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Make your home a blissful sanctuary this spring

March heralds the start of spring and yet, as the first day of the month rolls around, it is still winter. But by the last day, spring has sprung.

For many of us, the first tentative buds of spring bring about a new resolve: to declutter the home and to keep it clutter-free. Casting off the shackles of winter, the annual spring clean was a task many housewives performed. In many ways, we do the same today – it just gets called a different thing (and it’s not about thwacking the dust out of rugs with a tennis racquet either…)

The problem with clutter

Clutter is ‘stuff’ that you somehow seem to accumulate but not sure how. Some of it is useful, it just needs a place to be stored. Other bits of ‘stuff’ is exactly that: clutter. Sleeves rolled up, you decide to tackle the clutter in the bedroom and the kitchen, two rooms that seem to have magnetic qualities when it comes to attracting ‘stuff and clutter’.

But, no decluttering process is completely done until there is storage for the items you decide to keep.

The Kitchen

When you have decided what to keep and what to recycle and/or reuse, you need to make sure you have the storage solutions. May we suggest…?

Sideboard – minimise the room taken up by plates and crockery by decanting some from the kitchen cupboards to a sideboard in the dining room. Reclaimed wooden sideboards are not only stunning in style and finish, they offer so much space and storage for all kinds of items.
Bespoke kitchen cupboards solutions – even if you aren’t replacing your kitchen, there are some handy cupboard storage additions that make sense. Carousels that magically reveal items when the door is opened, for example, are an inexpensive but worthwhile addition.

The Bedroom

Just because you don’t spend all day in here doesn’t mean that it is the right place to dump store things. May we suggest bedroom storage including…?

Toy storage boxes – you may think that the toy storage box is only for the children’s bedrooms but if you want versatility when it comes to storage in the bedroom, say hello to the blanket box. With so many blanket boxes to choose from, it’s hard to know which way to turn but, this versatile piece of furniture works in any room.
Chest of drawers – drawers are perfect for putting order on the things you store but rather than opting for drawers that are uniform, opt for a piece of furniture that gives you a little more scope to separate things. The Standford reclaimed wooden chest of drawers is 5 drawer and cupboard arrangement that gives you a lot of storage options. Or choose something like the tall 8-drawer Winchester tower that is great for sliding into a corner and perfect for storing all kinds of items from clothing to accessorise.

Clutter & Storage = Tidy Home

There are times when clutter gets the best of us, but you will find that with adequate and accessible storage solutions, it becomes less of an issue. Run free from coats hung over fabric dining chairs and clutter in every corner. What storage options will you include in your declutter, spring clean?

Beautiful stainless steel pieces you need to have in your dining

Only a few weeks into the New Year, we are seeing more predictions for what will become on trend in interior design. For the last year, we have consumed brass accessories and although such items are still relevant, designers are suggesting that by the end of the year, we will once again be coveting the sparkling sheen of silver.

The Maddox collection is, therefore, ideal for creating a dining room that has all the sparkle that you need, whilst remaining understated and beautifully elegant. And so with this in mind, this is how to get the look for your dining room.

The dining table

The reclaimed wood dining table, such as the top of the Maddox dining table fuses effortlessly and seamlessly with the high polished finish of the table legs.

The dining chairs

The fabric dining chairs in this fantastic dining room are stunning in their own right but are the perfect foil to the roughly sawn top of the table and yet, there is no class. In this sense, this is because the colour of the fabric and the wooden chair legs is slightly muted, a blank canvas against which the rest of the room can shine. Cream dining chairs would work just as well.

The Console table

Just behind the dining room table is the narrow console table, perfect for adorning with the beautiful silver table lamps with matching grey lampshades to tie in with the chairs. From the same range, it has the same leg choice as well as reclaimed slightly rough swan reclaimed wood top. This promotes a cohesiveness in the room and stops anyone one thing from jarring against the other.

The display units

And there comes a change in height, a ‘trick’ that many interior designers use to prevent everything being too much ‘the same’. Variations in height of furniture and other pieces create the detail that really matter.

And yet, it matches the components seen in the dining table and console table – the reclaimed wood shelves and the high sheen finish to the legwork. There is just enough detail in the Maddox display units to them being a welcome, but not an overpowering addition to the room.

Detailing

Adding accessories is the fun part but get it wrong, and it looks too cluttered. You will note that there are some subtle changes to the metallic finish of the pendant lights, for example. With a brass finish, they are a welcome detail in the room but with an understated shine and finish, they don’t jar against the stainless steel sparkle.

Alongside the neutral backdrop of grey, there are earthy colours teamed with other brass and stainless steel accessories but there is one colour that lightens it all – the varying shades of pink, from the candles to the flowers.

Wall accessories are minimal – opt for artwork if you feel it needs more character – but the beautiful wall clock, complete with Roman numerals is simply stunning, an exquisite detail that draws the eye across the entire dining room landscape.

Is this the perfect way to add stainless steel to your dining room?

Amazing coffee tables that will help you have a clutter free home

When it comes to storage, there is no doubt that, at times, it presents a real headache. We all need and in every room too but sometimes, we can feel that the choices of storage solutions are limited.

Thankfully, there are solutions, from stylish sideboards to elegant display units and dressers. But, there is one item that we feel never gets the fair crack of the whip when it comes to providing storage solutions: the coffee table.

A coffee table with storage doesn’t have to be large and cumbersome, neither does it have to be a ‘box’. There is a growing range of coffee tables in all shapes and sizes, that offer extra accessible storage.

Open storage

Shelving is a versatile addition to any room and in the living room, you can open shelving with stunning display units. Accessing items, from books to magazines is simple, quick and easy. It is also the ideal space for showing off sculptures and other accessories.

And an open shelve on a coffee table can work just as well too. This modern style coffee table with ladder shelf won’t swamp a room and sits well with both a sofa and fabric armchairs to frame them in a space.

The box

Sometimes, the best solutions are the simplest which is why we love the box coffee table so much. Unpretentious in design and style, this upcycled coffee table brings a fantastic level of detail into a space. It chunkiness is welcome in many different kinds of interior design styles, but if you like the story that upcycled, or reclaimed furniture brings, then you will love what this coffee table offers.

The drawers have it!

The best storage for many people or so they feel is to have drawers in the coffee table. And why not? It is a universal solution that works for all.

Again, styling it out is important and there is something delightful and very tactile about the button drawer handles on this rustic styled coffee table. The rustic style is simple, yet beautiful: it retains the warmth of the farmhouse style but refines many of the details hence, the beautiful drawer handles on this piece.

Following the same lines is this exquisite piece also leaning towards the rustic, but there are edges and angles to this coffee table with drawers that could align it with the contemporary style too.

But if you have storage needs that would spill out of two drawers, take a look at what this drawer and shelving combination coffee table would bring to your room. Delightfully solid and robust, this piece is satisfyingly robust looking, without being too boxy or angular.

How will you style it?

Coffee tables deserve your attention. And yet, so many time we simply opt for one based on its price tag alone.

Invest a little more and you will find that when it comes to maintaining a clutter-free home, that it provides a lot of help in the shape of storage.

But how will you style your coffee table? Will it be the sleek lines of the modern style or the reliability of the refined rustic approach?

Luxurious coffee tables for every style & budget

Whether you enjoy a latter or the depth of an espresso coffee, Coffee Break day celebrated across the globe on 4^th March and is the perfect excuse to indulge in something extra special.

We all know how important breaks are, whether we are hard at work or completing tasks at home. And although excessive intake of caffeine impacts on our bodies, the occasional cup of coffee is a welcome treat. The better the quality of coffee bean, the richer depths you will enjoy in your chosen coffee. But do you like yours?

Do you like the milky undertones of a cappuccino or do you prefer the velvet smoothness of a latte? Or maybe, the jolt from an aromatic espresso is your secret treat…

How do you enjoy yours?

Of course, coffee, like a fine wine or a rich chocolate bar, is meant to be savoured and enjoyed, not sipped from a cardboard cup through a plastic lid as you run for the train!

Creating the perfect corner in your home to relax and savour any beverage or break is the ideal solution to enjoying a break.

And thus, the humble coffee table comes into view. But is it ‘just’ a coffee table or something more?

Something More…

A coffee table plays an important role in the living room, the office, or any space where there is informal seating like sofas and comfy armchairs. It is the platform on which you will place your artisan coffee, your favourite paperback or magazine when you kick back and relax.

It is a piece of reclaimed furniture that adds depth and detail to a space and thus, it makes sense to spend some time on getting the right coffee table in terms of style, as well as price.

Shape – there are square ones, rectangle ones, oval ones and round ones from which to choose. The shape is a personal choice. Some people prefer the large rectangle coffee table as it frames the sofa in its position, whilst others prefer the curves of the round coffee table. Which suits your living room?
Style – reclaimed wood coffee tables are popular, simply because they offer style with aplomb but also because we fall in love with the romance of where the wood has been, the life and drama it has silently witnessed. Reclaimed wood is perfect for any style, including the brusqueness of the industrial style, to the warmth of the farmhouse styled living room.

Storage – of course, the humble coffee table is an important item in any living room but in the busy family home, it can be a furniture item that provides storage. A coffee table with storage is perfect for any home, but it can still look slimline, just in case you were worried about chunkiness that would not sit well alongside your chosen style.

The Coffee Table Budget

And finally, the cost of the coffee table reflects the quality and the style that it brings. And there is a reclaimed wood coffee table with your name written all over it, and within budget too. Why not take a look?

How to create this fantastic look with luxurious stainless steel

Luxe Kensington Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

For the last few seasons, brass has been the metallic of choice and although many pundits suggest that this is still the case for 2018, stainless steel is hotly tipped to face a re-emergence – and polished stainless steel at that.

This sparkly surface does a lot to open up a space, adding a sense of luxury and understated grandeur, especially in the dining room. Along with glass, it must surely be one of the most exquisite and coveted materials. And if you like the industrial style, you’ll love this Kensington dining table, with its polished stainless steel finish to the legwork sitting beautifully alongside the reclaimed wood top and the dramatically dashing black velvet dining chairs.

So how do you get the look?

An Elegant Industrial Dining Room

The Kensington dining table is a beautiful reclaimed wood furniture piece with a combination of polished stainless steel legwork with a reclaimed wood table top. The industrial style is all about the effortless combination of materials, such as metal, wood and the rawness of brick work and so on.

But it is not devoid of style nor glamour which is why this particular style of dining table is the perfect choice. There is glamour, without compromising on the combination of metal and wood.

But if you want to soften the edges some more, add a plush fabric to the mix. The dramatic black fabric of the Luxe Madison velvet dining chairs make the perfect foil to the utilitarianism of the industrial look.

Fundamentally practical, the industrial style is not necessarily about harsh angles or unromantic functionality: it is about the seamless melding function and beauty. There is cohesiveness between the table and the chairs in the shape of matching stainless steel legs, complete with an almost art décor inspired leg frames.

Supporting Furniture to the Look

Every dining room needs to have supporting characters in the shape of other pieces, all chosen and placed with sympathy to the main star of the show, the reclaimed wood dining table complete with polished stainless steel legs.

Display units or even a sideboard are ideal. Perfect for offering much-needed storage, there is no need to compromise on the basics of the industrial style either. Reclaimed wood furniture, including undressed reclaimed wood units, sit perfectly side by side. Just like the velvet dining chairs bringing cohesion with matching legs, it is the romance of reclaimed wood that blends with the reclaimed wood dining table in the room.

And beyond…

This inspiring industrial styled dining landscape can easily spill out into the rest of the home. Versatile, stylishly sharp and beautifully tailored, it is no wonder that many people continue this style into the living.

Cosy without being insipid, many people enjoy the clarity that the industrial and reclaimed style bring to a home. You can soften the edges as much as want using lush soft furnishings, along with similarly styled tall floor lamps to bring about a soft glow to any room, including the living room.

Is this a style that would suit your dining room and home?

Host the best party for single people this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is not for everyone. But enjoying the single life doesn’t mean that they are a valentine sceptic – it is possible that someone who is single can enjoy what the romance and closeness that the day is trying to promote.

Throwing a party for couples and singletons is possible, without banning any reference to love and romance! And you can still have plenty of red hearts decorating the place too.

So, what are our suggestions for welcoming single friends to a Valentine’s party? We say go with a dinner party, serving delicious food matched by great company.

Decorate the dining room

Valentine’s is the time to overdose on red paper hearts and Cupid’s arrows and just because you have single people coming on over, doesn’t mean that you can use the basics of this romantic day as part of your decorations.

If hearts are not going to cut it, use plenty of red, mixed with pretty pinks with dashes of dark green as the accent colour.

Adding detail to the small round dining table is a great idea too, and frankly, anything that sparkles we think is a great addition. Buy ‘fake’ gems and table glitter, sprinkling it liberally around an amazing centrepiece. The glow of the candles will pick out the sparkles, creating a perfect setting for the delicious food you are about to serve.

Create a signature cocktail

The most important part of any social gathering or dinner party is the greeting. A warm welcome sets the tone for the evening and so, you need to be on hand to welcome guests and in the best way possible: with a drink in your hand!

Create a signature cocktail – there are loads of ideas online – creating a sublime cocktail that helps your guests unwind and enjoy the food. For non-drinking or driving guests, create a signature non-alcoholic version too.

Serve with an array of nibbles, all served in gorgeous serveware dishes and arranged artistically on your reclaimed wood coffee table in the living room.

Ditch formality

The best dinner parties are those where the food is delicious, but the company is even better. A formal dinner party is great but sometimes, you just need to kick back and do your own thing.

And as it is early February, the evenings still draw in early and the temperature is not climbing much above freezing. So, create something different…

BBQ outside on the patio, ferrying the food to the bar table and chairs, where your guests are super-relaxed with your cocktail signature. Serve up warming dishes alongside BBQ stuff, such as chilli that packs a kick, jacket potatoes with crispy skin and a selection of deeps, some with heat and some with a deep smoky flavour.

Theme it

A theme always makes a party go with a swing and just because you are entertaining singletons at Valentine’s doesn’t mean you have to stick with the ‘red and romance’ look. How about superheroes or ask your guests to come with an imaginary superpower and how they would save the world…

How to celebrate Wine Day like a connoisseur

National Drink Wine Day is celebrated annually in the United States on 18th February, however it looks as though the day may be making its way over to the United Kingdom too!

For lovers of white wine

White wine is easy to pair with most dinners, but it works fantastically with white fish or meat, and root vegetables.

Something like a Thai chicken curry, fish cakes or a goat’s cheese, potato & onion tart would work with a lovely bottle of white wine.

When it comes to desert, a classic like apple crumble and vanilla ice cream will work a treat with white wine.

If red wine is more your thing

Red wine is a delight with hearty, wintery dishes. A Sunday roast with roast beef or lamb, a warming casserole or a tomato based dish will be perfectly accompanied by red wine.

For something relatively stress-free you can assemble and leave to do its own thing in the oven, a fresh lasagne with pesto is a great option. Spaghetti bolognese is another straightforward but delicious choice. If you are looking for a vegetarian option, herby mushroom pasta would be fantastic.

Desserts which incorporate toffees, caramels and chocolates are fantastic with red wine. Something warming like sticky toffee pudding is a great option. Chocolate fudge cake or a caramel cheesecake would also be fantastic. The options are really endless here!

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, for a stress-free evening somewhere you don’t need to book weeks in advance, a relaxing evening with a glass or two of wine and a delicious dinner for two is another great way to celebrate national drink wine day!

Set your reclaimed wood dining table up with candles, flowers or whatever your heart desires, make sure you have some comfy dining chairs (these fabric dining chairs are a great option) and cook a delicious meal. Even if you only have a kitchen bar table in your space, there are plenty of ways to make it work – keep your kitchen tidy as you go so as not to ruin the mood, and perhaps go for a dish which requires as few pots and pans as possible.

Alternatively, if you really love wine or if cooking isn’t your thing, you could even book onto a wine tasting together.

How will you be spending Drink Wine Day?

Creative tips that will make your office space amazing

If you work from home, a production office space is the best way to provide motivation. But often home office furniture can be far more functional than inspiring. To bring your home office to life, here are a few of our creative tips to make your office space amazing.

The view

A home office really centres around the desk. So make sure it is the perfect spot to maximise productivity.

If you have a pretty view out your window, make the most of it by pushing your desk up against the window. A large window brings in loads of light and will keep you feeling awake all day (even on the gloomiest winter days) and means you can occasionally glance out of the window. Who knows – perhaps you might find your most creative ideas come when watching the birds in your garden! The smallest offices are best suited to the desk being against the wall, creating space to move and ensuring the room doesn’t feel cluttered.

If you have a larger space, you may wish to have a floating desk at the centre of the room. This creates a really sophisticated feel and paired with a stylish desk chair and a large rug underneath the desk creates a plush-feeling office you’ll enjoy spending time in. This is also a fantastic option if you ever need to hold meetings at home with space for colleagues to sit at the other side of your desk so you can talk face-to-face.

The furniture

Start with your desk and chair – if you are going to be sat at a desk all day, it is crucial that you create a comfortable spot to do so! The Oldman desks are perfect if you are looking for a rustic style with a contemporary twist. Not only would it make a beautiful home office desk (whether it’s against a wall or positioned as a floating desk), it can be made to order to fit your room perfectly. Alternatively, the Carter Rustic Desk provides a stylish finish and lots of storage to keep all your office essentials on hand.

Then comes seating. A leather office chair is great for the perfect compromise between comfort and style. If you have your heart set on a chair that spins, the Parker Chair is fantastic. Alternatively, the simple style of the Hudson Living Capri Chair is great for the smallest of spaces, as without arms, it is not at all bulky!

Plenty of chic seating will have your office feeling more fun, and will also be infinitely more practical. An armchair or two make a great addition to any home office – and with plenty of upholstered options on offer, fabric armchairs are a great way to easily inject a vibrant pop of colour and interesting texture too. These wool armchairs are simply stunning – and with light wooden legs, they’ll work perfectly with any other Scandinavian designs.

The home office is prone to clutter so plenty of storage space is a must. But storage solutions don’t need to be boring – try and display your office supplies in a creative, colourful way to add a hint of colour to an otherwise simple space. A large display unit like this one is large enough for you to keep everything in one place and will save you feeling the need to constantly tidy up!

The colours

If you want to create a calming home environment, light colours and neutrals are the way to go. An all-white room is perfect for minimising distractions. However, a simple colour-scheme may not be particularly inspiring.

Perhaps add a bit of personality with a feature colour throughout the room, or add in some accessories. For a sleek, glam feel, gold or chrome details work wonders. A frame with a gold mirror or a huge chrome clock on the wall look fantastic and will add something to your space (a mirror will also reflect the light around the room, making any space feel much bigger).

Have you been inspired to give a new lease of life to your home office?

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?