Blog, trends, etc.

Add Highlights With Lighting

Lighting helps shape a space and enhance the items within it, allowing you to highlight areas of focus. Casting some directional lighting can also create new shapes and silhouettes, further expanding the interior design reach. So considering the type of lighting you bring into your space is key, from upward lighting, to soft diffusers, there are such a range of options to choose from. Here we’ve curated some of our favourites. 

   
Pictured above: Arx by Cattelan Italia and Halo by Porada 

The Arx Floor Lamp by Cattelan Italia is a minimalist design, featuring an arched structure supported by a solid round base. The diffuser is a circular metal cut-out creating an almost halo lighting effect. Similarly, and named as such, is the Halo Table Lamp by Porada which is an elegant dimmable table lamp with an integrated LED light fitted into a pewter metal ring, supported by a natural marble base. 

   
Pictured above: Soffio and Bump by Foscarini

If dimmable soft diffusion works well for your space, then you may like the Soffio Table Lamp by Foscarini featuring an elegant white and clear ombre blown glass diffuser, with a round aluminium top. The Bump Suspension Light by Foscarini also casts a soft glow of downward light from its irregular organic semi-circular diffuser which features intentional bumps and dents for a truly relaxed finish. 

   
Pictured above: Nahun by Cattelan Italia and Gioia by Foscarini

For bold and striking design appeal you may want to explore the Nahun Suspension Light by Cattelan Italia, housing LED lights on its slender elongated arcs of embossed steel. The cluster of arcs all provide a complex cast of light around the design. Or if you are looking for an interesting focal point on your wall, the Gioia Wall Light by Foscarini features a sheet of laser cut acrylic glass housing an organic shaped piece of white Carrara Gioia marble in the centre. A hidden LED light source casts light behind the marble, and glows gently across the surrounding wall. 

So, take some time to consider the different light fixtures and functions available within interiors today. How might you use them to further enhance your existing space?

Warm Tones are Back

2023 is set to be a year where we invite warmth in, and welcome comfort in our surroundings — little surprise then that there is a rise in trend for warm tones in our interiors from burnt oranges, to tobacco browns — those tones that are gentle yet alluring and deep are all showcasing strongly this year. 

Here we’ve curated a list of designs that shine a spotlight on these rich warm tones, allowing you to introduce them to your space with ease. 

   
Pictured above: Foyer Bar Stool Wood Legs by Calligaris and Clara Quilted Chair by Bontempi Casa 

The deep chocolate tones of smoke wood or the rich caramel of walnut in the Foyer Bar Stool Legs by Calligaris offer stability with their warmth. This contemporary design features an upholstered seat with low curving backrest, stylishly supported by four tapering wood legs with a central support bar. 

Upholstery is also a great way to add depth and warmth — take the decadent bordeaux or bold hazelnut tones of the Clara Quilted Chair by Bontempi Casa which features a high curved backrest and is accented with decorative quilting for added detail.

   
Pictured above: Carmen Chair by Calligaris and Kuga Gaslift Bar Stool by Bontempi Casa

Similarly, the leathers and soft faux leathers available with the Carmen Chair by Calligaris feature inviting brown tones such as tobacco and cognac, which generate that alluring and comfortable feeling within your space. The Carmen Chair features a delicate metal frame with an upholstered seat and a signature foldover acent at the top of the headrest. 

The Kuga Gaslift Bar Stool by Bontempi Casa showcases upholstery in rich tones such as cappuccino and coffee which compliment this striking design. Complete with classic button detailing and a chromed steel gaslift stem with a choice of lacquered steel finishes for the base. 

   
Pictured above: Isa Relax Armchair by Sits and Holly Armchair by Calligaris 

To truly explore the benefits of these rich warm tones, why not extend them to a lounge chair? There are some delicious tones available from bold browns to burnt oranges in fabrics and leathers, in our unique armchair designs. The popular Isa Relax Armchair by Sits features a stylised winged headrest on a slim backrest, supported by a 5 spoke metal base and can be completed with a matching footrest for the ultimate comfort.

Similar colourways are available for the Holly Armchair by Calligaris which is an easy to incorporate, modern design featuring a classic exposed metal frame that supports a rounded seat and a curved wrap-around backrest. 

A colour change is an easy way to change the mood, so grab those swatches, introduce some deep rich warm tones, and turn up the cosy factor. 

Whole Year Resolutions

Year after year, we can find ourselves drawn to the pressure of making ‘new years resolutions’. But do any of us truly hand on heart feel that these plans always stick? When wrapped up in the festivities of New Years, starting something new feels very in keeping with the general mood, but it can be difficult to sustain one’s motivation once the year is no longer ‘new’, and not quite a completely blank slate.  

Here we’ve found some top tips on how we can set more practical resolutions that will change one’s year rather than fizzling out, and really help you to achieve those goals.

1. Be Honest - Don’t just say ‘I want to eat more healthily’ for example, be honest with yourself about why you want to do so. Once you identify the root reason for a change, then you can start to unravel what it would look like to achieve this goal and what it would mean to you and your life.
2. Be Realistic - Break down your goal into achievable steps. So if your goal were to save for something, plan a realistic amount to save each month and review at set stages.
3. Commit - Write down your goal, and place it somewhere prominent to be reminded of it every day. Each time you achieve a milestone, be sure you reward yourself and tick off your achievement, this will keep you motivated and driven towards the end goal. By breaking down the task, and by recognising when things are going well, you will naturally find yourself believing in your ability to succeed.
4. Reflect and Revise - It’s important to reflect on your goal and review your progress, revising your plan if it feels it isn’t working how you thought it would. Don’t be disheartened if you need to adapt or change your plans slightly — if it means you will still stay motivated, the end goal has not disappeared. Keeping an open mind and looping back to being honest with oneself is the key. 

Setting resolutions isn’t something that only happens at new year, we can set one at anytime. So embrace your own power of desire and motivation, and set your own whole year resolutions today. 

How to Choose a Rug

Introducing a rug to your space is a great way of adding texture and warmth, and allows you to play with the dimensions and shapes in your room. Whilst the addition of a rug may seem like a simple move, you do need to consider what size, texture, shape, and depth will compliment your space, to ensure you are maximising its potential.

We’ve highlighted some simple rules to help you make the best rug selection to suit your needs. 

   
Pictured above: Humle by Fabula

Select the Size - Scale is everything so that's our first rule as a rug that’s too small in a larger space can actually make your room feel smaller. We recommend measuring your space and identifying a suitable rug size, the best way to do this is to consider the zone your rug will be covering. If it's in a living area then it needs to frame the coffee table well, and have enough space to put the front arms of your sofa or chairs on the rug itself so it brings the space together. Take the Humle Rug by Fabula, this hand woven rug is available in some great sizes that allow you to blanket the portion of space you need to without overdoing it.

For hallways, consider the shape and then ensure you leave at least 12 inches of flooring around the rug to make sure it enhances the space and doesn’t cover it entirely. For dining spaces, consider your dining room table — for spherical tables you will want to mirror this shape to extend the concept even further. Explore the Kimi Rug by Cattelan Italia with its velvet texture and pastel colourways pulled together in a classic rectangle or fully formed circular shape to help define those lines or curves in your room. 

   
Pictured above: Kimi by Cattelan Italia

Tones and Textures - A rug can be used to further contrast or compliment your existing design depending on what you want to do with it. Consider playing with tones or textures that can highlight your existing imprints. Consider your room being a sentence of words you have eloquently put together, with a rug being the underline on which the sentence sits. Take the Radja Rug by Cattelan Italia which features an industrial-style pattern in neutral and turquoise tones, perfect for bringing out more brassy sleek designs and linear finesse within your space. 

   
Pictured above: Radja by Cattelan Italia  

Practicality is Key - You can opt for the boldest and bravest designs, but ultimately functionality is important and with a rug you do need to consider comfort. It needs to feel right underfoot to make you feel at home. The Odin Rug by Fabula is a hand knotted rug made of New Zealand wool and linen on cotton warp for a soft and cushiony feel. Consider your comfort needs from a rug and test out with samples so you know what works well for you. 

   
Pictured above: Odin by Fabula

Working through these simple yet key steps will ensure that the rug you choose for your space does more than just provide you with some fabric underfoot. It will help shape your space, adding depth and texture to enhance your surroundings.