• Posts Tagged ‘sofa’

    Banish those New Year blues!

    by  • January 9, 2012 • Desirable dining, Stylish living • 0 Comments

    How depressing is it when you have to finally dismantle the tree and take down the decorations? Very! Ok, it declutters the place and gives you back the precious space that your 6ft (wide!) fir took up, but the place looks so bare (bit like the tree). So how do you add some warmth to the room again? Well burning the tree is a start – especially if you’ve got a real fire, like me :-)  – but the other answer is obvious: bring in some more plants for that Winter/Spring look. Do that and you’ve got the colour, you’ve got the smells, you’ve got the cost… Forget the last bit, the expense is well worth it!  Check out this selection of 10 top indoor plants on housetohome.co.uk.  If you still need convincing, check out these rooms from February’s 25BH and you’ll be, ahem, green with envy…

    Seán O

    Subtly coloured lilies…

    …or verdant ferns

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    Cool for kids

    by  • July 4, 2011 • 'The Room I Envy' by ..., Cool kitchens, Desirable dining • 1 Comment

    Parents can never be cool, as far as kids are concerned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a home that’s hip and, er, happening (which I’m clearly not). The Williams’ home in 25BH August issue is light, modern and spacious – plus every space seems to have its own identity.

    Best of all though, as far as I’m concerned, is their groovy (oh, per-lease!) Togo sofa from Ligne Roset. With one of these in the family room, our teenagers could invite friends round, stock up on snacks and a DVD and not be seen for the rest of the day – how cool is that?

    Seán O

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    Feature wall envy

    by  • May 2, 2011 • 'The Room I Envy' by ... • 1 Comment

    One more from Lucy’s style blog - we love this feature wall with a show-stopping display of framed art. The television blends in almost seamlessly, which is quite a neat trick!

    feature wall art display

    Fabulous framing

    The lovely image is from design blog The Design Files. Add it to your growing list of interior design blogs, including Lucy Likes It and Housetohome, and you shall never want for interior inspiration again…

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    Cosy living room decorating ideas!

    by  • July 26, 2010 • Stylish living • 2 Comments

    I know it’s “summer” and all, but that didn’t stop the “warm summer nights” turning my feet into ice blocks – it’s worse when you least expect it! Anyway, last week I was chatting to Country Homes and Interiors editor, Rhoda Parry, about creating a cosy living room and it couldn’t have come at a better time …. between my frost-bitten feet and my decision to wear a short-sleeved top to work!

    Enjoy!

    [brightcove vid=248225059001&exp3=8385892001&surl=http://c.brightcove.com/services&pubid=8385557001&w=468&h=412]

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    Swanky design ideas for living rooms – modern vs classic

    by  • June 3, 2010 • Stylish living • 1 Comment

    Ooooooh fancy! Check out these living room decorating ideas for every style. I’ve split them up between modern and classic and formal (no feet on the sofas please) and relaxed (get me my darn book, immediately!) Fine, I admit, I’d be a tad nervous about even drinking a cup of tea in one these schemes, but BOY are they easy on the eye.

    Formal classic living room idea – gentle curves, eye-popping pinks and elegant florals…

    roomenvy - bold floral living room

    roomenvy - bold floral living room

    Relaxed classic living room idea – a palette of soft green, hints of gold and neutral rustic touches…

    roomenvy - olive living room

    roomenvy - olive living room

    Formal modern living room idea – bold statement furniture, peacock blues and bright pink accents…

    roomenvy - bright blues living room

    roomenvy - bright blues living room

    Relaxed modern living room idea – textured wall coverings, wide white-washed floorboards and modern Scandi-chic furniture…

    roomenvy - natural-chic living room

    roomenvy - natural-chic living room

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    Oh sugar, sugar – living room design idea

    by  • March 16, 2010 • Stylish living • 1 Comment

    I wish the decorating world would stop reminding me of my ‘giving up sweets for Lent’ situation (only 18 days to go … not that I’m counting!)

    Bold sherbet tones are the latest way to liven up a neutral living room decorating scheme. Check out this gob-stopping mix of raspberry, lemon and lime. (My mouth’s watering? Surely that’s proof enough that I NEEDED to give up sweets!)

    Go for neutral walls and flooring and then be brave with one vivid colour, like the raspberry here, and mix with dashes of other candy-coloured tones.

    roomenvy - paint-box brights living room design idea

    roomenvy - paint-box brights living room design idea

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    SNEAK PEAK!! B&Q's 2010 summer collection

    by  • February 3, 2010 • Stylish living • 2 Comments

    Normally I’m not a fan of getting up early to go to a swimming pool, but when it’s in a fabulously swanky London hotel; with a swimming pool covered in pretty flowers; and with Laurence Llewelyn Bowen lazing on a nearby deck chair, I’d make an exception.

    This was the setting for the B&Q 2010 summer press event. Expect dramatic colours from Laurence’s new paint range, cheerful picnicware, cafe society chic linens, oh and GORGEOUSLY exotic garden furniture and accessories for warm (here’s hoping) summer nights.

    roomenvy - exotic nights furniture and accessories

    roomenvy - exotic nights furniture and accessories

    They might not all be available until the end of March, but that allows time for plenty of cushion daydreaming!

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    Joa's in the knoa!

    by  • August 28, 2009 • Stylish living • 1 Comment

    Ooooh, and do you remember me getting all excited about that bookcase wallpaper in ‘Who needs books?’. Well, as I was invading the privacy of colour expert Joa Studholme’s beautiful Victorian home (see below), I caught a glimpse of it in the living room, along with the ‘faux’ lampshade designs. She told me to check out Deborahbowness.com for more quirky designs, including my favourites, ‘Wallpaper Frocks‘. They’re almost better than the real things … almost!

    And if you want to know an inside tip? Joa says that the key is to forget lining them up neatly, the key to quirky is deschevelled!

    Check out Joa’s living room

    roomenvy - Joa Studholme's Living room

    roomenvy - Joa Studholme's Living room

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    Hot summer look: relaxed coastal style

    by  • August 12, 2009 • Stylish living • 1 Comment

    As much as I love coastal style, I’m not about to turn my living room into a nautical theme room rivalling the the British Maritime Museum! I much prefer Ideal Home‘s laid-back take on this year’s summer trend – and i’ve been busy noting down how to get the look.

    * Natural materials are key! Go for warm wood furniture, sisal flooring and cotton linens.

    * Keep it light and airy with loose sofa covers and open shelving (remember, cluster don’t clutter!)

    * Go for a white and neutral colour palette – with the hussle and bussle of family life it’ll evolve into that well-worn casual look.

    * Choose textured accessories with a worn, weathered appearance like rustic lanterns and old bottles.

    * Bunch a load of cushions together in washed-out stripes for a little bit of coastal and a whole lotta comfort!

    Find out more about this living room

    coastal-style living room

    coastal-style living room

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    Colour changing living room

    by  • August 5, 2009 • Stylish living • 2 Comments

    Wow! If you want to truly impress your friends and family, then a colour changing living room could well be the way to do it (perhaps not grandad though!). Personally, I just can’t tell whether this living room is supposed to be a place to a relax or a place to dance? It seems more like a nightclub to me. On the up side, that large modular sofa unit is fantastic for when you’re entertaining, and that oversized coffee table is a dance floor in itself!

    Find out more about this living room

    living room - housetohome

    living room - housetohome

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