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

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?

Are these the best ways to declutter an office space?

De-cluttering – the throwing of everything away to start again… or is it? De-cluttering is something we all do, some more frequently than others. It isn’t just about ‘getting rid of stuff’, although that is the crux of it for many people. It is, in fact, about streamlining storage, creating solutions that work that allow us to live and work effectively and efficiently in a space.

And this is no more needed than in an office. But how do your de-clutter and stay streamlined in such an important and productive space?

Storage shelves

Frankly, a set of two or three storage shelves is an absolute must for keeping your desk clear of clutter. The secret to effective storage is being to access it quickly and easily and frankly, there is no better way than shelving.

As well as wall-mounted shelves, consider a freestanding shelving display case or bookcase as an alternative.

Drawer organisers

Your wooden desk may be clear on top but what state are the drawers in?! in many ways, there is nothing wrong with a messy drawer but seriously, when was the last time you found what you were searching for in here? You can probably count the times on one hand.

Get it organised with drawer organisers, from small baskets to cutlery trays for pens and pencils.

Go cord-free

If you like a streamlined office, styled along Scandinavian styles – white walls, light wood furniture offset with natural fabrics – then going ‘cord-less’ is the ideal solution. That means investing in Bluetooth enabled or wireless gadgets to do away with cords clogging the eyeline.

Colour code

Another great tip from people who are uber-organised – and stay organised – is to colour files in your office cabinets. Use coloured file ‘tips’ or stickers, assigning a colour band to a category that you can then effectively organise your files under.

PS Did you know that TV cabinets and media cabinets make fantastic storage for the office?

Establish office zones

In many ways, this emulates the home: the kitchen is for cooking, the living room for lounging etc. – and you can use a similar means of zoning areas for key activities in the office.

Your reclaimed wood desk is where you produce work, the office cabinets where you file, the display unit or shelving where you store items you need to access frequently… you get the drift.

Vertical storage

In smaller spaces, utilising the space up above your head is a great way of adding extra storage space, especially when it comes to working boards and noticeboards etc. Get creative too with your cork boards and whiteboards, two things that you can easily customise.

And finally, tidy up regularly.

If there is one key element of a de-cluttered off is that once you have de-cluttered, zoned and organised things, you need them to stay this way. Being organised and regularly tidying your workspace is not just important for your physical comfort in the office but you may find it is an important emotional task too.

Add shameless luxury to your office with aluminium

First impressions: a 7-second window of opportunity to send the right message to potential clients, employees, stakeholders and so on. Who would have thought that such a small gap of time could have such a lasting impression?

And last it does. It can take months, even years, to claw your way back from a negative impression. Thus, it pays to spend time, effort and money on getting the right look – and impression – about your office.

Corporate Offices

Take no more than a quick glance at corporate offices online and you will notice similarities: clean, today, efficient. You may also think clinical but, there is no denying that they meet expectations. Does your office do that?

Impressions are essential for meeting or exceeding expectations. When your clients visit your office, what do they expect to see? What do they expect to feel?

Are you meeting these standards or falling short? Is it time for a change? Is it time to ramp up the luxury and the impact of when people visit your workspace? If it is, we have the range of office furniture with the wow factor.

Practical and functional, the Aviator range is beautiful, different and elegant. Better still, it ‘fits’ the modern office look or the traditional appeal of a workspace. You can add one or two key items or deck out the whole office in the glinting Aviator range. The choice is yours…

• The desk

In an office, possibly the most important piece is the desk. You need desktop space for your PC or laptop, for your written work and so on, but an expanse of desk also indicates a certain sense of grandeur.

You want your desk to have character and a presence. The Aviator wing desk is simply phenomenal.

• The Chairs

As well as your own desk chair, you need chairs for your clients and they too, with the Aviator range can make an impact.

The Aviator wing chair is no ordinary, casual leather office chair. It too has an impact that people will find hard to resist. For more ‘informal’ seating – many offices now incorporate this kind of informal space – the Aviator leather armchair is ideal.

• Remaining space

From the Aviator large sideboard for storage, matching coffee table and console table, to industrial shelving, the Aviator range has everything you need.

But if all that shiny aluminium finish is too much, you can dial back the impact to a dull roar with accessories, such as a blue rug or large modern pendant lights.

The End Result

Designing and dressing an office is not for the faint-hearted. There is a mix of ergonomic design and style that must seamlessly blend to give a smooth overall finish. And then there are those customer expectations to think about…

Designing your office space is not about your customer ‘liking’ it – it may not be to their personal taste – but that is not the root of a first impression. Impressions are expectations, and whether the décor sadly misses the mark or sends the right signals of professionalism and expertise.

So, what does your office say about your business?

Amazing items that will make you love your work space

Louis De Poortere Spring Leaves Green Rug

Potentially, you could spend hours in your home office, perfecting your product or service. Yes, it needs to be ergonomically designed but it also needs to be a joy to use. And this is where your sense of style comes in to play. And so, we put our heads together and came up with these fun styling ideas…

Squeeze it in

If your home office doesn’t have to be gargantuan, then you are probably comfortable working in the main part of your home, whether that is a desk in the corner of the living room or a space ‘under-the-stairs’. Either way, using furniture that matches presents a coherent look to the eye and stop your home office standing out as the focal point in the room. Add a comfy chair and plenty of hideaway storage space and you have a delightful space from which to work.

Add hints of luxury

Luxury is a hard word to define because what is luxurious to one person is fuss and clutter to another. There is, however, no denying that texture holds the key to luxury.

Take the grey sheepskin rug for example, with its soft, feather-like feel to it. Beautifully tactile, the sheepskin rug can be used as a rug to keep your feet warm or, in the winter, add it to your desk chair as an extra layer of warmth around your back.

Theme it

If you have a separate space – do you look with envy at home office pods and cabins in the garden? – you can use the décor on the walls to create a space that is both restful but stimulating too.

From clean lines to pastel shades, there are all kinds of themes and styles you can opt for. In recent months, there has been a penchant for softer wall shades, with brass accessories and all things glitter. Frankly, there is nothing wrong with this look unless, of course, you don’t like it.

And so, the moral of this story is, create the theme and the décor that you like. But as a means of inspiration, may we suggest beautifully patterned rugs with a versatile sideboard masquerading as office cabinets?

And don’t forget to liven up the walls with artwork!

The desk and the chair

The title of your next novel perhaps, but in all honesty, we do need to consider the two most important aspects of the home office: the desk at the right height, shape and length, partnered with a comfy, supportive office chair.

Our Oldman range – wooden desk with metal legwork – is back with a bang. These are completely customisable from coloured legs to the right size desktop for your home office.

Create something fabulous that works for YOU

It is your home office. Your space where you create and grow your business. It can be as clean, simple and minimal as you like, or full of colour, passion and ample storage. And yes, if you want the flower-patterned paper clips, you can have them too…

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?

How to improve your open-plan living space

You may have come across our polls on Instagram and Houzz, and you may have contributed to the debate too. If not, why not take a look and be part of a community that enjoys discussing trends in interior design?

We asked a question that we thought would elicit a lot of response – and we weren’t wrong! Possibly one of our most controversial questions yet: is it over for the open plan living room?

We Asked, You Answered

The answer was no, it is not over with the majority of people still in support of an open plan living room as a great solution for the modern home. But, there were a significant group of people that said yes, it is over for the open plan living space.

What surprised us was the lack of ‘don’t knows’ or ‘unsure’. And we think that this shows the love or hate relationship we have with this style of living. With this in mind, we take a look at an open plan living room and how to create a cohesive space with industrial style furniture that works.

Styling an Open Plan Living Room

Open plan living spaces can be fantastic IF they are styled well, but can look and feel cavernous and characterless if not. Great styles to use with this kind of open living are the farmhouse style – no chance of large farmhouse furniture pieces swamping the space – or the industrial style, one that is synonymous with loft living.

So, what hints do we have?

Define spaces – just because it is open plan living doesn’t mean that you cannot define spaces within it. But instead of walls, use room dividers such an industrial style display unit. This open shelving unit allows for light and vision to pass through, but zones an area at the same time.

Think big – an open plan space can accommodate some of the larger pieces of furniture that catch our attention, and do so with ease. For the farmhouse style, there is no denying the importance of the dining table. The heating heart of the home, a large farmhouse dining table works well as it too can be an object that denotes the use of the area. In other words, it is a piece of furniture that allows you and your guests to ‘make sense’ of the open plan living space. (HINT: industrial dining tables work just as well too!)
Create a focal point – any room, open plan or otherwise, can seem cavernous and featureless if there is no focal point. They can be a fixed object, such as a splendid fireplace or, for an open living you may want to introduce something else that acts as the defining statement of the room. Living room décor can provide the semi-permanent focal point you are looking for;

Expose the beams – paint metal ones black as use these are a frame to the room
Be creative – use old windows are a room divider
Create a feature wall – and create one that really stands out! From large print wallpaper to super-bold colour, the feature wall can be even more gregarious in an open plan living space

Open plan living is, admittedly, not for everyone. BUT, we think with the right reclaimed furniture and style, it is a space that is cosy, practical and uber-stylish.

Is a Oswald sofa the one for you?

There are many items of furniture that boast such a recognisable shape and design, that no matter what style touches it, it is iconic. No matter what you do the Oswald sofa, there is an unstated class and elegance, a nostalgic touch of yesteryear about it.

It has remained an option for consumers for decades and it seems, this is not going to change anytime soon. But we wanted to know what our fans on Houzz and Instagram thought.

We Asked, You Answered

We presented you with two images, one of the Oswald Sofa and the other of the Napier sofa, itself boasting a fairly iconic, modern shape – and we asked: “is the Oswald sofa reappearing in home interiors?”

Faced with a choice of two fantastic sofas, our poll clearly presented our followers with the toughest choice yet. On Houzz, the majority of voters agreed that Oswald was a piece making a comeback but there was a strong showing for Napier, a sofa that can be completely customised with Harris tweed to your exact requirements.

On Instagram, our followers made the opposite choice. The unfussy shape and finish of the Napier Harries tweed sofa pipped the Oswald sofa to take the crown – and by a considerable majority too.

But, are these two sofas so very different? How can we use them in our homes, no matter what our style?

Industrial Style

Some of the comments alluded to the fact that as a modern sofa, the fact that you can customise the Napier sofa was the clear reason why it was favoured. For many of us, this is essential.

In order for it to ‘fit’ perfectly, you can choose your own shade and pattern of tweed or moon wool, and throw in some leather too.

This means that no matter what your style, your sofa can be the standout piece or it will seamlessly meld with the rest of your home.

For example, take the industrial look – a fusion of the raw brick and natural materials, with a slice of the practical and functional – is a growing trend, timeless and classic. The Napier sofa would suit perfectly, wouldn’t it, in leather and plain wool framed by an industrial coffee table, such as the Oldham Coffee Table?

Modern Style

The modern style takes components from other design schemes and combines them to make a practical style, with an understated impact and function to it.

But here’s the thing: drop the leather Oswald sofa into a modern design scheme and hey presto! It looks just as much as home as it did in a stately home.

And so, what now? Choose your shape, choose your fabric and love your sofa for years to come, whether it’s Oswald or Napier.

How to find the best living room furniture arrangement

On the face of it, it doesn’t look too difficult. After all, it is a square or rectangle room (or it might be an awkwardly shaped room!) and all you need to do is place the chosen items of furniture in it. Job done.

But then, it doesn’t look right or feels right. There is something missing, or there is too much packed in… it feels cluttered and disconnected. Since when has it been so hard to put furniture in the living room!

Help is at hand…

Use what is already there

What features are in your living room? From the fireplace to the sweep of the bay window, work with what features you have rather than working against them.

Think connections

This is a great tip – place the sofa and the armchairs like they are having a conversation with each other, just like you will when you spend time with friends in the living room. Connect the items with clever bridges such as luxury rugs that act as ‘pathways’.

Create a ‘centre’ to the room

This isn’t about the centre of the room being the spot around which all else revolves but finding or creating a natural spot in the room around which life circulates. Highlight this with the use of furniture around this ‘centre’ and create pointers so that the eye can make sense of the room. Hanging modern pendant lighting, for example, is a great way of drawing attention to and defining the ‘centre’.

Don’t put things against the wall

Leave a gap behind the sofa and pull the armchairs away from the wall. This stops that look of everything following the boundary of the wall. You may think this takes up space but with a well-chosen armchair, your living room can seem more spacious with gaps around and behind key items.

Don’t let the TV and fireplace compete for attention

On one hand, the fireplace is a natural focal point and yet, the cinematic TVs we are purchasing are the actual focal point of many a living room. Resolve the dispute by placing the two side by side, or wall mounting the TV on the chimney breast.

Use a coffee table as an ‘anchor’

As well as a focal point, the room needs an anchor, a piece of furniture that allows the eye to make sense of the room. A stylish coffee table is an ideal choice for this role. Choose one that complements your chosen style, from the rustic to the uber-modern, and why not be a little more daring in your choice…?

Add a rug

An under-used accessory, we always think, but that may be because you are unsure how to use the rug. The right size is essential and so carefully measure the floor space and decide on how much of this you want the rug to cover. It can frame the room well, especially if the rug finishes at or just under items of furniture, like the sofa.

And finally, wooden shelving is an addition that is practical and understated, essential for so many living rooms. And for hard to dress corners, the floor standing mirror is not just for the bedroom, you know…