Bring urban furniture into your living room and set a modern mood

brown modern sofa with urban furniture

brown fabric sofa and other urban furniture in a modern living room

Set a cool living room mood with urban furniture / Bring urban furniture into your living room and set a modern mood

The urban modern interior style is a fusion of contradictory, yet complementary design elements with a cosmopolitan and sophisticated heart set in a loft living cityscape. It’s an interior trend that transcends styles and with the right urban furniture you can create the same feel in your living room, whether you live in a contemporary apartment or a traditional house. Here, we take a look at the best type of urban living room furniture to help you bring this scheme to life.

Low sofa and Modern armchair combo

Minimalist with glamorous chic, this style has an edgy, experimental feel to its urban living room furniture. Expect large items of urban furniture dominating the living room landscape, but with a delightful low profile. Choose a low sofa and modern armchair that have a hint of the iconic Chesterfield but with sharp lines, metal detailing and a modern twist.

brown leather sofa and leather armchair

Create a sophisticated atmosphere with lighting

In any room, atmosphere is created first by lighting and then by decoration. Not forgetting that urban modern living is about adding a touch of glamour as much as it is about experimenting with something different. Why not pair urban furniture, such as an eye-catching mango wood side table with brass inlays and slim metal legs with a hanging pendant light or modern table lamp to add a touch of chic and elegance.

Another pendant light that will add appeal is a frame pendant, complete with decorative glass infills or for added impact, cluster pendant lights together. Floor lamps can also be used as practical embellishments to urban furniture. Think big and let your creative expression flow.

The best flooring solutions for urban living room furniture

industrial coffee table with white sofa and yellow rug

For practical and budgetary reasons, most original loft living apartments styled the space with chic urban furniture on an original hard floor surface. Wall-to-wall carpets is not usually seen in this design, instead wooden, concrete or resin floors underfoot is favoured here. To soften a hard floor without losing its urban edge, add modern rugs to add tone and depth.

Choosing a rug in the right shape and size is important in any design scheme. For the chic modern living feel, choose a rug that throws the accent onto the urban furniture. Or, use it to add the edgy statement we mentioned earlier. Sticking with a muted colour palette, add a rug that makes a statement.

Embellishment and Accessories

Alongside the low sofa, the lighting and the rug, you need some practical urban furniture additions to make your modern living room both comfortable and joyous, such as a modern coffee table. Adopting natural materials is key – this industrial coffee table is the perfect urban living room furniture to bring the scheme together.

industrial coffee table with brown leather sofa

Fabrics, textures and throws should be used with caution – this type of space favours minimalism. However, these final touches are important in bringing any design together, especially when it comes to loft spaces filled with urban furniture. To prevent the living room feeling like a void or faceless space add a few accent cushions or barely there fabrics on the windows along with reclaimed wood furniture full of character and personality.

Metal garden furniture: how to choose and clean it

Garden Bistro Set

Just like in the home, there are trends for garden furniture too. If you are seeking out comfortable, affordable and stylish garden furniture then the first thing to do is read our guide to metal garden furniture.

Trends for the Coming Year

If there is one word that sums up trends in metal garden furniture for the coming summer season it is this: bold.

Bold in colour and in shape, opt for garden furniture that makes a statement. And rather than just thinking dining sets, consider adding a slouchy day bed to the garden or an informal, yet stylish hammock.

Garden Bistro Set

Top of the list is a quaint and bijou garden bistro set. Perfect for keeping on the patio or close by the house, a bistro set is ideal for summer morning breakfasts and brunches.

outdoor Small Round Table and 2 Chairs Bistro Set in Blue

By nature, they are slimline and compact, a form of informal al fresco dining. This metal garden furniture comes as a two-seater set or a four-seater dining set.

Colour

The garden can be awash with colour and that’s no bad thing. Pretty blooms, their colourful heads bobbing in the summer breeze is the perfect backdrop for the al fresco small round table and chairs.

In terms of colour for metal furniture, you may want to consider your choice carefully…

  • Stand our colours – if you want your garden set to stand out, choose white or even this clay coloured garden bistro set. Surrounded by colour, especially green, lighter coloured garden furniture can really stand out.
  • Meld into the garden – if you don’t want ‘stand out’ colours, opt for colours that blend or complement the green of the garden. Darker colours work well, with black being a favourite.

Convenience, versatility and ease of storage

It sounds a great idea having an al fresco dining set, perfect for all the family. Great for entertaining, there is no denying that well-chosen and stylish garden furniture is ideal.

But, it comes at a price – space. No matter how big or small your garden, then is no denying that at times, garden furniture gets in the way. Also, when the colder months of winter come around, protecting garden sets and furniture from the weather and sub-zero temperatures can prove problematic.

Zinc Top Aldsworth Outdoor Storage Box for furniture storage

Not with metal garden furniture. All our metal garden bistro sets are lightweight, ideal as they are prime examples of the versatility that is folding furniture, allowing you to put them in an outdoor storage box of some sort. When not in use, fold away and either store in the garden, the garden shed, the garage, the garden storage box or pop it in the boot of the car to enjoy a picnic on your next day out.

Add Style

As well as furniture, there are also all kinds of accessories you can add to your garden to give it an extra zing of style.

Aldsworth Small Wooden Shelf Ladder

Create a pretty dining area al fresco with sweet-scented climbing plants, as well as potted plants adorning a wooden shelving ladder. Leant against a wall, it can be used to show off tea lights as well as a place to store other outdoor items and equipment.

Keeping Metal Garden Furniture in Great Shape

Storing through the winter months ensures that the weather doesn’t corrode or damage your metal furniture. Maintenance is simple and straightforward – all you need is a few spare minutes and a bucket of warm, soapy water and a soft cloth.

Wash the chairs of debris and grime and leave to dry in the sun… they really need nothing more.

All you need to make your small garden look fabulous

Small Round Table and 2 Chairs Bistro Set in Blue

Your garden often becomes the hub of spring and summer entertaining. But sometimes the task of getting it summer ready can seem a little daunting, especially if you are limited for space. Here are a few of our top small garden design ideas for creating the perfect summer spot with plenty of character.

Space Saving Tables

St Ives outdoor set

The best place to start is with a garden set. This is a great way to create a focal point with your design and often an inspiration for the rest of your space will stem from this.

An extendable table like this beautiful St Ives Outdoor Oval Extending Dining Table makes the perfect outdoor set for a small garden as its extendable features give the option of keeping the set small and minimalistic but can also seat a larger group when required – it’s a win win!

The Southport Patio Bistro Set is also a fabulous option. Crafted in weatherproof rope surrounding a powder-coated aluminium frame that gives it a lightweight look and feel, this patio table and chairs are all about enjoying your outside space in style. This lovely 2 seater bistro set is ideal for smaller areas or for something a little bigger, the matching 4 seater patio set is the perfect fit.

bistro set

Accessories

Adding accessories to a garden helps bring the inside of the home out. Adding potted plants and flowers will help give the garden depth and will actually make the space feel larger. Accessorise your small garden with beautiful textured cushions, hanging fairy lights, lanterns and candles to bring your space to life and create a gorgeous summer haven. As most of these items will be along the wall or on the table and chairs, it will feel cosy but certainly won’t feel small.

Add splashes of Colour

When using colour, try to make them pop. If you have brick walls in your garden, you could painting them with fresh white to create a more open space with a pretty boutique feel. The white will also make potted plants stand out and the green look beautifully vibrant.

Another great addition to any garden is a shelf ladder. These have been popular in interior design for a number of years but are now making their way into the garden, and they are truly stunning. A rustic shelving unit is perfect for adding character and charm as well as providing additional storage. If you want to create a low maintenance garden or don’t have any grass, these are also a great option for popping in a few little pots. Alternatively, decorate in the summer and wrap them in fairy lights for a magical finish.

Small Wooden Aldsworth Pot Ladder for plants

To find the perfect furniture for your garden, take a look at our garden furniture collection online.

Why We Love Urban Modern Interior Design

Louis De Poortere Fading World Rug - Mango Brown in living room

Have you noticed how much urban modern interior design is used in commercial settings, such as restaurant, cafes and similar?

It is an impressive style and one that you may want to emulate. But what are the basics of the urban modern design? And how can you convincingly replicate this style in your home?

Louis De Poortere Fading World Rug - Mango Brown

What Defines Urban Modern Interior Design?

This style, as you would expect, stems from modern, designer lofts found in major cities. These large buildings were once the hub of industrial activity, but were left baron after business moved elsewhere.

Vast, cavernous spaces, once home to large, noisy machines are now living spaces. Loft living is a style and the urban modern interior design styles is a fusion of the commercial past of a building with modern living.

It is minimalistic and modern, chic with edgy experimental designs, all of which collide and meld together to make a fantastic living space. Not just the style of the young or the ‘up and coming’, it is style that suits families too because of its simplicity, its warmth and its adaptability.

How to Get the Urban Modern Style in Your Home

Think exposed brick walls meeting stainless steel beams. Think industrial meets a modern style. The rough and the smooth. The urban modern style works anywhere, not just loft living or city apartments. It can suit your home and here’s how to get it;

One-of-a-Kind Artworks

Original artwork, hung centre stage, instantly adds a cosmopolitan vibe. But, before you think ‘too expensive’ there are other means of getting your hands on original artwork. Art students create amazing pieces and appreciate the exposure. Or, you could create some of your work on canvas or even take a look at some original artwork stocked by independent retailers.

Urban, Not Industrial

There is a difference. Urban style has a softer, warmer edge to it then the harsh functionality of an industrial interior design.

Original and exposed brick walls meeting with the warmth of hardwood floors welcome us home at the end of the day. Modern rugs act as layers of texture to a room, as well as helping to pull together an open plan living that otherwise would feel too vast.

Contemporary Urban Modern Luce Black Candle Holders Pack of 3

Choose home accessories that are deep in colour, bringing in warmth to a space: think oranges, reds, browns, any colour that you react to as being warm and cosy.

Creating a Homely Feel

Every aspect of your home should embrace urban modern interior design. Distressed wood is a must and that is why adding key pieces such as a modern console table are fantastic additions.

Hudson Living Brooklyn Console Table

Imagine if those pieces could speak. The dents in the floor, the distressed look of the wood, the stainless frame that have stood the test of time for so long, imagine the stories they could tell.

With key pieces such as modern dining table sets, the practicalities are obvious. But, should you wish to change the appeal and style of your home in the future, these pieces will fit right in with a range of additional interior design styles.

There are, of course, many different reasons to love urban modern interior design, and these are just ours – Why not let us know what YOU love best about this style, and how you’ve embraced it in your home?

How is your dining: Industrial or Urban Modern?

Hyatt Industrial Vintage Cafe Chairs white and black in dining room

A dining room is a great place to start when redecorating your home. As one of the most used rooms in the home, whether you’re entertaining guests or dining as a family, there are some great options for updating the room, allowing you to really put your stamp on it. But which look do you prefer? Industrial or Urban modern – and how do you go about getting it right. Here, we look at both trends, to see what would suit your dining space best.

Industrial dining rooms

Tables

An Industrial dining table is a must-have centre piece for your Industrial look. A distressed textured rustic appearance is characterised by the reclaimed wood table top, combined with dark matte metal table legs. Available space is a key factor, so make sure you measure up carefully to find a piece that will leave you enough room to get around the room. When it comes to colour, there are various shades of wood, whether you prefer contemporary light or darker wood.

Industrial Lowry Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table

Chairs

Industrial dining chairs are usually vintage upcycled or vintage inspired. Many people opt for dark metal café style chairs – and these work extremely well if you like to mix up your décor – as they’ll usually go with almost any colour – as well as exposed brick if you prefer.

Hyatt Industrial Vintage Cafe Chairs (per set)

Of course, you may prefer retro wooden chairs with dark metal legs – and these can work equally as well in the industrial dining room. Many Industrial dining chairs are stackable for storage, ready for when you have guests. An Industrial-style chair could also be used in the bedroom, as could Industrial-style-lighting.

Lighting

Industrial style lighting is an essential element of this interior design style, and it often involves black fittings with warm Edison light bulbs. The dark metal light fittings complement the robust dark metal furniture legs and supports and clusters of pendants give a fantastic appearance. Metal piping can also form the structure of your ceiling or wall lighting, and you could have a bespoke pipe wall light, which doubles up as book shelving. Many repurposed dark metal studio lighting structures make for conversation pieces – perfect if conversation dries up at a dinner party! Popular black angle-poise task lamps may be vintage or vintage-inspired, which could also be handy for the bedroom.

Indiana pendat light industrial

Urban Modern Dining Rooms

Many people prefer modern furniture for the dining room, and love the versatility of the smoother Urban Modern look. Modern furniture, when compared to industrial, looks more minimalist and neutral in colour. The Urban Modern look may include a subtle variation of Industrial style lighting but you may combine your existing furniture with new pieces of modern furniture with a sharp smooth finish. Urban Modern is an interior design technique which can make different pieces work well together, and fuses inspiration from complementary and edgy opposing design traits.

Restaurant chic

The Urban Modern dining style is similar to many restaurants, which means you can bring some of this cosmopolitan atmosphere into your home. Modern dining table sets typically have a smooth sleek finish, with the chairs matching the table. The table top could be marble or any neutral coloured shiny surface or you may love light smoothly finished wood, together with contrasting table legs, which match the chairs. Metal accents on modern dining table sets are usually polished – pulling together the whole look exceptionally well.

Chilson Dining Table and Bench Set

Accessories

Modern rugs easily fit in with the Urban Modern style. There seems to be an infinite variety of geometric designs and more adventurous bold designs to choose from – so the only limit here is your imagination. You may have more neutral colours in your Urban Modern dining area for the décor, but there is no need to stick to grey and neutral colours for the rug. Be as daring as you like for a contrasting colourful rug for either your bedroom or dining area. Use your creative flair to choose something out of the ordinary and watch your guest marvel at your good taste!

Louis De Poortere Fading World Rug - Blue Night

Industrial and Urban Modern styles are very contemporary, yet different in appearance, and naturally both forms of interior design suit different tastes. If you find the right pieces, you can add personality and texture by creating an Industrial dining area full of character and with an environmental conscience. Or, find inspiration from perfect modern-furniture for a sharper, cosmopolitan Urban Modern look. Either way your choices will look fantastic!