Blog, trends, etc.

Perfectly Rounded Lighting

Whether we are gazing up at the clouds, or staring at the moon, we find ourselves looking up towards perfectly rounded shapes above us in nature. Currently there is a huge trend in bringing the outside inside to expand our design concepts, so unsurprisingly there has been a surge in rounded lighting designs — no doubt to remind us of the vast skies we are surrounded by. 

Here we've curated some of our top perfectly rounded lighting designs to help you introduce this trend into your own spaces. 

   
Pictured above: Tartan and Gem by Foscarini

The Tartan Suspension Light by Foscarini features a spherical glass diffuser with acid-etched graphic lines in a tartan pattern, a minimalistic design aesthetic to suit a variety of spaces. Similarly, the Gem Family of Lights by Foscarini and the Rituals Ceiling Lights by Foscarini both explore the same design concept of spherical glass blown diffusers with various acid etched patterns, with the Rituals Ceiling Lights offering a stripped textured effect, and the Gem Family with a gemstone pattern. The Rituals Lights are available singularly, as a pair, or as a trio in various sizes and shapes to add dimension, and the Gem Family comes in a range of options from suspension and wall lights, floor and table lamps.

   
Pictured above: Rituals by Foscarini and Ekero by Porada

Continuing the minimalist theme, the Ekero Table Lamp by Porada features a smooth spherical white opal frosted glass diffuser and integrated LED light. The diffuser is supported by a cylindrical marble base and a pewter central stem. Or the Caboche Ceiling Light by Foscarini, a timeless design featuring multiple methacrylate spheres to form a larger spherical shape around a blown glass shade, available in a choice of finishes. 

   
Pictured above: Caboche and Chouchin by Foscarini

Last but not least, if you are looking for a bold design aesthetic, the Chouchin Family of Lights by Foscarini has a contemporary twist on a retro concept. Available singularly or as a cluster, the various cylindrical shapes and sized designs feature blown glass pendants in contrasting grey, green, and orange. The diffusers concentrate a soft beam of light through a white collar at the bottom of the diffuser, and the designs are available in a reverse so the collar itself comes in the contrasting colours and the diffuser is white to suit your design needs. 

These perfectly rounded lighting options bring natural shapes into your space whilst also delivering on all the style concepts you need.

Bring the Outside In

We’re always looking for new ways to bring the beauty of the natural world into our interiors, and this can be achieved through the use of natural materials, but you may find you’re still missing those small details that make us feel at one with our roots. The styling of an interior space is equally as important as the key design elements, but knowing how and what to style with can be a minefield. That is why we’ve come up with some top style tips to help you bring touches of the outside in.  

   
Pictured: Lancer Wood Table and Velar Suspension Light by Cattelan Italia

Think green
Green is a colour that is well used in nature, and every shade and hue will do. Introducing splashes of green furnishings, glassware and plants can help bring the beauty of the natural world into your space. Luscious ferns, emerald green rugs or jade vases will all help introduce this concept without forgoing your overall design. To add these tones, it is best to introduce them into a neutral palette for contrast. 

Harness local items
To truly bring the outside in, you can do just that. Scout into your garden for sticks or pebbles – they make great additions to vases, allowing your own surroundings to be recognisable within your interior, a true design echo. 

Fresh scents
Nothing quite compares to the scent of freshly cut grass or the ocean breeze, it transports you to that place and takes control of another sense. With this in mind, identifying a notable scent and bringing it into your interior is a great way of introducing the outside in. Whether this be through a candle or room diffuser, however you choose to bring in your scent, place it in a central part of your room for the best possible distribution to your space.

These are just some of the simple yet effective ways to bring touches of the outside, inside.

New Cane-Line Outdoor Collection

Cane-line are known for their signature outdoor furniture, defined by a fusion of traditional and contemporary aesthetics. Ready for the upcoming warmer seasons, Cane-line have released their latest outdoor collection, helping you to introduce functionality and design to your outside space. 

   
Pictured above: Choice removable cushions and Hive Hanging Chair

The Choice Family includes a modular chair or bar stool in recycled polypropylene with a choice of wood or metal legs, that can be complemented by easily removable seat pads and back cushions — showcasing a new outdoor bouclé fabric to transform the look. The Hive Family includes a hanging chair in natural or green, a cocoon chair, and two lounge chairs, all giving off a tropical aesthetic.

   
Pictured above: Arch Corner Sofa and Capture Corner Sofa

For lounge-style seating arrangements, the Arch Collection features modular sofa, corner sofa, and lounge chair designs made up of seat modules with high or low curved backrests, in a woven mix of natural-look and taupe. All of the seat pads are filled with Quickdry filling, perfect for drying out after the rain and for allowing air to circulate on hot days. Alternatively the Capture Family also have a modular approach but are more simplistic in their overall look, stripping away the high arms and backrests and replacing these with confidently rounded edges and cascading sloped corners. 

   
Pictured above: Glaze Round Coffee Table and Illusion Solar Powered Hanging Lantern

The Glaze Round Coffee table is an elegant and notable design, featuring a hand-crafted tabletop made of lava stone from Mount Etna, twice glazed for protection and colour so great for facing the elements but making the finish unique on each. The base is an organic shape made of semi-gloss powder coated aluminium complete with a steel core for durability. 

To complete this new collection and to really showcase your outdoor space in the right light, the Illusion solar powered lanterns are the newest design addition to the Cane-line family. Complete in a selection of sizes from floor lamp, to portable hanging lamps, these lanterns are solar powered but can also be USB charged, allowing you to cast light where you decide in your outdoor space, and each come with a remote control so you can also turn them off when you want to. The lamps are cocooned inside traditional basket weave designs, giving that nod to the traditional-contemporary fusion once again. 

Cane-line continue to bring their signature style to the outdoors in a big way, and this new collection joins a family of designs that are both timeless and refreshingly new. 

Spring Gardens to Visit in the UK

Now that Spring is in full swing, it’s a great time to get out and visit some of the natural beauty the UK has to offer. The UK prides itself on having some of the best kept gardens and outdoor spaces, providing a constant source of inspiration for artists and interior designers alike. From the emerald green stretches of lawn, to the vibrant hues of spring wild flowers, there are so many pockets of brilliance to visit that it can be difficult to know where to start. To help you begin, we’ve pulled together some of our top Spring Gardens to visit.

   
Pictured: Laburnum Arch at Bodnant Garden, Clwyd

The Savill Garden, Surrey
Part of the Windsor Great Park Estate, the Savill Garden showcases the glory of Spring in the UK. Featuring an abundance of mature specimens including magnolia, rhododendron, and hybrid Loderi which now only look striking but also give off a fantastic scent and aroma to truly captivate the senses. 
https://www.windsor.gov.uk/things-to-do/the-savill-garden-p276241

Great Comp, Kent
Located on the greensand ridge, a geological feature, this Italianate was originally conceptualised in the 1950’s and was later open to the public in the late 1960’s, since then, it has been a colourful reminder of the liveliness Spring brings to its plantlife. Featuring a wide array of tulips, daffodils, and muscari, along with spring favourites rhododendrons, magnolias and camelias. 
https://www.greatcompgarden.co.uk/

Arduaine Garden, Argyll
Set on the West Coast of Scotland, Arduaine Garden can thank its formation from the Gulf Stream. This historic garden features over 200 rhododendrons, primula, and iris, but the standout in this space are the bounty of Himalayan poppies, a must see.
https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/arduaine-garden

Bodnant Garden, Clwyd
Regarded as one of the UK’s finest gardens, Bodnant Garden bursts to life in Spring with its array of daffodils in Old Park Meadow, which compliment its collections of magnolia and rhododendron. There are also extensive plantings of cherry and viburnum which provide the sweetest of fragrances, this combined with the arches of golden yellow flowers make for a truly transportive experience. 
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/bodnant-garden

Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
This park was once rooted with a grand stately home, and even though the walled garden still remains, the home has been replaced with a wide range of natural beauty. Featuring rolling hills of tulips, blossoms of wall-trained fruit trees, and fresh rhubarb, providing the sweetest of aromas for your visit. Outside the walled garden, beneath Cedar Avenue, lie 80,000 bulb plantings, patiently awaiting their chance to enhance this already stunning space. 
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/clumber-park

Wherever you decide to visit, be sure to take your time, breathe, and truly enjoy the experience, taking in everything that nature has to offer around you.