3 Great ideas to style a gold rug

Louis de Poortere Rug and Grey Sofa

Gold doesn’t have to be a difficult colour to work with but with brassier tones, you may be worried a gold rug could look out of place in your home. If you are decorating a room from scratch, start with the rug and build the rest of the room, including the reclaimed wood coffee table and other items around its beautiful hues.

IDEA 1 – Traditional, classic, super-elegant

Starting with the sandy gold rug, we love the traditional look that works so well with it.

Louis de Poortere Khayma Fairfield Sandy Gold Rug

Maintain the traditional look with the iconic shape of the brown leather Chesterfield sofa, completing the frame of three with an industrial coffee table.

Kingsbridge Industrial Reclaimed Oak Coffee Table

The golden tones and brown hues of this traditional and industrial combination are ideal for when you want to add warmth and texture to a space.

Burnley Leather Chesterfield Sofa

Lighter colours open up a room and with the lighter sandy gold rug on the floor, it instantly creates a more open feeling to the room. Keep the wall colours neutral with light hints of cream or beige. We know that statement ceilings are predicted to be on trend in 2019 but a crisp, white ceiling would complement the rug.

IDEA 2 – Gold industrial glamour

Occasional, a trend comes along that everyone falls in love with and we love the fusion of gold glamour with the edginess of the industrial look.

Louis de Poortere Columbus Gold Rug

Still warm and inviting, we love the combination of the deeper golden tones of the Columbus gold rug alongside the strands of grey.

Hanbury Gold Linen Sofa

Paired with our new arrival, the Hanbury gold linen sofa, it is a combination that shrieks delight from every angle. Continue this edginess with the beautiful side bookcase, a statement piece if ever there was one.

Chalfont Industrial Wood Bookcase

The final piece of this jigsaw has to be the beauty of an industrial coffee table. We’ve opted for the chunkier but still as delightful Maddox industrial large coffee table, complete with rustic reclaimed wood top.

Maddox Reclaimed Elm Coffee Table

IDEA 3 – Spicy warmth

In a larger room, a darker colour can help it feel cosier and ‘brought together’. In the winter months, we often seek warmth and comfort from darker colours, a great way to balance the grey of winter days and the chill of winter evenings.

Louis de Poortere Cracks Depp Mine Rug

This spicy gold rug from our collection is a great starting point for adding drama to a room and pairs perfectly with reclaimed wood furniture. Available in seven sizes, you are sure to find the correct size for your room – don’t forget, rug size is important because too small, its impact will be lost but too big, and the room will look cluttered.

Grayson Lounge Sofa

We’ve added yet more spice with this beautiful velvet sofa, a deeper shade of mustard yellow that adds zing and zest to any room.

Belfort Industrial Coffee Table

We’ve retained symmetry and cohesion by choosing two pieces from the same range. The gold-framed Belfort industrial coffee table frames the lush sofa perfectly, whilst a Belfort industrial side table on either end of the sofa would add to the beauty of this room. Top them with identical table lamps to ooze sophistication.

In our eyes, everything that shimmers IS gold. Don’t you agree?

Gold in the living room, does it work for you?

Belfort Industrial Coffee Table

At Modish Living, we see trends come and go. Some have proved popular for a season or two, whilst others have hung around for some time, with small tweaks ensuring they stay up to date.

In most designs, there is some kind of metallic finish. Some metals add more drama, whilst others add glamour. Gold adds everything: drama, glamour, decadence and elegance. And we love it!

But we are also conscious that there are times when gold, along with brass finishes, gold leafed pieces and even gold rugs, can look out of place.

We wanted to know what you thought. Is the gold rush of late one that will last for the festive season or do you see it lasting longer?

We Asked, You Answered

We took to both Houzz and Instagram to ask our followers what they thought about the gold trend and whether they thought it would last beyond Christmas or not.

The results were conclusive – the majority of votes cast were in favour of seeing this gold trend continue beyond the festive season.

With this in mind, we wanted to make sure that you have plenty of choices when it comes to the gold trim, brass edging and gold rugs.

Glamour with an industrial edge – the Belfort Collection

Gold, no matter how you present it, has a glamour to it that other metals can only allude to. The golden hue of brass is similar but there is decadence to a gold-coloured trim that makes it a sheer delight.

The Belfort Collection is popular for its edgy appeal, the rustic finish with the smoothness of gold coloured legs and framework.

Belfort Industrial Console Table

There are several items in this collection but anyone who invests in this narrow console table will be making a fantastic impression on guests, as well as a delightful backdrop for you and your family. Put it next to a velvet sofa and it’s sure to impress.

Drama with the depth of black and gold coloured trim – the Blackbone Collection

A recent addition to our oak furniture range is the Blackbone Collection, a heady fusion of dark oak wood, black tones with gold coloured trims and edging. Suitable at any time of the year, if you want to create a living room, dining room or hallway that is truly different and unique, then the Blackbone Collection is where you need to be.

Blackbone Industrial Oak Square Coffee Table

Industrial chic meets glamour, a combination that is delightful. Brought together beautifully in this industrial coffee table. Just look at the pleasing cleanliness of its angles and clean lines…

Blackbone Industrial Oak Extendable Dining Table

If you want to make a bigger statement, the industrial dining table from this collection is the one investment piece that will keep on giving for years on end. Complement its beautiful tones of gold with equally decadent velvet dining chairs.

Light, airy with lashings of gold – the Chalfont Collection

If you prefer lighter toned wood, then the contemporary take on the industrial look which you’ll find in the Chalfont Collection with gold coloured trims is the understated allure you are looking for.

Chalfont Industrial Wood Sideboard

The detail etched into the wood – you can see the design in the large sideboard – and the brushed gold coloured finish gives this collection an appeal which we know our customers find delightful.

So the results are conclusive – the gold look is here to stay so how will you use this trend in your home?

Reclaimed industrial tables – 4 Ways to style them for best effect

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

The industrial look, in our opinion, will never age or dull in its significance. Many people like it – as we do – for its clean, almost-minimal look but enjoy the warmth generated when familiar meet and fuse. Creating a warm industrial style in the dining room is within your grasp. Here, we show you how…

Kingsbridge Industrial Reclaimed Oak Dining Table

The Kingsbridge Collection is stunning. What more can be said? The industrial dining table from the range makes for a stunning centrepiece, more so when flanked by velvet dining chairs. Choose grey velvet or opt for a bespoke colour to give your dining room an even more impressive feel.

Kingsbridge Industrial Reclaimed Oak Semicircle Console Table

The beautiful Kingsbridge drinks cabinet makes for a stunning dining room piece, and when you have accessories like the oversized wall clock and the semi-circle console table to pull the look together, you have an effortlessly chic and industrial styled dining room.

Linen and industrial chic!

The Maddox Collection is a firm favourite with customers seeking the industrial look because, with this beautiful collection, it is hard to go wrong.

Maddox Industrial Reclaimed Elm Dining Table

Characterised by the black legs and reclaimed wood table top of the dining table, the elm used in this piece is desired by many. With its beautiful grain prominent, the texture of the linen upholstered dining chairs is the perfect foil. Still retaining an air of luxury, there is a utilitarian feel to linen that is ideal against the industrial look.

We have plenty of industrial styling tips for combining textures and colour, why not take a look?

Quiet elegance

The industrial look can be angular, with smart linear shapes and so it may come as a surprise that with a change of texture and colours, it can become a quiet, calm and elegant style.

Raffles Reclaimed Wood Industrial Dining Table

The Raffles industrial reclaimed wood dining table exudes elegance without compromising on its industrial credentials. With the velvet or fabric Sandy dining chairs alongside, it takes on a completely different feel to the other setups we have shown thus far.

Raffles Reclaimed Wood Industrial Console table

As well as using this beautiful slimline industrial console table as a partner in the room, choosing from a rug from our expansive range would also add the touch of elegance with texture and colour.

Industrial with a strong hint of rustic

If there are two styles that pair well it is the industrial feel and the rustic style, and it works well in the dining room.

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

As with all the other styles, it is the industrial dining table that takes centres stage, around which the rest of the room is created. An extendable dining table is a wise investment for many us – entertaining is a cinch with an 8-seater reclaimed wood dining table in the dining room – with the industrial dining bench being the perfect partner for when you want to increase seating options as the table and number of guests expand.

Amelia Faux Leather Dining Chair Grey

The faux leather dining chairs are also great options but what marries the industrial backdrop with a more rustic feel is the inclusion of reclaimed wood large sideboard. Adding more than a hint of practicality to the industrial dining room, the abundance and warmth of the reclaimed wood of this unit deliver a different not in this dining room landscape.

Four great ideas for an industrial dining room with reclaimed wood furniture. Which is your favourite?

Practical styling tips for your beautiful reclaimed TV stand

Kingsbridge Reclaimed Wood TV Unit

Love it or hate it, there are times when the TV pulls the family together. From watching the latest must-view box set to enjoying a blockbuster film, there is no need for the TV to be bland and dull. In fact, with these reclaimed wood TV storage units, you have options for bringing yet more sublime beauty to a room.

Rustic drama

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

Characterised by the less refine working of the wood, there is a rawness to rustic reclaimed furniture pieces that we find attractive. But when overdone, it can look coarse. As a result, sliding in elegant pieces allows the star pieces to shine. The rustic charm of this TV unit is not lost against the elegance of the beautiful cream, buttoned sofa.

And so let’s begin our journey through our three favourite TV stands with the rustic style and this excellent example of a reclaimed wood TV storage unit from the Kensington Collection. Simple but with a definite rustic edge, the Kensington reclaimed wood coffee table is the perfect match.

Add refinement and elegance with a cream buttoned velvet sofa with its curves and sumptuousness. Pull the whole look together with the Louis de Poortere Salt and Pepper rug, complete with a faded traditional design.

Effortless with a hint of the dramatic, this rustic styled set will be perfect for any home.

Industrial delight

Brown Cerato Leather Sofa

If there is one style that is perfect for every home, it must surely be the heady combination of materials, finishes and colours that make up the industrial look. If you don’t want the TV to be the dominant addition in the living room, the thing to do is to offset its size and impact with the furniture. In other words, people notice the beauty of this industrial TV stand and the piece surrounding it, rather than the tech.

The sparsity brings a certain appeal and for the TV unit, this slimline TV storage unit is ideal for anyone seeking industrial furniture delight. Again, emphasis harmony in the space by using an industrial coffee table to create an interaction between one piece and another. Ring the changes, however, to stop the matchy-matchy look by using a different shape. The nest of round coffee tables is perfect, don’t you think?

The comfort of the brown leather sofa is highlighted by the beauty of the faded beige rug underfoot.

Contemporary chic

Brown Cerato Leather Sofa and Coffee Table

Combining elements of contemporary with traditions gives a warm finish to the living room. The slight rustic edge to this two-drawer reclaimed wood TV unit is ideal for when you have smaller items you want to hide away. Drawer space is handy, after all, for stopping the remote from wandering down the back of the sofa…

Maintain the warm tones of the wood with the Chesterfield brown leather sofa complete with matching leather coffee-table-cum-footstool.

Patterned rugs bring a welcome infusion of colour. The cooler blue tones in the rug are the perfect foil against the warm tones introduced thus far.

Reclaimed wood furniture in any guise is a sheer delight but we think when used as the tech-centre in a room, it takes on even more beauty. Do you agree?

Living room to home theatre – in a few easy steps

Brown Cerato Leather Sofa

There are many ways you can the living room but have you thought about turning it into a home theatre? Follow these six steps to creating a home movie cinema right there in your living room…

1 The right home sound and viewing system

From investing in a huge TV to a projector and surround sound, clearly getting the right home movie system is the critical first step. Depending on what system you opt, you could be looking at a budget of £800+.

2 The right room

We are suggesting a movie room in the living room and whilst this may be suitable for most of us, it would be remiss of us to suggest that it is the only room in the house that can accommodate a cinematic feel to it.

Essentially, choose the room that isn’t bathed in sunlight every evening because this is the time you will most likely be watching the latest blockbuster – and sun streaming onto the TV or projector screen is not ideal.

3 Room décor

With your sound system and massive TV on order, you need to create the perfect backdrop. Darker colours on the walls, along with blinds and blackout drapes make for the perfect space to watch the latest release.

You will the way your industrial furniture and darker colours will work surrounded by the latest technology in the living room. But with a lot of tech being so small, you will find that creating a cinema in the living room works with the traditional, reclaimed furniture chic too.

4 The floor

Sound is affected by surfaces that either reflects sound waves or absorbs them. You need a mixture of both.

Louis de Poortere Mad Men Soho Copper Rug

A hard floor, such as wood, is great for bouncing the surround sound around the living room but if you feel you need some warmth underfoot, a flat weave rug is a great addition. Opt for the biggest you can, using it to sit the leather Chesterfield sofa on to give the room a ‘frame’.

5 Lighting

The ideal situation is to switch the lights off and be swallowed into the action on the big screen. But many of us find this too stark and so soft lighting in the room can help to digest all the colours of the movie you have chosen to watch.

Natural light interferes with the movie screen, so banish that from the room. Opt for dimmable LED lighting around the edges of the room, keeping any light behind you and not around the screen as many photos may show.

Raffles Reclaimed Wood Industrial Side Table

Of course, a table lamp on the nest of tables or industrial coffee table with storage next to your leather armchair wouldn’t go amiss for when you need light to find the remote.

6 Seats

The final step – but possibly the most important – is the choice of seating in your newly create living room cinema.

Granby Brown Leather Sofa

You may like to sit the traditional way on a chair, or curl up under a blanket on the sofa, or opt for a chair where you can dangle your legs over the side – the important thing is this: you get the best possible seating that is the comfiest for you (and in the style you love too!).

Why not send us the photos of your cinema-cum-living-room? We would love to see them!

Top Tips – How To Look After Beautiful Fabric Dining Chairs

Grey Luxe Daisy Upholstered Dining Chairs and Table

Your upholstered dining chairs are things of beauty. You chose them for their colour and for the texture and depth they add to the room. They perfectly complement your reclaimed wood dining table.

And you want them to stay looking pristine next to your reclaimed wood furniture. Over time, with constant use, your upholstered dining chairs can take on a ‘used’ look. But then come the stains and the marks.

Small they may be but they detract from the beauty of the fabric, even if it is just a little and you are the only person that notices them.

Want to know how to keep your velvet dining chairs looking glamorous? Or your upholstered dining chairs looking clean and pristine?

The fabric

It is important to understand that different fabric dining chairs need slightly different treatment.

Velvet dining chairs

Daley Velvet Dining Chairs

Smooth and somewhat decadent to the touch, when you took possession of your velvet dining chairs, your heart probably sang a little bit when you saw your dining room furniture.

And now, you want to keep them looking fantastic – and doing that is easier than you think.

  • Spills – with the festive season on the doorstep, you may more than a few dinner parties and general get-togethers planned thus, when the inevitable spill happens, you need to spot clean with a water-free solvent. These are usually found in dry cleaners.

Top tip – buy a small amount of cleaner and test it on an unseen patch of the velvet to make sure it is safe to use. If it is, then put it in a handy place such as your sideboard with wine storage so you can grab it when you need to.

  • Soft bristled brush – a toothbrush with soft bristles is for brushing the nap of the fabric whilst you are gently cleaning it.

Ground in stains need the be treated by a dry clean specialist.

Linen dining chairs

Roxy Upholstered Dining Chairs

Linen brings a modern edge to the dining room. A woven fabric, it is incredibly durable and easy to keep clean too;

  • Upholstery shampoo – invest in a good quality, branded upholstery shampoo (perform a spot test, as above, before widespread use) and use this to spot clean spills as they happen but don’t over-saturated the chair or fabric.
  • Dry cleaning – if needed, slipcovers and cushions can be dry cleaned in some cases but it will lift the colour slightly, leading to slightly different shades.

All upholstered dining chairs

Grey Luxe Daisy Upholstered Dining Chairs

Keeping your upholstered dining chairs in tip-top condition means they are in great shape repel drink and food spills;

  • Vacuum – but lightly. Use the upholstery tool on your vacuum and give your beautiful dining chairs an occasional vacuum to remove dirt and dust from the fabric. Concentrate on the joins but don’t be too vigorous as you could snag the fabric.
  • Have a move around – even when you don’t have direct sun pouring in the window, dining room furniture is affected by UV rays. Your upholstered dining chairs are in danger of being sun-bleached if they remain in sunlight for too long so every few weeks in the summer at least, rotate your chairs so no one chair becomes a different shade to the others.
  • Open the window – air-borne pollutants, like cooking smells, can become trapped in the fabric weave and so throwing open the dining room window and letting stale air out and fresh air in will help them stay smelling sweet just as they look fantastic too!

Making the most of the Aviator furniture range

Aviator Desk and Chair

Many people comment on the Aviator Collection – and no wonder, it is, after all, a collection that is different and unique – and although they highly-prize the eclectic appeal it would add to their home, they are unsure ‘how to use it’.

We understand the predicament. There is a certain amount of bravery, of throwing caution to the wind and falling back on your styling wits when it comes to the Aviator range. And that’s why we love it.

It pushes the boundaries without being too quirky. It can, with the right supporting actors in place, be the unashamed star of the show or it can be a detail hidden in plain sight that makes people gasp ‘wow!’ when they see it.

Fear no longer where you are ‘making a mistake’ or ‘I love it but…’ as we give you three delightful examples of how a piece or pieces from the Aviator collection can really work in your home.

A relaxing spot

When it comes to a brown leather armchair, there is nothing more beautiful than the Aviator Thunderbolt armchair. The whole collection has a slight nod to the 1920s and the Art Deco style. With this in mind, pair two of these fantastic brown leather armchairs with a new rug from the Louis de Poortere range, the charcoal coloured Dessert Eye.

Aviator Coffee Table and Leather Armchair and Sofa

A cosy reading spot indeed but if you need more seating, the Spitfire brown leather sofa is the ideal addition. If you need extra storage, stick with the industrial feel with a drinks cabinet, light in tone that doesn’t jar against the rivets and metallic finish of the Aviator furniture pieces.

The reading nook

Let us return to the idea of a reading nook because with life so busy and demanding, creating a technology-free space where the world cannot reach you is perfect. Falling into the realms of a ‘good book’ is an ideal activity that the Aviator collection can support you with.

Aviator Armchair and Bookcase

You’ll smile every time you fall into the depths of the Aviator wing chair – or egg chair, as we sometimes call it – curling your feet beneath you as you enjoy reading time.

Maintain neutrality with a beige rug and frame the space with a more than useful round coffee table. The industrial style side table from the Kingsbridge Collection makes an ideal reading nook fellow, don’t you think?

Not just for the domestic scene

The Aviator Collection is perfect in so many ways and we think it makes a fantastic choice for our business customers.

Aviator Armchair and Console Table

It makes a real impact. Your visitors will love its style to say hello to the Aviator console table, a beautiful narrow console table in the reception area. A pair of aviator armchairs, the brown leather an ideal material for the busy reception space, create a canvas from which you can add the other accessories.

Use the Louis de Poortere Black Mad Men rug to frame the chairs, just as you would in the home.

And so you see, there is no reason to doubt your styling ability with the Aviator furniture because it is simply beautiful, no matter where it sits or with what.

How to style a round dining table

Wycombe Oak Round Dining Table and Chairs

It is a dilemma – do you opt for a round extendable dining table or a rectangular one? Do you need it to extend? What is it that attracts you to the round dining table?

For many, it is the feeling of inclusion that the round dining table exudes, the ability for all guests to see each other and converse with each other.

Styling it is not difficult either. We give you three options – the chic industrial round dining table, a traditional style with a rustic twist, or the always-elegant Scandinavian style.

The industrial look

Oxford Oak Round Dining Table

This 130cm wide round table with its central, metal pedestal is a delight that sits well within the industrial look, the effortless fusion of wood meeting metal.

Adding a twist to the industrial dining table with upholstered grey dining chairs with an industrial sideboard from the Mitcham range to pull it all together. The metal legs of the sideboard bring the symmetry into the room by matching that of the dining table.

As with all dining rooms, frame the setting with a rug – we have chosen a dark shade in this case, opting for the smouldering depths of a nearly-black rug.

The traditional look with a rustic twist

Bahamas Wooden Round Dining Table

The Bahamas Collection is a fairly recent addition to our range and we knew it wouldn’t disappoint. The beautiful wood with exquisite detailing gives the traditional look a beautiful rustic twist.

The round dining table in the collection certainly doesn’t disappoint. Leather or wooden dining chairs would certainly sit well with the dining table but for an unexpected twist, add black velvet dining chairs with stud detailing and the back lion head handles for something different.

The Bahamas drinks cabinet makes for a great addition to the dining room, a superb place for storing essentials and of course, the finishing touch with this copper-toned rug brings out the wood tones even more.

The Scandinavian look

Wycombe Oak Extending Dining Table Round

As a style, this is one of our favourites and we know it is one of yours too. There is always something very elegant and unfussy about the Scandinavian style, and the Scandinavian dining table, and yet it never looks barren or cold.

The beauty and warmth of natural material, from wood to wool is allowed to shine in this setting. And that’s why we love it for the dining room.

This round extendable dining table is the perfect starting point for this style. You could match the wood of the wooden dining chairs to it or you could ring the changes with these fantastic cross-backed dining chairs. With a slight vintage edge to them, they stylish aplomb sits well in the Scandinavian dining room.

In this style, everything is carefully selected and the oversized wall clock is both a stylish and practical addition.

And finally, pulling it all together is this sublime, neutral shade rug with a hint of inlaid pattern.

The dining room is such an important space in the home that is deserved to be dressed and styled. How have you created a beautiful dining space?

Sophisticated ideas for an elegant Halloween dinner party

Pumpkins on Plate for Halloween

Hallowe’en, our one chance of the year to ward off evil spirits, is not just for kids. It is the perfect excuse for adults to get together but instead of bobbing apples, why not enjoy a sophisticated evening?

Host a dinner party

It may be a sophisticated evening with your diners enjoying delicious food and surrounded by style, but that doesn’t mean you can’t allude to the season nor to Hallowe’en.

Halloween Dining Table Setting

This elegant table decoration is a stylish nod to the season. Squashes and pumpkins are harvested at this time of year, and not just grown for trick or treaters to carry from one front door to another.

From pumpkin pie to butternut squash soup, there are many dishes that use pumpkin but the beautiful colours of squashes make for a pleasant centre table decoration. Bookend it with candles and leaves from evergreen shrubs.

Think 1920s glamour

Prohibition aside, the 1920s was the decade in which everything glimmered, the polar opposite to the drudgery of the Great War that has just ended.

Think navy walls and a brass drinks trolley, cocktails and simple elegance and velvet dining chairs. Perfect for sitting alongside your immaculately laid extending dining table with bench.

Give the small things a twist

Skull Glass for Halloween

When serving drinks, give them a subtle Hallowe’en twist. We love these skull shot glasses, perfect for adding a small extra detail to your industrial dining table and party.

Simple is the key ingredient

When it comes to children’s parties or wild celebrations, the more gregarious and over the top you can be, the better. And we become so accustomed to this way of doing things that toning it down can feel that we are not making an effort.

But simplicity takes more effort than you think;

  • Natural elements – included nature in your décor by creating a garland with the beautiful golden leaves that drop from the trees at this time of year. Temper the colours with the dark green foliage of evergreen shrubs and trees, like in the centrepiece we talked of.
  • Non-garish – stay away from a klaxon of colours, sticking with the beautiful palette that nature gives us at this time of year. Plenty of golden oranges and deep, earthy green.
  • Hallowe’en metallic – opt for brass as the must-have metallic finish in the dining room for your sophisticated party. From brass candle holders on the industrial dining table to counteract the black metal to brass accessories loitering atop the industrial sideboard with wine rack, brass is the golden metallic hue of the season.

Foolproof decoration

Black and orange. It really is that simple.

Halloween Flatlay with Pumpkins

Stick with the orange pumpkins, opting for various sizes so it doesn’t look too matchy but emphasises symmetry. And frankly, there is nothing wrong with a black spider or two, lurking in the table centrepiece, at the bottom of a drink or two or hidden away in the shadow of a carved pumpkin.

Set the mood at the front door

Pumpkins by Wooden Door

Hallowe’en wasn’t destined to be fun – it was once, in centuries past, a serious festival – but in modern times, we do enjoy it as a chance of welcoming autumn and looking forward to the festive season. So set the mood at the door with your carved pumpkin, lit with small tea light candles.