Discover the similarities

Evie loveseat

When it comes to living room seating, all our sizes feature the same high-quality details. We use hardwood in the frame and feet to provide a solid foundation for our sofas and loveseats.

We offer styles to suit any home, all made from durable and cosy fabrics or quality leather. Many of our loveseats and sofas also include scatter cushions for added style and comfort.

So, what’s the difference?

Malvern sofa | @pretty_poplar

The only technical difference between a sofa and a loveseat is the size. Both a 2 seater sofa and a loveseat are designed for two people but are proportioned slightly differently. Loveseats tend to be smaller, with ours ranging from 117cm to 162cm in width, while our 2-seater sofas start from 155cm for our most compact styles and go up to 195cm. The best way to choose between them is to look at the measurements of your room and select the size that works best.

Styling your furniture

Dewsbury loveseat | Burleigh side table | Burleigh sideboard

While offering space for two people to curl up together, loveseats also make an ideal cosy spot for one. Add tactile throws and textured cushions to maximise the comfort factor.

Place yours in the corner of a room to create a spacious reading nook, and pair it with a nest of tables or a side table as a handy perch for drinks and snacks.

Thornley 2 seater sofa | Thornley footstool | Durham nest of tables | Durham tallboy | Clouds metallic rug

Our 2 seater sofas are ideal for smaller multipurpose spaces such as playrooms, kitchen diners, or home offices. Alternatively, pair your sofa with a coordinating piece from the same range to create a complete living room suite.

Discover our complete range of loveseats and browse our selection of sofas to find the perfect fit for your home, whatever your needs, budget, or taste. We’d love to see how you style your sofas and loveseats. Tag us at #OakFurnitureland #GrowYourHome on Instagram to share your latest photos.

Lead image credit: @barn_owls_and_butterflies

The post What’s the difference between a loveseat and a sofa? appeared first on Oak Furnitureland Blog.

We know you want to start putting your own stamp on your new home right away but there are a few key decorating rules to keep in mind with new builds. We spoke to experts at the NHBC (National House Building Council), and several home construction companies to pull together everything you need to know about decorating a new build and what you should and shouldn’t do!

Your home needs time to settle

Evie sofa | @new_build_forever_home

With all the beautiful patterned wallpapers out there, we understand why this might be on your decorating agenda, but builders recommend leaving 6-12 months between when you move in and wallpapering.

This is because new building materials, such as the timber in the walls and fresh plaster need time to dry out and it’s best if they dry out slowly. As your walls dry, you may notice small cracks forming. This is totally normal, but it may damage wallpaper, and if any additional work needs to be done by your building company, such as fixing any problems that may occur, that would also spell the end of that lovely new printed wall.

There are ways you can minimise cracking and movement from the drying process though. Try to be sparing with the central heating during your first winter in the house to allow walls and joinery to naturally expand and contract with the seasons, and open the air vents in your windows to keep a gentle flow of fresh air.

And, if you just can’t stand your white walls, you can always reach for the paint. As long as you use breathable paint, like a matt emulsion, this will not affect the drying process. Just remember to keep some paint saved for touch-ups if required.

From the floor to the ceiling

Parquet chest of drawers | @709_design

Painting your skirting boards? Remember that new woodwork tends to absorb a lot of paint or stain, so don’t be alarmed if your first painting doesn’t give as good a finish as you were expecting. As your home settles, later decoration will have a more even and weathered surface to take the paint and stain better. But when you do paint it, make sure you have a clean and properly prepared surface that is totally dry to start with. This will help to keep it looking its best.

And a top tip for ceilings; many new builds have a plastic compound finish which should never be sanded or washed. So if you want to embrace the painted ceilings trends, lightly brush the surface to remove any dust or cobwebs, and then you will be able to paint it gently with a few coats of emulsion to create a custom look.

Tackle the big jobs first

Scroll back dining chairs | @amy.elizabeth.home

While it might be tempting to start with a simple job first, if you begin decorating your new home with the tougher, messier jobs, like a kitchen update, you could be saving yourself lots of hassle in the longer term. You wouldn’t want someone treading tile grout through your freshly decorated living room, or scratching a newly painted wall while bringing in a new fridge.

Perhaps consider doing garden work before laying your carpets. Newly built gardens tend to have more dirt than grass, and bringing in the patio pavers now stops them from staining a beautiful new rug!

Tackle those messy and more difficult tasks first. Then, your lovely decorated rooms are more likely to stay that way for longer!

Expect the unexpected

Parquet desk | @hannahcoates.design

Be diligent with your snag list, and remember, sometimes, even the professionals get it wrong. If there is something not right in your new home, and your building company needs to make a repair, they won’t redo any of the decorative work that you have done. Sometimes it’s best to wait a few months to try and uncover any hidden problems.

Additionally, before you drill into your new walls, make sure you know what’s behind them. You don’t want to puncture a cable or damage any electrical work you can’t see. You can help to establish the exact position of cables that are inside walls and flooring with a cable detector to help safeguard you from hapless DIY disasters.

What can you do to decorate a new build?

Romsey triple wardrobe | @insideours

As it turns out, quite a lot! There’s no need to put up with an empty white box while you wait for your new build home to properly settle (unless that’s your personal style!). There are plenty of decorative tasks that you can tackle straight away to help your house feel like a home.

Window dressing is a big one. Blinds and curtains are not only a great way to regulate temperature and add privacy to your space, but they’re also perfect for adding a bit of personality. There are lots of stunning styles available; velvet drapery adds a luxe feel, while a brightly patterned print can add a modern twist to a room.

Throw rugs are another fantastic way to add colour and softness to a room, and they have the added benefit of being easy to move if work needs to be done. Scatter cushions and blankets can all add that bit of wow factor to a room.

If you know you’re going to be painting or wallpapering a room in the future, or don’t want to put holes in the wall, but love art, Command hooks are a lifesaver. Sticking to walls with a gentle adhesive, they won’t damage plaster or paintwork, and they allow art to be quickly rearranged to your changing tastes, making them perfect in teen rooms for example!

Once the decorating is done, now’s the time to pick your furniture. Oak Furnitureland has pieces for the whole home, designed with longevity in mind and made from quality hardwood and upholstery. Whether you’re looking for a sofa to complete your living room, a bed to finish your sleep sanctuary or a desk for your home office, we’ve got it all.

What other decorating tips have helped you in your new build home? Let us know on Instagram, and share your real home photos with us by using #OakFurnitureland.

The post New build house rules appeared first on Oak Furnitureland Blog.

While duck egg blue is a year-round favourite, it leads the pack as one of spring’s favourite hues. Read on to discover different ways to incorporate this peaceful shade into your home decor.

Highgate bed | Highgate bedside table | @our_skelton_in_the_meadow

Combining duck egg blue with similar shades is one of the most effective ways of using this colour when styling your home or choosing your decor. Delicate greens or turquoise tones work particularly well with this shade, creating a tranquil look that’s perfect for your living room or bedroom. Or opt to team with inky blues for a more dramatic look that’s still tranquil enough for a bedroom.

Parquet large sideboard | @roseontherow

It also contrasts beautifully with rose pink for decor that radiates pastel perfection. If you’re wary of going overboard on this pastel pairing, opt for subtle touches in accessories such as lamps, artwork or picture frames.

Brompton bed | @a_house_and_its_chows

For a fresh look, embrace a more coastal style by combining it with white painted furniture. We love this peaceful calming bedroom scheme that features duck egg wall panelling and coordinating cushions and decorative accessories that bring the look together seamlessly.

Detroit console table

Our dark-stained Detroit range teams perfectly with a duck egg backdrop and instantly softens the space. Use houseplants to add a refreshing pop of green that finishes off the look in style.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to use duck egg blue in your home. How will you be using it? We’d love to see! Share your snaps with us using #OakFurnitureland on Instagram!

The post How to decorate with duck egg blue appeared first on Oak Furnitureland Blog.

By incorporating some seating into our bedroom, we create a space beyond the hustle of the rest of our homes for relaxation – whether it’s a spot to get stuck into the latest bestseller, a separate area to watch TV or simply a place to meditate and calm our minds before our day begins.

But which chairs are best suited to a bedroom environment? Our guide below will help you to make the best selection for your most personal of spaces.

Get comfortable

Your first step is to find something that feels comfortable. After all, if you find you have a chair that’s not big enough or deep enough, you probably won’t bother to use it.

So, consider how you like to sit when you’re relaxed. Do you curl your legs underneath you? Do you sit sideways with your back against the armrest and your legs sprawled across it? Do you prefer to sit straight with plenty of back support?

Make sure the chair you choose suits your requirements, whatever they are. You may even want to consider adding a footrest so you can stretch out.

Looking for more tips on choosing an accent chair? Our post here will help.

Create the space

No matter how big your bedroom is, you will want to make sure you have the space for your chair. Take note of any measurements before you hit the ‘buy’ button to ensure it not only fits your space but also fits through your door. Make sure there is enough room to comfortably sit and stretch out in your chair and that it’s easy enough to walk around it.

A sunny spot near a window is always a great spot to place your chair but if you want a cosy reading area, perhaps a darker corner with an angled reading lamp will be another consideration.

Choosing a style

Morgan Armchair | @ourhappyhamiltonhome

When it comes to choosing a style of chair, consider what marries well with the rest of the furniture in the bedroom. Are you a bit of a romantic? Consider a more traditional feel with turned legs, soft curves and flared arms. Perhaps you love a contemporary look? Look out for a more tailored design with less embellishment and strong sleek aesthetics.

Look out for colours and finishes that will complement the rest of the space in terms of colours and textures to create a seamless and cohesive look to your bedroom.

Prints charming

If you’re looking for a focal point in your bedroom, consider a chair with a touch of pattern in the fabric. A soft floral will work perfectly in a more romantic setting while a graphic pattern could create a striking feature for a modern look.

When choosing a patterned bedroom chair, take into account any other colours or patterns in the room. Mixing patterns can be challenging but tie them together with similar colour palettes and choose a fabric with a pattern size that compliments what you already have. Generally, a larger pattern will work well with a smaller scale pattern and vice versa.

Colour pop

And finally, if you enjoy a bold look in your bedroom, why not try a fun colour pop in your bedroom chair? Using the other colours in the room as a jumping off point, choosing a colourful fabric can be a fun way to express your personal style.

Contrast with colours that are opposite on the colour wheel – so, for instance, you may have a deep blue bedroom which could look fantastic with a bold orange chair or a pale mustard yellow may work beautifully with soft blush pink walls.

For a more relaxing vibe, keep it tonal by using similar colours that are close together on the colour wheel so you may wish to choose an aqua chair in a sky blue room or a magenta chair in a plum room.

The post Best chairs for the bedroom appeared first on Oak Furnitureland Blog.

Discover how to maximise your small living room, with the top tips you need to make the most of the space you have.

Scale your larger furnishings

Make a note of how the flow of the room works – where things like windows and doors are as well as where electrical points are and make sure you have your room measurements handy when shopping. After all, there’s no point in dreaming about a big L-shaped sofa if it’s blocking the door to the hallway or you can’t walk across the room to grab a cuppa from the kitchen. When choosing furniture, consider using masking tape on the floor to mirror the size of the pieces in the room. This will help you envision how much space things like sofas, tables, storage and armchairs will take up.

You may find a 2-seater sofa with an armchair may fit the room much better than a large 3-seater sofa. You also may want to look for sofas with slimmer arms which will take up less room than something with a larger, deeper frame.

Ensuring your furniture is to scale will ensure you make the most of your space for the largest pieces. If you want to play with scale a bit, pair smaller sized furniture with an oversized light fixture or larger art pieces for the wall which will fool your eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is.

Choose double-duty furniture

When choosing furniture, look out for pieces that do double duty. A coffee table with drawers will provide some storage for things like remote controls, books or board games. An ottoman that opens will allow for additional throws or cushions to be pulled out when comfort calls without using more space than a normal footstool. Consider baskets for bookshelves where children’s toys can be stored out of site. Nests of tables can come in handy as well – the smallest tables can be used as additional seating or surfaces when the need arises but easily stowed away when not in use.

Pull furniture away from walls

If it’s possible, resist the urge to put all your furniture against the walls. Consider floating some furniture in the middle of the room to create a more interesting flow and to give the illusion of more space. An armchair or loveseat can be moved to create a more intimate conversation area or a sofa can have a larger console behind it as a place to put table lamps, books and accessories.

Looking for more tips to using nesting tables? Check out our post here.

Make use of vertical space

When your floorspace is limited, consider going up instead. Floating shelves can create additional storage without taking up precious real estate in a room. Make the most of awkward spaces like alcoves with built in storage and shelves or tall slim bookshelves which will make better use of the vertical space in the room and provide plenty of space to house books, pictures and accessories.

Consider mirrors

While mirrors won’t necessarily provide any additional storage or create space where there is none, it will give you the illusion of a bigger space. Placed across from a window, it’ll bounce light back into the room and will create depth, making it look as though your room has doubled in size.

Choose colour and pattern wisely

And finally, remember that your colour palette will influence the feel of a smaller living room. Bold colourful wallpaper will naturally make a room look smaller if the pattern dominates the space while darker colours will create an enveloping cosy feeling.

If you want your room to feel bigger, consider paler colours or work within a tighter colour palette (no more than 2-3 different colours) to give the illusion of a bright, light and airy space even if it’s on the smaller side.

Don’t forget to show us how you’ve made the most of your living room using #OakFurnitureland on Instagram.

The post How to maximise space in a small living room appeared first on Oak Furnitureland Blog.