katie.lacy@letsgetcoffee.co.uk, Author at Modish Living

Bring some sunshine yellow to your dining room

The colour of hope, sunshine and happiness, yellow is a colour loved by many.

But in terms of interior styling, some believe it is a difficult colour to work with. Some shades are strong and golden, but others are barely whispers of yellow and yet, match it against another darker, bolder colour and it takes on a creaminess of lightly churned butter.

We are here to show you that you can work with yellow, and it does work in the dining room with reclaimed furniture. and although we are focussed on summer – because why not? The sun is shining! – yellow is a colour you can use all year round.

Brighten the gloom and grey of winter with it or welcome the autumn with it or dash away winter by marrying it with spring. But this summer, use it in the dining room.

Yellow and the farmhouse style

Yellow works with most styles, just vary the shade to match. But there is one that welcomes it, no matter how golden or light in shade it is– the farmhouse style.

How many reclaimed wood dining tables do we see, resplendent with yellow checks and dainty fellow flowers? An uplifting sight if ever there was one. There’s something about a farmhouse dining table bedecked in yellow that brings out the sunshine in us all.

Ice cream yellow

Pantone are the colour experts thus when they released a colour scheme of ice cream pastel, including a delicious yellow, we collectively swooned.

A mid-tone yellow, it can be used as the star of the show or, as an accent, it is that versatile.

Throw caution to the wind

If you are cautious, then opt for painted walls that you could change with a swish of a paint roller but live with it, for a few months at least.

For the less cautious of you, why not try;

·Rug – a rug in the dining room should be essential in our humble opinion. This Vanilla Dream yellow rug is the perfect addition, and a dream indeed. Light in shade it isn’t overly bearing in terms of yellow, just enough to stand out.

·Armchair – Would you dare? As an accent colour, yellow we think is one of the best, something we have written on before. A deep, mustard yellow or even sunshine yellow is a sheer delight.

·Dining chair – make sunshine in your home a permanent feature with yellow fabric dining chairs and watch as people admire your courage in styling.

Yellow accessories

Sunflowers, one of the happiest flowers in the world. And it is magical too because who can fail to raise a smile when they see the proud, pristine yellow head of the sunflower in gardens and vases?

Fabulous in a large, slender vase, sunflowers will last a time in the dining room, as will other yellow flowers. Change the water daily and let them enjoy the sunshine on a window sill – look out for blousy yellow chrysanthemums, for example.

Plant pots and window boxes with yellow pansies and violas, intercepting them with the orange of marigolds to vary the appeal.

Good for the soul and the mind

There is some research that suggests eating foods that are yellow – as well as red and orange – are full on sunshine because, it is, after all, why they are yellow in the first place.

From yellow peppers to varieties of tomatoes, using yellow ingredients and eating yellow foods can help your sense of well-being.

There are some in the Mediterranean who believe sunshine food served alongside oily fish is the perfect antidote to feeling blue.

We’d go along with this theory, especially if it means your food is as uplifting as the décor you’ve created in your dining room!

4 Tips to renovate your living room like a pro

Remodelling the living room can be advantageous in so many ways. As well as giving it a crisp, clean style, you can also create a space that truly works for you and your family.

In this renovation blog, we look at what you need to consider when renovating the living room. Surprisingly, there is a lot more to think about than ripping everything out, and simply painting the walls and ordering a new sofa.

Research and plan

Like other rooms, make a ‘mood board’ for your newly renovated living room so you can see the colours and feel the textures. Research what the current styles and must-have trends are, taking elements from these that work for you.

Remember, you are not creating a show home, but a space that allows you and your family to live it and love it.

Consider a style that works

Its easy to become lost and swayed by the glossy pictures in magazines but remember, a style needs to support what you do and how you live in your home.

Here are just two style idea that could work;

·The Scandinavian style is popular, and it is easy to understand why. A pleasing mix of warm and natural materials, it is unfussy but without the starkness of minimalism.

·The rustic style has a homely feel to it, perfect for packing a punch in terms of style without changing how you live in your home

Think colour

Colour can open and close a room; it can cool it or add vibes of warmth.

Work with colour and shade to see how the natural light in the room affects it. What looks fabulous under the white lights of the DIY store will take on a different hue in your living room.

Consider how you will add colour. Will you opt for the chic coolness of Scandinavian furniture, such as a small occasional table, and the mellowness of a neutral shaded Scandinavian sofa, for example?

Or maybe you will add depth and drama with a deeply-coloured but strikingly gorgeous velvet sofa?

Think textures

Style and colour dovetail with texture. It is the layers of texture in a room that add depth.

The Scandinavian style should be warm and without fuss. Achieve this with wood and natural materials – the deep pile sheepskin rug, for example, is a must – but opt for lighter woods. Reclaimed furniture can fit right in because it has the warmth of its past too, to add depth to the space.

The rustic look has a less refined finish and this adds texture to your remodelled living room that is divine, if it suits, of course. This doesn’t mean it is coarse and unfinished, just that the depth of the wood’s character and past can be touched, a great finish for any furniture. A reclaimed wood coffee table is a great addition – useful yet still strikingly beautiful.

The rustic style adds a certain something to items that we may, in the past, have considered mundane. But there is nothing mundane about a rustic TV stand, for example.

Think your lifestyle

Plan, create and renovate the living room so that the style supports the way you live, but always choose items, colours and textures that you fall in love with. That way, it is a unique renovation and perfect for you.

How to create a green living space for a sophisticated soothing style

Green is a soothing colour, ideal for creating a living room that invites people to relax and enjoy the space.

There are many shades from which to choose, from the earthiness of dark green to a lighter, sun-washed green. Styled well, this can give your rooms a sophisticated edge. But how do you go about it?

Green with dashes of strong yellow

Too much of one colour can create stagnate the flow of a room and with the colour green, you will want to pick a strong colour that mirrors it perfectly.

That’s why we love the strong, vibrant glowing yellow in this living room. considering there are only three yellow accessories, it plucks the room from ordinary to fresh and vibrant.

Large, leafy green print wallpaper is on-trend and right-now. It doesn’t overpower the space because it covers a small expanse of the wall but with the supporting light sage green panelling, it simply lifts the space. This would work perfectly with an industrial sideboard, or perhaps with an industrial coffee table placed artfully next to the wall.

Instead of the sisal rug, you could opt for a light touch green rug, alongside the majesty of a velvet chesterfield sofa for yet more hints of drama.

Scandinavian delight

The Scandinavian style is all about embracing the neutral and the natural. But when you want a hint of something different, why not included the refined industrial-type materials, such as polished gold or brass?

Dark, earthy green would work well in the Scandinavian styled living room, the light beech wood and the wooden floors the perfect foil to a colour that could be too dirty, too dark, too muddy and too overpowering.

Dark green leather bean bags are informal, slouched seating but if this isn’t your thing, then opt for a dark green low backed sofa. Choose a modern and unfussy design, with simple finishing and minimal detailing.

If you are opting for darker shades of green, make sure you utilise as much natural light in the space to stop the gloom from settling. In smaller rooms where this could be a problem, lighten the mood with light wood finishes and plenty of ambient light.

And leave the detailing to the furniture, such as the effortless style of the Chalfont industrial wooden TV stand. Admire the pattern, note the legwork and yet with all that detailing, you would think it should be too fussy.

Naturally green

The best way of introducing green into either an industrial landscaped living room or one styled along the crispness of the Scandinavian style is to use plants as part of living room decor.

From cacti to lush, green palms, there are so many houseplants that can bring so much colour, and naturally too, into a space.

Their impact is heightened when they are clustered, such as in this modern, almost Scandinavian space.

But leave uniformity behind. The power of three is a powerful suggestion. Opt for one larger, statement plant with a presence in both sizes of the plant and its leaves.

Foil this with the slender tips of the cacti, tightly bunched in and then add a smaller plant from the cacti family.

Is green a colour you love and naturally turn to?

How to bring the summer festival vibes in your dining room

Rocco Industrial Dining Table and Chairs

Summer festivals are a chance to truly kick back, enjoy great company, brilliant music and let the sun warm you to your bones.

And so its no wonder that many of us want to emulate this in our homes. The team got together to create a guide to bringing the summer festival vibe to your dining room using industrial style furniture.

The dining space

With such a stylish backdrop, who could resist creating a summer festival vibe inside your dining room or open plan kitchen/diner with industrial furniture? You can always dine al fresco too – these ideas will work for both settings.

·Colour

Summer is a time of bright colours, all drenched in sun and warm vibes. Opt for a golden palette of yellow, orange and red.

Or, if you want to tone it down a notch or two, pretty pastels work great too. Use a light coloured table clothes the perfect neutral backdrop on your reclaimed wood table but keep the table settings less formal.

Sharing food around the dining table– sitting on your industrial dining chairs, tearing off bread, passing around the dips and enjoying the various tasty dishes you’ve prepared – is the name of game this summer.

·Texture

Put away your chunky knits and your fleece throws and deep pile rugs, opting instead for a flat, smooth weave to everything from rugs to cushions.

It’s not so much about fuss but about having cooler feeling textures about the dining room. Soften the dining bench with a few well-placed cushions but allow the full beauty of your fabric dining chairs to shine through.

Of course, if you want to add more flavour to the dining setting, opt for delicious coloured fabric dining chairs, perfect for making a style statement no matter what time of year.

·Decorate

Decorate the dining room so that is encapsulate everything about summer. Opt for flowered wallpaper but leaving the safe floral patterns behind, choosing large, blousy blooms instead.

Or why not take a look at printed scenic wallpaper? Choose a photo of your choice and have it made into a mural, ready to stick on an expanse of dining room wall.

·Accessories

It is the small details that will bring the full summer festival experience to your dining room.

Looking out over your beautiful garden, enjoy a dance or two on the lawn and don’t forget, your wellies aren’t just for winter. They make the perfect festival shoe, alongside the barely-there flip-flop.

Turn up the volume – but invite the neighbours – and under the shade of the gazebo or pergola, enjoy the sweet scent of plants.

As the light begins to fade, let LED solar lights cast a warm glow on the space as you enjoy a picnic on the lawn. Or bring the party inside and enjoy tasty snacks amongst the jam jars of flowers dotted around the dining table.

And then relax even more, falling into the comfy confines of fabric armchairs, to reminisce about summer festivals past.

With plenty of plants and delicate flowers about the space coupled with industrial styled furniture, you have the perfect summer festival retreat.

How to throw an unforgettable Wimbledon garden party

Wimbledon officially kicked off on Monday and considering it has become synonymous with the Great British summer, we think it provides the perfect inspiration for garden parties galore this summer. Here are a few of our ideas to throw a truly unforgettable Wimbledon themed garden party.

Get your garden game ready

Did you know the grass at Wimbledon is kept as precisely 8cm throughout the tournament but is looked after all year round? The grass courts are preened to perfection so make sure you get your garden in tip-top condition before your party.

Make sure you’ve also got plenty of seating for all your guests so the party can go on long into the night. If you are planning on serving a sit-down meal, an outdoor table and patio chairs may be the perfect option. However, you may prefer to go for a slightly more relaxed feel, keeping preparation to a minimum and maximising enjoyment. If that’s the case, rattan outdoor furniture like a rattan garden sofa is a great option – you can fit loads of friends on a garden sofa and they’re super comfortable too!

For those that are going all out, we absolutely love the garden bar table and chairs sets. They’re absolutely fabulous if you love to entertain and are certainly Wimbledon worthy for serving all that refreshing Pimms!

And what about decorations?

Make sure your garden looks the part by decking it out with decorations perfect for the occasion. Fairy lights not only look great but they’ll also light up your garden long into the evening. Table runners (perhaps in a grass green with a couple of tennis balls as a centrepiece to boot) and bunting are two other great options to make sure your garden looks the part.

Depending on the space you’ve got to work with, you might fancy going all out and setting up a tennis court in your back garden. Or perhaps swing ball may be a better option!? Not only will this make sure your garden looks the part, you can also turn it into a mini-tournament from the comfort of your garden. It’s a great idea if you’ve got kids coming too (but no doubt the adults would love it too!)

Tennis Whites

Why not pay homage to the ‘all white’ rule at Wimbledon by having a dress code for your guests. Get everyone in the mood to play tennis and relax with crisp white shorts and summer dresses.

Alternatively, you could opt for a sports luxe theme – comfy and casual, perfect for a garden party in the middle of the day.

Ready, set, SERVE

Food and drink is clearly a key part of throwing a smashing garden party! With Wimbledon, it’s really easy to keep preparation to a minimum and please your guests all at once.

The classic Pimms and lemonade is a staple for any BBQ or garden party, but it’s even more appropriate at a Wimbledon bash.

The theme of dessert is also sorted, of course, with strawberries and cream. If you love to go all out, you could even serve three different strawberry desserts as a trio – perhaps the classic strawberries and cream (or Eton mess if you’d prefer), a strawberry cheesecake and a Victoria sponge with strawberries – all simple but absolute crowd pleasers!

Have you invested in any reclaimed wood furniture for your garden this summer? Perhaps you’ve thrown your own Wimbledon themed garden party already? We would love to know!

How to take the stress out of hosting dinner parties

A well-hosted dinner party looks effortless. And yet, beneath its serene waters, the host is paddling furiously and has been for days!

Stress no more with these great tips for hosting a dinner party.

PLANNING

·Consider the guest list carefully – the overall success of a dinner party depends largely on who you have gathered around your bespoke and beautiful reclaimed wood dining table. If people don’t know each other, consider what they have in common before sitting them around the farmhouse dining table. Without pre-planning the guest list, you could find the source of stress is complete lack of conversation between guests.

·Decide the menu in good time – and stick with what you know. If you are experimenting with a dish, cook it at least twice before the dinner party to get the taste and seasoning right, as well as the presentation. It is also wise to ask about allergies and intolerances.

·Prep food in advance – starting with the hard stuff first! Stress-free dinner party hosts will make a range of desserts, for example, a day ahead of the dinner party so that the final course is effortless, leaving the host to concentrate on the main meal, the lynchpin of a fabulous dinner party.

·Set the table in advance – and not at the last minute! Finding out 20 minutes before your guests arrive you don’t have enough soup spoons or dessert forks is sure to send you into a spin.

TOP TIP – The dining room

They say that atmosphere is people, and ambience the setting. Thus, spending time creating a stunning dining table setting is not wasted.

Luxe Kensington dining table styled by Sarah-Jane

But it isn’t just the dining table;

·Theme – whichever theme you have decided to opt for, continue elements of this on the dining room sideboard cabinet and the display unit too. For example, a large floral centrepiece could have echoes of smaller, flower posies in vases on the sideboard and mantelpiece.

·The hardware – the dining table will have the dinner service and other accessories to glamourize it but make sure you afford the fabric dining chairs the same treatment. Wipe over with a damp cloth and use a soft bristled brush to sweep the weft in the same direction. If you have invested in the upholstered dining bench with your table, make sure this stunner is stunning!

PARTY!

The party starts with you, thus you need to be;

·The host with the most – and that means having snippets of information about guests stored ready for you as you introduce people. With your prepping and planning done, there is nothing more to be done than relaxing with your guests.

·Background details – such as soft, flowing music is a must and takes away the awkward background silence that can linger heavily on the guests. So way before the evening starts, spend time on Spotify and the like, creating a dinner party music list that lasts a long time.

·Be a great host but not too serious – dinner parties are not meant to be stuffy affairs but a chance to get to know different people, enjoy company and great food too.

Share your dinner party stories with us – the good and the bad!

Party ideas – how to host a great breakfast!

Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and tea like a pauper, an old saying that suggests breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

With this ringing in our ears, we decided to take a look at hosting a brunch party. Increasingly popular, hosting people in the morning is a great start to everyone’s day.

However, we understand that not everyone’s favourite time of day is first thing in the morning. And neither do you want to rise from slumber to be faced with cooking for a huge crowd. So here’s how to create the perfect brunch party, without the stress and morning grumpiness.

1 Pre-plan

When the sun is promising to shine, most people will have their day ready and raring to go by mid to late morning. This means if you are planning on a breakfast get together, invite what they have planned after enjoying a very pleasant morning interlude.

2 Set the table the night before

Just like an evening meal or a BBQ, we feast with our eyes and that means, making sure your beautiful rustic styled kitchen/diner is ready for action.

A less formal meal in many ways, your rustic dining table can still look delightful but ditch the table cover for pretty mats and charger plates.

The last thing to add in the morning – apart from people and food! – is a jar of handpicked blooms from your garden.

Why not dine al fresco? If you have large patio doors that lead onto the patio or terrace, simply lift your table and wooden dining chairs outside and enjoy the morning sunshine. Soften the blow to table and chairs legs with a flat woven rug.

3 The menu

The brunch menu needn’t be complicated either. In fact, the menu can be as rustic as your kitchen/diner!

Why not try;

·A continental breakfast with tasty carved hams and artisan breads

·A hot breakfast needn’t be just a fry-up– add delicate tasting treats such as white puddings instead of black and thick cut, locally reared bacon from your butcher

·For those who prefer a lighter breakfast, opt for pancakes, fresh fruits and thick, creak Greek yoghurt, perfect for dolloping on a pile of tangy fruits

Pile as much as you can in the centre of the reclaimed wood dining table for everyone to help themselves. If you run out of space, why not use the dining sideboard as a serving area too?

4 Relax with florals

Granted, the farmhouse style is not all about florals but for a summer’s morning brunch, we think it is the perfect backdrop.

Soften your wooden dining chairs and rustic furniture with pretty throws and scatter cushions. Choose two main colours to use when decorating the table and opt for a third accent colour to frame the setting. We love doing this with traditional rugs.

We also love the round kitchen table, perfect for everyone to squeeze in and enjoy the spoils of breakfast together.

Is a brunch party something you would consider hosting? Or are you not a morning person?!

How to achieve a modern rustic kitchen

Hoxton Oak White Round Extending Dining Table

If you enjoy the heady mix of modern and rustic seamlessly rolled into one then you will love the charm and warmth exuded by the modern rustic kitchen.

Define the area

The open plan kitchen/diner is remaining a firm favourite and those who want to enjoy open plan and the modern rustic style may find this trend gives them the tools to make more of this area.

The basis of the modern rustic style is on creating and defining an area. But this doesn’t mean just a formal dining at a reclaimed wood dining table OR a modern breakfast part type of arrangement.

Mix the formal with the more formal dining area – why not choose a pleasingly chunky, rustic dining table with its heavy-set table top? Soften it a little more by ramping up the comfort levels with velvet upholstered dining chairs.

For a more family-friendly alternative, matching the rectangular rustic dining table with a dining bench makes perfect sense.

Informal dining or snacking areas at a kitchen island are also well within reach of the modern rustic kitchen. Opt for wooden bar stools to err on the rustic side or if you want to introduce a super-modern note then leather upholstered bar stools are ideal. Choose a coloured leather to increase the heat of the design scheme a notch or two.

Mix and match

Mixing the rustic with the modern is an exciting combination and one that this style is all about.

But sometimes, taking the plunge can be more than a little scary – will everything marry seamlessly together or will it look like you couldn’t decide on which pieces to go for, so you opted for everything?

Avoid this by;

Keeping textures and materials similar but not exactly the same – the rustic is all about natural materials, wood and leather for example, as much as possible throughout the scheme. Modern is streamlined, with synthetic materials not being off the menu. To keep both in harmony, if you want sleek and chic, stick with leather or faux leather, two materials we stock and that are popular.

Choosing one or two key pieces – modern chairs, for example, sitting against the traditional shape and styling of a rustic farmhouse table, for example, is a great example of the two sitting side by side. Because there is nothing else conflicting with the modern chairs, they look like a concerted effort and a specific choice.

To give you a flavour of this look, take a look at the Maddox table and ice cream coloured velvet chairs. It may be an industrial piece by the marrying of the industrial with the soft, plush velvet gives you an idea of what can be achieved when you combine distinctly styled pieces.

Accessorise carefully

On one hand, the rustic style is about bringing in character and warmth but is achieved in a different way to the modern style.

Again, the key to success is to choose wisely when it comes to which style of accessory will be the dominant force and which will highlight key areas or pieces.

A large, modern, over-sized wall clock will work fantastically, as well as a piece of modern sculpture. Temper this with quirky wall art.

Is the combination of rustic and modern the style that appeals to you?

Our three favourite tips for fresh summer dining

Summer dining is just so beautiful and relaxed, isn’t it? With the summer breeze gently caressing the plants and blooms around you, the sun slowly setting the temperature warming your body and soul, there is nothing better than summer dining with friends, whether that is al fresco or in the dining room.

Celebrate and dine in style, with these great summering dining tips from the team here at Modish.

I. G-o-r-g-e-o-u-s tableware

There is a saying, we eat with our eyes first, and there is nothing more pleasing for a host that when guests arrive, there is a short intake of breath as the beauty of a well-laid summer dining table reveals itself.

There are countless ways of creating a beautiful dining table but in the summer months, we think the best way is to make use of the natural light.

Natural light is made up of all the colours on the spectrum and so glassware that looks blue in mid-day sunlight will look much less severe, taking on a pinkish glow in the rays of the setting sun.

So our first tip is simple – everything shiny, from beautiful glassware to extra shiny cutlery and cut glass tealight holders work.

II. Theme it

We know, predictable but you know, there is a lot to be said for choosing a theme to your table decoration.

If you want a pretty-looking table, it needs to be stylish and that means bringing a sense of cohesion to the table.

And just because you are dining al fresco, flowers and floral prints are not the only options, although who can refuse the delight in the heart with the sight of a blue Forget-Me-Not?

How about bright colours, such as the blue of the ocean to brighten your reclaimed wood furniture, making it staggeringly beautiful in the summer sun? You could opt for fabric dining chairs in a lovely shade of blue.

In fact, blue is a fitting colour, along with dashes of red – how about framing the underside of your dining table with bench with a contemporary red rug? – for the upcoming celebration of July 4^th. Back in 1776, independence from her colonisers was declared and America became the land of dreams.

Our second tip is to choose a colour palette and stick with it, using an ocean theme with pleasantly cool blue and streaks of red and white are ideal with July 4^thcelebrations on the doorstep.

III. Light it up

The atmosphere is created by people, company and conversation, whilst ambience is created by lighting.

Strings lights with their delicate light work well piled into glass jars. Used them liberally across the top of the large sideboard in the dining room or on the industrial shelving unit that allows light to play.

And then there is the romance of flickering candlelight to include. Use candelabras with slender candlesticks on the industrial sideboard to make a statement with both height and light. Or keep the candles to small tea light, clustered and scattered across the dining room.

As guests discuss the gossip and hot topics of the day in low murmurs, they will be hypnotised by the flickering light.

Everything looks so much more beautiful and less harsh and real somehow, by candlelight.

So our third tip is this: let there is light, but dim, low-level and warm.

Do we have space to squeeze in a sneaky tip? We think so. Thus, if you do nothing else, in the centre of your beautifully styled reclaimed wood dining table, place a vase of garden flowers, from blousy peonies to rambling roses, to trails of ivy and scented honeysuckle, tie it lightly with a ribbon and let summer stay with you for a time to come.