Interior Design Ideas & Advice

Living Room Ideas – Open Plan Living

2013-05-09T13:32:08Z

An open plan living area is the ideal arrangement for many homeowners and is very well suited to contemporary homes. Signifying a change not just in interior design, but in the very way we use our homes and what we expect from them, open plan living marks a major shift from old style properties with their small rooms, dark corridors and closed doors. Bringing light, space and a sense of togetherness, open plan living areas can create a brighter atmosphere and a more easy-going and communal approach to home living. That being said, having an open plan living area that works as it should involves more than simply getting rid of a few walls, and it may not suit every family. There are potential drawbacks associated with noise levels and a perceived lack of privacy. However, an intelligent approach to interior design and a clear idea of what you want and expect from your home, can result in the perfect balance between open and personal space. (Image source: www.freshhome.com)

Here are some suggestions and ideas for open plan living room areas.

Spacious living area

Simplicity and consistency are key when it comes to developing a successful open plan interior design. This elegant and uncluttered home in Japan (Image source: www.home-designing.com) has been created by Muji, using just a few basic elements.

Wood and steel comprise the main materials and the colour palette throughout is muted, with the emphasis on allowing in natural light and colours. The free-flowing design makes for an uncluttered and distinctly breathable atmosphere. A corner sofa is cleverly positioned in such a way so that it clearly marks the edge of the living room area.

This open plan apartment in Sweden also has wooden flooring throughout, but uses colourful rugs and loveseats to separate the living room area from the rest of the home. (image source: www.homedsgn.com) Another excellent means of keep the living room area distinct is to use a sunken floor. Originally popular in the fifties and sixties, it has made a comeback in recent years, thanks no doubt to the sense of luxury and relaxation it implies. (image source: www.decoist.com)

Furnishing large living rooms

A large or open plan living area represents its own challenges when it comes to choosing the right furniture. In open spaces, seating and storage takes on the added architectural role of demarcating areas and providing natural barriers between zones. Modular sofa systems, with a range of seats, corners, arms and footstools can be made to go around a corner and work very well in larger areas. As in the Muji home, large corner sofas can be used to mark the edge of the living room area as well as providing an attractive focal point.

Another essential element in any successful open plan design is storage. To work well, an open plan living area must appear to be free of clutter and mess. In a guest post for Darlings of Chelsea, respected interiors blogger Will Taylor suggests making use of alcoves and any ‘dead space’ behind items of furniture or under windows for shelving and storage units.

By cleverly creating separate zones, enhancing the natural light and keeping the space uncluttered, it is possible to create an open plan living area that everyone can enjoy, either together or independently.

Move or Extend? The Pros & Cons of Moving Home or Getting an Extension

2013-05-01T12:19:44Z

There are so many improvements and changes you can make to your home’s interior that the possibilities seem endless. If you are not happy with the decor, the layout, the furniture or the fittings, it is a relatively straightforward job to get them changed. Your plans are dictated by your budget, of course, but other than that there is only the limits your imagination to stop you from decorating your home in any way you choose. But what if you are not satisfied with the building itself? Families grow larger and circumstances change; homes can become unsuitable for a family’s needs. In this situation, there are two choices: move house or get an extension. For anyone beginning to think about this question, we asked the experts at House Extension Online to talk us through some of the pros and cons of each option.

Buying a new house

Expensive and time-consuming: there are many downsides to buying a new home. You have to sell your existing property, of course, and you may very well find yourself caught in a long chain of buyers and sellers, all hoping that nothing falls through. Another factor to bear in mind is the cost, not only of the property itself but also of the other expenses which can really add up. For example, stamp duty is currently 1% of houses under a quarter of a million pounds and goes up to 3% for properties worth more than that.

On the other hand, the benefit of buying a new house rather than extending your existing property is that you won’t have to endure the long and sometimes inconvenient process of having the extension built. Plus, you may find a new home in a more convenient location, or attractive neighbourhood. You don’t know what’s out there, until you’ve had a good look.

Getting a house extension

Assuming that you are happy with your home’s location, but not its size, it is well worth considering getting a house extension rather than moving out. Admittedly, there are some downsides to the process: it can take a long time for the plans to be finalised and approved and for the builders to complete the work. A lot of things can wrong along the way, and you need to be really confident that the extension you’ve asked for is exactly what you want. Image source: www.create-room.co.uk

However, if you do get a house extension, it can allow you to enjoy more living space without having to move out. Plus, it can add a great deal to the value of your property. There are many different types of extension, such as added rooms, conservatories, porches and garage conversions, which means that you have a good chance of finding the perfect solution for your needs. More good news is that the planning permission requirements are soon likely to be relaxed, which will make getting a house extension much simpler. The government is currently making proposals for the size of a house extension which does not need planning permission to be doubled to as much as eight metres from the wall of the house. You will still need to comply with building regulations and the Party Wall act, but overall this will make getting a house extension a lot less hassle.

Ultimately, you will know which option is best for you and your family, but either way, move or extend, it’s a big decision that merits careful consideration.

Kitchen Inspiration- 5 Great Kitchen Design Ideas

2013-04-26T15:07:38Z

Undoubtedly one of the most important rooms in a home, the kitchen presents a unique set of challenges for interior designers. It is a place created for a specific set of functions – cooking, cleaning, storing food and tableware – and yet it also a social centre, the one room which everyone uses, either together or alone throughout the day. We spend a great deal of time in our kitchens, preparing food, cleaning up and chatting together. One of the key challenges that interior designers face when it comes to kitchen design is in making a space which also has to be extremely practical and easy to use, as attractive as any other room in the home: How to match form with function? Here are five great kitchen designs that we feel have achieved the difficult feat of successfully blending innovative and attractive design with all the conveniences that the best modern kitchens can provide. (image source: BS2H Interior Design Resources)

Interesting angles

German jewellery and fashion designer, Jette Joop, has recently branched out into kitchen design, and created this beautiful modern ‘Jewel’ kitchen for British firm Wilson Fink. Joop has brought her experience of jewellery design to bear to create a kitchen which is both ergonomic and stunningly attractive. We particularly like the bevelled island and units with sides at 11 degree angles.

Traditional English

Traditional doesn’t have to mean old and stuffy, and with this ‘Very English’ design Humphrey Munson has succeeded in creating a kitchen that pairs classic features with a careful and efficient use of space. The kitchen is as practical and functional as any modern design, and yet the detailing and features all evoke a timeless quality. This is a very appealing design for anyone with an old property which needs the very latest in kitchen planning.

Look no handles!

Since it first introduced the concept of a kitchen without handles in the early sixties, SieMatic has been at the forefront of sleek kitchen design. Blending smooth surfaces with clean lines and beautiful materials, the new S2 and S3 designs maintain SieMatic’s bold aesthetic to create effortlessly cool modern kitchens.

Solid forms

Proving that the simplest designs often require the most attention detail, this Modulnova FLY kitchen from the respected Design Space London is deceptive in its apparent lack of features. The worktops and storage fronts have been fitted together with such skill that they appear to have no details whatsoever. The result is an elegant and smooth design that has a reassuring sense of solidity. This is the ideal kitchen for anyone who dislikes clutter.

Into the wood

For those worried that a modern design can make the kitchen appear overly hygienic, it is good to know that the materials need not be sterile or monochrome. We love the kitchens by German firm, Alno, which use lovely textured woods in the surfaces and storage fronts of the units, giving the kitchens a warm and welcoming look and feel.

Kitchen Ideas – Great Kitchen Accessories For The Summer

2013-04-19T11:15:18Z

With a view to the onset of summer, here are a handful of kitchen accessories that have caught our eye. Helping to make the warmer months even more enjoyable, these accessories offer fantastic solutions for making cooking and entertaining more convenient and hassle-free.

John Lewis 6 Burner Cabinet Barbecue

Okay, not technically a ‘kitchen’ accessory, however this beauty is so well stocked it might as well be a kitchen. If you like your barbecues to be on a large scale and very well attended, this cabinet barbecue from John Lewis is just the thing. New for 2013, it represents the latest, the biggest and the best in barbecue design, and comes with no less than six stainless steel burners, including a back burner and a wok burner. It has castors and handles for easy-manoeuvrability and the roasting lid has a cool touch handle, temperature gauge and glass viewing window. Mostly constructed with stainless steel and aluminium, the frame and grill are made from porcelain enamel – making this barbecue an object of beauty, as well as culinary finesse. View Gadget

Gaggia Ice Cream Maker

Enjoy delicious homemade gelato all summer long, with this fantastic ice cream maker from Italian ice cream maker specialists Gaggia. With a 600g capacity, there’s room enough for ice cream for all the family, and the beauty of this particular machine is that the preparation time is only thirty minutes. Having your very own ice cream maker means that any combination of flavours is possible, but if you need some ideas, a recipe book comes in the box. Emphasising creaminess and the perfect texture of gelato, this ice cream maker will guarantee you superior ice cream, exactly how you like it. View Gadget

Indoor Allotment

If you don’t have a herb garden, but want fresh homegrown herbs within easy reach, the solution could well be this attractive little indoor allotment. The benefit of growing your own herbs is that you don’t have to traipse to the supermarket to buy an oversized amount of something you only need a handful of every time you tackle a new recipe. If, like many of us, you don’t have the outdoor space or the green-fingered inclination to cultivate your own patch of herbs, this neat indoor solution is perfect. Including three mini plant pots with drainage, soil pellets and herb scissors (known as snips), it even features a miniature tool shed. As it also comes with a selection of seeds, this would make a great summertime gift for anyone with an appreciation of all things cute and homely. View Gadget

Aero-Press Coffee Maker

Nestle’s high-end capsule coffee maker brand Nespresso has been getting a lot of attention recently, but if you are looking for an alternative, try the Aero-Press coffee maker: it’s affordable, it makes fantastic coffee and it’s very easy to use. Acclaimed by coffee experts as the best alternative to cafetieres and capsule coffee machines, the Aero-Press device produces smooth and delicious coffee every time. By using a paper filter and a vacuum sealed press, this innovative coffee maker works very quickly, and makes for easy cleaning up afterwards. The coffee itself is smoother and more consistent than that from a cafetiere, and unlike a capsule coffee machine, you aren’t restricted in your choice of beans and blends View Gadget

10 People to Follow on Twitter for Interior Design Ideas

2013-04-15T10:09:32Z

As a means of keeping up to date with the latest interior design innovations, ideas and trends, Twitter is unparalleled. In real-time, and at any time, you can get the latest tips and advice from the best the world of interior design has to offer – all straight from the horse’s mouth. Anyone with a new home design project coming up, or with an interest in style and home decor, is well advised to get onto Twitter and start following the top style gurus, bloggers and writers. The only problem is with so many experts and designers out there, it can be very difficult to know where to start and who to follow. Here is our guide to ten of the best Twitter follows for interior design ideas, and why we like them so much.

@Interior_Design

The Twitter feed of Interior Design magazine provides news from the top end of the interior design world, with plenty of links to great pictures and articles. Follow on twitter

@Modenus

CEO of UK and US design website Modenus.com, Veronika Miller keeps her feed updated with enthusiastic and cheerful tweets from a life led searching for inspiration. Follow on twitter

@housetohome

This leading UK interior design portal feeds us with an endless supply of links to beautiful images and great articles. Well worth a follow. Follow on twitter

@houzz

Anyone looking for design ideas and inspiration needs to know about Houzz.com, a massive website which connects homeowners with interior designers, architects and more. Houzz currently has in excess of 57,000 followers, which gives you some idea of its influence in the world of interior design. Follow on twitter

@hearthomemag

The Twitter feed of this quarterly British magazine provides lots of links to great content and blog articles. Definitely recommended. Follow on twitter

@PippaJameson

London-based blogger and interior stylist Pippa Jameson uses her feed to provide snapshots of her life and work. She also is a great resource for finding other good Twitter feeds to follow. Follow on twitter

@RealHomes

This UK magazine is full of inventive ideas and fascinating designs from the real world, and its Twitter feed is a great starting off point. Follow on twitter

@DearDesigners

Interior designer and joint editor of the Heart to Home magazine Carole King uses this Twitter feed to keep followers abreast of the latest goings on at her personal blog DearDesigner.co.uk, full of inspirational ideas and design wisdom. Follow on twitter

@SophieInteriors

Sophie Paterson is a London-based interior designer and writer of the book ‘Glamour & Style.’ She tweets lots of photos and Pinterest pins of beautiful designs, giving us regular visual treats. Follow on twitter

@sfgirlbybay

Victoria Smith is an editor, stylist and photographer. Her Twitter feed is full of updates from her great blog covering ‘bohemian modern style’. She is interested in emphasising affordable designs and re-purposing, or upcycling, old artefacts. Design based tweets are interspersed with personal messages and observations – another great follow. Follow on twitter

These ten Twitter feeds are just a fraction of the thousands of great design-based tweeters out there. If you have any suggestions for any more great follows for interior design ideas, please let us know. And of course, if you don’t already, don’t forget to follow us @darlingssofas for regular updates on luxury furniture and inspiring ideas about interior design.

Other great resources for interior design and decorating ideas:

Top 10 interior design blogs to follow in 2013

Interior Design Inspiration – 4 Inspiring Boards on Pinterest

DIY Wall Art Ideas | Great Wall Art Ideas Anyone Can Create

2013-04-09T10:56:15Z

A work of art on the wall can be a great focal point and play an integral part of a room’s appearance. Sadly, few of us can afford original pieces and even fewer have the skills necessary to create a masterpiece of our own. However, with a little know-how and just a dash of imagination it is possible to create engaging and attractive wall art without having to invest a small fortune. (image source: www.makeanddogirl.com)

With home-made wall art, there is the joy in knowing that your own ideas and talents have been used to create something unique and distinctive for your home. None of your friends will have the same piece, and it will serve as a true reflection of your taste and individual style. Thanks to the many arts and crafts websites and blogs, there are thousands of different ideas out there for you to adopt and make your own, and the beauty of it is that you don’t have to spend much money in the process. In fact, the ideas suggested here cost next to nothing to create, and most importantly, look fantastic. Here are just a couple of suggestions for unique wall art ideas that impressed us with their style, high simplicity and low cost.

Book Wall

An ingenious idea that solves two problems at once: how to find a neat storage solution for books and what to do with empty wall space. Books are some of the most attractively designed objects we possess, but for the most part they are hidden away on shelves, with only their spines visible. Brittni Mehlhoff, editor of online arts and crafts gallery Paper & Stitch, suggests creating a book wall. She recommends using hardbacks, and with the right colour combinations and the very simple means of attaching the books to the wall with velcro, it is possible to create a display which is both eye-pleasing and practical. If you ever want to read one of the books, there is nothing to stop you from taking it down and then putting it back up on the wall when you have finished. Simple, extremely cheap, and sure to be noticed.

Travel Map Pin Board

Maps have long been a popular choice for wall decorations, especially amongst those with a taste for travel. There is something very pleasing about the beautiful shapes of the countries and oceans of the world. It is also pleasant to look at the places that you have visited, or dream of visiting, and this travel map pin board, as suggested by designer Ciera in her blog, is a fantastic means of combining stylish wall decoration with a real and personal account of your own travels and adventures. Because your own experiences and dreams, are exactly that: your own, no two people’s pin board can ever be the same. Furthermore, as the years go by, and you continue to pin new destinations on your board, its appearance will change and grow with you.

Plenty more art ideas for your wall

If a piece of home-made wall art is really to succeed, it must say something about you. This is what attracted us to the Book Wall and Travel Pin Board ideas – each art work becomes a unique reflection of the people whose wall it is. However, we have barely touched the surface; there are almost as many ideas for low-cost wall art as there are walls with empty space that needs filling. Our advice is to do some research, and find something that represents your style and personality, and with a little effort, your walls will both look good, and say something special about you.

Do you have any great suggestions for DIY wall art?

Decorating Tips and Advice | The Definitive Decorating Guide

2013-03-28T13:59:54Z

This is the first instalment of The Definitive Decorating Guide from the Darlings of Chelsea Interior Design Ideas blog – providing you with regular postings full of useful tips and advice for decorating your home. We all dream of having the perfect interior, but it is not always easy to know exactly how to achieve it. With this mind, our guides will provide practical advice and help lead you to specific solutions for getting the best out of your home. As this is the first post in the series, it seems sensible to begin at the beginning: here is our advice on the things you should think about before starting to decorate.

Preparation

As with any important project, when it comes to decorating, adequate preparation is essential. Here is our guide to planning your design, choosing the colour scheme, and selecting the right products.

Think about design

It is a good idea to spend time thinking carefully about the kind of design you would like the room to have before going ahead and spending money on products and materials you might later regret. Assuming the room is already furnished, think carefully about how any changes you make will complement the existing furniture in the room.

Also, make your decisions about wall coverings and flooring based on how the room will be used. There is no point putting expensive silk wallpaper in a toddler’s bedroom. Remember, when it comes to interiors, fashions can change very quickly and your own tastes may alter over time. Unless you want to be decorating the room on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to choose something you can imagine yourself being happy with for many years to come.

(Image source: bright bazaar blog)

Choosing the right colour

For most of us choosing the right colour can be very difficult. It isn’t always easy to know which colours go together, and it can be of huge benefit to get the advice of a professional. If this is out of your price range, there are various websites which can help you. For more detailed information about colour schemes and how to plan them, try reading Create Your Own Beautiful Colour Palettes

Selecting the right products

Often overlooked by inexperienced decorators, we cannot overstate the importance of getting the right tools before you begin work. It can be very frustrating to have keep popping out to pick things up from the hardware store when you are in the middle of a decorating job. If you know exactly what it is you are going to be doing, i.e. painting or wallpapering, make sure you have everything you need in place before you start work. Do you have a range of brushes, and somewhere to store them when they are not being used? If you are wallpapering, don’t forget you will probably need a stripping knife and a table you can use for pasting. There is no need to buy everything in the shop, however – just get the tools you will actually need.

Once you have a clear idea of the overall look you are hoping to achieve, the colour scheme you want, and the tools and materials you will need – it’s time to start decorating! Watch this space for more definitive decorating tips and advice.

Easy Spring Makeover Ideas

2013-03-25T15:19:44Z

As the season most associated with new life and making a clean sweep of things, spring is the time for implementing new ideas and refreshing old favourites. Here are few things you can do to give your home a spring makeover, with an emphasis on simple and affordable suggestions. (Image source: anightinnyc.blogspot.com)

Create a feature wall with wallpaper

To rejuvenate a room and give it a fresh spring-like appearance, one great suggestion is to choose one wall to be a ‘feature wall’. This will give the room a new focal point, and can completely change the room’s atmosphere. When choosing a feature wall, we would recommend one that doesn’t have windows and doors and which is large enough to be the room’s focal point. Wallpaper is a simple, affordable and increasingly fashionable means of decorating a single wall. It will also mean that you can find a pattern that specifically suggests spring, bringing light and colour to the room, and refreshing the space – all with the minimum of effort on your part. Only wallpapering one wall means that you can be more adventurous in your choice of patterns than if you were going to cover all of the walls. For a particularly spring-like freshness, we like the look of these Louisiane wallpapers from Lorca.

Add flowers

Vibrant but cheering, seasonal flowers encapsulate the spirit of spring perfectly, and provide a beautiful, and simple, means of transforming a room. You can choose whether to add flower-themed accessories like cushions or table cloths, or to add vases and displays of the flowers themselves. Daffodils and hyacinths are typical spring-time flowers, of course, and so too is blossom. The delicate and fleeting nature of a cutting of blossom makes for a gentle and pleasing addition to any room, and is a great idea for a simple spring makeover.

Reorganise your shelving

This is a great tip for giving a room a fresh look, without having to spend any money. If your room has a lot of shelving, why not give it a refresh? Get rid of any tired and dusty-looking books, anything with a browned or frayed dust jacket needs to go into storage. Change the way your books are presented, by alternating vertically aligned books with the occasional horizontal stack. You can also break up the space between books by creating open areas, and spaces for ornaments and framed pictures. By removing the monotony a row of books can present, your bookshelves can become an integral part of the room’s decor. This can all be done in a short amount of time, and at little or no cost. (Image source: www.kidsomania.com)

Reflected glory

If your room doesn’t already have a mirror, adding one can be a great way to change its appearance and create a sense of there being more space. This year, a popular trend is for groups of small mirrors to hang together. These look best when hung in an apparent random mirror, in a group of five or seven mirrors of various sizes. It is a simple idea, that could make a huge difference to a room, particularly if added to a feature wall.

Re-style your wardrobe

It’s time to pack away your winter clothes, or at least it soon should be, and only have your spring and summer wardrobe on display. The act of separating your clothes in this way has two benefits: firstly, it helps you to feel refreshed and confident about the coming months, and secondly, it can make the interior of your wardrobe eye-pleasing and therefore more cheering. You can also make a big difference to your room by removing the wardrobe’s door and displaying your spring / summer clothes so that they are colour co-ordinated, like they do in clothes shops.

These are just a few suggestions for sprucing up your home so that it reflects the new season. If you have any thoughts, please let us know. We are always glad to hear your interior design ideas and suggestions.

Top 10 interior design blogs to follow in 2013

2013-03-21T13:21:19Z

We all need help and advice sometimes when it comes to interior design, and there are countless blogs out there to help us. Finding the best blog for you depends not only on the quality of the information, but also on whether the writer’s tastes are in sync with your own. The perfect design blog is like a friend with a good eye, who knows your style, and is a mine of information on the latest trends and design essentials. Here, in no particular order, are ten of our favourite blogs, each with a distinctive slant and full of good writing, eye-catching imagery and great ideas.

Apartment Therapy

Big, bold and very well presented, this US based interiors blog is a wealth of information with lots of great examples to follow. Each post in its ‘Tours’ section features dozens of images of a single inspirational home.
Visit blog: www.apartmenttherapy.com

Arianna Interiors

Arianna is the editor of HeartHomemag.co.uk and this, her own personal blog, is a reflection of her taste and enthusiasm for beautiful interiors. With a slight accent on the feminine, there are some great ideas here for decorative, pretty designs
Visit blog: www.ariannainteriors.blogspot.co.uk

Bright.Bazaar

Mr Bazaar, also known as Will Taylor, is a young man with a passion for all things colourful. His Top Tips provide an excellent insight on how to use bold colours and pastel shades with confidence.
Visit blog: www.brightbazaarblog.com

decor8

As its name suggests, this blog by Germany-based American blogger Holly Becker, is a great place to go for decorating ideas and inspiration. Since starting in 2006, decor8 has gathered a lot of respect and attention, and boasts some very impressive statistics, with over a million page views per month.
Visit blog: www.decor8blog.com

Mad About the House

Kate Watson-Smyth is an interiors and property journalist who writes for the Financial Times and The Independent as well as Houzz.com. Her blog reflects her tastes in Scandinavian-style designs and muted colours. The ‘Objects of Design’ posts are a must for anyone with an interest in eye-catching ideas.
Visit blog: www.madaboutthehouse.com

Design Milk

A great resource for anyone with an interest in interior design, product design and architecture, Design Milk consistently delivers the goods when it comes to uncovering great new design ideas and innovations.
Visit blog: www.design-milk.com

The Beat That My Heart Skipped

Easily the winner for best blog title amongst our selection, The Beat That My Heart Skipped gathers daily design inspirations for modern homes with a classic twist. Favouring a more gentle and rustic aesthetic, this blog is a great place to find new approaches to traditional models.
Visit blog: www.thebeatthatmyheartskipped.co.uk

Freshome – Design & Architecture

Freshome is a massive resource for beautiful interior designs and architectural marvels from all over the world. The sheer quantity of ideas shown on this website can be overwhelming, so we recommend you check out the ‘Best of’ section first.
Visit blog: www.freshome.com

Home Designing

This blog has thousands of interior ideas, divided into categories according to rooms. The enhanced images give extra information about the products and items shown, which can really help when you see something you like – and with this blog, you are guaranteed to find something tempting.
Visit blog: www.home-designing.com

Emma’s Design Blog

There’s no denying that our friends to the north have long been beacons of design brilliance when it comes to furniture and interiors. If like many others you are now actively looking to Nordic countries for inspiration, Emma’s Design Blog is a must: full of images of beautiful Scandinavian designs.
Visit blog: www.emmas.blogg.se

Please share your favourite or add ones you think we have missed out below.

Looking for Flexibility? The Benefits of Modular Sofas

2013-03-04T11:31:18Z

The search for a brand new sofa can be a real struggle. There are so many leathers and fabrics to choose from, not to mention designs, seating options and sizes. It’s a wonder any of us ever find exactly the right sofa for our needs.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why modular sofas are becoming more popular. There are significant benefits to choosing one of these, as you are about to find out.

You get total control over how your want your sofa to look

We’ve all experienced moments when we spot what we think would be the perfect sofa, only to find upon measuring it that it won’t fit in our home. Just two or three inches out in one direction can be all it takes to count it out.

Yet the modular sofa provides the ultimate in flexibility. Take the Alice modular sofa pictured above or the Carla fabric sofa for example. You can opt for normal seating with a chaise at one end. How about a corner sofa with a rounded corner to curl up into? You can even opt for an arm at one end and no arm at the other. The choice is yours.

You can choose right or left handed corner sofas

If you want a corner sofa with one end longer than the other, a modular sofa such as the Morellia or the Sloane lets you do just that. This means you can order just the right number of units to fit into the available space you have. Not all sofa designs will let you do this, but with a modular sofa range you are in control.

Modular pieces mean you get to design your own perfect sofa

We all have our own ideas about what makes the ideal sofa. For example you may like the idea of a recliner sofa you can really relax on. However your partner may dream about a cinema sofa like the Fabio, which has an in built sound system to enjoy. Of course, with a modular sofa you can both get exactly what you want all rolled into the one sofa.

Another option is to go for something far more unusual, which is more than possible with this design. A classic example is the striking Ringo circular sofa. Did we say circular? Yes we did, and the Ringo allows you to purchase your choice of sections to create a semi circular sofa or simply one that curves around in the space you have. It is a stunning contrast to the usual corner sofa you might expect.

The main thing to remember is the amount of control you get when you opt for a modular sofa. You get a number of pieces to choose from and you can mix and match them to create just the style and size of sofa you really need. What could be better for your living room than a sofa you designed on your own? That’s what you’ll get with this modular design.