Ultimate guide to furniture and more
Invest in quality designs that will look good for years to come
Sunlight can cause fabrics to fade, so ask about fade-resistant options or position the sofa well away from the window. Shutters can be a stylish way to keep the sun’s glare at bay
1 Laid-back The large Zennor sofa from Sofa Workshop combines deep foam-filled seats with a soft feather cushion back – ideal for sinking into. Choose from polished metal or walnut legs. Shown in Brae Mist, £1,469 2 Room for two When space is at a premium, a snug two-seater is the perfect solution. Mini Kubrick sofa in Plum, £299, Made 3 Go green Rich emerald shades are going to be a huge trend in interiors this autumn/winter. The Atworth armchair, , £657 from Willow & Hall, has got it covered with its matt velvet Mallard design 4 Right angle Snuggle up with the whole family this winter on a generous corner design. The City Loft fabric corner sofa,
£1,465 from Furniture Village, comes in a choice of colourful velvets, including this Capri Olive 5 Trend alert Mustard yellows are set to be big news this season, so get ahead of the game with sofa.com’s Bluebell armchair in Sunshine pure cotton matt velvet, £940. It will look stunning set against dark painted walls 6 Lounge around Invest in a statement piece and spend your afternoons relaxing in style. Theron chaise, £2.364 plus fabric, The Sofa & Chair Company 7 Classic beauty Add a timeless touch to your living room with a handmade three-seater Chesterfield. The Whitewell Pigeon sofa, £1,409 from Sofas by Saxon, has a double-buttoned front border with hand-tacked studding 8 Citrus burst Jazz up a tired room scheme with the wonderfully vibrant Bliss chair, upholstered in GP&J Baker’s Langdale velvet in Burnt Orange, £1,539, Delcor
Make sure the cabinet will hold the weight of your TV and any other media. Check the maximum weight-bearing load in the product details
1 Contemporary style Blow the budget on this designer piece from Roche Bobois’ Studio collection. The Contact Composition, from £2,300, is a modular unit comprising storage cabinets and platforms in natural or stained oak veneer, with a choice of 34 different coloured high-gloss fronts 2 Sleek and chic The MAG wooden TV bench from Calligaris, £1,270, has two handleless push-pull drawers and a central compartment that’s specially designed to hold a DVD player 3 Retro vibe Create a focal point with the Graceful cabinet, £170, from Red Candy. The selection of drawer fronts can be combined in six different ways 4 All white Shimu’s TV unit,
£610, is a compact design ideal for smaller spaces. It has two handy drawers and a slim open shelf for remote controls and handsets
5 Find your shade Available in 23 painted colours, the Hamilton TV unit is large enough to hold TVs up to 55 inches in size. £489, The Painted Furniture Company 6 Tactile texture Get a modern mid-century look with Swoon Editions’ Zabel media unit, £299, which is made from mango wood and hand carved 7 Savvy storage Perfect for contemporary schemes, the Henley media unit, £1,099, from Content by Terence Conran features sleek shuttered doors 8 Best buy Introduce some affordable Scandi style into your room with the Tretton media unit, £249.99, My Furniture. It has a handy hole at the back for cables and each drawer will store 50 DVDs
If the shelves on the bookcase are fixed, consider the size of the space between them to ensure your books and other items will fit
1 Metallic magic The vintage-look Messinki bookcase, £622 from Pib, combines wooden with gold accents for a touch of luxe
2 Old school Consider an industrial-style metal cabinet for a more eclectic feel. The Felix design, £1,075 from Alexander & Pearl, comes complete with rusty metal knobs 3 Country chic Laura Ashley has launched an attractive collection of Duck Egg furniture, which includes this two-drawer bookcase, priced £1,150. Team with the matching coffee table for a co-ordinated look 4 Wonder walls When there’s no space for a bookcase, the Pocket wall-hung shelving system, £115 from String, is the perfect place to store your paperbacks. Choose from Mustard, Burgundy, green and grey 5 Iconic style Ercol has designed a fabulous new collection exclusively for John Lewis. The Shalstone highboard, £999, is made from oak with elegant tapered legs 6 Stepping up Go for a mix of open and closed storage with the oak and white Fenton unit with single drawer, £400, Debenhams 7 Creative touch The versatile Leighton L units,
£49 from George, can be used together or as two separate pieces. A great space-saver, they’re ideal for books, DVDs and games
8 Investment piece If you’re looking for a design with real wow factor, consider this Kast unit, £8,290 by Vitra, in a multicoloured finish. It would make a great room divider with its designer style stealing the show in a large open-plan space
Aim to leave two or three feet between the table and surrounding
furniture in order to move around the room comfortably
1 Luxe for less Add some glam to your room with Dunelm’s affordable Venetian mirrored coffee table, £165, which has handy shelf space below for magazines 2 Store and order There’s plenty of storage in the Florence Grey coffee table, £249 from The Cotswold Company. Brushed steel cup handles and a lovely painted finish give it a timeless country look 3 Modern marvel With its striking oak base legs, the Onda coffee table, £314 from Distinctify, is ideal for creating a focal point in your space – show it off on a bold rug that can be seen through the glass top 4 Golden touch For a traditional living room scheme, position a classic coffee table into the centre of the room and choose from a gold or silver finish to add a luxurious look. Simon in iron and glass, £467.62, Wayfair 5 Design classic The LTR occasional table was designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra. It’s made from laminate and chrome-plated iron wire, £227.90, Smallable 6 Curve appeal Go for a retro look with the bold curves, angled legs and contrasting walnut and red finish of the Fonteyn coffee table, £279, Made 7 Laying low If you have low-level seating, choose a table of a similar height to keep everything within easy reach. Verge in oak, £295, Alex Hellum for Joined + Jointed 8 Cool touch Add an eyecatching statement to your room with Atkin & Thyme’s Deco coffee table, £249, with its rosewood legs and white marble top
If the winter weather gets you down, try a specialist SAD lamp, which mimics daylight to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder
1 Iconic style Paul Smith’s Type 75 Edition One desk lamp, £170, combines the form and function of the Anglepoise lamp with the designer’s signature coloured stripes 2 Victorian charm For a quick and inexpensive way to jazz up a coffee or side table, try this copper-effect bell jar lamp, £30, George 3 Star turn Add some New York glamour with the Broadway Large Star floor lamp, £139, Made. It can be used on the floor or on a wall, as it comes with wall fixings and a cable-mounted switch 4 Solid choice A small contemporary design in concrete and copper, the Linda table lamp, £49 from Abode Living, looks great with a large filament bulb
5 Bygone chic Graham & Green’s Webster floor lamp, £150, has a touch of 1960s style about it, with its oversized lamp head and metallic finish 6 Go for gold Also available in silver, the Shade standard lamp, £117 from Element One House, has a reflective shade that becomes slightly transparent when lit 7 Double up Made from black iron, the Bord Light floor lamp by House Doctor, £325 from Persora, has a small side table as its base, making it a multitasking must-have for small spaces 8 Tube network The London floor lamp from Dutch design house Its About Romi, £172 at Noxu Home, is inspired by the curved lines of the London Underground map, and the upper segments can be moved into different positions
Accent lighting gives texture, focus and shape to your scheme, adding depth and shade, while task lighting is for a specific job
1 Orange glow Add a splash of bold colour with the Cyrcus F Cemento floor lamp, £314, Clippings 2 Raindrop effect Idyll Home’s Amber glass pendant light, £39, is perfect for a pared-back look 3 Compact choice Sit the cute Cult Living Amal desk lamp, £29 from Cult Furniture, on smaller surfaces, such as open shelving or windowsills 4 Retro style Bring a touch of urban chic into your space with the Industrial Wire triple pendant ceiling light, £102.95, Windsor Browne 5 Minimal detail The Mater Baby Dome table lamp in brass will create a soft glow on a side table, £245, Cloudberry Living 6 Statement style Embrace the Scandinavian look with the Vita Steel Silvia tripod floor lamp, £96, Black by Design 7 Sculptural shape Made from laminated timber leaves, the Cocoon floor light, £585 from Holloways of Ludlow, is a beautiful investment buy 8 Luxe look Go glam with the Lucide Noon floor lamp, £84.16 from Lighting Direct, which has a curled aluminium shade 9 Ship shape Get a nautical feel with the striking Easel tripod floor lamp, £165, Dar Lighting
10 Think big Introduce a fun industrial edge to a reading corner with the oversized Brooklyn office lamp, £166, Element One House