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Home improvements & fi ne furnishing GETTY


6 OCTOBER 2019 • SOUTH WEST LIVING


1. WOOD Wooden items help to create warmth. Wine boxes used as shelving or indoor planters, and chunky reclaimed oak furniture are great ways to do this. Even if you warm your cockles by a radiator, and don’t have the cottage-cosy Aga or log-burner, the addition of a few stacked logs creates the feeling of farmhouse chic. Upcycled wooden items in pastel shades bring a contemporary cottage feel to your home, while decorative details like wrought-iron handles, doorknobs and hooks add elements of the traditional farmhouse.


2. SHEEPSKIN THROWS & SOFT FURNISHINGS. Creating texture in your home is crucial to feeling cosy and relaxed. Large knitted throws, sheepskin rugs, blankets and footstools all help us to imagine ourselves in the farmhouse snug. A little book nook or cosy corner can be transformed with a selection of homewares, creating an area of calm in your home. Why not create the look of a window seat in the hall by upcycling an old chest and adding some cushions to the top.


Farmhouse style


You may not own a farmhouse in the middle of rolling countryside, but you can create the look in your own home. Sarah Smith, T e Dartmoor Artist, explains how to do so in fi ve simple steps


Sleep by design


When it comes to renovating our homes, many of us are quick to see the need for fresh fl ooring, to repaint the walls, and bring comfort and style to the rooms in which we spend most of our waking hours, especially those used for entertaining. However, too often we forget the bedroom or the bed — a room and piece of furniture we know we’ll use every day. Spending nearly a third of our


life sleeping


means this is one piece of furniture we can’t aff ord to neglect. We may buy new bedding, dress the windows, even replace the carpet, yet still over- look the importance of


after all. It also gives you fl exibility in being able to simply separate into two singles for other occasions. With optional storage drawers, they can also provide a more attractive way to clear the clutter or store additional bedding linen. Linx Beds’ unique ‘Build a Bed’


the centre-


piece: your bed. Easily forgotten amid the demands of daily life, we lose track of when we purchased our bed and mattress, and underestimate the bene- fi ts to mind and body of making sure it’s providing both the support and comfort we need. A newly made bed sets the tone for the room, but have we recently checked what lies beneath?


It’s nothing new to be reminded that both the quality and quantity of our sleep impacts our daily lives. Sleep is as vital to our lives as food and drink, something we simply can’t function without. With sleep able to power- fully heal our bodies — it actually assists in healing skin cells — then we should appreciate that beauty sleep is indeed a reality. Waking refreshed sets a precedent for each day, lifting our mood and replenishing our strength. Mattresses do deteriorate over time and unlike many household items, they


feature allows you the freedom to design and plan just the right bed for you and your room. Linx off ers the freedom to choose a base fabric from a range of fabric types and colours that you won’t want to be hidden away. You can even send in your own fabric choice should


the company’s range


don’t come with reminders warning us that they need replacing, nor can we always readily observe any prob- lems. As the years pass, they collect a staggering amount of dust mites, dead skin cells and oils. T is can contribute to issues related to eczema, asthma and allergies. Too often, general aches and pains are attributed to growing older or a demanding day, when actually the fault lies with a misshapen and tired mattress that’s caused our muscles to tighten, leaving us with less support and a bad back. A mattress needs to provide comfort and support, and with a recommended life span of fi ve to eight years, maybe it’s


time you considered a change. As we enter diff erent seasons in our life, we may also feel we need diff erent support or a more modern look and feel. A zip-and-link bed creates an ideal


solution to all the various chal- lenges involved in choosing a new bed. Made up of two single bed bases that join together at both the head and foot end, and with two single mattresses that easily zip together, this design off ers great versatility. If your home has limited access, such as narrow staircases or low ceilings, then a zip-and-link bed takes much of the concern away by ensuring you can have that large double bed


not complement your room’s colour scheme. Bases are constructed with a variety of options, such as drawers or even having a guest bed under- neath. Linx’s headboards can be fi tted to all base types and have their own styles to choose from, with the fabric matched to the base for continuity. Finally, the mattress is selected and Linx has a range designed to off er a perfect solution for everyone’s needs. From conception to completion, you can view your ideal bed right in front of you. After everything is selected, your bed is guaranteed to stand out from the rest and fi t perfectly with all your furnishings.


For more information, please contact T: 01924 566 403 E: info@linxbeds.co.uk linxbeds.co.uk


3. WALL ART Never underestimate the power of a good print. How we decorate our walls isn’t just a statement but a way to express and refl ect the overall theme of a room. Countryside botanicals, nature and animal art all help to bring the outdoors in. Even if you look out on a cityscape, a beautiful landscape scene or farmland painting can help you to feel transported into those rolling hills. Designs like hares, stags and cattle are all very popular.


4. LIGHTING Suspending light bulbs off an old farm ladder is a simple but eff ective way to create atmosphere and fun. Keep lighting warm and low using a variety of mix-and-match table lamps. T is draws the eye in to the room and adds interest. A quick pop of colour often ties in a theme and helps with the fl ow of the room.


5. SAY IT WITH FLOWERS I’m a big lover of fresh fl owers, which I like to display in quirky ways. A garden (or window box) can be created in an old pair of wellies, vintage bucket or wheelbarrow. Inside the home, an old teapot fi lled with sweet peas or a watering can used as a vase can add a hint of the countryside without feeling too twee. However you choose to bring a touch of rustic to your home, remember the key to having the c ountry look is to personalise, texturise and add warmth at every opportunity. Search local fl ea markets, invest in independent makers, and remember — you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the farmhouse look.


BRING THE OUTSIDE IN/GETTY


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