Posts Tagged ‘Bedroom’

To Renovate or to Buy New?

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

It’s a question that we hear a lot at the moment; to buy a new build or to renovate? With house prices rising faster than they have in a decade, it’s a decision a lot of new buyers are looking to make quickly. To help get some perspective, we chatted to Carmen and Alicia, who are renovating and buying new respectively, and asked them a few questions about the process.

The first question we asked was how they went about making this difficult decision; what was it that swayed them towards a new-build or a renovation? For Carmen, the dream was originally to ‘self-build’ her own home, but she encountered issues due to a lack of land in her area, so she decided on extensively renovating an existing property. Alicia, on the other hand, likes ‘the convenience of a new build’ for a few reasons; it’s a ‘blank canvas’ that she can make her own, and she was early enough in the process to choose some design elements herself. Practically speaking, it came with an NHBC warranty and she was eligible for the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme as a first-time homeowner.     

The biggest question a lot of people have about new builds versus renovation is about the time; does it take longer to put together a whole home from scratch, or to update an existing home? Carmen has found the process to be ‘much slower’ than she had expected, ‘due to requiring specialist services like structural engineers’, who are so busy right now that getting drawings and calculations has taken much longer than it should have. All in all, the project should take about 8 more months.  Alicia did have to wait for around 5 months before she could exchange, but she’s all set to move in soon- because she chose a new-build, she didn’t have to manage contractors and engineers in the same way.

Renovations, it has to be said,  can allow for more creative freedom; Carmen will be adding a new driveway, moving her front door, enlarging the windows and adding a new, open plan kitchen, as well as switching up the layout of the first floor. This is often much more possible with renovations, especially when the home you’ve bought is fairly old, because you can get the bare bones for much cheaper and have more money and time left for renovation. It’s also important to note that some new- builds are freeholds, meaning that you’ll have to get permission from the landlord before you make any changes. 

We also asked both women if they’ve encountered issues they weren’t expecting to encounter. Alicia did have a slight issue with changing mortgage requirements during the pandemic, but other than that hasn’t had ‘many issues at all’. Carmen was not only surprised by how difficult it was to get specialist opinions, she also had a difficult time sourcing some of the building materials she was going to need, due to shortages.

Finally, what did our influencers wish that they had known before they started on this process? Alicia felt that her research had been really helpful, and she wasn’t necessarily surprised by anything in the process. She did wish that she’d known what her monthly outgoings were going to be for this project, but overall she’s not has any huge surprises. Carmen wished that she knew in advance how long it would take to get drawings and surveys done, so that she could have begun the process much sooner.

Both options come with positives and negatives, and the ‘right’ choice for you depends entirely on what you want most out of your new home, where you’re looking to buy and how much time and money you want to pour into the process. If you’re looking for more advice, or a more in-depth look at the process, you can find Carmen at @hometransformed and Alicia at @myfirsthomeisasouter.

Holidaying at home this summer? Here are five décor aesthetics from around Europe.

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

If you’re bored of staying at home by now and starting to dream of far-off places, you might be thinking about bringing some of that holiday feel into your home.  A great place to start is by considering what makes those places feel so beautiful and unique, and bringing some of those elements into your interior design, so for this week’s blog, we thought we’d have a look at five places around Europe, and what makes their design aesthetics so recognisable.

Scandinavia

You can’t really talk European décor without starting off in Scandinavia with Scandi design, a minimalist movement defined by simple, functional objects in neutral tones. This is probably the easiest style to emulate in your own home- all you really need is some great storage for your clutter and to reduce the amount of different tones and colours in your décor until you have something that feels cosy and minimalistic. The downside, of course, is that because Scandi design is so popular here it’s less likely to create the holiday feel you might be looking for.

Tuscany

If you’ve seen Tuscany, either in real life or online, you’ll know that its particular charm comes from mixing traditional Mediterranean elements with a rustic, cottagecore feel. They’re also build with an eye towards natural elements and reducing the heat, so you’ll find lots of terracotta touches, exposed brickwork and wood. The colours used are earth tones; warm yellows and greens which complement the surrounding countryside.

Spain

Spanish interiors take on a similar style to Italy in being influenced by the surrounding countryside, and you’ll find similar terracotta touches, which help to keep homes cool. You’ll also want to incorporate touches of traditional Spanish crafts- ornate ceramic and carved wooden touches are all common, as well as woven textures.

France

Where other European countries tend to keep things simple, French interiors are a little more maximalist. In Paris, interiors shy away from looking too curated, preferring that their interiors look a bit less ‘try hard’ and more natural. When rural, they tend to go for bright, clean spaces, with neutral palettes.

Germany

German design, which is more similar perhaps to Scandinavian than European design, values simple, clean lines in utilitarian materials. It doesn’t tend to foreground luxury; instead, homes are functional, minimal spaces to rest and relax in.

How to Make A Dark Room Brighter, In Five Easy Steps

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

Sometimes when the seasons change and the weather gets brighter, it becomes a lot more obvious that certain spaces are just dark all of the time, regardless of how bright it is outside. This could be because they’re at an awkward angle, or because they don’t have large enough windows, but it’s often caused, or at least made worse, by interior design choices. However, it’s also possible to solve or mask the issue by making small changes to the way you’ve decorated a room, that will trick the eye into thinking that it’s seeing more light than it actually is. If you’re trying to make a dark room brighter, here are some easy tricks that will help.

Light Sources

Whilst the obvious solution is to get a really bright light for the space, that won’t actually work as well as filling the space with lots of different light sources.  One bright light can cast harsh shadows and doesn’t create the same ambience as sunlight does. A better solution is to augment the light with accent lights, which will create a warm glow that adds depth and allows you to adjust the lighting.

Paint Colours

You’ll want to go for pale colours, but that doesn’t mean that you have to stick to whites and creams. You can also add cool, bright colours like blues, yellows and pinks, which will add contrast whilst still seeming bright and sunny. In terms of colours you should keep away from, greys and darker tones will not reflect as much light and so won’t have as great an effect.

Furniture

You’ll want to get furniture that comes in cool, pale shades- colours that reflect light back to create the illusion of a well lit space. It’s also worth considering furniture with a glossy finish, because those will reflect the most light back and work best in a dark space. We’ve got some great options available on our site that will allow you to create a brighter space without sacrificing anything in the way of style.

Add Contrast

Don’t go for an all-white space! Darker contrast tones help to make the light shades seem lighter, and the contrast is what draws the eye. Otherwise, you run the risk of creating a space that feels impersonal and unforgiving.

Declutter

There’s no point in getting the right furniture, pairing it with the best colour, and then ruining your hard work with lots of clutter. Clean spaces reflect more light and are generally more calming, and clutter can make a space feel cramped and shadowy. We’d recommend getting some hidden storage that could help your room to feel clear and bright.

Images courtesy of @housewifeshome

HOW TO GET THE PERFECT HOME PICS, EVERY TIME

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

We’ve seen a lot of home décor pics. In fact, the best part of our week is looking through our tags to see what you’ve tagged us in, so we feel pretty confident in saying that by now, we’re kind of experts. Whilst there’s no right way to take a photo of your home, here are a few things to keep in mind for the best result.

1. Your Subject

The first question is always ‘what do you want in your photo?’ – and our advice is this; pick the spaces that feel special to you.  People will always be more interested in seeing the things you feel passionate about than things you don’t, plus it gives you more to talk about if you do end up uploading the image to social media.

2. Lighting

In most ways, this is exactly like taking a selfie- you want to find the lighting that best flatters your subject, and go from there. Unfortunately, you can’t move the room around to get the best angle, so your best bet is to just introduce as much natural light into the space as possible- this will produce clean, crisp images. Look how clean and perfect this image from @ck_homestyle is!

3. Angles

This is where you should start getting creative; finding an interesting angle to capture your space from can help you to stand out in a sea of the same shots. If you’re struggling to think of a great angle, try using a mirror or shooting from farther back, like this shot from @houseproject_36!

4. Staging The Shot

A great tactic that sees a lot of use is adding in extra bits of décor for visual interest. The key thing is to make sure the added bits mesh well with the image; if they’re completely out of place they’ll distract from the image itself. Take this image from @bestlife_style_  for example; she’s added a mug of tea and a book, which add to the image without looking out of place.

 5. Filters

Try to avoid filtering your images too much; your space was designed to be viewed without a filter, so adding something in just makes the image look alien. Filters are also designed to smooth imperfections, so they can take the texture out of your images and make them look fuzzy.

Of course, if that final shot happens to include any of our beds, please tag us! We’d love to see the spaces you’ve put together with our beds, and we’d especially love to repost them to our feed!

Cover pic courtesy of @inside_number_five_

ARISTA EXPLAINS; HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT COLOUR PALETTE

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

We’re starting a new series for this blog! Every few weeks we’ll cover a topic related to design or to sleep, in a segment we’re calling Arista Explains.  Today we’re covering one of the most basic parts of interior design; picking out colours.

There are some colour schemes that always work well- neutrals and cream tones are never difficult to put together and to make look good, but if you want to push the envelope a little, you need a working understanding of colour theory. Colour theory works by analysing the colour wheel, which you’ll have seen loads of in art classes at school. You can use the wheel to find colour combinations that work well together by using three different methods.

Triadic colour palettes are three colours evenly spaced on the wheel, like orange, purple and blue, which create a high contrast, bright palette.

Complementary colours are opposite on the wheel, like blue and orange or red and green, and are great high-contrast accent colours.

Analogous colours sit next to each other on the wheel and complement each other well- these are great for creating whole spaces and are really soothing when placed next to each other.

Whilst triadic and complementary colours do work, they can be really difficult to balance correctly, so they’re probably not ideal for a beginner. Analogous colours, however, are super easy to use and to do well, so they’re a really good bet for someone who’s just starting out in interiors.

A lot of the rooms you’ve seen and loved on our Instagram use this theory really well- take for example this space, from @at_home_with_clo, who uses a salmon pink and a forest green, complementary colours, to add contrast to her space. The reason this looks so soft and glamorous, rather than being overwhelming, is that she’s very careful to balance things out with a warm, neutral cream shade.

Another amazing example is this room from @dougs.digs- they’ve gone for a warm brown colour scheme, and they’ve been careful to use lots of different complementary tones. What this does is stop the room from feeling flat by adding visual interest and texture.

When you put it all into words, it can sometimes sound way more complicated than it actually is; the truth is that you’re probably already doing this subconsciously, so if this feels daunting, choose to see it more as a troubleshooting tool. Colour theory is an amazing way of figuring out why a space isn’t working well for you, and figuring out what to add or subtract, but don’t let it stifle your creativity or force you into an interior design box.

THIS MENTAL HEALTH WEEK, IT’S TIME TO PRIORITISE SLEEP

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

This Mental Health Week, It’s Time To Prioritise Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important factors in preserving or improving your mental health- and once your sleep begins to suffer, it’s easy to get stuck in a vicious cycle where poor mental health leads to poor sleep, which then leads to poorer mental health. Of course, it also works the other way round; when your sleep cycle isn’t functioning properly, it can make it harder for you to function normally, which can lead to stress, low self esteem and poor mental health.

Why is sleep so important? Deep, good quality sleep is vital not just because it reduces stress, but also because it facilitates processing of emotional information and therefore increases your emotional resiliency and stability. In this way, mental health works much like physical health does; you need the time asleep to properly heal and process from the day so that you can start the next one in good health. As cliché as it sounds, your brain is much like a computer or phone; it loses energy, or ‘charge’ as the day wears on, and needs to be ‘recharged’ at night- if you forgot to put your phone on charge at night or didn’t charge it for very long, you wouldn’t expect it to work well the next day. Sleeping well, then, is perhaps the most important thing you can do to help your brain function properly and keep yourself mentally healthy.

All sleep is good for you to some extent, but there’s a huge difference between poor quality sleep and high quality sleep, and that’s where the cycle we mentioned earlier comes in. There’s a bidirectional relationship between poor sleep and poor mental health, and as that cycle takes effect it can get more difficult to access high-quality sleep. This is true for most mental health issues- if you struggle with anxiety for example, it becomes more difficult to ‘switch off’ your brain enough to sleep, and conditions like depression often result in insomnia.  If you’re sleeping the right amount of time but you’re still feeling tired and sleepy during the day, the issue is likely to be that your sleep quality is poor. Sleep quality is generally defined by sleeping through the night, being able to sleep the right amount of hours, and feeling  refreshed in the morning.

So how can you improve your sleep? The best way to improve your sleep this Mental Health Week is to start prioritising it the way you would prioritise eating healthily or exercising if you were trying to get physically healthier. This means planning your day around getting the right amount of sleep and making a commitment to cut down on the things that are stopping you from doing that. Amongst the obvious tips, like cutting down on caffeine close to bedtime, come other things, like establishing a sleeping routine.  A great way of getting yourself out of that cycle of sleeplessness is to change up your sleeping area, both to make it more comfortable and to help you to feel you’ve had a fresh start.

If you’re still struggling to sleep well, try heading over to our IGTV, where we ran a live with Victoria Albury, an amazing health coach based here in the UK, to discuss sleep. There are also some amazing resources on the internet, including from charities like Mind, who can help you to identify the issues with your sleep. Finally, it’s important to clarify that sleep is an area we’re very much still learning about, and which works differently for all of us, so there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to be getting the right amount of sleep as long as you feel rested and energised.

Image courtesy of @kyreecunning

Here Comes The Sun; 6 Trends We Think Will Dominate Summer 2021

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

We’ve reached May Bank Holiday, which means that summer is just around the corner. It might just be because the weather is miserable, but we’re starting to look forward to sunny days ahead, and, more importantly, summery interiors. So, whilst we wait for the sunshine to come back, we’re taking a look at the trends we think will define this summer.

Eco- friendly living

Every day we become more conscious of the impact we’re having on our planet, and we adjust our ways of living accordingly, so it’s no surprise that we’re expecting to see more eco-conscious materials and fewer plastic items. Instead, people will opt for things that can bio-degrade naturally over a period of time.

Flexible Spaces

The world might be returning to some degree of normalcy, but people don’t seem to be flooding back into office spaces. Instead, we’re opting for home spaces that work for both our business and personal lives, with lots of people choosing to invest in dividers or other ways to section a space.

 Luxury Living

This might seem like something that doesn’t really count as a trend, but a year spent indoors has convinced people to splash out a little on their surroundings, so we’re seeing a shift towards comfort and style over utilitarianism.

 Japandi

Japandi is a fairly new idea- a combination of both Scandi and Japanese decorating styles, mixing pared-back Scandi style with ornamental Japanese touches for a beautiful minimalist finish.

 Nature

We’ve discussed bringing the outside in before on this blog, but it bears repeating that it’s been one of the biggest trends of lockdown; plants can make enclosed spaces feel more natural, and they’ve been proven to purify the air and make you feel calmer.

DIY Décor

No doubt you’ll have seen some amazing DIY decorating over social media in the past year- and chances are you’ve probably seen some less successful versions. Lots of elements we’re seeing take over now are a result of these transformations; things like DIY Panelling, murals and painted furniture.

Image courtesy of @at_home_with_chlo

Spotlight on A Trend; Neutrals

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

In all our time writing this blog, it’s a miracle we’ve never covered the one topic we’re most qualified to talk about; neutrals. We’re big fans of a clean, neutral colour palette, and if you’re following us, the chances are that you are too, so we couldn’t pass up the chance to talk about why neutrals are such a great interior design option.

Firstly, they’re really easy to put together and maintain. If you’ve ever decorated a room with neutrals, you’ll know how simple it is- all you have to do is decide on warm or cool tones, and then stick within that range of colours. This makes the whole decorating process much easier, and leaves you with far more options for buying the things you need.

The beauty of neutrals is also that they’re timeless; you won’t wake up in a week or two, realise a trend has passed, and then hate the room you’ve created. Unlike cow-print this year, or the ‘millenial pink’ from two years ago, neutrals will still be beautiful and understated in five, ten or fifteen years, so you aren’t going to waste money and then fall behind. Plus, they’re really easy to do on a budget, and they’ll always look put-together and expensive.

Last, but definitely not least, neutral spaces are really calming; the muted tones mean that whilst you’re still in a beautiful space, they aren’t jarring or overwhelming. This means that it’s a great colour scheme for spaces like bedrooms, which should be as relaxing and calm as they are beautiful.

So how do you put together a good neutral room?

Like we said earlier, you’ll want to think about which variety of neutral you’re going for; warm toned or cool toned? If you’re not sure what the difference is, warm tones are colours like beiges and warm browns, whereas cooler tones are colours like greys and whites. Either can be beautiful, buy you’ll want to stick with the same colour family, or things will look muddy.

Secondly, you’ll want to stop the room from feeling flat by adding in depth; this comes with texture and lighting. For example, you might want to consider furniture that’s got visual interest; our headboards combine neutral tones with visually interesting textures and finishes so that your room doesn’t feel flat.

You’ll also want to think about storage; neutral rooms aren’t the best suited to lots of colourful clutter, so hidden storage like cabinets or ottomans are great options that allow your space to still feel put-together and easy to maintain.

If you do put together a neutral room you love, and you use one of our beds to complete the look, we want to hear about it! Post it on Instagram and tag us @arista.living, or use the hashtag #aristaliving, and you’ll be in with a chance to see your image on our grid!

Image courtesy of @sammiesvictorianhome

How Do I Figure Out My Design Aesthetic?

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

If you’ve ever wanted to create a room inspired by something you’ve seen, and then struggled to put your finger on what exactly that style of interior décor is called, and whether or not it’s even an established aesthetic at all, you’re having the same problem a lot of people have.

We have so much more inspiration around us on social media than we’ve ever had access to before, and that has made interior design a lot easier and more creative. It’s also made it a lot harder to put a label on what you’re seeing. If you’re totally stuck on how to find more spaces that inspire you, here’s how to figure out what aesthetic you’re going for.

Firstly, keep the things that inspire you somewhere, like an album or moodboard, so that you can refer back to them as you do this. Make sure that you know what it is about each of these things that you like; is it the colour palette, or the furnishings, or just the general design?

Once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll want to familiarise yourself with some of the vocabulary we use to talk about design- terms like classic, modern, eclectic, minimalist etc. The chances are that the thing you’re looking for is actually an already existing aesthetic, and it’s probably called some combination of those terms. Here are a few of the most common ones, and what they mean, but you can find more detailed reports on some of them in our previous posts.

Here are a few questions you could ask:

  • Is the space designed with an eye for functionality?

If it’s functional and sparse, it’s probably somewhere on the spectrum of minimalism, and if it’s functional, but still cozy, you might be looking at an example of scandi design.

  • What materials are being used?

Different design aesthetics use different materials, so it’s a great way of figuring out what you’re trying to find. Contemporary design, for example, uses modern, clean materials, whereas industrial design is characterised by exposed brick and metalwork.

  • Is the space aesthetically cohesive?

If the space feels less restrained than most, it might be an example of eclectic design, which prides itself on spaces that feel cluttered but in a visually satisfying way.

Once you’ve found a few terms that feel like they fit, start searching! If you’re lucky, the thing you’re looking for will literally be named some combination of those terms- for example, a cluttered, vintage aesthetic is literally named vintage maximalism.

If it’s your own style you’re trying to decide, there are also loads of great internet quizzes that will help you to narrow down your aesthetic by asking you to pick which image you prefer. They’re not the most accurate, and they don’t leave much room for more niche aesthetics , but they’re a great starting point.

If you’re still not sure where you can find the look you’re searching for, try social media! Our page, for example, collates loads of images from people with lots of aesthetics, and once you’ve found the aesthetic you want, you’ll be able to find similar accounts more easily.

Finally, remember that it’s fine if you can’t find the thing you’re looking for. Like we said earlier, we have way more inspiration around us now than ever, and it might genuinely be that the look you want is just a little more niche than most. Don’t let that stop you from creating a space you love.

 Images courtesy of @kyreecunning

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Picking Out The Right Mattress

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Home & Garden, Home & Garden

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again- sleep is the most important part of your day. Whilst you’re asleep, your body works overtime to keep you healthy, which means that how you sleep and how long you sleep for impacts how healthy and happy you are more than anything else does. This is the absolute most important thing to keep in mind when you’re picking a mattress- you’ll want something that supports your body as it sleeps and minimises the strain on your muscles and joints.

 So how do you pick the right one?

The first thing to consider is how you sleep- you’ll want something that minimises the amount of damage your chosen position will do, so that you don’t wake up stiff and sore. It’s also about comfort- if  you sleep on your front, for example, a soft mattress will cause you to sink and feel hot.

As a general rule of thumb, a soft mattress is perfect for someone who sleeps on their side, because sleeping on your side puts a lot of pressure on your hips and shoulders, and the extra cushioning helps to relieve some of the strain.

Medium mattresses are a great one-size-fits-all, so if you move around a lot in your sleep, or tend to sleep in a lot of different positions, this can be a really great one to try out.

Finally, firm mattresses are perfect if you sleep on your front or your back, because they provide support that stops you from sinking and putting your spine in a strange position.

Other Things To Consider…

Whilst what position you sleep in is one of the most important considerations, there are lots of other things that you should take into account when you pick out a mattress.

 For example, are you someone who overheats in your sleep? If you are then you’ll want something with cooling foam on the top so that your mattress isn’t making you too hot to sleep.

Do you have a partner who tosses and turns all night? If your sleep is regularly disturbed by your partner coming and going, you’ll want something with pocket coils that will minimise the amount the mattress shifts when they move, so that you find it easier to stay asleep.

Finally, there are also practical considerations. Nowadays, it’s even more difficult to buy a mattress at a store, especially considering that they are likely to come full-size and be difficult to transport. Lots of services, like our own, will deliver your mattress in a box so you don’t have to worry about COVID-Secure shopping or transporting it home on your own.

If you’re worried about ordering the right mattress online, look for a service that offers a trial period- lots of companies will take the mattress back and issue a refund if you don’t find it comfortable.

Images courtesy of @lucyloveshome_

AESTHETIC REPORT- VINTAGE HOMES

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

As the 20s get underway, the world of interiors is getting nostalgic, with people starting to create entirely vintage-inspired spaces. As fun and timeless as these décor aesthetics are, they can be hard to put together in a way that seems convincing and elegant, rather than tacky, so we’ve put together a simple guide to help you get there.

Step One- Finding Your Inspiration

The most common mistake people make when putting together vintage-inspired spaces is getting their references confused- mixing elements of different time periods together in one space. This can make the home seem confusing and disjointed. When you start creating a vintage-inspired space, pick one inspiration and draw from references in a similar time period- for example, if you’re inspired by the Great Gatsby, you’d be looking for references dated to the first half of the 1920s.

Step Two- Doing Your Research

You’re designing a home, and not a set piece, so accuracy isn’t everything, but the more accurate you can make your touches, the more cohesive the space will feel. With Google, Instagram, and Pinterest at your disposal, research is an easy step that might help you to get a better feel for what you want and where you could source it from.

Step Three- Sourcing Your Pieces

If you’re looking for vintage-inspired décor, it does make sense to buy a few key pieces second-hand, but you should remember that second-hand shopping comes with its own set of risks, which means that not everything should be bought there. As a general rule, avoid buying beds and anything upholstered from second-hand sources, and instead buy vintage-inspired pieces new. Places that can help you to design your own items, like our bed builder, are especially useful, as you can create pieces to tie everything else together.   

Step Four- Putting it All Together

The final stages are about making all of these items fit into a cohesive room. This is where you might need to get creative and start customising things so that they match better and complement the rest of the room. Finally, add any finishing touches that you need to, and enjoy your new space!

As with any interior design project, vintage decorating is about finding a balance that will make you feel happy, so it’s also important to remember that your comfort comes first. If you’re going to be happier in a modern room with vintage touches, or would rather stay away from vintage furniture entirely, you could always try augmenting with vintage prints or décor items such as glassware, for a more subtle touch.

6 GREAT WAYS TO CELEBRATE A LOCKDOWN MOTHERS’ DAY

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

Mother’s Day is coming up, and it’ll be our second Mother’s Day in lockdown, so you might be looking for ways to change up a quarantine lockdown, which is difficult when your options are limited. Here, we’ve linked a few great celebration ideas  that you can mix and match to make a Mother’s Day she won’t forget.

Breakfast In Bed

It’s the oldest and simplest way of celebrating, but for good reason. It gives the lucky mum a morning off, and there are very few things better than having someone bring you your breakfast so you can stay in bed a little longer. You don’t even have to be a particularly good cook- there are loads of easy recipes for Mother’s Day online.

Lie In

Everyone loves an opportunity to spend a bit more precious time in bed, so sometimes a lie-in is the best thing you can do for someone. If you’ve got a particularly noisy household, make sure everyone is on the same page about being quiet and letting Mum rest.

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea is a great, easy way of throwing a celebration that feels really special; you’ll need some good tea party food, and some nice decorations; if the weather looks good you could even eat outside!

Movie Night

This is a super easy surprise that she’ll love; rent out her favourite films, get some drinks and whatever her favourite snacks are, and you’re all set.

Game Night

If you’re wanting to switch up your usual routine, this is a great way to do it; all you’ll nee is a deck of cards or a few board games, and some snacks. If you do this a lot and want something different, try investing in a few new games to teach yourself.

Share the Love

Mothers aren’t just biological parents; if you’ve got someone in your life who is like a mother figure to you, Mothers’ Day is absolutely for them as well. Let them know that you appreciate everything they’ve done for you as well.

If you’re looking for a great gift, we’ve got some amazing offers still available on our site, so you can treat her to a new mattress, or even a bed she could design herself! Finally, remember that what’s important is making your Mum feel valued and loved, and showing her that you appreciate everything she does for you.

Breakfast In Bed

It’s the oldest and simplest way of celebrating, but for good reason. It gives the lucky mum a morning off, and there are very few things better than having someone bring you your breakfast so you can stay in bed a little longer. You don’t even have to be a particularly good cook- there are loads of easy recipes for Mother’s Day online.

Lie In

Everyone loves an opportunity to spend a bit more precious time in bed, so sometimes a lie-in is the best thing you can do for someone. If you’ve got a particularly noisy household, make sure everyone is on the same page about being quiet and letting Mum rest.

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea is a great, easy way of throwing a celebration that feels really special; you’ll need some good tea party food, and some nice decorations; if the weather looks good you could even eat outside!

Movie Night

This is a super easy surprise that she’ll love; rent out her favourite films, get some drinks and whatever her favourite snacks are, and you’re all set.

Game Night

If you’re wanting to switch up your usual routine, this is a great way to do it; all you’ll nee is a deck of cards or a few board games, and some snacks. If you do this a lot and want something different, try investing in a few new games to teach yourself.

Share the Love

Mothers aren’t just biological parents; if you’ve got someone in your life who is like a mother figure to you, Mothers’ Day is absolutely for them as well. Let them know that you appreciate everything they’ve done for you as well.

If you’re looking for a great gift, we’ve got some amazing offers still available on our site, so you can treat her to a new mattress, or even a bed she could design herself! Finally, remember that what’s important is making your Mum feel valued and loved, and showing her that you appreciate everything she does for you.

6 HACKS TO MAKE SPRING CLEANING A BREEZE

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The weather is finally starting to warm up and the days are getting a little longer, which means one thing; it’s spring cleaning season. If you’re also wanting a fresh start as the seasons change but are struggling to work up the motivation to clean, you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled 6 great tips below to help you work up the motivation to get the job done.

Break It Down

If you’re not the sort of person who likes cleaning, then you should think about breaking the job into manageable chunks and then making a realistic plan for how you’ll attack it. Try beginning with the room that requires the most work and then working your way downwards.

Delegate

If you live in a household with other people, get started on delegating tasks so that the cleaning goes faster; rather than have everyone working on one room, you could try dividing tasks – one person handles the floors, someone else deals with the kitchen and bathroom, and someone else declutters. This way nobody does the whole thing on their own, and the cleaning goes much faster.

Get Some Good Storage

Trust us, the cleaning will go much faster if you don’t constantly have to find places for things you don’t have room for. You’d be surprised how much some furniture with built-in storage can actually store- our Extra Storage Ottomans, for example, are capable of holding a lot of stuff whilst still looking stylish. If you can sort and store your clutter rather than just moving it around, your home will look and feel lighter and the job will go a lot faster.

Work in Short Bursts

If you feel like it’s a massive mountain to climb, just work in short bursts- set yourself a timer for fifteen minutes, and just get as much done as you can in that time. If the timer runs out and you still feel demotivated, you can set it aside for another day, but more often than not you’ll get much more done than you think you will, and it’ll help motivate you to carry on.

Treat Yourself

Buy yourself something to look forward to once you’ve finished; whether this is some good chocolate or something to pamper yourself with, it’ll make you feel like you’re working towards something.

Find Something To Listen To

The process will go much, much faster if you’ve got something to occupy your brain. You could listen to music you love, but we’d particularly recommend putting on a podcast and getting lost in a story- our favourites include ‘Something True’ and ‘This American Life’.

TEN TINY CHANGES TO WELCOME IN THE SPRING

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

It might not feel like it, but spring is definitely on the horizon. In fact, some parts of the UK are due to reach double figures this week, so it actually might be time to start getting ready for things to warm up. If you’re a décor lover, spring coming means one thing; time to start switching out your winter interiors for something more seasonal. Here, we’ve compiled ten easy tips to get you started without breaking the bank.

Bring Nature Indoors

If you’re not getting out as much as you’d like to be right now, the best solution is to bring nature indoors to freshen up your home. Seasonal flowers will make a world of difference- right now, hyacinths, crocuses and daffodils are all in bloom across the UK.

Switch Up Your Colour Scheme

Wintry colour palettes that make things seem warm and cosy can make a home feel dark and oppressive when the weather changes outside. Where traditional winter palettes tend to be harmonious; colours in the same family in different tones, spring colour schemes use light colours and contrast to make things feel light and energised, so try adding a brighter accent.

Change Out Your Fabrics

The same idea applies here; in winter we tend to favour fabrics that are heavy and make us feel warmer; things like thick wool blankets and cushions and heavy rugs. These things can start to feel suffocating when the home gets warmer, so it’s a good idea to switch them out for fabrics like cotton and linen that are breathable.

Do Some Spring Cleaning

Although it’s not technically a spring-only thing, there’s a reason we call this type of overhaul a ‘spring clean’- after a long winter where it’s hard to have the energy to get up and do a proper deep-clean, spring cleaning makes the house feel re-energised. It’s particularly useful in lockdown, both as a distraction and to make you feel more in control of your space.

Freshen Up The Paintwork

Even if you aren’t up for totally redecorating, something as simple as using any leftover paint you might have to put a fresh coat on things like doors, cupboards and skirting boards that see a lot of use and get scuffed up quickly will make your whole house feel newer and brighter.

Change Out the Candles

If you’re a fan of scented candles or diffusers, now might be the time to switch out spiced winter scents for more floral spring ones. If floral scents aren’t your thing, you could opt for something citrus-y or keep it clean with a cotton-scented candle or diffuser.

Get Organised

We all accumulate stuff over the holiday period, and one of the best ways to feel like you’ve had a fresh start is to get it all organised. Clearing out anything that needs clearing out and put anything you aren’t using into storage is a great way to make your space feel a little bit more like your own.

Treat Yourself To Something New

You don’t have to totally overhaul your home to make it feel brand new- just buying one thing to create a new focal point is sometimes all you need. Our suggestion would, of course, be to treat yourself to a new bed, but we might be biased.

Get Your Summer Clothes Out

This might be less of a décor hack and more of a mental health one, but whilst you’re redecorating, putting your summer clothes out and your winter ones away is a great way to remind you that brighter days are coming.

Rearrange

Moving things around won’t cost you anything, but it will change how it feels to live in your home, and make you feel a little more refreshed and at peace. It’s also a great way to feel like you’ve switched up your environment with absolutely minimal effort.

5 THEMED ROOMS EVERY KID WOULD LOVE

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If you’ve ever tried to decorate a kid’s room, you’ll know that it’s difficult to create a room that reflects how unique your child is without falling into one cliché or the other. Every child is different, and their rooms should reflect that, but they should also be a space where your little one can relax and spend time in. With that in mind, here are some room ideas we think you might like,  based on the things your child loves.

Child Drawing

For The Artist

If you’ve got a child that loves to draw, paint or make things, their room could be centred around the things that they’ve made and are proud of. If you want to create a statement, buy some plain frames and hang them as a gallery feature; as your little one paints and draws things, they can add pieces into the frames or switch them up to create their own little art gallery.

For The Princess

If your little one likes all things extravagant and glamorous, then create the room around that- get some furniture with a bit of sparkle, and add a dressing-up box and a floor-length mirror. If you still want to take it one step further, try adding a canopy for an extra bit of flare.

Astronaut

For The Astronaut

This is probably the easiest one to achieve; all you really need is a star projector, which means that you can leave the walls clean and simple. If you want to take things one step further, you could also get some cool star-map artwork or try creating simple constellations on the walls or ceiling yourself.

For The Explorer

Some great ideas for this might include framing maps as artwork, or adding a globe or atlas somewhere so that they can plot their travels.  Get some cool animal-themed toys for them to ‘discover’ on their travels and let them have fun.

classroom

For The Teacher

If your child likes to learn and teach, then let them get excited about the things they’re learning whilst being home-schooled; for example, you could create a corner dedicated to the book they’re reading right now. You could even get a small bookcase and some beanbag chairs, and encourage them to read on their own time in a relaxing space.

HERE'S HOW TO CREATE A ROOM THAT WILL GROW WITH YOUR KIDS

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

Kids grow up faster than you ever think they will. What that sometimes means from an interior design perspective is that they outgrow their spaces faster than you can keep redecorating them, and with redecorating being expensive, it grows tiring quickly.  But your kids still deserve to live in spaces that suit their personalities and make them feel safe and understood, so the best solution is to get a little creative with your décor process. Here are some easy ways to come up with a room that will grow with your child.

Buy your important pieces carefully

Important pieces aren’t just essentials- they’re the parts of a room that become focal points. In a bedroom, this will be the bed and possibly some other pieces like wardrobes and desks. If you want this room to grow with your child, you need to pick pieces which are well made and will last for a long time- at Arista we have a great selection of beds, and even some which are specially made for kids.  You’ll also want to make sure that these match with each other and with a range of colours so that you can switch it up later on.

Think about what you’ll need in the future

If your little one is young enough to just need space to sleep and play, you might still want to think about making space for the things they’ll need later, like bookcases and desks for when they start school.

Find good storage

The best way to create a room that can grow day-to-day is to have enough space to store old toys when they’re no longer being used or played with. This means that the room stays clean and organised without becoming boring.

Involve your child

At the end of the day, it’s your little one who has to live in the bedroom you create, and they’ll definitely love it a lot more if they have a say in designing it!  Letting them help you to pick furniture or decorations will add a touch that feels personal to them.

Divide and conquer

You can make the room more manageable by dividing it up into sections- one for playing, one for sleeping, and then one later on for working/doing homework in. This means that you can update the room section by section, rather than overhauling the whole thing at once.

Have fun with it!

The most important thing is that the room is a calm and stimulating space for your child to grow up in, so create their space with them in mind and you can’t really go wrong.

BUILDING YOUR DREAM BED; A STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

So you’ve decided to stop hoping you’ll find your dream bed on the high street and just design it yourself, in the shade and fabric you want, in the right size for your home. If you’re wondering what your next steps are; here’s an easy step-by-step to designing your dream bed on our site.

Step One; Get Inspired

 Figure out what your dream bed looks like! If you’ve already got an image in your mind, that’s great, and you can go ahead and skip this step. If you don’t know what you’d like and want some inspiration, head over to our Instagram to see all the amazing beds our customers have designed for their own homes.

Step Two; Pick A Size

Once you’ve got some inspiration, head over to our site to get designing! The first thing you’ll want to do is pick the size you’d like; we offer a range of five sizes from single to super king, so you can be sure you’ll find the right size for your room. Once you’ve selected a size, you can check the information tab to see the dimensions, so that you can be sure they’ll fit in your space.

Step Three; Picking the Right Colour and Fabric

This is where you can really start getting creative; we’ve got seven different colours and textures to choose from. You can click through to see which looks best in the bed designer window, and you can find tonnes of great pictures of each bed on our Instagram if you’d like to see them in real life.

Step Four; Choose Your Base

The next step is to add in the base that’s right for you; we stock standard bed bases, but we also have a number of options that allow you to maximise your storage, from gas-lift ottomans to four-drawer bases and more. If you still need more storage, there are options like our extra-storage ottoman that provide even more space.

Step Five; Picking A Headboard

Now that you’ve done the rest of the bed it’s time for the main event; the headboard. We’ve got simpler designs to complement minimalist spaces, but if you want a centrepiece for your room, we’ve also got some beautiful, iconic headboards to choose from. This is where you really get to play around and get creative figuring out what looks best with the other elements that you’ve chosen for your design.

SPOTLIGHT ON A TREND; MAXIMALISM

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

Maximalism is a scary word in interior design. It’s a style that is as easy to get wrong as it is to get right, and often something people shy away from for fear of looking weird or different. The truth is, maximalism isn’t actually all that difficult an aesthetic to achieve; it just takes a good eye for colour and detail and a bit of patience to get the right balance.

If you aren’t already familiar, maximalism sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to minimalism. Where minimalism values pared-back décor that allows you to focus on what’s important, maximalism believes that each piece is important and that more is really more.  If minimalism feels too constraining and lifeless to you, that’s a pretty good sign that you should maybe look at a more maximalist aesthetic.

Whilst the aesthetic does rely on instinct and taste, there are a few foolproof ways of making it work. The first and most important is to figure out your colour scheme early on; that way, whatever happens, the room looks cohesive. Pick colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel to create contrast that draws the eye, but stick to those colours to ensure that the room makes sense.

Another great way of approaching maximalism is to start big and work your way down; start by picking base colours and your biggest bits of furnishings, like beds and sofas. If you’re unsure of how well this will go, you can keep the big pieces neutral, but opt for a more expressive, dramatic silhouette. Once you’ve got these in place, connect them all with matching smaller pieces, like wall art, houseplants and accessories.  

If you still feel that the space is too bland, you can then add depth by introducing a variety of textured items, like cushions, rugs and throws. These various materials add visual interest without departing massively from your colour scheme, and create focal points that draw the eye.

The important thing with maximalist design is to toe the line between ‘interesting’ and ‘cluttered’. You want to display objects that interest and inspire you, without inducing feelings of stress. Try to confine your display pieces to a few key areas so that you don’t constantly feel that you’re bumping into things or looking for room, and try to keep your items within the same genre. For example, group all of your frames in one place, or if you’re displaying vases or trinkets, let them be a focal point of their own, all together in one place.

At heart, maximalism works on the same principle as minimalism; your home should contain things that make you feel happy and inspired. It also values individualism and creativity, so take all the ideas above as suggestions, rather than hard and fast rules, and follow your own creative instinct.

Maximalism is a scary word in interior design. It’s a style that is as easy to get wrong as it is to get right, and often something people shy away from for fear of looking weird or different. The truth is, maximalism isn’t actually all that difficult an aesthetic to achieve; it just takes a good eye for colour and detail and a bit of patience to get the right balance.

If you aren’t already familiar, maximalism sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to minimalism. Where minimalism values pared-back décor that allows you to focus on what’s important, maximalism believes that each piece is important and that more is really more.  If minimalism feels too constraining and lifeless to you, that’s a pretty good sign that you should maybe look at a more maximalist aesthetic.

Whilst the aesthetic does rely on instinct and taste, there are a few foolproof ways of making it work. The first and most important is to figure out your colour scheme early on; that way, whatever happens, the room looks cohesive. Pick colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel to create contrast that draws the eye, but stick to those colours to ensure that the room makes sense.

Another great way of approaching maximalism is to start big and work your way down; start by picking base colours and your biggest bits of furnishings, like beds and sofas. If you’re unsure of how well this will go, you can keep the big pieces neutral, but opt for a more expressive, dramatic silhouette. Once you’ve got these in place, connect them all with matching smaller pieces, like wall art, houseplants and accessories.  

If you still feel that the space is too bland, you can then add depth by introducing a variety of textured items, like cushions, rugs and throws. These various materials add visual interest without departing massively from your colour scheme, and create focal points that draw the eye.

The important thing with maximalist design is to toe the line between ‘interesting’ and ‘cluttered’. You want to display objects that interest and inspire you, without inducing feelings of stress. Try to confine your display pieces to a few key areas so that you don’t constantly feel that you’re bumping into things or looking for room, and try to keep your items within the same genre. For example, group all of your frames in one place, or if you’re displaying vases or trinkets, let them be a focal point of their own, all together in one place.

At heart, maximalism works on the same principle as minimalism; your home should contain things that make you feel happy and inspired. It also values individualism and creativity, so take all the ideas above as suggestions, rather than hard and fast rules, and follow your own creative instinct.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP QUALITY, OVERNIGHT.

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

Sleep is a bit of a buzzword in health right now. We’re only beginning to scratch the surface of how important it actually is to our health and wellbeing, but what we do know is that it’s pretty much the most important thing we do in a day. What we often don’t realise is that it’s not just how much sleep you’re getting that matters; it’s how high-quality that sleep is, so just resolving to go to bed earlier isn’t always enough to reap any benefits.

How will you know if you’re getting high-quality sleep?

 Being tired is the obvious sign, but there are other, less obvious ones that you might be missing. As a general rule of thumb, you’re getting good quality sleep if you can get to sleep in less than half an hour, and don’t wake up more than once a night, your sleep quality is probably pretty good. If you aren’t, you won’t just feel tired; you’re more at risk of serious illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.

So how can you improve your sleep?

Keep Regular Sleeping Hours

If you have an erratic sleep schedule, i.e. you sleep different hours at different times every night, your body won’t be able to tell when it’s time to switch off and start to sleep. Trying to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time each morning means that your body will become much better at getting good quality sleep.

Switch Off

Your blue light intake has more impact on your sleep than you’d think. Blue light is generated by screens and stops your body from producing melatonin, which is the hormone that helps you to fall asleep. Spending too much time on your phone before bed means that your body isn’t producing melatonin and therefore won’t find it as easy to get to sleep. Try limiting your phone use before bedtime.

Get Some Sun

Exposure to natural sunlight is really important for your sleep. We evolved to work in the day and sleep at night, and so our bodies naturally use sunlight to differentiate. If you aren’t seeing any sunlight in the daytime, your body has no way of knowing which time to sleep.

Improve Your Sleep Space

Your room should be a place that relaxes you, so if you feel like you’re stuck in a sleepless rut, it’s worth thinking about overhauling your space. It’s especially worth investing in a more supportive mattress, and a bed setup that will make you feel calmer and more ready to sleep.

Try Relaxation

Relaxation techniques like taking a hot bath, doing some yoga or practicing meditation all help to switch off your brain and get you to sleep more quickly. Try picking out one of these things to do before you go to bed.

NEW YEAR, OLD HOME- SEVEN WAYS TO GIVE YOUR HOME A NEW LEASE OF LIFE

Written by Danielle Kelly on . Posted in Uncategorized

If you’re struggling with the idea of spending 2021 in the same space you spent much of 2020 in, you’re not alone. However, the solution doesn’t actually have to be anything as drastic as a full home makeover; there are plenty of surprisingly effective, low budget ways to make your house feel new and refreshed.

Move Things Around

It sounds like an obvious solution, but sometimes the best and least expensive home makeover comes from rolling up your sleeves and getting creative with how your space is organised. If your home is starting to feel claustrophobic, try opening up more floor space to make your home seem lighter and bigger.

Switch Up Your Lighting

There’s no denying that direct sunlight is essential for your health; Vitamin D is vital for your health and regular sunlight helps to maintain your circadian rhythm, meaning that you’ll sleep better and feel more awake. Even if you don’t have much direct sunlight, good lighting will make your home seem bigger and save you from eye strain, so focussing on changing your light fixtures or adding in supplementary ones will help.

Clear Out

Clutter is one of the things that will keep your home feeling stagnant; it’s hard to make a fresh start if you’re still falling over last year’s rubbish. Take whatever you can to be donated, bin what you can’t keep and put everything else in storage.

Make Small Changes

Sometimes just tweaking one small thing is enough to make your space feel like yours again. Some great small projects include changing your door handles, repainting cabinets or changing out tiebacks. If you’ve got a little more time on your hands and some leftover paint, putting another coat on chipped or worn paint is also a really good way of refreshing your home.

Bring Nature In

If you’re struggling with spending limited time outside, a great solution is to bring some greenery into your home to brighten it up and improve your mental health. Go for a low-maintenance succulent or dragon tree if you don’t have a green thumb, but if you do, try your hand at something which will grow big, like a money tree.

Treat Yourself

You don’t have to be redecorating to justify buying a beautiful new piece of furniture to freshen up you home. Go for somewhere where you’ll be spending a lot of time, like a new sofa, table, or even a bed. If you do go this route, you can design and order your own dream bed here.

Change Your Candles

This sounds strange, but smell is one of the most perceptive emotions and really shapes how you think of and remember places. Buying new scented candles or diffusers and changing the way your home smells will help your brain to register is as new and different, without costing you any time at all.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE ARISTA LIVING TEAM

Written by aristaliving_laura on . Posted in Home & Garden, Christmas, Christmas Promotion, Home & Garden, Offers/Promotions, Promotion Type, Uncategorized

As the year draws to a close, the team at Arista Living would like to wish you a wonderful rest of the festive season! However the holidays look for you this year, we hope you find time to connect with the people you love and bid a proper farewell to 2020

We’d also like to take a moment to thank you all for your support this year. It’s been a bit of a crazy year for everyone, but it’s made us appreciate the most important things in life a bit more. Whilst we weren’t allowed to see each other, we loved being able to share space with you all on our social media, seeing all of the fantastic spaces you created using our beds.                    

Finally, we’d like to wish you a fantastic new year in 2021- we hope you get a chance to build on what you’ve achieved this year and that we’ll be able to celebrate a little bit more normally next year. In the interim, you can still find us online @aristaliving, and if you feel inspired to renovate your own space in the new year, we’re still giving you 50% off any mattress whenever you buy your dream bed on our site.

Stay safe and Happy Holidays!

ESTHETIC REPORT; MINIMALIST CHRISTMAS

Written by aristaliving_laura on . Posted in Christmas, Christmas Promotion, Home & Garden, Home & Garden, Home Appliances, Home Appliances, Offers/Promotions, Promotion Type, Uncategorized

If you’re feeling a change this Christmas, maybe the answer is to challenge yourself to a different decorating style than you’d normally go for. If you’re looking to put down the red-and-gold ornaments you’ve been using for years, and try and challenge yourself to stick to something a little more chic, we’ve got you covered. In the runup to Christmas we’ll be looking at different decorating styles and discussing how to get them done quickly and without breaking the bank.

This week, we’re tackling minimalism, which can be a tricky aesthetic to get right around Christmas- too much decoration and you lose the minimalist feel, but too little kills the festive spirit. However, when done right, a minimalist Christmas strips the season down to just the bits that feel important to you personally. It also has an aesthetic that some people find more relaxing than traditional decorations, making the home seem cosier and less stressful.

 A good way to achieve the look is by picking our one or two colours, which complement your existing décor, and sticking to them.  To create a minimalist space, you’ll want to use colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel, because they’ll create a more relaxing space. For example, if you’ve got a cream bed like this one, you might want to consider adding in greens or golds, which will complement the yellow undertones of the cream.

Another great idea for balancing minimalist décor without becoming dull is to spread it out evenly- rather than concentrating all of your decorations in one room, make sure each room has a few pieces that match. It’s also really helpful to relocate the décor you already had out so that things don’t seem cluttered- if you’ve got an ottoman bed like this one the job is a lot easier, but failing that, make sure to store things somewhere that they won’t get lost or damaged.

Last but not least, there are a few simple pieces that will always look great- warm white string  lights have a huge impact without being over-the-top, as does winter greenery. Whatever you decide to do, remember that the whole point of this tradition is to do things that make you feel happy and festive, and focus on achieving that rather than perfection.

DIY-ING A GUEST ROOM

Written by aristaliving_laura on . Posted in Christmas, Christmas Promotion, Home & Garden, Home & Garden, Home Appliances, Home Appliances, Promotion Type, Uncategorized

Although we’ll now be allowed to mix households around Christmastime, lots of people are realising that they’d rather stay in a ‘support bubble’ with family rather than risk getting a hotel room over that period. That means that lots of people are now having to either spruce up their spare room or start decorating a guest bedroom from scratch. Considering that stores are still closed, that can get  a little tricky, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you get there.

Keep Things Simple

As a general rule of thumb, a guest bedroom is not the place to start experimenting with extreme maximalism or circus-inspired décor. Whilst it definitely doesn’t have to be bland, it should be somewhere that any guest will feel relaxed and comfortable enough to sleep, so keep to neutral tones and don’t overcrowd the space.

Start With the Bed

Before you get too carried away worrying about anything else, make sure you’ve at least got the very basics- that means somewhere for your guests to sleep. There are plenty of options for doing this online without breaking the bank, but we’d specifically recommend getting an ottoman bed or something with a storage base, because that means you don’t have to worry about making space for anything you might have already had in the guest room.  Plus, once you have the right bed you can start to fill in the rest of the room around it.

Find Basics

This will depend entirely on what you already have to hand- at a bare minimum, you’ll need a bed and a wardrobe. If those are things you’ve already got and you feel the need to add more you might also want to consider bedside tables or a desk to make the place feel cosier. If you can’t get to the shops or don’t have the time to go shopping for the best pieces, there are lots of great online options that will deliver directly to your door- if you can’t see them in person first to make sure they match, it’s a good idea to get them all in the same neutral colour.

Accessorise

Whilst you should definitely take our earlier advice about not doing anything extreme, little details will be what ultimately makes the space feel like a home- even touches as simple and inexpensive as some matching throw pillows or a nice candle will do wonders for the room. Another great way to add warmth is to make sure that the room has layers of texture

Get Festive!

If you’re having loved ones over for the holidays, a great way of making a room feel less empty is to put some festive decorations up- a small tree or garland is a great way to make them feel a little more like they’re spending the holidays at their own home.

Final Touches

If you’ve got the room mostly together, all you have to do is check that your guests have everything they’ll need. Some final touches are really important, like making sure your guests have clean towels and hangers, so make sure to double check for those little things.

 Photo courtesy of @life_downthelane on Instagram

MENTAL HEALTH AT HOME; WHY YOUR SPACE MATTERS

Written by aristaliving_laura on . Posted in Programme Launches, Affiliate Incentive, Awin, Christmas, Christmas Promotion, Competitions, General Promotions, Home & Garden, Home & Garden, Product Launches, Promotion, Seasonal Promotions, UK, Voucher Codes

You’ve probably noticed that you feel much calmer once you’ve tidied your room, and that if you’re moving house, you don’t feel fully calm until everything is where it should be. Most people are aware that their mental health is tied into their space; that’s why we have design ideas like Hygge and minimalism, and why we follow people like Marie Kondo. Here are some ways you can improve your home so it supports your mental health.

Lighting

Natural light is so good for us; it wards off seasonal depression and provides us with vital Vitamin D, but it also stabilises our circadian rhythm, meaning it helps us to sleep through the night. You can’t do much about how much light a room gets naturally, but light colours and reflective surfaces will help the light to travel more effectively.

Colour

When a team of psychologists partnered with a paint company to research the impact of colour on your mental health, they actually found that pastel colours calmed people down, whilst bright ones made them feel more excited. If you’re thinking of redecorating, maybe go for lighter colours to help you to relax.

Storage

People who described their room as ‘cluttered’ were actually far more prone to depression, a 2010 study found; if you can physically see that things are disorganised, you might feel more stressed and less able to relax. Finding a solution like an ottoman bed to store things out of sight will help here.

If you find yourself struggling to sleep or relax in your bedroom, it might be worth considering that the environment you live in isn’t conducive to rest. These tips aren’t a cure-all, but trying to decorate according to how you want a room to make you feel is never a bad idea.

Photos courtesy of @dougs.digs on Instagram

FYI, YOUR MATTRESS IS PROBABLY TOO OLD. HERE’S HOW YOU KNOW.

Written by aristaliving_laura on . Posted in Christmas, Awin, Christmas Promotion, General Promotions, Home & Garden, Home & Garden, Product Launches, Programme Launches, Promotion, Seasonal Promotions, UK, Voucher Codes

Honestly, once you’ve gotten a mattress, you’re pretty likely to stop thinking about it, and because you spend so much time on it you might not notice it gradually aging.  Unfortunately, having a bad mattress is way more of a problem than you probably think (link to our blog here), so here’s how you’ll know when your mattress has given up.

The Springs Poke You

This is the obvious one- the more time you spend on the mattress the more likely you are to have pushed the springs out of place, which probably means they’ll be digging into you as you sleep.

Everything Hurts

As your mattress ages, it’ll stop supporting you as well as it has- the areas of our body that put the most pressure on it (your back and hips) will create divots which provide no support and cause joint pain.

Your Allergies Are Acting Up

As a mattress gets old, more dust settles in the crevices, which can cause those of us with dust allergies to wake up sniffly and sneezing

You Wake Up Tired

You feel like you can’t get up in the morning, it might be because a lumpy mattress is making it really difficult for you to get comfortable in your sleep, so you’re tossing and turning.

Whilst getting a new mattress might not be top of our priorities list, remember that getting 8 hours of proper, REM sleep makes you smarter, more attractive, less stressed and healthier, so you should probably at least think about investing in a new mattress as soon as you see your old one start to age.

Picture courtesy of @love_this_old_house on Instagram