How To Guide For Your Home Blog

September 29, 2026

How to Choose the Perfect Nest of Tables for Your Home

A nest of tables gives you a single tidy footprint most of the time and two or three useful surfaces the moment guests arrive, which makes it a clever choice for compact British living rooms. In this guide we explain how to choose a set that you will actually use, starting with the role it needs to play, whether that is an expanding side table, a coffee table alternative or occasional extra surfaces for entertaining. We cover how to measure for height, footprint and clearance, when a set of two makes more sense than three, and how wood, glass, high gloss, marble and metal compare in everyday life. You will also find a practical test for how smoothly tables slide apart, advice on matching a nest to your existing furniture, ideas for using nests in bedrooms and hallways, and the common mistakes that stop smaller tables from ever leaving their frame....

September 29, 2026

How to Get Designer Coffee Table with Drawers Style for Less

The look of a designer coffee table with drawers comes down to a handful of details: clean proportions, a quality surface finish, well considered handles and drawers that glide smoothly. In this guide we explain what makes a table read as high end, so you can recognise those qualities in more accessible pieces. We compare drawer layouts, from a single wide drawer to drawers on both sides and combinations with an open shelf, and look at how walnut, oak, high gloss and marble effect finishes each deliver a refined look. You will learn which construction details are worth checking in person, including runners, edges, interior panels and fixings. We then cover styling with restraint, using the drawers to hide everyday clutter, pairing the table with storage and wooden pieces, and deciding where to focus your attention and where you can happily save across the living room, plus the common mistakes worth avoiding....

September 29, 2026

How to Decorate Around a Beige Coffee Table

A beige coffee table is easy to decorate around once you know its undertone. Warm beiges with hints of yellow or pink suit terracotta, olive, rust and honey tones, while cooler beiges with a grey or green cast look fresher beside sage, soft blue, charcoal and crisp white. From there, the aim is to add enough contrast and texture that the table looks deliberate rather than bland. In this guide we show you how to identify the undertone in daylight, which colour pairings work in real UK living rooms, and how to layer rugs, cushions, throws and wood tones around a neutral centrepiece. We also cover lighting choices that stop beige from looking flat in the evening, simple ways to style the tabletop, wall colours that complement it and how to adjust the look through the seasons. The result is a calm, grounded room that still has depth, character and a clear sense of personality....

September 29, 2026

How Do You Style an Ottoman Coffee Table? 12 Easy Ideas

An upholstered ottoman makes a soft, sociable alternative to a hard coffee table, but its padded top needs a slightly different approach to styling. The secret is a firm, generous tray that gives cups, candles and vases a stable base, with the rest of the surface left free for feet, games and the occasional extra guest. In this guide we share twelve easy ideas for styling an ottoman coffee table, from choosing the right size of tray and placing it off centre to grouping objects in threes, stacking books, adding plants and layering a throw. We also cover the practical side of living with an ottoman, including using the storage inside, refreshing the arrangement with the seasons and knowing when to leave it bare. Finally, we look at how to size an ottoman against your sofa, which upholstery fabrics are easiest to style and live with, and how an ottoman supports flexible, multipurpose rooms....

September 29, 2026

How to Measure Your Room for a Mid-Century Wooden TV Stand in 7 Easy Steps

Choosing a mid century wooden TV stand is far easier when you know exactly what your room can take. This step by step guide sets out the seven measurements you need before you shop, starting with the full and usable width of your wall and the true width of your television, including its frame and feet. We then explain how to work out a comfortable viewing height from your usual seat, and how to check stand depth against the floor space and walkways in narrower UK living rooms. You will learn how to allow for doors, radiators, sockets and skirting boards, why sliding doors are helpful in tight spots, and how to measure the space above the stand beneath windows or wall mounted screens. We finish with the often forgotten route into the room, including stairs and landings, plus a simple masking tape test and a short FAQ that answers common sizing questions....

September 29, 2026

Sculptural Coffee Table Measurements Made Simple: Will It Fit Your Room?

A sculptural coffee table will fit your room if you can keep around 40 to 50cm between the sofa and the table, leave walkways of 75 to 90cm, and choose a height within a few centimetres of your sofa seat. Sculptural designs add one more consideration: their bases, curves and overhangs often take up floor space differently from the top, and they need visual breathing room to look their best. In this guide we explain each measurement, show you how to measure a room, including awkward features such as chimney breasts, radiators and bay windows, and explain why weight and floor type matter for stone and plaster pieces. You will also find advice on judging the visual footprint of a bold table, how a rug changes the numbers, and a simple way to test a size with masking tape. The FAQ answers the most common questions about fitting a sculptural table into a UK living room....

September 29, 2026

How to Get Designer Two-Tier Coffee Table Style for Less

Designer two tier coffee tables share a handful of qualities you can look for without paying for a famous name. In this guide we explain how contrasting materials on each level, such as glass over walnut or marble over dark timber, create the depth and interest found in showroom pieces. We cover the right gap between the tiers, why the frame is often the first thing people notice, and how stone and marble effect tops bring instant weight to a living room. You will learn how to style the lower shelf so it looks curated rather than cluttered, how to treat the top surface differently, and how to size the table correctly against your sofa. We also share where it is worth spending more, the small construction details that quietly signal quality, and how repeating materials around the room makes a two tier table look like it was always meant to be there....

September 29, 2026

How to Get Designer Rattan Coffee Table Style for Less

You can get designer rattan coffee table style for less by focusing on the details that make high end pieces look special rather than the label attached to them. A tight, even weave, a considered shape, a quality top and restrained styling do most of the work. In this guide we explain how to recognise good rattan and cane work, why simple sculptural forms age better than busy ones, and how pairing natural weave with glass, stone or solid wood instantly lifts the look. We cover colour and finish, from honey toned natural rattan to darker stained versions, and share practical advice on sizing a woven table for a typical UK living room. You will also find styling tips that borrow from interior designers: fewer accessories, stronger textures and a calm palette. Whether you live in a period terrace or a new build flat, these principles help a rattan coffee table look deliberate, elegant and considered....

September 29, 2026

What Size Coffee Table Suits a Large Living Room?

Large living rooms offer freedom, but they also make it easy to choose a coffee table that looks lost once it arrives. As a guide, a coffee table in a spacious room should usually be between 120 cm and 150 cm long, or around two thirds the length of the main sofa, with enough depth to hold its own and a height close to the sofa seat. It should still sit within easy reach, with around 40 cm to 50 cm of legroom. In this guide we explain why the sofa, not the floor area, should set the scale, how corner sofas change the calculation, and when two smaller tables work better than one large piece. We also look at how rugs define a seating group, why visual weight matters as much as footprint, and how side tables around the edges support the main table. Finally, we share a simple masking tape method for testing sizes at home....

September 29, 2026

Long Narrow Living Room Makeover: Start With the Right Coffee Table

In a long narrow living room, the coffee table decides almost everything else. This guide explains why it makes sense to choose the table before the sofa, rug or storage, and how a slim oval or narrow rectangular design keeps the room comfortable to move through. We compare the shapes that work well in narrow spaces with those that tend to struggle, and look at why a nest of tables can be a flexible alternative. You will learn how to plan and protect the main walkway, how much space to leave between the sofa and table, and how to divide a long room into zones using rugs and furniture. We also cover practical uses for the short end walls, from slim console tables to mirrors, and how to layer lighting along the length of the room. A simple step by step makeover order helps you avoid mistakes, so the finished room feels calm and planned rather than like a corridor....