Design PAD

From Design Tips, Inspiration to How To's, this is your go to blog for all things homes and interiors. Featuring curated content from inspiring guest editors, bloggers, Q&A sessions with industry experts, sign up to our mailing list to ensure you never miss out on inspiring new content.

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When it comes to designing your home, lighting is one of the most powerful design tools, that can drastically transform your home.

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By assessing each room from how you use each space, where you need the light to be, to scale and size and the levels of natural light in each room. You can determine the best positioning, style and amount of light you need. When walking through your home or sitting with your plans, it can be really helpful to consider the following:

What will each space be used for? this should include all possible uses of each room. Is the kitchen also a dining room, a place where your kids will do their homework? Will it be used for evening dinners and social gatherings? Is your spare bedroom also an office space?

Will there be key pieces of furniture, artwork on your walls or any architectural features such as fireplaces or window seats that you want to highlight in any of your rooms?

Who will be using each room? It is worth considering that someone over 60 generally needs 15 times more light than a twelve-year-old would.

When do you use the room or space the most? This is also worth considering because if you only use a room in the evening for relaxing, the being able to dim your lights will be a great advantage and need to be planned in early on with your electrician.

This week we're looking at ceiling lights.

Rooms with very high ceilings work well with large or low-level pendants, particularly when they are grouped over tables or kitchen islands. For a lower ceiling, elegant spotlights can work better. Especially those that can be angled to an area that needs more light cast on it. Or if you're wanting to work with feature lighting, flush ceiling lights can work beautifully too. With ceiling pendants, you are often able to adjust the height to ensure it works perfectly in your space.

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Here is a handy guide to working out how much light you will need:

To easily calculate the amount of light needed for a particular room, work out the size of the space in square metres. Allow roughly 25 watts per metre (250 lumens). Please note, that this light does not come from a single source, it can come from a combination of different lights - ceiling, wall and table or floor lamps too.

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Here is a selection of our new lighting collection to inspire you. You can shop our full collection here

Reeded Glass Pendant Light

Black Chrome Cluster Pendant Light

Hexagonal Pendant Light

Industrial Matt Black Pendant Light

Antique Brass Ceiling Pendant

Brass Star Ceiling Light

Sphere Shaped Pendant Light

Matt White Pendant Light

Images sourced from Pinterest

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How elegant side tables can transform a room...

This week we are looking at side and end tables and our favourite ways to use them to make the biggest impact. How can such a small piece make such a difference to your living room, you ask?

Often an afterthought when designing your living room yet perhaps the most versatile, elegant and game-changing piece you can invest in. Here we show you how to make the best use of a side or end table to pull your living room together, making it a cosy, stylish and well-designed space. Our five favourite ways to style and use a side or end table...

1. Displaying floral arrangements

Instead of displaying your favourite floral arrangements on a wall-based console or shelf unit, display your flowers at different heights in amongst your furniture to provide beautiful focal points around your room without taking up other much-needed surface space.

Source: Pinterest

2. Lighten and brighten your room

Mirrored options such as our Seminyak nest side tables actually lighten and brighten a space by reflecting light and making your room look bigger. Add a stylish lamp and its warm glow will be reflected around your home. Functional and beautifully cosy at the same time.

Source: Pinterest

3. Add balance to your room

Creating visual balance in a room is key to it looking great. Avoid too much clutter, carefully select your favourite pieces and ensure each wall is proportionately balanced. A side or end table either side of your sofa is a great way to achieve this.

Source: Pinterest

4. Perfect place for your table lamps

Creating a cosy, welcoming ambience in your home is a much sought after look. Instead of bright ceiling lights, beautiful table lamps will give you that feeling whilst adding a stunning decorative touch with pops of colour, texture and pattern that complement your design scheme.

Source: Pinterest

5. Where better to rest your glass of wine and your favourite book

Not only can side and end tables look super elegant and stylish, but they’re also super functional. The perfect place to rest your glass of wine or your favourite book, without taking up lots of floor space or risking getting knocked over.

Source: Pinterest

You can shop our hand-picked selection of beautiful side and end tables here

We love to see how you style our PAD pieces in your home, share how you style your side and end tables with us on Instagram by tagging us @Passionate.about.design #LoveMyPad

If you would like any interior or styling advice, simply get in touch hello@passionateaboutdesign.co.uk we would love to help.

1. Seminyak Mirror Top Tables, Set of 2

2. Rose Bay 15 Bulb Pendant Light

3. Syracuse Table Lamp

4. White calla lilies in glass column vase

5. Matrix Monochrome Stool

6. Sykes Ochre Petal Chair

There's a certain je ne sais quoi about French country décor, think natural gorgeous natural materials, muted tones, soft fabrics, extravagant lighting, beautifully intricate wallpaper—all with a rustic touch. Open to our own interpretations, French country style, from can be modern, eclectic and classic in style. It's all about finding the style that suits you and your home.

1. Charcoal Throw with Rabbit Pompoms

2. Deer Head Wall Mount

3. Large Downtown Electric Lamp

4. Large Steel "X" Hurricane

5. Stag's Head Wall Mount

6. Versailles 5' Weathered Cane Bed

7. Versailles Bedside Table Weathered

8. White Small Orchid Phalaenopsis in Glass

9. Wooden Frame Wall Clock

We LOVE seeing what #PADPIECES are your favourites. Here are our bestsellers from this week, and we have to agree, you guys have great taste!

1. Dorchester Dijon Velvet Chaise Longue

2. Devon Tub Chair Faux Sheepskin

3. Art Deco Bar Cart

4. Santa Rosa Stool

5. Rockefeller Leopard Print Pouffe

Featuring opulent brass and gold detailing, soft sumptuous velvet, intricately crafted striking stone stools that are warmed and contrasted by solid acacia wood and softened with decadent dusky tones, all work perfectly to create a luxe interior scheme that is impossible to resist.

1. Odo 5 Ceiling Light

2. Dawn Abstract Wall Art

3. Liberty Black Metal Wall Mirror, Small

4. White Orchid Phalaenopsis in Shallow Glass

5. Toronto 2 Door Cabinet

6. Luxe Pink Velvet Chaise Longue

7. Miyake Stool

8. Brushed Brass and Marble Lamp

9. Britannia Coffee Table Champagne

10. Ellis Rug Silver

Your dining room is the perfect place to gather together with loved ones, share a home-cooked meal, talk and make memories. Some use their dining room every mealtime so prefer the room to be more relaxed, whilst others, for special occasions only. Whichever way you use your dining room, having a thoughtfully styled space that works for you and your family will make dining a pleasure.

With hosting season nearly upon us, there’s never been a better time to get your dining room guest-ready. And what better way to wow your guests than with an expertly styled, comfy and elegant dining room. Here is some inspiration to get you started.