How to measure for a TV stand

Kingsbridge Reclaimed Wood TV Stand in Room

Whether we intend it to be or not, the TV in any room becomes the point around which we gather. Since the advent of the digital age, programme choice has burgeoned, with our viewing no longer restricted by time either. With hundreds of channels to choose from, it’s no wonder that the ‘box in the corner’ is a staple in the home.

None of this means that we can’t or shouldn’t make the TV unit of which is stands elegant and stylish. We conducted a poll recently on Houzz asking about people’s preferred option when it comes to the TV unit – do you think the TV unit needs to be bigger than the TV itself or ‘just right’.

We Asked, You Answered

The favourite was clear – a TV unit that was larger than the television was the preferred option and we can see why. Like everything else in the room, the TV needs to be ‘framed’ so that the room is balanced and symmetrical. But how do you ensure the TV unit is not overly large and domineering?

Kingsbridge Reclaimed Oak Wood TV Unit

Time to measure

To get the right unit, whether that is a small TV stand or a large, rustic TV stand that complements your living room, you need to measure. Here’s how:

Step 1 – the space you have

Essentially, unless your chosen reclaimed wood TV stand fits into the space you have available, its addition will make the rest of the room and reclaimed wood furniture look disjointed.

Dorset Reclaimed Wood TV Cabinet

If space is at a premium, there are solutions from wall-mounting the TV to a corner TV storage unit.

Step 2 – TV unit dimensions

You’ll need to double-check the dimensions of the TV unit but it is also worth paying extra attention to its styling, as well as what storage solutions it offers. A TV storage unit with shelving and drawers is ideal for hiding away cables and remotes, perfect for sitting alongside your reclaimed wood coffee table from the same collection.

Beam Reclaimed Wood TV Cabinet

Step 3 – The TV itself

They come in a range of sizes, from the smallest at 32” (measured from corner to corner of the screen) to the ginormous 85”. Bear in mind that the bigger the TV, the more space you need between you and it to optimise picture quality.

If you want a TV unit to be longer than your TV, you’ll need to measure your flat screen TV. Measure in depth (how thick it is), as well as its height and width. Essentially, when matching the TV to the unit, you’ll need to decide how much bigger it needs to be whilst also fitting the space you have available.

The finished product

Styling the TV unit so that it complements the rest of the room is essential and that means it must be balanced.

Make sure the TV unit is not the biggest item in the room if you don’t want it to be the point to which the eye is automatically drawn. Disguise it by ensuring that the 3-seater sofa remains the largest item, framed by a reclaimed wood coffee table and side tables, with the reclaimed wood TV stand being the perfect proportions.

As a minimum allow a few extra inches either side of the TV so that it is framed in its position and people notice the beauty of the TV unit and not the television itself.

And finally, opt for a TV storage unit that has cut out sections to its backing so all those annoying cables and wires are hidden from few, maintaining the sleek appearance of the rustic styling living room.

Unwind in an aromatic experience with scented candles

Rathbornes Luxury Scented Candle

The home should appeal to all senses. Naturally, we tend to focus on what we see because, after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Texture is important too which is why the touch and beauty of reclaimed furniture make it so very popular. But once you have everything in place, what other small touches do you add?

Rathbornes Scented Candles

Gentle, calming aroma in the home

We have 10 million olfactory cells in our nose, all of which play a vital role in how we feel. For example, you’ll detect when milk has ‘turned’ from a few paces away, just like a pleasant aroma in the home can help us feel calm, settled and comfortable.

Adding scent to your home

There are various ways of adding different layers of scent to your home but two of the most popular ways are scented candles and diffusers. Slowly releasing their pleasant notes throughout your home, we have a range of the best candles and diffusers for your home.

Both scented candles and diffusers work in any room, from a pleasant perfume at the door to a centrepiece containing beeswax candles on the beautiful tablecloth on your reclaimed wood dining table to a restful aroma floating across the bedroom, there is something for everyone in our new collection of best-scented candles and diffusers.

Handmade, quality scented candles

All candles in our range, whether large candles or small candles are handmade by Rathbornes in Dublin, a sign in itself that you are buying a quality scented candle. The process of candle making is important simply because it dictates whether the final product is delicately flavoured or too harsh or too weak to make a difference.

Handmaking Scented Candles

  • The scent

It’s essential you have the right scent for you. Different aromas appeal to different people evoking a different reaction. What some will find ‘too strong’ and overpowering, you will find just right.

Rathbornes White Pepper and Honeysuckle Luxury Candle and Box

  • The burn time

You’ll also want the fragrant notes to dance through the air for some time and so we have a range of the best scented candles with different burn times. Travel candles with one wick will last for several hours as too will those candles with two wicks. For an intense experience, luxury scented candles will bring instant gratification.

Scented Candles and Diffusers

Better still, as they come supplied in a beautiful bowl of their own, they are much safer than freestanding candles. And with black candles such as that with the depth of a dusk scent also available, there is something to complement every interior style too.

Rathbornes Dublin Dusk Luxury Candle

Scented diffusers

Scented diffusers, are ideal for supporting the main fragrant you choose for your home. They release their fragrance slowly, the scent encouraged to dissipate through the room by your movement. Delicately fragranced, they don’t overpower with concentrated scent in one area but moving them around occasionally can help to spread their delightful scent.

Rathbornes White Pepper and Honeysuckle Reed Diffuser on Oak Table

 

In the spotlight, the beautiful Livia oak collection

Door Detail of Livia Oak Drinks Cabinet

Oak is a beautiful wood. Slow-growing, its grain is tightly packed together, making for a robust timber. Reclaimed oak furniture is, as a result, full of character and history without its durability being compromised. And so it’s no surprise that we’ve decided to add The Livia Collection to our range, from its sumptuous oak dining table to living room furniture you’re sure to love.

How would we describe it in terms of style? Rustic oak with a hint of glamour reminiscent of the 1920s and art deco period. Geometric shapes add a distinct flavour to the pieces and, as you would expect, there is a show-stopping piece for every room.

In the living room (or anywhere you want to really make a statement…)

Central to the whole collection is this truly evocative piece, the Livia display unit. Decadent with its array of shelving, the brass frame is unusual and amazingly stylish. A real attention grabber, you just need to make sure that any accessories are equally as gregarious.

Livia Oak Display Unit

The low-level TV display unit would make the perfect foil to the large display unit. There are two options, the smaller, two-door unit or the four-door oak TV stand. Perfect for accommodating the largest of flat screen TVs (at just under two meters, a 65” inch screen TV would nestle perfectly on it) and with plenty of storage too, it brings the sublime combination of style and function to the room.

The oak coffee table with a brass inlaid frame on its top is the perfect third piece in the living room, bringing symmetry and cohesion to the space.

Livia Oak Coffee Table

The dining room

Not to be left out, there are plenty of pieces for the dining room, bringing more than a hint of character to the space. The generous proportions of the 6 seater dining table is a must-have. Again, it has the brass inlaid frame and the skilfully crafted square pattern top mirrors that of the pieces in the rest of the collection. Velvet or leather dining chairs would sit well alongside this table, as too would the oak drinks cabinet.

Livia Oak Drinks Cabinet Open

A dining room with storage in the shape of a large sideboard is one that has everything when you need it most. The simplicity of the large sideboard in the Livia Collection belies its beauty. Similar to the TV units, it offers immeasurable practicality with easy-to-access storage with sublime beauty.

For the hallway (and possibly the bedroom too…)

A slim console table in the entrance vestibule of your home is a versatile addition. Perfect for adding to a warm welcome home, the lithe features of the Livia slim console table means it can slot into any hallway and provide ideal hallway storage too. It would also be perfect for the landing too, with a table lamp to cast a warm glow of an evening.

Livia Oak Side Table

Mimicking the slimline console table but a piece in its own right is the square side table. It will be delightful in the lounge but we also see this being a perfect piece for the landing too, next to a small sofa, creating the perfect reading ‘nook’ in an underused spot in the home.

Consisting of ten delightful pieces, the Livia Collection won’t be one to get overlooked.

Welcome the stunning Glasgow reclaimed collection

Glasgow Reclaimed Elm Sideboard

We love to bring choice to our customers and when we look for new collections, we have a long list of stylish criteria it needs to meet. The Glasgow Collection ticked all the boxes – and more. Beautifully rustic, we know you’ll love the detailing and the high-quality finish of this reclaimed elm furniture just as much as we do. The only problem is, how will you make your choice?

The reclaimed elm dining table from the Glasgow Collection

Elm is a beautiful wood. Bringing warmth to any piece it is used to create, the reclaimed elm dining table in this collection will be the stand out talking point of your dining room. there are many reasons this will be the case. Maybe it’s the unique silver legwork at either end of the generously proportioned 6-seater dining table? Maybe it’s the beautiful and skilfully crafted table top?

Glasgow Reclaimed Elm Dining Table

As a piece of reclaimed wood furniture, each elm dining table from the Glasgow Collection will be unique, telling its own story in its own way.

A choice of two stylish sideboards

The sideboard in the dining room (and even the living room!) will never fall out of favour. Bringing much-needed storage, you need a sideboard that offers the space you need. And that’s why we’ve chosen to include two sideboards in the Glasgow Collection.

Glasgow Reclaimed Elm Large Sideboard

The large sideboard is generous in its proportion with a double cupboard, both of which has double doors that open fully to reveal the contents on the shelves. The small sideboard retains a beautiful rustic charm but is less imposing but just as practical.

Both reclaimed elm sideboards, along with the other pieces in the collection, have an incredibly beautiful sunburst design with a round silver, high shine cupboard handle with coordinating legs that brings style immediately to a space. Like the dining table, the sideboards will attract attention for all the right reasons.

The Glasgow elm side table

We don’t often associate storage with a side table, often seeing it as a simple table that offers a tabletop ideal for a coaster or two, maybe a lamp or other pretty accessory.

And so the Glasgow elm side table brings a welcome note of change. A delightful example of reclaimed elm furniture, it offers storage space in it cupboard with the same design to be found on the sideboards.

Glasgow Reclaimed Elm Side Table

But it isn’t the same. And that’s why people love reclaimed wood furniture. Each piece has a different story to tell and so the sunburst detailing on the doors of the reclaimed elm side table is its own.

Round coffee tables (with glamour!)

Rustic in its style, there is a glamorous streak to the Glasgow Collection itself. Essentially, the high shine silver finish of the legs and door handles give it a certain something that brings it from the ‘just rustic’ category to the rustic-with-glamour section.

Glasgow Reclaimed Elm Round Nest of Tables

The pair of two nesting round coffee tables in the Glasgow Collection will be a hit, we know. With the potential to act as round side tables too, the coffee tables each ahs the refined, starburst pattern tops with silver frame legwork that injects more than a hint of glamour into the living, doing so without compromising on practicality.

A beautiful collection, we are pleased to welcome the Glasgow range to the Modish Living stable of high-quality reclaimed elm furniture pieces.

Unique reclaimed wood coffee tables under £500

Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table and Side Table

Tough yet welcoming and warm, there is a romance and a beauty to reclaimed wood furniture that sees it stand head and shoulders above its nearest contenders. Used across a range of furniture pieces and styles, reclaimed wood is simply breathtaking. The coffee table is the workhorse of the living room and that’s why the beauty of the reclaimed wood coffee table is desired by many. But which would you choose?

The multi-purpose reclaimed wood coffee table

Well within your £500 budget is this delightfully stunning piece, the Rustica reclaimed wood coffee table. With two drawers and an impressive tabletop for everything from a lamp to sculptural accessories, this coffee table could easily double as a bedside table or a reclaimed wood side table next to your brown leather sofa. In fact, this is one of those pieces that you’ll buy and no matter how many times to change your interior design style, there will always be a place for it.

Rustica Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table with Drawers

Rustic with a refined, contemporary edge

At the other end of the scale, so to speak, is the refined rustic appeal of the Farringdon reclaimed wood coffee table with storage in the shape of two drawers and a lower shelf. For any rustic style room, including the living room, this piece can be a stand out one or is equally as happy playing a supporting role.

Farringdon Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table with Drawers

In a similar vein is the Chelwood reclaimed wood coffee table. Refinement is the middle name of every piece in the Chelwood Collection without compromising on its rustic roots. Reclaimed wood furniture retains its romance and unique story and yet it all comes together to offer storage solutions for the living room, the bedroom or even in the hallway. It is nothing if not versatile.

Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table with Storage

Rustic with a hint of coastal

The coastal look is popular but it is a hard style to get right. Too much ‘seaside detailing’ leads to it becomes too obvious and twee. Avoid this by making nods to the coastal interior design theme but maintaining rustic charm as the overriding ingredient.

White, rustic, reclaimed wood furniture is perfect if you want to introduce the breeziness of the coast but want to enjoy the charm and romance of the rustic look.

Don’t be deceived by its simplicity because the Savannah reclaimed wood coffee table brings so much to a room that’s it hard to list all of its qualities. Elegant it most certainly is, rustic and refined come to mind as well, and the meeting of bare wood with white painted framework is classic.

Savannah Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

The Dorset Collection teases out the rustic style a little more with the merest hint of the coastal flavour. It too combines the perfect fusion of white painted wood with bare wood, becoming the go-to collection for those looking for all kinds of key pieces including reclaimed wood side tables, the painted coffee table and more.

Dorset Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

The ‘chunkiness’ of the Dorset coffee table with drawers is satisfyingly pleasant. With a low-level shelf too, this beautiful rustic coffee table will suit any home (and any room) and is well within the £500 maximum spend limit too.

Beautiful industrial coffee tables for under £500

Rocco Oak Coffee Table with Drawer

The industrial style is going nowhere any time soon. A classic fusion of reclaimed wood furniture sitting pretty with steel, it is a style that flows in any room. For the living room, it a style that presents many opportunities to create a welcoming, warm space with an edge that places it firmly in the top spot.

Key to any room is how the individual pieces combine to offer an easy living experience. The coffee table is one of those pieces that provide functionality but also provide a design statement. Accessible storage is key and when it comes to the industrial look, there is no doubt that a reclaimed wood coffee table is an essential piece.

We have four beautiful industrial coffee tables for under £500, perfect for your budget.

Beautiful simplicity

The Mitcham industrial coffee table is a beautiful piece made from reclaimed oak and black steel. It offers two levels of shelving – the tabletop and a lower shelf, perfect for slipping your novel or magazine for safe storage.

Mitcham Industrial Oak Coffee Table

Robust and durable, this coffee table brings the romance of reclaimed wood into the room but also it brings dimension. If you have a large, three-seater sofa, framing it in its space with a beautiful living room rug and a coffee table brings symmetry and cohesion. The dimensions of this oak coffee table, therefore, serves two purposes: as a coffee table and as a supporting piece for framing your elegant industrial style sofa.

Truly industrial

The industrial style can have a refined appearance as we’ll see with the other industrial coffee tables on our list but if you want to stay true to its roots, you’ll be looking for the rustic charm of reclaimed wood for your industrial living room.

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

As a reclaimed wood coffee table, the Standford reclaimed wood industrial coffee table must surely be one of the best. With two doors and a shelf, it offers so many storage solutions that it’s hard to see how this can be topped – and you’ll get change from your £500 budget as this comes in at just under £350.

Rustic, refined, industrial beauty

Retaining the rustic feel but with a refined and contemporary feel, the Rocco industrial oak coffee table glides into position in the living room. The light patina of the wood is in stark contrast to the black steel legwork. Complete with handy drawer space, this is a beautiful piece that will suit not just the living room but any room in fact. We can easily see this slotting in the bedroom as a low bedside table or in the home office or in your reading nook, next to your armchair as an industrial side table.

Rocco Industrial Rustic Oak Coffee Table

Unsung hero

The coffee table is the unsung hero in so many homes. It does everything from offer a convenient space for guests to rest their cocktail glasses but also makes an easy-to-reach platform for when your children complete their homework. It is the place where all kinds of bits and pieces are given a home and for this reason, the Industrial Lansdowne coffee table with storage is a popular choice.

Industrial Lansdowne Rustic Wood Coffee Table

Simple. Elegant. Stylish. And yet, it is uber practical with its two drawers and lower shelf for storage. A coffee table with drawers is perfect when you need to quickly declutter for unexpected guests.

All this beauty and function in a style that suits your home and all for under £500. Which industrial coffee table would you choose?

The beautiful, new Pimlico elm furniture range

Detail of Pimlico Elm Sideboard

The Pimlico Collection is one of our best yet with beautiful coordinating pieces that will add panache and allure to any dining room. It solid elm dark wood finish is the perfect foil for the copper framing that sets this range out as being one with something for every home.

The Pimlico dining table

If you want to make a statement in the dining room, the brooding dark looks of this elm dining table fits the bill exactly. It is the detailing in this range that attracts us to the key pieces. For example, the square pattern on top of the table along with inlaid copper framing gives the Pimlico elm dining table all the detailing it needs to sit beautifully alongside other reclaimed wood furniture.

Pimlico Elm Dining Table

The Pimlico large sideboard

The perfect coordinating piece alongside a stylish black dining table is a large sideboard with the same stylish impact. The Pimlico large sideboard literally sings alongside the matching elm dining table.

Pimlico Elm Large Sideboard

Again, it is the detailing that gives it the wow factor. There is nothing understated here. The diamond shaped inlays are a delight, again framed by a copper inlay that marks out the darkness of the solid elm sideboard beautifully.

The u-style legs add yet another refinement to a piece that is already at the top end of the stylish scale. Offering plenty of practical storage, this is a must-have for the industrial glamour styled dining room.

The Pimlico slimline console table

Ideal for the dining room, the hallway or even the industrial style living room, the solid elm with copper framed inlay of the hallway console table is stunning. With four copper capped feet and the detailing atop the table, this is a piece that will draw attention wherever it sits.

Pimlico Elm Console Table

The Pimlico elm coffee table

Mirroring the same style with capped feet and inlaid copper detailing is the low, spacious rectangle elm coffee table, a sheer delight in any living room framing a leather or even a velvet sofa.

Pimlico Elm Coffee Table

If you want to ring the changes or prefer the flow that a round coffee table brings to a living space, the Pimlico round black coffee table with a stunning copper finish is an absolute must. It has a presence that draws the eye and in our book, that is only ever a good thing.

Pimlico Round Elm Coffee Table

Coordinating Pimlico side tables

Symmetry and cohesion are brought to a room when key components link and marry seamlessly together. We know people worry about the ‘show home matchy-matchy’ feel but when you have a carefully thought out fusion between pieces, whether they are star players or supporting pieces such as coffee tables and the round side table, you have a relaxing, stylish space.

And that’s why the Pimlico side tables are included in the collection. Sitting alongside the console table and the black coffee table you could introduce the square side table, perfect framing partners for each end of the sofa.

You could switch it up, as they say, with the slightly taller spherical column that is the Pimlico round side table, again the perfect addition to frame the sofa or your industrial armchair in your reading nook.

Pimlico Elm Round Side Table

Dark wood furniture has a maturity and stylish reverberation to it that makes a room stand out from the norm. And that’s why we love the Pimlico Collection.

Luxurious, new coloured rugs for your home

Louis De Poortere Khayma Sand Rose Rug with Coffee Table

Adding a rug to a room instantly lifts it from the floor up. In effect, a rug acts as a textured platform on which the style of the room is given a significant boost. Get the right colour and shading, as well as texture, and you are guaranteed success.

But choosing the right large living room rugs – or a rug for any room, for that matter – is difficult which is why we’ve decided to introduce these new rugs with our Editor’s Picks.

Looking for a neutral, easy to work with colour? Opt for a grey rug

If you are, your options are not only beige, cream or white. Thankfully, grey is still very much in on-trend colour for the coming seasons and its neutral flavour is perfect for when you want to switch up a room’s style.

We’re loving a large grey rug in the dining room where the penchant for dark wood furniture is really beginning to become popular. We have two new ranges that would sit with a grey rug beautifully – The rustic with glamour Glasgow Collection or the amazingly stylish dark reclaimed elm range that we have called the Pimlico Collection.

Louis de Poortere Mad Men Wind Chill Grey Rug

Bring a refreshing breeze of colour with a blue rug

If you want more of a colour than grey, a blue rug is a brilliant decision. There is simple neutrality to blue that means it brings a refreshing colour boost to a scheme. As well as the coastal style in the bedroom, a blue rug with an understated abstract pattern can work in many rooms in the home.

If you have opted for a rustic living room, for example, a blue rug can bring a genteel splash of colour that doesn’t overpower.

Louis de Poortere Mad Men Polar Vortex Blue Rug in Room

Depth of colour with a green rug

An on-trend colour that we have been enjoying in various forms in the home is the darker, earthier shade of green. We also enjoy the industrial style and the fusion between it and a glamorous streak that is a brass or gold effect finish.

There is a Victorian streak to this kind of style and finish and so its no wonder that an injection of green into an industrial glamour styled room works so well.

Louis de Poortere Khayma Desert Grass Green Rug

With such a style, details and notes need to have a heavier promise and so the green rug with a heavily define pattern is an ideal foil in the industrial style living room or dining room landscape. It’s darker tones sit well with both brass and gold, including the copper finishes of the new Pimlico Collection too.

Set against a leather sofa or velvet armchair, this green rug with a delightful geometric pattern really sings its own praises.

Want a twist? Consider modern pink

Occasionally, something comes along that you fall in love with that you wouldn’t normally consider and if you’re put off by the vibrancy of a red rug, pink could be the perfect alternative. In some cases, the modern pink rug is a ‘marmite’ piece – people either love it or hate it, there is no in between – but if you enjoy the lightness of a contemporary interior design style, then this modern pink rug is just what you are looking for.

Louis De Poortere Khayma Sand Rose Rug

A slight pastel, sandy pink tone to the rug with a geometric pattern wouldn’t look too out of place with the Scandinavian style either. There is a lightness of touch to the colour that stops it being too overpowering and would work well with the lighter woods associated with the Scandinavian style too.

If you have a kitchen/diner, this is a great rug. Light but practical, it adds another layer of texture to any room. We think it has potential in the Scandinavian style bedroom too.

How to choose the perfect side table

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Side Table in Living Room

Humble it may be, but uber-practical, the side table is an addition to the living room you will wonder how you did without it. Get it right, and it melts into the background, almost stepping forward when you need and then retreating when no longer required. But how do you choose a side table that is both practical and stylish?

Height

The first thing to think about is height, a factor that works closely with purpose which we’ll address next. Too low and it will look too stubby but too tall, and it can look out of place. You’ll need to decide where to put the side table so you have a better idea of the height you can accommodate. Would the light features of a tall side table be the order of the day?

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Tall Side Tables

TIP – don’t have a side table taller than the arm of your sofa. Choose one that is a little shorter so that is ‘supports’ the sofa in its space.

Purpose

How you intend to use the side table is an important consideration too, especially when it comes to size and height. If you are using, for example, a side table in the corner of the room for a table lamp, you may choose to opt for a taller side table. If you need one for tea and coffee cups, glasses and the like, you’ll need a broader table top that can accommodate such use.

Storage – yes or no?

Some people want a small side table that does nothing more than hold their current novel and coffee cup next to their reading chair. For others, the side table can act as a welcome addition in the living room in terms of storage too. Options include a side table with a shelf or a side table with storage that offers a combination of shelving and drawer space too.

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Side Table in Living Room

Drawer and shelving space doesn’t mean you have to opt for a larger table either. This smaller dark wood side table would be ideal for both living room and bedroom. If your room can accommodate a larger side table, this industrial side table with an additional shelf would be a good choice.

Mitcham Oak Industrial Side Table

Shape

There are various shaping options;

  • Round – round side tables are great for encouraging flow in a room and can feel less imposing in a smaller room.

  • Slimline – a narrow side table is also great for a smaller space too but can also be a stylish addition too.

  • Square – a square side table is great for zoning a space too and with a larger square side table, you bring in more storage options to the living room.

Style

And finally, opting for the style that fits neatly with the overall styling choice of your home allows for a cohesive and symmetrical look, adding certain aplomb to your living space.

As well as industrial furniture, there are side tables with a heavy rustic flavour as well as reclaimed wood side tables with a coastal feel to them too. The simplicity of a Scandinavian style side table is also beautiful, perfect for slipping into place in most styles.

Wycombe Oak Side Table and Blue Fabric Sofa

With a little thought, a side table can be the addition to the other reclaimed wood furniture you need it to be in your living room or any other room come to that!