industrial Archives - Page 20 of 26

Add shameless luxury to your office with aluminium

First impressions: a 7-second window of opportunity to send the right message to potential clients, employees, stakeholders and so on. Who would have thought that such a small gap of time could have such a lasting impression?

And last it does. It can take months, even years, to claw your way back from a negative impression. Thus, it pays to spend time, effort and money on getting the right look – and impression – about your office.

Corporate Offices

Take no more than a quick glance at corporate offices online and you will notice similarities: clean, today, efficient. You may also think clinical but, there is no denying that they meet expectations. Does your office do that?

Impressions are essential for meeting or exceeding expectations. When your clients visit your office, what do they expect to see? What do they expect to feel?

Are you meeting these standards or falling short? Is it time for a change? Is it time to ramp up the luxury and the impact of when people visit your workspace? If it is, we have the range of office furniture with the wow factor.

Practical and functional, the Aviator range is beautiful, different and elegant. Better still, it ‘fits’ the modern office look or the traditional appeal of a workspace. You can add one or two key items or deck out the whole office in the glinting Aviator range. The choice is yours…

• The desk

In an office, possibly the most important piece is the desk. You need desktop space for your PC or laptop, for your written work and so on, but an expanse of desk also indicates a certain sense of grandeur.

You want your desk to have character and a presence. The Aviator wing desk is simply phenomenal.

• The Chairs

As well as your own desk chair, you need chairs for your clients and they too, with the Aviator range can make an impact.

The Aviator wing chair is no ordinary, casual leather office chair. It too has an impact that people will find hard to resist. For more ‘informal’ seating – many offices now incorporate this kind of informal space – the Aviator leather armchair is ideal.

• Remaining space

From the Aviator large sideboard for storage, matching coffee table and console table, to industrial shelving, the Aviator range has everything you need.

But if all that shiny aluminium finish is too much, you can dial back the impact to a dull roar with accessories, such as a blue rug or large modern pendant lights.

The End Result

Designing and dressing an office is not for the faint-hearted. There is a mix of ergonomic design and style that must seamlessly blend to give a smooth overall finish. And then there are those customer expectations to think about…

Designing your office space is not about your customer ‘liking’ it – it may not be to their personal taste – but that is not the root of a first impression. Impressions are expectations, and whether the décor sadly misses the mark or sends the right signals of professionalism and expertise.

So, what does your office say about your business?

Amazing items that will make you love your work space

Louis De Poortere Spring Leaves Green Rug

Potentially, you could spend hours in your home office, perfecting your product or service. Yes, it needs to be ergonomically designed but it also needs to be a joy to use. And this is where your sense of style comes in to play. And so, we put our heads together and came up with these fun styling ideas…

Squeeze it in

If your home office doesn’t have to be gargantuan, then you are probably comfortable working in the main part of your home, whether that is a desk in the corner of the living room or a space ‘under-the-stairs’. Either way, using furniture that matches presents a coherent look to the eye and stop your home office standing out as the focal point in the room. Add a comfy chair and plenty of hideaway storage space and you have a delightful space from which to work.

Add hints of luxury

Luxury is a hard word to define because what is luxurious to one person is fuss and clutter to another. There is, however, no denying that texture holds the key to luxury.

Take the grey sheepskin rug for example, with its soft, feather-like feel to it. Beautifully tactile, the sheepskin rug can be used as a rug to keep your feet warm or, in the winter, add it to your desk chair as an extra layer of warmth around your back.

Theme it

If you have a separate space – do you look with envy at home office pods and cabins in the garden? – you can use the décor on the walls to create a space that is both restful but stimulating too.

From clean lines to pastel shades, there are all kinds of themes and styles you can opt for. In recent months, there has been a penchant for softer wall shades, with brass accessories and all things glitter. Frankly, there is nothing wrong with this look unless, of course, you don’t like it.

And so, the moral of this story is, create the theme and the décor that you like. But as a means of inspiration, may we suggest beautifully patterned rugs with a versatile sideboard masquerading as office cabinets?

And don’t forget to liven up the walls with artwork!

The desk and the chair

The title of your next novel perhaps, but in all honesty, we do need to consider the two most important aspects of the home office: the desk at the right height, shape and length, partnered with a comfy, supportive office chair.

Our Oldman range – wooden desk with metal legwork – is back with a bang. These are completely customisable from coloured legs to the right size desktop for your home office.

Create something fabulous that works for YOU

It is your home office. Your space where you create and grow your business. It can be as clean, simple and minimal as you like, or full of colour, passion and ample storage. And yes, if you want the flower-patterned paper clips, you can have them too…

The hero of creating extra space in the living room

Are there times when you wish you had more storage space in the living room? And yet adding another piece of furniture makes no sense, it’ll just crowd the space you have.

And so, it is a logical conclusion to this argument that you maximise the storage space in key items of the room, from the industrial display unit to the fetching, rustic appealing coffee table.

But there is one other item of furniture, the unsung hero of storage in the living room: the TV stand.

How to maximise Space with a TV Stand

TVs are flatter, lighter and bigger but if you are not one for mounting it on the wall, a TV stand is an essential piece of kit. Ditch the modern, plastic stand they come with and opt for beauty and hidden history of reclaimed, wooden TV cabinets.

With a story of their own to tell, they are available in a range of finishes and styles, thus there is something to suit all tastes, styles and budgets, from the angular pleasing lines of the industrial style to a home boasting all kinds of reclaimed wood furniture.

But, how does a TV cabinet work best? With drawers or without? The majority of people on Houzz in one of our polls opt for drawers as being the perfect storage solution, whilst just over half of those who responded liked the idea of shelves.

With one decision made – drawers or shelves? – you can now move on to incorporating the TV cabinet into the living room décor.

# Fits small spaces

Not everyone wants the TV as a focal point and so quite often, it is placed in a part of the room that is ‘out of the way’ in many respects. TV cabinets are made to in differing styles and so a corner cabinet with additional store is perfect for most people.

# Multi-tasking versatility…

In many respects you don’t have an either/or decision between drawers and shelving – why not have both? There are exquisite pieces such as the Sorio reclaimed wood media and TV unit that has both and we have many others that work with any kind of interior design style too.

# Great for other rooms too

We assume that because something is described as TV cabinet it must only be in the living room with the TV on it. Or the sideboard can only really fit the dining room and so on.

BREAKING NEWS: the TV cabinet, in all its multi-tasking glory, is perfect for any room in the house, from additional storage space in the bedroom to a fantastic addition to the home study.

# Injecting something different…

And by this, we don’t mean opting for a gaudy coloured item or one made from a synthetic material to act as a modern foil to the living room’s brown leather sofa. We mean that its detailing (or lack of), the colour (or lack of), the iconic shape and design so often associated with various styles, such as that found in industrial furniture, can be a standalone piece that stands out just enough to be noticed, but not jar on the eyeline.

Can you tell we think that the TV cabinet is an understated addition to the home? Isn’t it time you looked again?

How to improve your open-plan living space

You may have come across our polls on Instagram and Houzz, and you may have contributed to the debate too. If not, why not take a look and be part of a community that enjoys discussing trends in interior design?

We asked a question that we thought would elicit a lot of response – and we weren’t wrong! Possibly one of our most controversial questions yet: is it over for the open plan living room?

We Asked, You Answered

The answer was no, it is not over with the majority of people still in support of an open plan living room as a great solution for the modern home. But, there were a significant group of people that said yes, it is over for the open plan living space.

What surprised us was the lack of ‘don’t knows’ or ‘unsure’. And we think that this shows the love or hate relationship we have with this style of living. With this in mind, we take a look at an open plan living room and how to create a cohesive space with industrial style furniture that works.

Styling an Open Plan Living Room

Open plan living spaces can be fantastic IF they are styled well, but can look and feel cavernous and characterless if not. Great styles to use with this kind of open living are the farmhouse style – no chance of large farmhouse furniture pieces swamping the space – or the industrial style, one that is synonymous with loft living.

So, what hints do we have?

Define spaces – just because it is open plan living doesn’t mean that you cannot define spaces within it. But instead of walls, use room dividers such an industrial style display unit. This open shelving unit allows for light and vision to pass through, but zones an area at the same time.

Think big – an open plan space can accommodate some of the larger pieces of furniture that catch our attention, and do so with ease. For the farmhouse style, there is no denying the importance of the dining table. The heating heart of the home, a large farmhouse dining table works well as it too can be an object that denotes the use of the area. In other words, it is a piece of furniture that allows you and your guests to ‘make sense’ of the open plan living space. (HINT: industrial dining tables work just as well too!)
Create a focal point – any room, open plan or otherwise, can seem cavernous and featureless if there is no focal point. They can be a fixed object, such as a splendid fireplace or, for an open living you may want to introduce something else that acts as the defining statement of the room. Living room décor can provide the semi-permanent focal point you are looking for;

Expose the beams – paint metal ones black as use these are a frame to the room
Be creative – use old windows are a room divider
Create a feature wall – and create one that really stands out! From large print wallpaper to super-bold colour, the feature wall can be even more gregarious in an open plan living space

Open plan living is, admittedly, not for everyone. BUT, we think with the right reclaimed furniture and style, it is a space that is cosy, practical and uber-stylish.

Is a Oswald sofa the one for you?

There are many items of furniture that boast such a recognisable shape and design, that no matter what style touches it, it is iconic. No matter what you do the Oswald sofa, there is an unstated class and elegance, a nostalgic touch of yesteryear about it.

It has remained an option for consumers for decades and it seems, this is not going to change anytime soon. But we wanted to know what our fans on Houzz and Instagram thought.

We Asked, You Answered

We presented you with two images, one of the Oswald Sofa and the other of the Napier sofa, itself boasting a fairly iconic, modern shape – and we asked: “is the Oswald sofa reappearing in home interiors?”

Faced with a choice of two fantastic sofas, our poll clearly presented our followers with the toughest choice yet. On Houzz, the majority of voters agreed that Oswald was a piece making a comeback but there was a strong showing for Napier, a sofa that can be completely customised with Harris tweed to your exact requirements.

On Instagram, our followers made the opposite choice. The unfussy shape and finish of the Napier Harries tweed sofa pipped the Oswald sofa to take the crown – and by a considerable majority too.

But, are these two sofas so very different? How can we use them in our homes, no matter what our style?

Industrial Style

Some of the comments alluded to the fact that as a modern sofa, the fact that you can customise the Napier sofa was the clear reason why it was favoured. For many of us, this is essential.

In order for it to ‘fit’ perfectly, you can choose your own shade and pattern of tweed or moon wool, and throw in some leather too.

This means that no matter what your style, your sofa can be the standout piece or it will seamlessly meld with the rest of your home.

For example, take the industrial look – a fusion of the raw brick and natural materials, with a slice of the practical and functional – is a growing trend, timeless and classic. The Napier sofa would suit perfectly, wouldn’t it, in leather and plain wool framed by an industrial coffee table, such as the Oldham Coffee Table?

Modern Style

The modern style takes components from other design schemes and combines them to make a practical style, with an understated impact and function to it.

But here’s the thing: drop the leather Oswald sofa into a modern design scheme and hey presto! It looks just as much as home as it did in a stately home.

And so, what now? Choose your shape, choose your fabric and love your sofa for years to come, whether it’s Oswald or Napier.

How to find the best living room furniture arrangement

On the face of it, it doesn’t look too difficult. After all, it is a square or rectangle room (or it might be an awkwardly shaped room!) and all you need to do is place the chosen items of furniture in it. Job done.

But then, it doesn’t look right or feels right. There is something missing, or there is too much packed in… it feels cluttered and disconnected. Since when has it been so hard to put furniture in the living room!

Help is at hand…

Use what is already there

What features are in your living room? From the fireplace to the sweep of the bay window, work with what features you have rather than working against them.

Think connections

This is a great tip – place the sofa and the armchairs like they are having a conversation with each other, just like you will when you spend time with friends in the living room. Connect the items with clever bridges such as luxury rugs that act as ‘pathways’.

Create a ‘centre’ to the room

This isn’t about the centre of the room being the spot around which all else revolves but finding or creating a natural spot in the room around which life circulates. Highlight this with the use of furniture around this ‘centre’ and create pointers so that the eye can make sense of the room. Hanging modern pendant lighting, for example, is a great way of drawing attention to and defining the ‘centre’.

Don’t put things against the wall

Leave a gap behind the sofa and pull the armchairs away from the wall. This stops that look of everything following the boundary of the wall. You may think this takes up space but with a well-chosen armchair, your living room can seem more spacious with gaps around and behind key items.

Don’t let the TV and fireplace compete for attention

On one hand, the fireplace is a natural focal point and yet, the cinematic TVs we are purchasing are the actual focal point of many a living room. Resolve the dispute by placing the two side by side, or wall mounting the TV on the chimney breast.

Use a coffee table as an ‘anchor’

As well as a focal point, the room needs an anchor, a piece of furniture that allows the eye to make sense of the room. A stylish coffee table is an ideal choice for this role. Choose one that complements your chosen style, from the rustic to the uber-modern, and why not be a little more daring in your choice…?

Add a rug

An under-used accessory, we always think, but that may be because you are unsure how to use the rug. The right size is essential and so carefully measure the floor space and decide on how much of this you want the rug to cover. It can frame the room well, especially if the rug finishes at or just under items of furniture, like the sofa.

And finally, wooden shelving is an addition that is practical and understated, essential for so many living rooms. And for hard to dress corners, the floor standing mirror is not just for the bedroom, you know…

Create a breakfast room that will make you love your home

Life is busy and we should all make an effort to take some time out for ourselves. Create a breakfast room that suits you and your family’s needs for a more enjoyable breakfast experience. And if you’re still looking for a New Year’s resolution, why not make it your mission to sit down, relax and eat breakfast in the morning to set yourself up properly for the day. It only takes 5 minutes and you’ll feel much more positive than if you run out the door finishing the last of your toast!

Your kitchen doesn’t need to be huge for you to create a great space to eat. Where space is tight, you just need to be creative.

It’s easy to create a breakfast spot if you already have a kitchen island. Simply adopt a bistro-style feel by adding breakfast bar chairs along one edge. If you have counters with some overhang, you can tuck the stools under when they’re not in use and it will hardly take up any space at all. Not only will you create enough space for breakfast, but you’ll also turn your kitchen into a more sociable room for your family and for entertaining.

If you have wooden counter tops, create a streamlined look with coordinating wooden chairs. Oak bar stools look elegant and their hardwearing quality makes them perfect for family homes.

Alternatively, rattan is a fantastic option to add a bit of texture and comfort to your kitchen.

Alternatively, create a breakfast nook in the corner of your kitchen with a breakfast bar table and stools. You may think you don’t have room but think again. A simple cafe style table with a pair of statement bar stools will work in the smallest of kitchens. You may even be able to find clever storage solutions which double up as storage, or a wine rack, as well as a breakfast table.

If you are short on space, keep furniture and upholstery light. Cream bar stools are a perfect option for country or shaker style kitchens for a gorgeous classic feel. Alternatively, in a more modern space, industrial style bar stools which incorporate metal and wood are often slightly slimmer and sleeker in design, so may be just what you are looking for.

Where you have room for a table in your kitchen, try and maximise the natural light by placing the table close to the window (or French doors). This will create an illusion of more space and will ultimately make kitchens look less cluttered if you’re short on space.

Colourful bar stools will add a punch of interest to your decor scheme. For example, the chairs shown in the image above are upholstered in a gorgeous blue-toned grey which works beautifully to add a subtle pop of colour against the mainly white and neutral room. Blues, greens, pinks and yellows are all fantastic colours to make a statement in your kitchen.

Luxe Daisy Upholstered Bar Stool in Velvet

If you’re fortunate enough to have a separate dining room, make the most of it – don’t just keep it for special occasions! To create a siren dining area, opt for an elegant chair and table set in classic colours. Finish with simple details like a large mirror on the wall and a statement glass vase in the centre of the table to create an ideal spot to relax.

Whatever your breakfast spot, create a space where you’ll want to sit down each morning with a cup of coffee and ease yourself into the day ahead.

Predictions of the year for interior design styles

If you love interior design like we do, you will probably be wondering what 2018 has in store in terms of trends, as well as which trends from 2017 will still be appealing in the coming year too…

Colour in the Kitchen

If you love colour, you will like the idea of adding bolder colours to the kitchen. However, for those of us who find the industrial style beautiful and practical, you may have the shivers.

But there is good news: colour in the kitchen is not about adding coloured doors and worktops but adding colour to walls. And even then, the favourites are muted greys, perfect for sitting alongside your industrial style furniture in the kitchen.

We predict…

… that muted colours such as greys and blues will stay with us for most of 2018. In complete contrast, the Pantone Colour of the Year is a rich, evocative Ultra Violet, perfect we think for the occasional bold, contrasting statement.

Vintage Lighting

Designers are bringing through new trends that will sit so well within the landscape of an industrial styled home. Lighting confirms the ambience of a room and, so we think that the desire for vintage lighting is perfect. Any scheme should have the odd surprise or two so why not contrast vintage with the angular, newer industrial style?

Think vintage, think brass but if you can’t quite see your way to trailing around vintage shops and markets, opt for ‘modern vintage’ such as the Embla floor lamp, its rich, warm gold tones adding depth and detail.

We predict…

… customers will become even more adventurous in their choice of lighting and materials.

Shiplap tiling is staying…

… but there is also a trend coming through called ‘millwork’ tiling. Think hexagonal and ‘wireframes’ patterns for tiling, a great alternative, we think to shiplap which doesn’t always sit easily alongside the industrial style.

Create a feature wall of hexagonal tiles in the kitchen or be daring with the bathroom floor.

We predict…

… shiplap tiles won’t be hanging around once we see the amazing results of hexagonally shaped tiling.

Other predictions in brief:

Metallics will be a must. A framework pendant light would add detail to an industrial living room.
Concrete is the new must-have material, pushing granite and marble aside. Pattern it, stamp it and polish it, concrete is brilliant as flooring and worktop solutions.
The fireplace is back! If you are lucky to be gifted a fireplace, bring it back at the focal point of the room. Whether it is casting a warm glow in the dining room next to your fabric dining chairs and statement table or a non-working feature in the bedroom, make it the star of the show for 2018 at least!
Art is nature inspired. If you are looking to add canvas art prints to your industrial themed home, the on-trend art subject is the natural world, specifically plants. Perfect for adding a little greenery and softening the angles, nature easily sits within the industrial style.

What trends do you want to stay for the coming year?

The most popular decor trends of 2017

As we bid 2017 goodbye, we often look forward to the coming spring trends of 2018. But it wouldn’t be fitting to wave adieu to 2017 without taking a look back at what the year offered in terms of décor trends. What did we love and what didn’t catch on?

Sophisticated Pastels

A definite win was the palette of sophisticated pastels that suit any room in the home. But think beyond sugary pinks and watered-down blues. The must-have colour was Millennial Pink, a colour described as ‘very now, but timeless’.

It was and is a beautiful colour, perfect for bedroom decorations. Think of a ‘grapefruit shade of apricotty salmon’ and you are there. Not too sugary, not too dark, a perfect balance between introducing a colour to a space but just enough to not be too light that it is a mere whisper of a colour but not too dark that it looks like a bedroom of a princess-obsessed little girl.

Will it stay? Possibly but there are also some stronger colours making their way into the home this coming year, although we are yet to see what the Pantone Colour of the Year 2018 is yet…

Local Materials

The other trend that we loved was the growing movement to buy local, whether this was from smaller artisan craftspeople or sourcing companies that used British designers and materials.

There was also a growing trend for upcycling and recycling, with our reclaimed wood furniture becoming increasingly popular too. Customers love the romance of reclaimed wood, the fact that as a table, the English beams have a story that they will never tell…

Black-Finish Metals

Metal is always a popular material but black-finish metal has placed industrial furniture back in the eye of the creative homeowner over the year.

At one time, bright, polished stainless steel or aluminium was a must, and then came the brass-effect look. But 2017 saw us embrace the black-finish metal with its satisfying heaviness, without being too clunky or demanding.

The industrial style Maddox dining table is a fine example or this exquisite piece, the Luxe Kensington console table with it cross legs and reclaimed wood top.

Moody, Jewel-Colour Interiors

For depth, there was no doubt that 2017 was the year for strong, moody, earthy colours. And we loved the jewel tones that once again graced dining rooms, living rooms, bedrooms and hallways of the modern home.

As well as jewel-coloured dining chairs – think plush velvet in amethyst and turquoise blue, the colour of the depth of the ocean – adding coloured rugs to a space was a great way of switching things up. This striped Louise de Poortere green rug is the perfect addition to any room and any style, from the modern to the rustic.

What didn’t quite make it…

The signs were there but the beach effect was a difficult trend to pull off, especially in a way that was more adult than child’s bedroom. But we did love the nods to the beach or oceanscape theme with deep blue rugs and the occasional reference to all things maritime.

What will 2018 hold for us in terms of interior décor and style, we wonder?