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

How to make your home pet friendly

April is National Pet Month and, as a nation of animal lovers, it comes as no surprise that we are pampering our pets more than ever. When it comes to dogs, there is no denying that our pooches are a welcome and important part of the family.

But where and how they are integrated into family life can still be divisive and so we took to our poll, asking our fans and followers what they thought about letting their dogs into the kitchen, bedroom, dining room and living room.

We Asked, You Answered

Of all the polls we have conducted, this has been the one to have drawn the most comments! Further proof, if we needed any, that our dogs ARE a part of the family. Most people responded that their dogs were allowed in any room of the home, with some saying that they were allowed in any downstairs room, but not allowed upstairs.

But it was one comment that summed them all up;

“He is a Beagle, but thinks he is a human and would just howl if excluded from family life”

But sometimes, our adoration of Fido goes beyond the pet dog being a member of the family – sometimes we decorate our homes to accommodate them too…

The dining room

With your pooch snoozing peacefully whilst you eat with the rest of your family, it is common to find Fido in the dining space. Dining room furniture can prove irresistible to puppies losing their teeth or for a bored dog. To protect the legs of your farmhouse kitchen table and wooden kitchen bar stools, spray with anti-chew spray, harmless to dogs.

The living room

Unfortunately, your four-legged fur ball may also find the aroma of a leather armchair or an upholstered sofa enticing and have a little nibble too. Although with supervision, you can stop it.

We didn’t ask about pets on furniture (another poll, perhaps?) but to keep your sofa or armchair fur-free use sticky tape to pick up the worst of the hair and vacuum to remove all traces (works on cat hair too!). On leather armchairs and sofas, use a quality leather wipe or conditioner to keep it in tip-top conditioner.

Dog adoration

But our adoration of your pooches goes further than snuggling up on the sofa together. We have seen some fantastic dog motif items that will suit a dog-mad home!

• Dog motif cushions – perfect for injecting a little fun and kitsch into the modern living work and suit all kinds of furniture and style

• Doggy wallpaper – perfect for a feature wall or for adding a bit of zing in the kitchen or utility room, we love the doggy wallpaper we have seen of late.

• Dog sculptures – from the quirky, cartoon-style dogs to the posed, majestic looking sculptures, these items are ideal for displaying your allegiance to a certain dog breed on your reclaimed wood shelves.

• The unexpected touches – whether you are a dog lover or a cat lover, adding a touch of the unexpected with table lamps with dog or cats are ornament bases, you really add a sense of quirkiness to a room. Why not add it to the bedroom?

So, tell us, how much of your home does Fido make his own?

Which is the perfect storage for a busy hallway?

The hallway is a room through which we pass several times a day, as we hurtle out the door to work and the school run, to coming back home. It is the corridor through which we pass as we go to other rooms and is often the roundabout or the central space of a home.

And it has a lot to do and yet, in this space, there can be several difficulties – lack of storage compounded by lack of space. This can make thinking of hallway decorating ideas a little tricky.

We Asked, You Answered

When it comes to storage options, we are not short on options, but this vast array of hallway furniture and storage solutions can leave us a little bewildered. And so we took to Houzz, giving our followers a choice of four hallway storage items.

We asked which one you thought would make a good storage solution – and without a doubt, the solution was the large Chedworth wooden shoe storage. The other items didn’t prove as popular, but they did offer storage solutions to some people.

Accessibility – The Key to Good Storage

For any storage solution to work, it needs to be accessible, but it also needs to be functional and in keeping with your style.

The rustic style, for example, is a popular interior style for both the busy family home and the singleton pad. And no wonder – delicious chunky, it incorporates natural materials and the warmth of wood in rustic furniture unlike any other style. And yet, there is still a pleasant designer edge to it.

The Chedworth shoe storage box makes the perfect addition to any hallway. Slender in design, it is not over-imposing in a small to medium hallway either. With a box for every person – and one or two spare – it is no surprise that this was the winning choice in our poll.

Rattan, combined with wood, is also a great addition to the rustically styled hallway and home. Reclaimed wood furniture has a uniqueness about it that you would be hard pushed to find with any other material.

And so if you like rattan and would prefer closed storage, then the May reclaimed wood four drawer unit is the perfect option. The handy top is perfect for a hallway table lamp too.

Small hallway furniture can be tough to find but the same May reclaimed wood unit is available in two or three-drawer option. The slender column is perfect for adding accessible storage but without swamping space.

If you have a small length of wall, then the lower-level May rattan and reclaimed wood storage bench would be ideal sitting along it. You can store bags and other paraphernalia on the bench top, adding a throw or sheepskin rug to soften the edges if you like, perfect compliments to the rustic style hallway.

For something different, the rattan cube is perfect. Still useful – lift the lid to hide away everything from boots to bags – and it makes the perfect addition to the hallway.

Storage with Style

The hallway doesn’t have to be bland and boring, neither does storage solutions. Make accessibility a priority – the key to it being used rather than bags dumped at the door – and of course, never compromise on appeal and style.

Amazing dark hallway solutions for a luxurious entrance

As is the room you walk into when you get home from work, and the room that greets your guests, the hallway should ideally be a welcoming, bright room. However, often, entrance halls can be very small narrow, lacking a window or very dark.

However, there are plenty of ways you can maximise the light in your hallway, and hopefully create the illusion of more space to boot too.

Reflect the light

One of the easiest ways to bring light into your room is to reflect the light. Large mirrors are the obvious option, bouncing the light around the room and creating the look of more open space. In a long hallway, you may even find a couple of mirrors the way to go. Perhaps one mirror above a gorgeous Luxe Kensington industrial console table and another floor-length mirror at the end of the hall.

Brighten your hallway features

The doorway may be the only source of light in some hallways. If you have a wooden door, why not paint the inside of your door white to maximise the light you are bringing in.

You can also opt for a lighter bannister. If you have an open balustrade, you may find that keeping the wood lighter, or even opting for a glass handrail a good option.

Be careful with colour

Dark rooms often leave us feeling a little cautious about using colour, instead opting for pale shades which bring light but don’t make much of an impact. However, it doesn’t have to be the way.

Of course, it may not be the best option to paint your entire hallway navy or dark purple. But careful injections of colour with your accents can make a fantastic statement. Radiator covers are popular in home decor at the moment, so how about choosing a radiator colour in a vibrant shade to make an impact. Artwork and even a large bookshelf with lots of gorgeous books organised in colour order will create a chic finish and add a talking point to your entrance hall too.

When it comes to floor coverings, lighter wood and tiling are a great idea. This will create the illusion of a bigger room, especially if you use the same flooring in any rooms off the hallway to create flow.

If you have a slightly larger space, don’t be afraid to add interest on the floor too with patterned rugs. The stripes of this green rug are absolutely wonderful for elongating the room and complimenting any industrial pieces too. Alternatively, the bold pattern of the Louis De Poortere Atlantic Ocean Blue Waves Rug will really make a design statement the moment your guests step into your home.

And what about furniture?

Many of us may be tempted to go for light furniture, to bring as much light into your space as possible. However, you may find that very light furniture like white looks grey in a darker hallway. Instead, it is a good idea to save white for anywhere with bright daylight. Instead, opt for a slim design with an open base.

You will often find that industrial furniture is a great option for a dark room as the more modern designs are often slimmer and metal accents are flattering in smaller spaces. Our Maddox Reclaimed Elm Console Table is perfect with the open base and stainless steel finish on the legs. If you are looking for something with storage, the ultra slim Industrial Lansdowne Reclaimed Wood Console Table may be the way to go.

Have you got any great tips for making a dark hallway look brighter? Let us know.

How to decorate with luxurious velvet dining chairs

In a modern family home, the dining room is perhaps one of the lesser-used rooms. Many of us now opt for open plan living spaces with a more informal kitchen-diner. However, if you still have a formal dining room, it is the perfect space to get creative with your decor, and also create a space which exudes glamour.

If you are looking for luxurious, there is simply no better option than velvet. With its tactile feel and silky smooth look, velvet upholstery on your dining chairs will create a boutique space you’ll be dying to invite all your friends round to see.

Style

Velvet works whether you are going for a more rustic feel with your decor, or you are looking for ultra-contemporary, industrial style.

For those with a penchant for rustic pieces, dining room chairs with gorgeous wooden legs are perfect. Not only this, wooden legs paired with velvet creates a more understated finish, the perfect look for day-to-day family life. The classic style of both the Miss Bronte Velvet Dining Chairs and the Telford Velvet Dining Chairs is the perfect option for rustic and reclaimed dining tables like our Beam Extendable Table or Rustic Inlay Dining Table.

Alternatively, for more industrial dining table styles, our stainless steel based velvet dining chairs are simply sublime. The Luxe Madison Grey Upholstered Dining Chairs offer the perfect seating option for any contemporary dining room. With the angular base and ultra padded button back seat, these grey velvet dining chairs would certainly make a statement in any dining room. The Arielle Navy Velvet Dining Chairs offer a wonderfully unique, romantic base which your dinner guests will love sitting on long into the evening.

To match or not to match?

Co-ordinated dining chairs have plenty going for them – especially if you are looking to create a serene, sophisticated space which won’t date. However, if you are looking to make a statement with your dining room furniture (or if you are not sure about having 6 vividly coloured velvet dining chairs surrounding your rustic dining table) mismatched dining chairs may be the way to go.

The great thing about different coloured chairs upholstered all in the same fabrics, is they look co-ordinated without being matchy matchy. You could even go for a selection of colours, just like this trio of pastel pink yellow and blue around our gorgeous Maddox Industrial Reclaimed Elm Dining Table.

How much velvet is too much velvet?

And how about amping up the use of velvet? If you have the space, the addition of a velvet armchair may be the perfect option. In an open plan space, you could even use the armchair to create a reading nook, with a bookshelf loaded up with all your lovely cookbooks.

If you are really blessed for space, why not think about creating a perfect spot for your guests to sit with a glass of wine while you make the final touches to dinner, the addition of a velvet sofa is great in formal dining rooms and more open-plan spaces where you are likely to spend longer, chatting and drinking away.

Do you have velvet dining chairs around your table? We’d love to see photos.

How to throw the best garden tea party

Garden Dining Table and Rattan Dining Chairs

Not just fit for royalty, the genteel garden party is a great way to entertain family and friends. Make the best use of your garden this summer with a garden tea party – and with these hints and tips, it is sure to be a success!

A fine British tradition, bring back a touch of the traditional with your own modern twist by setting your outdoor table with everything you need to host a tea garden party.

The basics

The equipment needed is basic but essential. As well as a sturdy outdoor table and patio chairs, you’ll need a few extra bits;

Crips white tablecloth and pretty pastel coloured napkins or serviettes – match these with yards and yards of bunting!
As well as your patio and pergola, why not invest in a gazebo? And a garden bar is perfect for less formal garden parties too.
As well as the big stuff, you will need plenty of pretty crockery, spoons and forks along with cake stands.
Don’t forget to accessorise your garden and gazebo or pergola. Outdoor furniture is not just limited to table and chairs – a decorative ladder with potted plants and garden lights make for an elegant backdrop.
Cushions and throws add texture and for a chillier afternoon or early evening, a throw for guests is the perfect way for them to stay warmer (and linger at your garden party too!)

Tea on arrival

When you invite your guests to your garden party, give them an arrival time so that you can have everything prepared. As they arrive, welcome them with a drink.

If you plan on seeing the afternoon into the evening, there is nothing wrong with a little glass of bubbly on arrival.

Or to keep it traditional, tea served in a delicately patterned china cup and saucer is simply perfect.

Top tip – scour local charity shops and thrift stores for cup and saucer sets. Don’t be frightened to mix and match colours and patterns either.

The cakes and sandwiches

The spread is the essential part of any garden tea party. Flavours should be delicate rather than deep and spicy. Keep portion sizes small and easy-to-eat too. And stick with the traditional – say goodbye to pizza slices and pasta dishes, and welcome back the delicate finger sandwich…

Sandwiches – from thinly sliced salmon to cucumber, sandwich fillings are more of a tasty morsel than a hearty meal. Cream cheese also works well. Use fresh bread and cut off the crusts before serving.
Cakes – like its savoury cousin the sandwich, the cake slices and portions should also be bite-sized and delicate unless you are opting for a sit-down garden tea party. Again, flavours and light and summery. And don’t forget that fruit is essential too. Bring out the zesty flavours with summer berries for a real traditional flavour.

Scones – no afternoon garden party is complete without scones, jam and cream. If you are opting for a sit-down garden party, have a pristine white table cover for your round garden table and chairs, along with pretty plates and bowls. Serve the best clotted cream you can find too. Serve tea from a serving tray for an authentic look.

Remember, the name of the game when it comes to a garden party is genteel, traditional fun. So, relax and enjoy!

How to style velvet and leather furniture for a cool look

5 easy steps for a stunning garden arrangement

Just like the interior of your home, arranging your outdoor furniture to make the best of the view and your garden makes it’s a welcoming place to sit, relax and dine. But what do you need to consider?

Step 1 – Tracking the Sun

Surely, you may think, the garden is awash in natural light! It is, in most cases, but there is something you need to consider – sunlight can be harsh, as much as it is warming and welcome.

For example, if you want to enjoy a mid-day snack, sitting in full sun may not be the most comfortable experience. And as for evening dining, enjoying the last rays as the sun drops below the horizon makes sense.

In other words, track the path of your sun in your garden. Where is it at the hottest part of the day and from which angles are sunrise and sunset most enjoyable? Most outdoor table sets are easy to move but why not opt for a café garden set for breakfasting and lunch in the garden, with a more robust outdoor table and chairs for more formal and evening dining in the garden?

Step 2 – Traffic flow

Like an indoor room, there tends to be a natural traffic flow in the garden. For example, if there is a hard-landscaped path, most people will follow that. Failing that, you will probably find you take the shortest route to your destination, whether that is a bench shaded by a pergola or a pretty outdoor garden set for lazy afternoons in the sun.

By placing garden furniture at certain points, you can encourage traffic flow to take a different route.

Step 3 – Measurements

Now comes the trickier part of making sure that dimensions of the outdoor furniture and garden are in keeping with each other. Too big, and the furniture dwarfs the garden but clearly, you want enough seating to accommodate your family.

However, if there is no getting away from the fact that your garden is bijou and your furniture needs big, then make the furniture the star of the show. From a dining set to the stylish aplomb of outdoor rattan furniture, if the dimensions of the item are big, don’t disguise it – make IT the centre of attention!

Step 4 – Multi-purpose

For any garden, the answer lays in the flexibility of outdoor furniture to meet your needs. From hidden storage under benches to fantastic outdoor boxes that double as benches, try to get as much out of your outdoor furniture as possible.

Step 5 – Ambience

And finally, with your metal garden furniture dining set, rattan chairs, or a rattan corner sofa complete with a glass-topped coffee table in situ, you can set about creating the ambience to your garden arrangement.

From pretty lights for when dusk falls to the gentle flicker of candlelight, to the soft touch of scatter cushions and rugs, add texture to create a welcoming ambience about the space.

And now, sit back, enjoy the view and everything your garden has to offer.

Celebrate spring with bright vibrant yellow in your home

Spring arrives with a flurry of new life in the garden! The sun begins to warm, and we throw open the windows to bid the grey and cobwebs winter adieu for another year. For many of us, this means a deep spring clean and introducing new colours to mark the coming of spring.

And what better colour to bring vibrancy, spring warmth and sunshine that a dash of yellow? From undertones of fiery orange to pastel yellow, there are many shades that make it the perfect colour to pep up any room in the house.

But it can be a tricky colour to use. So how can you welcome spring with bright yellow without tipping into ‘day-glo’ shades?

1 Add just a little

Adding a bright, modern citrus shade of yellow doesn’t mean painting everything in sight and neither does it mean ditching your favourite furniture. Adding dashes and pops of bright yellow here and there in any room will give it a lift.

Take a look at the styled bedroom, complete with white bed. The watery yellow shade on the bedside lamp is more than enough to draw your eye to it. Note how well it sits with the turquoise blue items, including a throw, bedspread and rug. And yet despite the blue being the abundant colour, you just can’t take your eyes from the yellow lampshade.

2 Yellow + Grey = Designer Heaven!

We are accustomed to seeing the combination of yellow and black, a timeless combination but the two strong colours together can be difficult to balance.

Throw awkwardness to the kerb by ditching black for a light grey. Make sure it doesn’t have too much of a pinky base, otherwise the result won’t be what you want. But in your grey living room or bedroom, add yellow scatter cushions or a throw to lift the grey from winter to spring.

If you want to make more of an impact, choose a yellow armchair to complement your reclaimed wood furniture. This velvet armchair with its low back and sumptuous finish is ideal for any room.

3 Bold design and muted tones

Spring is all about the garden and you can emulate this in the home with pretty floral wallpapers and other detailing. And in the bold design add simple, yet striking statements, such as a Louis de Poortere yellow rug. The barely-there detailing and the clever use of grey and yellow make this the perfect yellow contemporary rug for your home this spring.

4 Go for gold

Using gold tones in the metallic finishes of a room also adds a golden glow, which is what yellow is all about. The radiance of a crisp white dining chair with gold metallic legs is ideal. It works well in the industrial dining room but adding a hint of luxury or it works just as well in a modern dining room.

Yellow is a versatile colour, working will across the colour palette and styles choices too. From a pop of colour alongside farmhouse furniture to the industrial dining room, every home will welcome bright, vibrant yellow this spring.

Amazing Easter decorating trends to look out for

Easter is just around the corner and for many people, this means a long weekend full of sunshine and fun family time. It is also the ideal time for entertaining. If this is the case, you will be wondering what Easter decorating trends are coming our way.

We have sourced the best ideas so that you can create the perfect stylish and sumptuous backdrop to your home this Easter, from a reclaimed table to the centrepiece that rests on it.

Dining, Food and Table Settings

Easter is, for many, a time to feast together as a family, and friends too. And this means pressure on the dining room to be a stylish, spring-inspired room. Whether you have a large extending farmhouse table or an urban modern landscape to the dining room, we have some great ideas.

Table centrepiece – Flowers

With Easter comes warm summer sunshine and this means that the garden wakes from its winter slumber. Spring flowers are delicate and usually pastel coloured and so use this as the centre table piece. Keep colours light and pastel, from indoor flowering bulbs to arrangements of flowers in vases.

Detailing – Simple

Spring is a time of simplicity and so this means keeping the details and accessories simple too. As well as flowers, keep the patterning light. Ditch the heavily coloured table cover for your reclaimed wood table and replace with crisp white. Napkins should be white or keep them a light colour with simple patterning.

Invest in – Fabric dining chairs

Spring is a time when we make changes and updates to interiors. From re-decorating to investing in new pieces of furniture, spring is the time to make big and small changes. If there is one thing you invest in this year make it coloured dining chairs. There is a range of colours and fabric to choose from when it comes to upholstered dining chairs. And again, they work well with a farmhouse dining table as they do with a modern dining room set-up too.

Metallic finish – Your choice!

Candles are a great addition to the dining table at any time of year but come Easter, they add a gentle, romantic flicker. But if you want to ring the changes from tea lights, opt for tall candle holders instead. Use these pretty accessories to add the metallic finish to the spring dining room, something that every room needs.

Colour scheme with a difference – monochrome

The classic mix of black and white is perfect for any time of the year. Elegant, simple and non-fussy, to add a hint of spring to the look soften the sharper edges of the monochrome colour scheme with hints of pastel shades such as pretty peony pink or watery spring sunshine yellow.

Spring schemes are all about nature and so it makes sense that alongside your reclaimed furniture and your impressive farmhouse table that you bring in as much nature as possible. From spring flower arrangements to indoor flowering bulbs, there are many ways in which you can ring the changes. How do you decorate your Easter dining table?