reclaimed Archives - Page 5 of 24

Everything you need to know about rustic style

Rustic style is here to stay and is the type of interior scheme that evolves with time and will never go out of fashion. It incorporates casual, natural, rugged, rough and aged elements which can be influenced by styles originating anywhere from a Tuscan farmhouse or Gothic castle to a beach house on the English coast. The beauty of the rustic style is that nothing should be new and perfect looking! Rustic style suits farmhouses and country cottages but it can also work in the newer home by adding in character and rustic features. In this blog, we look at some key elements to embrace a rustic look in your home.

Wood

Wood is the main element when it comes to creating a rustic interior. Especially reclaimed wood – it tells a story, it gives texture to your room as well as history and individuality. If you have a wood floor you can sand and stain it, or look at installing a wooden floor – there are many different types and styles to suit your home. Whether you opt for antique furniture pieces, upcycled items or reclaimed furniture, the addition of wooden pieces will bring in bundles of rustic charm. A great example of this is the Chelwood Reclaimed Wood rustic coffee table and side table below – it’s the perfect addition to a living room bringing with it style as well as some handy living room storage.

Natural elements

Accentuate any natural features you have in your home, such as exposed beams, natural brick walls, stone floors or an open fireplace. You can also bring in other natural rustic elements in the form of houseplants in wicker baskets or old metal buckets. Something as simple as a dried flower display on a farmhouse table or kitchen sideboard will help give a warm rustic vibe to your dining space.

Textured and organic textiles

You can bring in a variety of textiles when accessorising your room. Natural fabrics in neutral or muted colours work best. Mix textures, for example, a selection of scatter cushions and sofa throws in different fabrics on your sofa, a floor rug or curtains in natural cotton or linen for the windows. Leather chairs add another natural element to the space, tapestry is also a top choice when it comes to a rustic interior.

Metal

Shiny metal gives a room a touch of glamour and bling, so for a rustic look you want to be introducing burnished metals. Matt black hinges and door furniture and furniture with an industrial element add a whole bunch of rustic charm. The Standford reclaimed dining table makes the perfect centrepiece for your dining room – pair it with a wooden dining bench for a truly rustic look.

For the larger dining space, the Soho Dining Table will make a big and bold eye-catching statement pair this with sumptuous and luxurious velvet dining chairs to add contrast to your room.

Any size room can have a rustic influence, even small bedrooms. If you’re wondering How to Get a Small Rustic Bedroom Right take a look here.

How and where to store your summer clothes

Brrr – it’s starting to get a bit chilly in the mornings, the kids are back at school and the nights are drawing in – this all means only one thing…winter is coming!

Now is the time to sort through your summer wardrobe and store it away for next year. Here we have put together some tips on preparing your clothes for storage and also some storage suggestions to keep them in top condition ready for next summer. Reclaimed furniture not only looks great in your home but also offers you plenty of scope to store your favourite clothes.

Sort through and decide what to keep

Look through your summer wardrobe and decide whether to keep, sell, donate or dispose of garments. If you have some damaged items now is the time to decide whether it is worth spending the time and money on getting it repaired!

Wash clothes before putting them away

Often clothes are just packed away without washing – the thinking being that they will be washed when they are taken out of storage. This could be a bit of an error – some items may have sweat left on them or stains that will only be more noticeable after 6-8 months of storage. So wash your clothes according to the care instructions and ensure they are completely dry before putting them away into storage.

Roll clothes rather than fold

It is much better to roll clothes to store them long term than to fold them. Folding will leave a deeper, longer-lasting crease whereas rolling won’t. A wooden blanket box is a great place to store away rolled clothing items.

Use wooden under bed drawer storage

A wooden under bed storage drawer is perfect for out of season clothes storage – plenty of space and still accessible. Put a few favourite pieces on top where they are easily accessible just in case we do get a little autumnal warm spell!! And of course, an under bed drawer looks fab under a solid wood bed!!

Swap summer dresses for jumpers and cardigans in the wardrobe

You need the items you will be using the most, most easily accessible – so swap your summer dresses and light blouses for heavier winter jumpers and cardigans in your rustic wardrobe. Dresses, silky tops and summer blazers should be stored on padded hangers or structured hangers to keep them at their best for next summer. If you get a wardrobe storage bag, opt for linen rather than plastic, this will help air circulate around your clothing, a cotton pillowcase will also work – just cut a small hole in the top of it to feed the hanger hook through.

Use draw dividers in a chest of drawers to keep t-shirts and vests tidy

Allocate the bottom drawer of a solid wood chest of drawers for summer clothes storage and use dividers to keep your stored clothes in order. It will be much easier to find things and really help you get your storage space organised.

Create an interior that’s good for you and the planet

The home has become more and more important to most people after the various lockdowns we have all been through. The increase in DIY around the house and garden makeovers are illustrating this is still an upward trend. Our home is the place we need to feel relaxed, energetic, peaceful, happy, inspired – a place we need to work, spend time with the family and now (at long last) entertain – but also, more than ever we are thinking about the effect home decor has on our general wellbeing and how it makes us feel, as well as it looks.

Not just this, but we are also considering the effect our choices have on the planet – so here we have put the basic elements of a home that is both wellbeing-friendly and eco-friendly home.

Biophilia – bring nature into your home

Bringing in houseplants has been on the home agenda for some time – the benefits of this has been widely talked about all over mainstream TV, newspapers and social media, and for a very good reason. Having nature around you brings a sense of calm, whilst bringing the outdoors in has well documented benefits to both your mental and physical health.

You can start small and get a couple of easy to care for indoor plants. Begin with the living room – add some hanging plants from the ceiling or put an assortment of green plants on a reclaimed wood sideboard. In the dining room you can use a house plant as a living centrepiece on a reclaimed wood dining table or position a large green palm next a rustic console table in the hallway for a soothing welcome. This also includes being able to look out to nature from your home where possible so position your furniture to get the best view of the great outdoors.

Air quality and heat-recovery and ventilation system

Air quality is another area that can affect the wellbeing of you and your home. If you can, open windows as much as possible to let in fresh air – of course, this may not always be possible if you live in an area with high air pollution. If this is an issue for you, look into installing a ventilation system that purifies the air in your home. This would be hugely beneficial to asthma and allergy sufferers. You can also research more eco-friendly ways to heat your home – bear in mind that the initial outlay may be more but as a rule, they are considerably cheaper to run – you may also qualify for a grant which would also help reduce installation costs.

Cut out chemicals

Try to cut out chemicals wherever possible – start with using water-based paints when you are decorating. Don’t overlook soft furniture when you’re checking for chemicals – a sofa for example that has a stain-resistant treatment or has fire retardant properties could well be emitting small chemical particles long after it is in your home. If you’re buying a kingsize wooden bed frame for your bedroom then check what it has been finished with – a more natural product such as a high-quality natural wax is best.

Buy furniture that lasts

Reclaimed wood furniture lasts for years. Reclaimed wood tends to get used in high-quality furniture that are seen as investment pieces that will go on to become heirlooms, bringing you and the family endless joy and memories. An industrial dining table in your kitchen or dining room will hold memories of Christmases and many other family celebrations for years to come. Using reclaimed wood is good for the environment but having this little piece of nature in your home makes it good for your wellbeing too.

3 reasons why reclaimed wood is the eco friendly choice

rustic reclaimed wood dining table with small glass

We are all being urged to become more eco friendly and start questioning the choices we make when purchasing something new. Reclaimed furniture is now a lot more available with many interior designers loving the look of it as well as choosing it to make eco-conscious design options – a rustic TV stand is a perfect contrast piece of furniture in an ultra-modern living room. In this blog, we look at the three main questions we get asked about reclaimed (or salvaged) wood and why it is a great choice for any style home.

1.Where is reclaimed wood sourced?

Reclaimed wood is sourced from many different places. As well as old buildings being demolished, old railway tracks, old ships, fences and other structures, it is found in a few less commonly known places. It can be off cuts of wood from new furniture production and some is now being reclaimed from water reservoirs.

For example, hardwood forests that were submerged many many years ago to create dams – the trees were flooded over with water – these trees are now being harvested from their underwater resting place, dried and nurtured to use as furniture. Old orchard trees that have lain on the orchard floor are also being salvaged and used for furniture and decor production – using these gives the wood a new lease of life and helps reduce landfill.

2. How does using reclaimed wood benefit the environment?

First and foremost reclaimed wood reduces landfill waste, which is where it would be headed if it were not being reclaimed. But there are other benefits as well – it helps reduce deforestation, which is a huge issue in our planet today.

When new wood is cut down on a large scale the trees are often younger trees so a forest never really fully matures – this affects the ecosystem and as such has a knock-on effect on the local wildlife, even ending in extinction for some species. Reclaimed wood furniture is also often hand-finished – this provides employment for people, not machines. For example, an industrial table top or rustic dining table produced from reclaimed wood is more likely to be hand finished than a regular factory produced new wood tabletop.

3. What are the benefits of using reclaimed wood in the home?

Now we have looked at why choosing reclaimed wood furniture is an eco-conscious choice, let’s look at the aesthetic reasons people choose reclaimed wood in their homes. Reclaimed wood furniture is one of those things that will create warmth in your home – a homeliness that new wood furniture just can’t compete with – it will be peppered with age-related undulations such as old nail and bolt holes – none of these in any way affects the quality of the furniture piece but they all work together to create character and individuality. Many people find that having reclaimed wood in the home enhances human wellness as we all seek ways to connect with nature more and more; working at a reclaimed wood desk is a great way to connect with nature throughout your working day!

If you’re thinking of buying reclaimed, but are worried about the cost, take a look at our blog Is Reclaimed Wood Cheaper than New?, or if you’re concerned that it will take more to look after, read our How to Treat Marks on Reclaimed Wood Furniture for some easy tips.

Simple ways to reduce plastic in the home

There has been much in the news recently about the short-term climate predictions for our planet, and it’s not looking good. Of course, no one really knows what the situation will actually be come 2030 or 2040, but if millions of us make just a few changes in our household, like reducing the plastic in the home, we can collectively make a difference together. Here we look at a few easy ways you can reduce your use of single-use plastic and be kinder to our planet.

Shop local

There have been huge campaigns to support local shops over the past year or so, not just to help those who have lost out on business through the pandemic, but there is a green benefit too. If you have a farm shop nearby, go there to get lovely local fresh produce, use a local butcher and a local bakery. UK supermarkets use an astonishing amount of plastic packaging every year – an astounding 900,000 tonnes in 2019. Of course, once the fruit, meat or veg has been removed from its packaging (after the journey home in the car) it is disposed of, ready to end up in landfill or in even worse, our oceans. Without doubt, small local shops use much less packaging – and you’ll probably get a more personal service with a smile.

Shop at refill shops

This may be an option for some of you who have a refill shop near you, if not, have a look online, there could well be one in your neighbourhood. They are becoming very popular now and new ones are popping up more and more. You can also switch to natural cleaning products like lemon, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to help reduce plastic waste in your house. We are starting to see the return of the milkman – this is another top way to reduce the amount of plastic that comes into your household.

Swap to soap

This is an easy and very lovely swap to help reduce your plastic – use soap instead of shower gel and shampoo bars instead of liquid shampoo. The average person uses 11 bottles of shower gel and 10 bottles of shampoo a year – so how much does that come to across the UK? It’s hard to imagine the mountain of empty bottles that leaves behind. Swapping to paper wrapped soaps really will start to make a difference as more and more households make the switch.

Buy less and better quality

In general, we should buy less and make make a collective effort to invest in furniture that is well made and will last. This may not be the cheapest option in the short term, but in the long run it saves buying more as well as helping reduce landfill. Reclaimed wood furniture is a perfect option – solid, aged wood that is repurposed after its previous life as part of a building, ship or a railway track. A reclaimed wood table or a hand-finished solid wood chest of drawers will become a treasured piece of furniture and will last for years and years.

Buy solid wood furniture

The benefits of opting for solid wood furniture deserves more elaboration! Obviously, we should all think twice about buying furniture produced from fast grown and quickly felled new wood – especially when reclaimed wood is readily available as an alternative. Just look at the Skyline Reclaimed Wood TV Unit – it ticks all the boxes for an eco-conscious purchase – it’s handmade in a small family-run workshop here in the UK! The same can be applied to other areas of the home including your kitchen/diner or bedroom – a large industrial dining table crafted in reclaimed wood will keep its perennially cool style, whilst a solid wood bed will last a lifetime.

Why The Industrial Style Is So Popular In Home Interior Design?

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to interior design. People always gravitate more towards trending colours, materials, and overall designs. But ultimately, a good design shouldn’t just look good, but it should also be functional. Among the many interior design styles that have crossed our path, the industrial style is becoming more and more appealing for its simplicity and straightforward design features. When designing your home in the industrial style, you can incorporate other materials such as reclaimed wood furniture and industrial furniture with natural features, even comfy furniture.

With that in mind, we are going to take a look at some reasons why industrial furniture is becoming more popular:

Easy To Combine With Other Interior Styles – many home interior designs incorporate elements of other styles. If you choose industrial as the dominant style, you may combine it with many other elements, such as the rustic feel of a country home décor with a rustic dining table. Industrial style furniture also combines nicely with minimalist style and carefully calculated geometric elements. Home interior style is a long-term commitment that shouldn’t restrict you in terms of design choices.

More Light – in manufacturing spaces, workers need ample light from large windows or bring artificial lighting to use machinery better and inspect products more easily. It can be applied to home interior design projects to improve aesthetics. Homeowners have more flexibility when adding lighting elements to improve the aesthetic and functional aspects of their interior. Following the global pandemic, many people need a dedicated workspace in their home. A combination of natural light from large windows and strategically positioned artificial lighting can enhance productivity and concentration.

Easy To Accessorise – accessorising an industrial interior is easy to do. It’s a more masculine style by nature, which can be made softer with natural greenery. Rugs and paintings also work well in an industrial environment. These elements can inject a bit of organic feel and colour to the concrete/brick design. Although industrial design is forgiving and flexible, you shouldn’t over-saturate or clutter it with too many accessories.

Easy To Choose A Colour Palette – industrial design is known for its neutral colours. You can simply choose any mono-tone or neutral tone when adding industrial interior elements. Natural, muted colours of metals, bare bricks, concrete, and reclaimed wood are the basic components of industrial style. It’s hard to go wrong with colour selections, as long as you stick to neutral colour palette.

It’s More Sustainable – early industrial designs came from a time when there were no plastics, foam, or other synthetic materials. Metal, bricks, concrete, and properly treated woods are long-lasting. You can source sustainable materials to create a home with attractive industrial design.

To learn more, contact Modish Living today and shop our wide selection of stylishly designed home goods for your modern home.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to share it on your favourite social media sites.

How to set up the perfect study space for your child

wooden office desk with white office chair and magazine boxes

It’s back to school time of year and after a month or more off it’s important to get back into the swing of things. Homework is inevitable for older children and creating a perfect study place is a vital element of helping them finish it quickly and fuss-free! Help your child by creating a deskscape that will minimise distractions and help them concentrate to get their studying done….

1. The correct size desk

The desk should be big enough for text and writing books as well as a laptop, get a desk with drawers so you have plenty of room for stationery storage. The Arthur Reclaimed Wood Desk merges classic design with plenty of storage provided by its eight drawers.

If your child is a little older and planning to go on to university then get a large desk as they will most likely need more space than when they are at secondary school. A good quality reclaimed wood desk will be part of your home furniture for many years.

2. The right chair

Although your child will not be sitting at this desk all day long it’s still a good idea to get the best desk chair you can afford. Sitting with a bad posture can cause all sorts of health issues as well as affect concentration. Make sure the chair is height adjustable and that the backrest supplies good lumbar support as they are working. If your child can’t reach the floor then consider getting a footrest this will also help with their posture when studying.

3. Limit distractions on the desk

Keep the desktop as clear as possible – this will definitely limit distractions: have everything they need – pen pot, light, close and accessible but not too much to distract. An industrial style desk like the Standford, with its two drawers, is just the right size and would be a stylish addition to any teenager’s room. If you feel you need more storage space then a set of office drawers can easily be added below.

4. Cable tidy

Cables are unsightly – no one really wants to see them but they are an unavoidable part of an office desk. Keep them out of the way by using a cable tidy, especially if smaller children can access them to fiddle with them or if they are hanging loose around the sides of the desk.

5. A portable speaker

This is definitely optional – some children love a bit of background music but others will just find it to be too much of a distraction. So go with what your child wants, you can give this a try and move it to another part of their bedroom if you find they are listening to music that does not help them when studying.

6. Create a wall organiser

This is a great way to keep reminders easily visible and not get lost. They can write a study schedule for the week and tick off tasks as they are completed – it’s a great motivator – everyone likes to tick things off their to-do list. Add a few fun items as well, such as some funny pictures of them with their friends and family or inspirational quotes for when the going gets tough! A corkboard or a magnet board is perfect for this.

Dark or light? How to style your living room like a pro

Do you prefer a dark and atmospheric living room style or do you find yourself coveting a more light and white look? Both styles have their merits and can be difficult to pull-off successfully. Dark and cosy colours are very on-trend especially if you are creating an atmospheric living room, while a white and bright makes a room airy and accessible. In this blog we take two interior designers who have nailed each style and made it their trademark to find out how they do it.

Are you more of an Abigail Ahern or a Chrissy Rucker?

Abigail Ahern – the mistress of darkness

Abigail Ahern is well known for working with darker colours in rooms, which she mixes with glamorous finishing touches to style a room and bring it to life. Abigail creates rooms that are luxurious and glamorous but the rooms have to have a laid back feel to them….you definitely don’t want to feel uptight in your own family living room. Let’s have a look at some ideas inspired by her world-renowned style.

To get her look you need to start with dark painted walls and even ceilings. She recommends painting skirting boards and coving in the same colour as your walls for a statement look. To bring in the luxury and glamour you need to add lots of texture, house plants and dried flowers. Abigail sometimes uses floor rugs with a striking print to break up the dark and draw the eye.

To bring in the glamour opt for oversized gold-framed mirrors or striking wall art – we are looking for luxury so lighting could be in the form of an eye-catching chandelier as well as mood lighting provided by a table lamp stood on an industrial side table. An industrial sideboard like the Knightsbridge is just perfect for this look – the shiny industrial legs bring an element of glamour to the reclaimed body of the unit, a perfect surface to stand that piece of modern art right next to your favourite antique display pieces.

Chrissy Rucker – brighter than white

The White Company is famous for its luxury all-white interiors and accessories. White has been a go-to colour for years in room decor whether in a grand glamourous room or a trendy minimalist space. Here we look at how Chrissy uses a neutral scheme in the living room to perfection.

First of all, it does not have to be all pure white – you can use whites with the slightest hints of beige or grey to add interest and depth to the room – there are so many off-white paints and accessories it would be easy to settle on an overall hue.

You can also combine white with statement pieces of furniture – bring in a modern Chesterfield sofa for some contrast. The trick is to mix different whites and neutrals to give depth and interest – if you want to use reclaimed wood furniture then opt for paler reclaimed wood item, such as a rustic sideboard to keep the look soft, simple and uncluttered. Pieces from the Worcester Range, especially a white painted sideboard is the perfect piece of reclaimed wood furniture for your white, minimalist living room.

Tips to get a family friendly living room

how to get a family friendly living room

We all want a nice stylish living room but some believe that when there are children involved, be it toddlers or teens, that it will all go to pot! In this blog we look at some top tips that we have gleaned over the years to help you keep your living room spic and span and looking fabulous at all times.

Stay on top of clutter with clever storage

Nowadays there are stylish storage solutions for everything in the living room. From a large wooden sideboard for books and board games to a rustic coffee table with drawers for coasters and remotes to a reclaimed wood TV stand with shelves for DVD players, games consoles and compartments galore – nothing in your living room need ever be out of place again!

Use adaptable furniture

To add in even more extra storage opportunities you can opt for a Blanket Box that can also double as a hidden storage space perfect for scatter cushions and winter throws.

Keep the colours bright and approachable

A light and bright colour scheme will always work well in the family living room, but don’t be tempted to go for a pale colour as it will be tricky to match if you need to do any little touch-ups. Of course, you can bring in some bright and bold accent colours for the younger ones in the household – all kids love a bean bag so pick a bright one – perfect for sitting on to flick through a book, a little afternoon nap, watching a film or when extra seating is needed.

Add a photo gallery wall

All kids love seeing photos of themselves and their family around the house – ready to remind them how cute they were and how much they have grown. A family photo wall is also a great way for other people to see your favourite photos, they’re always a great way to start lovely conversations with your family and friends. What’s more, it brings an informal and personal feel to a room. We like to keep it stylish and simple and stick to more monochrome black and white prints.

Invest in a stylish TV unit

Watching a movie is a family pastime everyone enjoys, so keep everything organised and your DVD collection easily accessible with an industrial TV unit like the Ironbridge Industrial Reclaimed Wood TV Unit. There’s plenty of room for games consoles, remotes and other TV and media-related paraphernalia you want to have close at hand, yet out of sight.

Get family friendly furniture

Family friendly furniture is a must-have in your living room with leather furniture being a perfect choice. Choose a 2 seater sofa as it is easy to wipe up any spillages or, of course, there is the faux leather, vegan friendly option. When it comes to furniture go for a rustic coffee table – small wear and tear dents and scratches will barely be noticeable and will blend in with the natural undulations in the wood. Of course being reclaimed and solid wood, any more major damage can also easily be put right by a furniture technician.