it up and throw some contemporary rustic into the mix with a statement colour or texture to give your space strikingly modern individuality.

Contemporary furniture focuses on streamlined design, sleek textures and complementary hues. Often, simple geometric form takes shape in contemporary design and decorative objects and art work. But it’s not all about right angles; adding circular, cylinder and orb shapes to your space adds another subtle layer of contemporary chic.

Contemporary design is at the forefront of new modern material mixes. You won’t see a lot reclaimed exposed wood or upcycled, vintage pieces; contemporary means new and innovative, so think metal, glass and modern plastics.

Rustic Style

If you Google rustic style meaning, you will see definitions such as natural, rugged and organic. Rustic style interior design takes its influence from nature. Observe what you see in nature and introduce it into your home and you will find the true rustic style. Although usually busy with array of organic elements, contemporary rustic decor is casual and easy going; having a calming, welcoming effect on the home. Rustic style can be modern farmhouse, contemporary rustic, country vintage and shabby chic, or industrial vintage, but the main principles are the same.

Rustic living spaces tend to boost a lot of reclaimed wood, earthy colours and textures. Living room furniture tends to include large, comfortable sofas, distressed coffee tables and side tables, to create a warm, welcoming room. Flooring and surfaces are usually made from reclaimed wood, left exposed or painted in off white or earthy shades.

Kitchens celebrate vintage style well with country cottage themes or rustic handmade kitchens made from reclaimed wood; and the room is usually completed with a rustic sideboard and rustic dining table. Modern appliances can be influenced by organic rustic style by choosing to have them in earthy shades, like grey-green or cream. The main aspects of modern rustic interior design usually come from an organic source, wood, natural stone and natural fabric, creating a distressed, well-loved style.

What do you prefer?

Contemporary style and rustic styles are very much the opposite ends of the spectrum within the interior design industry. However both have one thing in common, they show an element of forward thinking, so why not combine them and bring in a contemporary rustic vibe to your home. Whether you are passionate about contemporary style and the exciting, innovative materials emerging, or you prefer to breathe new life into rustic furniture or upcycle rustic pieces, both are a style that can live very well in the here and now.