News — decorating

Viva Magenta: Colour of the Year 2023 0

Viva Magenta, a bright, vibrant crimson shade as been chosen as the Pantone Colour of the Year 2023! It's an exciting, exuberant shade that will add joy and optimism to designs and decor.

A colour drawn from nature, Viva Magenta balances warm and cool tones with ease. Described as a signal of strength, fearless, and empowering - it effortlessly attracts attention and lets you express yourself.

Using Viva Magenta Around Your Home

As both a statement colour and a radiant accessory, Viva Magenta will become popular with interior designers and anyone loving colour in their home.

A feature wall in this vibrant shade will warm and lift even large spaces. It pairs well with painted furniture in pale grays, blues, or pastels.

In neutrally-decorated homes, Viva Magenta adds just that pop of colour needed to lift the whole room. Imagine an upholstered chair or stylish sofa. And for those just flirting with the colour, floral arrangements or small decor items are an ideal choice.

In Our Stores

Our popular painted furniture collections - like our Bicester Painted or Cobble Painted collections - are available in shades from white to cream to grey, sage, pale blue, and truffle, which complement Viva Magenta to perfection.

New in Store: our new Jali Living & Dining Furniture Collection 0

Family-Friendly Living Rooms Made Easy 0

A young family makes many demands on your home, but being a parent doesn’t mean you have to forgo everything on your interior design wish list. There’s really no reason why family friendly living rooms can’t be stylish, too!

Storage and Ease

During the day, children need space to spread out and play. Which doesn't mean you have to put up with the hazards of lego, paints, and plushies for the remaining hours.

With plenty of out-of-the-way storage solutions, your living room can be converted from playroom to adult den in the blink of an eye once the little ones are asleep.

Toy boxes and baskets are great for storing toys and games, not to mention that they can always double up as toys themselves during the day. There’s also nothing wrong with being unconventional about your storage solutions. Repurpose the furniture you have to hand, and you’ll be creating a family friendly living room that’s not run-of-the-mill.

Repurpose

Kids love having a designated area to play, and a low-level coffee table can pull double duty as a play table as much as your dining table. All you need to invest in is a protective sheet that can easily whipped off after they’ve gone to bed, and your coffee table will be yours again in an instant.

Safety

Make your living room safe for little explorers to roam free by keeping accessories and ornaments up high out of the reach of their tiny, inquisitive hands. Soft corners are a great idea too, and many furniture styles now offer softer contours.

Be different

A child-friendly living room needs to be tough enough to stand up to anything your kids may throw at it. Fortunately, soft furnishings have come a long way and are much easier to clean. There are also numerous child-friendly wall paints available that can be cleaned with a damp cloth.

You could also - if you have the wall space and the courage! - create a chalkboard wall which will be sure to keep your little ones busy for hours and hours on end!

So if anyone tells you that having a family means you can't have a beautiful, relaxing living room - pay them no mind! If you plan your living room just right, it will be the perfect room for ALL the family.

Using Furniture as Accent Colour 0