What is Sheesham Wood and Why is it Taking the UK Furniture Scene by Storm?

Although wooden furniture is pretty much continuously popular, the current mindset of ethical and sustainable use of materials has resulted in increasing numbers of people moving away from synthetics and once again embracing the many benefits of using timber. When trees are grown sustainably and the timber is treated properly, wooden products will last a […]

What is the Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Furniture?

interior design

In most contexts, when we talk about something being modern, we are saying that it is up-to-date, and representative of the present as opposed to the past. In art and literature and interior design, however, the word modern is actually used as a label for a specific period of creative expression which – loosely speaking […]

The Art of Tying it All Together – the Fundamentals of Interior Design Which Make or Break a Space

interior design swatches

Making your space just right – the art of interior design   Some of the words used to describe the principles of interior design – rhythm, harmony and repetition, for example – are ones more commonly associated with another mode of expressive creativity: music. This is no mistake. A succession of connected stimuli designed to […]

Brief History of Woodworking and How High-Quality Furniture Production has Changed Over Time

Woodworking

Humans have been making things out of wood for a long time.  In fact, we have been using it since before we evolved into Homo sapiens – a 2001 report published in the Journal of Human Evolution puts the date of the earliest evidence for woodworking at an astonishing 1.5 million years ago, which predates […]

Interior Design Tips for Making your Rental Property Feel like Home – Without Upsetting the Landlord.

Cosy well decorated flat.

When we don’t own the spaces we live in, the tendency is to think that there’s no point in spending time and money on making them feel like home.  This can be particularly true when you’re on a short-term lease or have plans to relocate in the near future.   Regardless of how long we […]

Everything You Need to Know About Shabby Chic

There are not many style concepts out there simultaneously so easy to identify and so difficult to pin down as Shabby Chic.  With inspiration ranging from the ornate exuberance of the 18th century French Rococo movement to the worn, lived-in utility of grand country houses of Britain of the early 1900s, its genetics are complex […]

Interior Design in Focus – Modern Ideas for Country Homes

As with many design trends, the modern country concept is one of contrasts: old and new; rustic and industrial; neutral and vibrant. One thing is consistent though: a celebration of, rather than a distancing from, the natural world.   History has a way of going in cycles. This is as visible in the industries governed […]

Why Mango Wood has Become the Choice for Sustainable Producers

  The search for the best materials to work with is a never-ending pursuit and certainly nothing that climate change has created, but it is an area which has shifted in its focus significantly in recent years, largely as a response to the challenges brought about by the crisis.  The holy grail of building and […]

Creating a Scandinavian-inspired Home with Pine Furniture

Scandinavian Dining Room

The History of Scandinavian Style Over the years – in large part thanks to the success of firms like IKEA – Scandinavian interior design has become synonymous with minimalist, functional style.  It has helped shape our image of efficient mass production and has kept pace with our changing views on the use of the world’s […]