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How to add grandeur to a living room

pink velvet sofa with dark painted walls and large gold bookcase

If the minimalist look is not for you experiment with adding glitz and glamour to bring some glorious grandeur to your living room. Here, we look at a few quick and easy trips to help you get started.

Mix old and new

Blending old and new together is a really quick and simple way to update your living room and give it a touch of glam. You can have traditional furniture but add some industrial furniture or some ultra-modern wall art. The contrast of old and new adds a chic and stylish touch. You can start with a reclaimed wood sideboard like the Glasgow Reclaimed Elm Small Sideboard – over this, hang a modern wall mirror or can stand a modern sculpture or some grand shiny candlesticks.

Enhance high ceilings

If you are lucky enough to have gorgeous high ceilings in your living room then make the most of it. Accentuate the height by adding tall impressive features and furniture, such as floor-to-ceiling display shelving or tall skinny bookcases. You can hang your curtains high and add some on-trend hanging plant pots to fully use the height of the room. These tricks will also help create the illusion of height in your room if your room has a lower ceiling.

Be bold with colour

If you prefer to stick with an overall neutral theme then add a bold accent colour to bring some grandeur to your living room. Add a bright velvet chair near a window and to balance the colour in the room, bring other accents in, in the form of accessories, scatter cushions or a rug.

Add statement furniture

Statement furniture pieces are a must-have for a grand room – splash out on one piece that really catches the eye – an industrial coffee table or a reclaimed wood sideboard are great choices. Or how about display shelving….which gives you another opportunity to add more glamour to your room with ornaments and picture frames?

Add grand accessories

Bring in lighting that is full of character – this does not have to be just table lamps – a sparkling pendant light over the coffee table or side table, a statement industrial light or fairy lights around pictures or mirrors add a splendid sparkle.

Bold / polished metals

Using gold or silver elements in your living room is an instant fix to add some glamour and grandeur to your living room. Just look at the stylish Redmond Reclaimed Elm small side table – stand a shiny decorative vase or table lamp on this for a grand look.

Brighten a dining room with sunny yellow

yellow daffodils on a rustic dining table

Let’s face it, yellow can be a tricky colour when it comes to interior design, but we think it is a brilliant shade to work with and here we will look at some ways to bring summery yellow into the dining room whatever the season.

There are many hues of yellow you can choose, from barely a whisper of yellow to a much darker, bolder shade. Yellow works beautifully with reclaimed furniture, especially in the dining room. It might be considered a summery colour, but you can use yellow to brighten your dining space all year round. Use it as a base to bring in the oranges and reds of autumn, in the winter brighten the gloom and grey, and in the spring, it will quickly chase winter away!

Yellow and the farmhouse style

Yellow works with most interior styles you just have to vary the shade a little to get the look you are after. But when is comes to farmhouse style, yellow is definitely the go-to colour for many. You can choose a gentle buttery yellow for the walls and brighten it up with other bolder yellow pieces throughout the space. We are all familiar with the farmhouse dining table with a yellow checked cloth on it with a striking vase of fresh-cut flowers – it gives off feel-good vibes and adds a happy brightness to the entire room.

Be bold with yellow

To bring in a subtle hue of yellow then opt for a soft coloured yellow wall, a colour reminiscent of old fashioned vanilla ice cream – if it really isn’t your thing you can easily paint over a pale colour! However, if you are leaning more towards a vibrant statement yellow then go for it! You can bring in this colour by using a few key pieces in your room.

A rug – a rug in the dining room anchors the dining table – choose yellow!

An armchair – we love to use accent chairs in any room and the same goes with dining room furniture – choose a bold statement-making yellow armchair – set this in the corner of your room to really bring in a dash of sunshine.

Dining chairs – yes, why not show off your style by opting for yellow dining chairs. We love how modern accent items work absolutely beautifully when styled with a reclaimed wood dining table.

Accessorise in yellow

If you want to bring in a small ray of sunshine then opt for yellow accessories on a rustic dining table such as ornaments, vases, plant pots and dining chair cushions. Fresh cut flowers is another way to bring in just a little yellow and will lift the room.

Yellow for the body and soul

Research suggests that eating yellow food as well as orange and red is a way of getting some good sunshine into your body and if it is good for the inside it must be good on the outside too!.

Yellow is a colour associated with communication, self-esteem, and power – making it a positive colour to use in your home. It conjures up feelings of happiness, summer, positivity and optimism – so it sounds like we should all be using it a whole load more in our homes!!

Hot tips for successful summer dining

Outdoor dining with friends is just the best way to while away a balmy summer evening – sip sun downer cocktails before dinner, a delicious light evening meal followed by after-dinner drinks around a fire pit – the perfect summers evening!

Here we look at how to dine in style whether it be indoors or al fresco – whether just a get together with close family and friends, a big birthday bash or another milestone celebration. We hope our top summer dining tips will help you hit the nail on the head when it comes to summer entertaining.

1 – Glamourous tableware

More than ever before we are all enjoying and valuing the time we spend with our friends and family, so if you’re entertaining, really roll out the red carpet. There is nothing more wonderful for your guests than walking into your dining room or garden and seeing a stunning dining table set ready for them to feast at – we do after all eat with our eyes first.

In the summertime, especially in the garden, use beautiful glass dishes to make use of any natural light – at lunch, in the midday sun, it will look blue and at sundown, it will take on the pinky colours of the sunset sky. If you have lights on or hanging over your garden table your glass dishes will continue to sparkle throughout the night.

If you choose to dine indoors then sparkly glass dishes work wonderfully against a rustic dining table and chairs – the contrast of sparkly glass and rustic wood just works so well.

2 – Set a theme

Opting for a themed table is sometimes seen as being a bit predictable but why not? Choosing a theme brings cohesion to the dining table. Whether you are dining indoors at a homely farmhouse table, or outdoors around the garden table you can go for a rustic farmhouse theme – dried or fresh cut flowers and rustic earthenware dishes are a winning and on-trend combo for summer dining.

You can also set a summer colour theme for your dining space and opt for blue or green fabric dining chairs. If you have a wooden extendable dining table and a wooden dining bench then dress the bench with colour coordinated cushions and use this colour to blend or add contrast to the plates and serving dishes you use.

3 – Light it up

To host the perfect dinner party you need ambience and atmosphere – the ambience is created by the surroundings you are in and the atmosphere will be created by your dinner guests.

Great lighting is your best friend when it comes to creating the perfect ambience. Work out where your guests will sit and spend time and add your main lighting source there – layer the lighting so you have a brighter area for serving and eating but then have the option to switch off or dim some lights as the evening wears on. A wooden sideboard is the perfect piece of reclaimed wood furniture for the dining room – use the top to add light features like some twinkling fairy lights in a glass bowl – you can place this under a wall mirror to make the light reflect around the room. Hang fairy lights around wall art and use them as the centrepiece on your wooden dining table.

Candles are of course the classic way to bring in ambient lighting – candle flames flickering will always get the mood right for a dinner party – whether it is indoors or out. Everything is softened and looks less harsh in flickering candlelight.

Lighting in the garden can be in the form of string lights, solar lights, festoon lighting or lanterns. If you have a fire pit, it is the perfect source for late-night mooda lighting.

What is reclaimed furniture?

Reclaimed wood furniture is cropping up everywhere here in the UK – so let’s have a look at reclaimed wood and furniture production in more detail…. and find out what is it and why it’s so popular.

Where does reclaimed wood come from? Reclaimed wood is wood that has been used for one purpose already – generally as part of a structure like a building (factory), a boat or ship, railway sleepers a or even a temple door or gate, the structure being dismantled is often over 100 years old! As it is being dismantled any reusable wood is salvaged and will be sold on to craftsmen who will work their magic and transform it into something beautiful! Reclaimed wood can come from anywhere in the world – from the far East to the UK.

How is it turned into furniture? Although it has to fulfil a completely new purpose the idea is to keep it looking as original, rustic and authentic as possible – Yes, we want to see dents, nail holes and slight imperfections in this wood – all add character, history and uniqueness. Skilled craftsmen will access the timbers, using only the highest quality. Any bolts, screws or nails are removed by hand and the timbers are then either machine sanded, sandblasted or skillfully worked on.

This industrial sideboard is part of the Standford Industrial range which is crafted using only reclaimed wood and industrial metal legs and fittings – a perfect illustration of how old wood can be used to create a stunning piece of unique and modern furniture!

Is it lower quality? As we mentioned before, when it comes to reclaimed wood, any dents, nail holes, blemishes, and imperfections give it its character. But in no way does this mean that the quality is lower – the wood is aged wood and extra strong. A reclaimed super king wooden bed frame is made from solid old wood – not new thin wood covered in a laminate or veneer. These are strong and lasting pieces of furniture that will become even more beautiful as they age.

Why choose reclaimed wood? Of course, the most obvious reason for choosing reclaimed wood furniture is the positive environmental impact – reusing saves waste from dismantled structures going to landfill, it also saves new immature trees being grown quickly only to be chopped down. A reclaimed wood table in your kitchen or dining room is an investment piece – it will last for years and is very family-friendly – everyday wear and tear simply blends into the table.

Reclaimed wood furniture is also very easy to care for day to day – all you need to do really is wipe up it down after use as you would with any other dining table – and then go over it every month or so with wax or oil (depending on the original finish) to feed the wood and help maintain its gorgeous luster.

Tips to plan a new living room and bedroom layout

Man moving armchair for tips to plan a new layout for your living room and bedroom blog

Following on from our last blog on Tips for planning out the kitchen diner in your new home, we will now have a look at how to plan your furniture layout in your new living room and bedroom.

The living room really is an important room for your household – a place to relax and wind down in the evenings and weekends. It needs to be comfortable with the correct amount of seating for your household and any extra guests you may have from time to time.

You need to consider if the living room furniture from your old house is the right style for your new room and if it will fit in the space correctly. If your new living room is more square you may need to rethink seating arrangements and add an extra armchair or two, maybe you can fit in a large reclaimed wood coffee table.

Take note of where the TV socket is, other sockets, windows, doors and radiators. Draw a to-scale floor plan and then cut out pieces of paper to represent the rustic furniture you want to fit in. Try a few different configurations to see what works best.

One key consideration for a living room is to note where the TV socket is when planing your seating configuration so you can allow the right amount of space between seating and the TV screen – this should ideally be around 2.5 metres but also depends on the size of your TV and the height it is at.

As for style, the industrial look is incredibly popular and looks great in modern homes – the steel frames look great with reclaimed wood. You may decide not to have a central coffee table and instead opt for an industrial side table or a nest of tables if space is too limited for a central coffee table.

The bedroom is generally a little easier to figure out – especially if it already has built-in wardrobes or a dressing room – not much other furniture will be needed. If you had a double bed before you may have enough space to upgrade to a beautiful wooden super king bed, you might only need a couple of bedroom side tables to finish the look. If you are moving a bed from your old home or plan on buying a new bed with a large wooden headboard it is best to check you will be able to get it up any awkwardly shaped staircases or narrow hallways – this particularly applies to older farmhouses and small cottages.

If the bedroom is smaller or darker and you need to add more storage space you could consider white furniture. A white-painted wardrobe will give the feel of more airiness and space rather than a large dark wood wardrobe. Pale coloured reclaimed wood furniture is also a great choice when creating a restful bedroom.

Tips to plan out the kitchen diner in your new home

kitchen with moving in boxes and ironing board

So you’ve found your new home and need to think ahead and start planning where your furniture is going to go. In this and our next blog we will look at how you can prepare to move into your new home and get your furniture lay-out planned well before you get there – I promise you this will make moving-in so much easier!

The kitchen is the heart of the home and one of those rooms that is needed from the minute you move in, so let’s start with the kitchen and dining room or your open plan kitchen diner.

First off, when you pack the final items into the back of your moving lorry or van, just make sure you add a kettle, cups, tea, coffee, sugar, milk and some snacks where you can easily get to them. Taking a 5-minute breather in your new home with a cup of tea or coffee to get re-charged and re-focused will make you more productive in the long run!

Before moving-in day get the full measurements of the space – take note of where sockets, light switches, windows, doors, radiators are. Then you need to decide if the furniture you currently have will work in the new space – there’s no point paying to move it if you want to change it. If you had a formal dining room before and are now moving into a modern kitchen diner you may want to change to a modern industrial style dining table, if you are moving into a cottage then a farmhouse table may suit the style of your new home better. Maybe your dining space is bigger in your new home and you would like to add some reclaimed wood furniture, such as a rustic sideboard.

Use a floor plan to see how this will all fit in the new space – remember to take into account which way doors open and leave plenty of room around the dining table or breakfast bar to pull the dining chairs out and get around it. If the room is open plan then use zoning to define the different areas – you may want be able to fit in a modern leather sofa and TV area and create a family TV space.

If you have a separate dining room you may want to go for a more formal reclaimed dining table and make it the focal point of the room. Think about if the lighting is in the right place? Would it work better if the ceiling light were moved? Do you need to change your wooden dining chairs to fabric dining chairs? Think about bringing in an accent colour – bold blue velvet dining chairs will give an otherwise formal room a modern splash of colour.

If your kitchen only has a little bit of spare space you may want to bring in a small wooden table and chairs that can be used for breakfasts and quick lunches. Use your floorplan to decide how big the table can be – just allow an additional metre all around it for chairs.

Tips to prepare for an easy house move

brown removal boxes and armchair with dust sheet

Moving home is always stressful – no matter how organised you think you are. You may have to find a new doctor, dentists and a new school for the children – not to mention all the companies you have to inform like the DVLA, utility companies and banks…. etc. etc. etc. In this blog, we look at ways to remove some of the stress from the hard work of packing up your belongings in the house – I promise you, you will be surprised at how much stuff you have. It’s never too early to start de-cluttering and packing!

In the kitchen

The kitchen is one of those places where everything seems to accumulate – from unused gadgets to important paperwork that hasn’t been filed away. Even if you have employed a company for the packing and move day, you will still want to have a sort out – this way you will be way more organised from the get-go in your new home. File papers away, give those gadgets away, go through your pots and pans – dispose of old chipped cups that never get used. Ruthlessly go through the kitchen units and throw away any old part used packets that have been in the cupboards for a while, use up as much food that you already have in.

Tidy and organise everything you want to keep so it is ready to simply be wrapped and put in boxes. If you have a rustic sideboard in your kitchen or dining room you might even be able to pack some of the items inside a month or so before the move – I am sure if you have guests around for dinner they won’t mind if you are not using your best serving dishes!

In the living room

Again, start decluttering wherever you can. If you have a wall display cabinet then you can pack any display items, books, CD’s and DVD’s well in advance. A good place to have a sort out are the cables behind the TV stand – sort out what you no longer need and get the rest labelled ready for reconnecting quickly in your new home.

In the bedroom

You can also make a good start in the bedrooms by donating any old clothes and packing away seasonal clothing you won’t be needing for a while. Pack spare bedding in a wooden chest….this is also a great place to pack and protect any fragile ornaments, as are drawers in a solid wood chest of drawers! You’re very unlikely to get a heavy solid wood bed out of the house in one piece so this could be another thing you can dismantle a few days before your move, leaving just the mattress on the floor. When it comes to actually moving furniture, items such as a large rustic wardrobe or other reclaimed wood furniture with drawers and doors, we suggest removing the handles and screw them back onto the furniture on the inside – this will prevent damage to items and stop them from catching as they are transported.

Top tips for an easier move

Start packing early
Decide if you will use a moving company or get friends and family to help
Dispose of, donate or recycle items you no longer want or need in your new home
Clearly label or colour code your packing boxes by room
Keep a folder to store utility company telephone numbers and any other important documents you might need
Write important dates and tasks down

Good luck! If you have any top moving tips leave them in the comment box below. We’d love to know about them.

Give your child’s room a quick summer makeover

children's bedroom with double wooden bed and wooden desk

With the school holidays here it is time to give the kid’s bedrooms a good clear out, refresh and reorganise. Now is a great time to get stuck in so you don’t disrupt term time routines.

Declutter and donate

Have a clothes clear out! All those jumpers, jackets and coats in your wooden wardrobe that were getting a little bit tight by the end of the winter most likely won’t fit come autumn! Swimwear, T-shirts, and shorts held onto after last summer “just in case” can all go if they are too small. Chances are they still have lots of wear left in them so pass them on to a friend with younger children, donate to charity or take them to a clothes bank.

Create a study nook

This might be particularly important if your child is moving up to secondary school, a suitable place to study, read and do homework. Some storage space within the nook, like a shelf, is also great for keeping books, pens etc. neat and tidy, together with a desk lamp. They will have no excuse not to immerse themselves fully into their school work! This area can be used for drawing and painting and doing other crafts that they enjoy, for younger kids.

Create a chill-out area

This is great for teens who have friends over a lot and like to hang out in their room. Kids love a bean bag and it is a versatile must-have in any kids bedroom! You can bring in a small table for drinks, snacks and books on.

Upgrade toy storage

Having a bedroom clear-out and refresh is the perfect time to clear out old toys and things they have grown out of or no longer want. Of course, you will want to keep some things for sentimental reasons and that is fine. You may need to invest in some more suitable storage options for toys, something like a wooden toy chest is perfect for a toddler’s room as they get older you can use it to store seasonal bedding and other bulky items.

Furniture upgrade

Maybe it’s time for a furniture upgrade to more “grown up” furniture in your child’s bedroom? If the room is small, consider a white wooden bed frame to keep it light and airy. Pair this with matching bedside tables and a solid wood chest of drawers and it will last for years. It will be timeless furniture that you will continue to love long after they leave home.

Change the bedding and curtains

As your child grows their interests will obviously change. Use this to create a new theme for their bedroom decor, whether it is just a new bed set or a complete repaint and makeover in their latest favourite colour.

How to keep cool at night

king wooden bed frame for how to stay cool at night blog

Summer brings lots of benefits, but as the nights get warmer, many of us struggle to cool down and get to sleep – here are a few tips to help you along as the weather warms up.

1. Switch to summer bed linen

You could invest in an all-season duvet – something like a 10.5 tog + 4.5 tog. Use just the thinner duvet in summer, in autumn you can switch to the 10.5 and in the middle of winter use both together. For easy access, you can store them in a stylish wooden blanket box at the foot of your bed.

2. Is your bed big enough?

If you share a bed and are often hot it may be time to look for a bigger bed. This will give you more space and make you more able to escape your partner’s body heat! If you have a king-size bed consider upgrading to a super king solid wood bed. This will also give you more space to move pillows out the way – just have the most essential bedding items on your bed to let air flow around you freely.

3. Cool colours

As in the cool Mediterranean style, use light colours in your bedroom – dark walls will absorb heat whereas pale colours and white will reflect the heat. If you are investing in new bedroom furniture then consider pale or white painted reclaimed wood furniture – a white wardrobe and a white painted wooden chest of drawers will help your room feel cool and airy.

4. Control the sunlight in your room

Our friends in warmer countries are experts at this! If the sun is shining in to your bedroom window make sure you pull the blinds down, use a blackout blind for particularly sunny rooms….and close your window! Just as double or triple glazed windows keep the cold out in winter they keep heat out in summer so keep them closed during the hottest parts of the day. Open windows on the shady side of the house, early in the morning and definitely during the evening before you go up to bed to let cooler breezes through.

5. Get a good fan

At present, here in the UK, it is probably not worth investing in air conditioning for your home, but for those nights when it is warmer than we’re used to it’s lovely to have a fan for the bedrooms. A ceiling fan / light combo is great – they are out of the way and can really cool a room down. Floor standing fans or one that stands on a unit are also great for summertime cooling.

6. Stay hydrated

Make a point of taking a glass of water to bed with you – there’s nothing worse than waking up in the early hours desperate for a glass of water! A rustic bedside table provides the perfect space to keep a glass nearby and will save you from having to get up in the night.

7. Cool down before bed

Even if you had a shower in the morning it really is worth having a quick cooling freshener before bed. If it is particularly hot, take a slightly wet face flannel to bed with you. Just dabbing this on your forehead and the back of your neck really helps you cool down ready for sleep.

8. Indoor plants can help

Bring an indoor plant up to the bedroom – did you know they help to cool a room down? They consume hot air for their natural processes and add humidity to the room by releasing moisture into the air through the process of transpiration, which is when moisture evaporates from the leaves.