Category Archives: furniture

A guide to choosing a new sofa

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It seems so simple to say you are going to get a new sofa. A simple matter of choosing something you like, ordering it and then sitting back and relaxing until it comes. Well, as someone who once made a mistake with the sofa that I ordered, and then had to cancel and choose again, I can say that it is not as easy as all that. There are things to consider to make sure the choice is one that suits your house, and suits your family, and will last you for some years.

Things to consider when choosing a sofa

Style.

When you choose a new sofa it needs to fit with the style of the room. If your house has a old-world feel you may want to go with something like a Chesterfield sofa, a classic design that suits living rooms with dark wood and vintage style elegance. More modern settings may suit slouchy leather styles, more relaxed and less structured in their design. If you choose a style that is out of touch with the rest of your room, this was be jarring and just won’t look right. You also need to think about the colours and fabrics that you opt for. Leather can look modern and minimalist, especially if chosen in a neutral shade or classic black. Fabric sofas can be perfect if your style is chintzy with a slightly vintage feel. Bright colours can make your sofa a focal point of your room, giving your room a theme, particularly if the rest of your decor style is minimal. If you love Art Deco style, which has certainly grown in popularity this year, look at a tan or an antique gold velvet sofa with legs for a retro look. Check out interior design magazines and Pinterest pages for inspiration.

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Who lives in your house?

The style of sofa and chairs you choose are definitely influenced by the people (and pets) who love in your house. Do you have children? Or pets? If the answer is yes to either of these questions, then white or cream fabric may not be the best choice for your sofa, frankly it won’t stay that colour for long. A new sofa has to be a practical choice too, and a wipe clean leather may work better with young children than something that will show every stain and spill. How much you spend on a sofa may be affected by whether you feel it will be a stop gap until your children get older, or an investment piece that should last for years. Another factor could be the actual size of the sofa, whether it is a two or three seater, whether you might opt for a corner sofa, or a pouf as an extra seating option. Your family must always be at the centre of your thoughts when choosing a new suite.

Size Matters.

But size is also important in other ways. When you choose your sofa you need to look at the dimensions of the room it is going to live in. Large sofa’s with corner units are great for big living rooms, but put these in a smaller room and the effect will be ruined and the room will look swamped.  Many three piece suites now come with two sofa’s – can your room take this much furniture? Will you be able to move around the room once the furniture is all in? Size really does matter when it comes to furniture, less is more and can make your room seem far more spacious than if you have literally shoe horned everything into a room.

Order A Sofa Swatch

Buying a new sofa is a big expense so you need to make sure your choice is right, especially if you are not planning to redecorate the whole of your living room. One way that you can test out your choice is to order a sofa swatch so you can test out how the fabric and colour will look with your current furniture. Most online stores allow you this option and this is a great way to check out your design ideas before you commit to buy. It may also help you to choose some accessories for your new sofa before it arrives.

 

When do you need it for?

Most sofa’s have to be ordered, and then there is a waiting period before it is delivered.  This is something you really need to remember if you need your sofa by a certain date. Many people order a new sofa in the Autumn that they want to be in place in time for Christmas, as this is a busier time of year it may pay to order earlier to avoid disappointment.

Do you have any tips for choosing a sofa? What is your preferred style of sofa – something traditional, or something with a more modern feel?

 

Add Film Star Glamour To Your Bedroom With These Ideas

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You know those gorgeous bedrooms that you see posted all over Instagram by celebrities? Well, they’re not as hard to achieve as you would think. So if your room is in need to an update, why not go for a design that’s inspired by a celebrity home? If you have always dreamt of having a beautiful bedroom that combines luxury and glamour, you’re in the right place. Want to make your bedroom as glamorous and elegant as a celebrity’s? It’s not as difficult as you would think, here’s what you need to do: bedroom-design-huelsta-manit-2 Get inspiration If you’re not sure what design style you like, take some time to get inspiration. You’ll find it much easier to create a beautiful space that you love if you have an idea of the types of designs you like. Use Instagram and Pinterest to get inspiration for your room. Look at the different colour schemes, layouts and themes, and choose one that you like the most. Look at websites like Furniturebox, which offer bedroom furniture and accessories in a wide range of styles and tastes to give you some room inspiration (I’m obsessed with their Venetian glass bedside tables and units). Once you’ve picked out a design to focus on, look at the elements of it. Look at the decor, the style of the furniture, and the accessories that have been used. These are all important parts of the room, and things that you need to get spot on, if you want to recreate the look.

Keep the walls neutral The key to adding glamour to your room is decorating the walls in neutrals. Whether you prefer paint or wallpaper, using neutrals is a must if you want to create an elegant space. If you’re a fan of bright, bold colours and patterns, these can be added later on. (The best way to add colour to a space is through accessories, not through the walls themselves.)

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A statement bed frame You’ll find that in most elegant bedrooms that the bed acts as the statement piece. Ask any interior designer and they’ll tell you that in any sleeping space, the bed should always be the focal point. If you want your bed to act as a focal point, it needs to be a design that’s strong. This means picking a bed frame that doesn’t sink into the background, but standouts and makes a statement. One of the best ways to achieve this is by selecting a bed that’s got a headboard that stands out. Look for a design that fits with the theme of the room, is stylish and, most importantly, eye-catching.

Use accessories to add style and elegance For a room with neutral walls, accessories are crucial for adding style and elegance. There are so many ways that you can use accessories to add personality and glamour; it’s just a case of getting creative. For a room with a sophisticated vibe, it’s best to opt for designer home accessories. If you want a space that feels like it should belong to a celebrity, you need to be willing to invest.

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From patterned bedding and rugs that make a bold statement to light fixtures that add glamour, there are so many accessories to choose from. It’s just a case of selecting the right ones. Be choosy about your accessories, and ensure that they fit the style of your room, and you can create a beautiful space.

Even if you’re not a celebrity, with these ideas you can make your bedroom feel like it should belong to one. Happy decorating!

Create a Perfect space in your loft

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Many people have loft conversions on their properties these days, whether it be to create extra bedrooms for an extended family, an home office, an extra upstairs bathroom, even a space for a truculent teenager to exist in without having to see and mix with any other human beings. But if I was to transfer my loft into a living space, then I would love to create a dream haven, just for me.

Creating a Living Space

We have a rather large loft space that would be perfect for transformation, and what I would most like to make in the eaves of my house would be a personal dressing room, complete with space for all my clothes and shoes. It would need a fair few wardrobes, a glamorous dressing table (I’m thinking of the one my Sindy doll had in the 1980s) and a chaise longue. This would be a girls only space (Pete and Joe totally banned) and it would be made light and airy with a skylight in the roof, with a roof blind for those days when the sun is a little too blinding. (Not that many in the UK I know, but you have to think of all eventualities.)

Stuart Jones Ltd Athens Chaise Longue £619.99 click to visit Wayfair

Storage

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I would choose my wardrobes carefully and they would each have different uses. I would have one for casual/daywear and one for evening/formal wear – I may even have one just for dresses. The room would have a vintage feel, using retro style hat boxes for storing scarves, belts, maybe even a hat or two. I would also invest in some stylish storage from Homes Direct 365. They have French style storage boxes that resemble old style luggage trunks and storage trunks that you could find in granny’s attic, which is exactly the style of aesthetic I would be looking for. I particularly love the four drawer luggage trunk, which you can almost see sitting on a station somewhere many years ago, and the Bergman Set Of 3 Storage Trunks which look like they have stored many treasures over the years.

I love that the cases from Homes Direct 365 are often hand crafted, which makes them both practical, as well as beautiful and luxurious. The vintage style is perfect for a bedroom space as both a piece of furniture and as storage, and I love that these will help keep your space looking tidy and elegant, but also look elegant in themselves.

For additional storage that could slide either inside a wardrobe space, or under a day bed, I would head to Bed Bath & Beyond which is another great destination when it comes to storage that goes beyond the mere useful and practical. My favourite colour at the moment is pink, so a hot pink Jumbo Rhino trunk would be a definite first choice, I love the colour and the leather handles and the fact that it is also durable. There is also a smaller cube version which would be a great match and would work for jewellery or cosmetics. The organizer trays would also be very useful to make your drawers really earn their keep and add some sort of system to them.

Dressing tables and a Wardrobe

The dressing table would have fabulous glass jars and Art Deco style jewellery boxes, along with vintage knick knacks I have picked up over the years, like vintage Chanel bottles and original Biba make-up.

Stackers Glass Jewellery Boxes from £22-£30 Click to visit John Lewis

Linea DAMASK GLASS STORAGE JAR £10 click to visit House of Fraser

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Set of 4 Red Hat Boxes with Cream Lining, Gold Cord and Old French Adverts to the front. 23cm, 28cm, 30cm and 35cm £49.95 Click to visit Amazon

Rather than modern, fitted wardrobes I would scour charity and antique shops for solid wood wardrobes, especially those you find with internal drawers and mirrors. I love the 1950s mirrors that hang from a chain. I wouldn’t particularly worry about matching items to one era or time, the mismatch would be part of the charm of the room.

These are beautiful.

These are beautiful.

This would be my dream space, a haven and a retreat back to past era’s of glamour.

What would you stick in your loft if you were to opt for a conversion to your property?