Interiors: Give these winter interior trends a go

Shades of grey

No, were not talking 50 shades here, were talking neutrals and this year’s neutrals are coming in the form of a wintery grey colour palette. Think wisps of wood smoke, silver branches and frosty window panes.

Or go midnight blue

If you are prone to a more colourful and rich colour scheme for the winter, you should be watching out for midnight blues, indigos and ink colours.

Snug and warm knits

Thing are getting bolder with knitted accessories and massive chunky cable knitting is replacing demure weaves. Why not try some chunky knit or ribbed wool cushions in a dove grey or cream.

Check it out

Adding touches of traditional tartan or checked patterns will work well in both country house and town hose settings. If you’re not quite ready for the bold customary deep green and red, then you can
opt for a more lighter aqua or heather pastel tone instead.

Fire it up

Focus on fires, it doesn’t take a lot to make your hearth a feature, and with fuel bills soaring were likely to be focusing on it much more.

Long division

With more and more housing designs calling for open plan and lengthy areas of space, the demand for screen dividers is on the increase. They are ideal for allowing a visual separation for those open plan rooms without being a permanent fixture or to obtrusive and can often be a great talking/focal point.

Get whimsical 

Simply add a touch of brightness and fun to parts of your interior to instantly break through that gloom winter atmosphere. Try bright oranges, reds, greens or yellows to counter act the cold colours of winter and use things with curves and flowing angles to take away from the rigidness of the cold.

Give your living room a refresh with some simple changes and updates

The living room is heart of the home and deserves to look good; it’s where you, your friends and your family will spend a lot of their time. With some simple changes and updates you can freshen up the room but without breaking the bank, even a small edit can maximise the potential of an otherwise unutilised area or space and quickly start to transform your living room.

Hang some or more mirrors

An excellent alternative to hanging artwork, mirrors can be hung in groups to create the impression of more space and will reflect the opposite wall, great for breaking up a dark paint shade.

Use simple artwork grouped together

Get some low cost frames and use simple artwork such as a page from a magazine, a poster or a piece of artwork done by your child. Using various shapes and sizes work best, now group them together and arrange the frames to your liking. The idea is to create an arrangement that will create an impact rather than the actual piece of art itself; they are not the focal point here.

Give your existing furniture a makeover

A brilliantly easy way to give your room an update is to choose a simple piece of existing furniture and give it a lick of paint in a fresh new colour; make it stand out and want to be used. Have a neutral colour scheme try dark colour to add grandeur or if your scheme is fairly dark in theme give your piece of furniture a bold new colour such as neon blue or sunshine yellow to add bit of fun to the room.

Add some cactuses
The humble cactus is a brilliant house plant; they don’t require much maintenance and will last for years, couple that with placing them in their own individual glass jars, maybe with a little sand added and you’ve got your own little window in to another world that you can place on the window sill or mantel of your choice.

What’s so great about a Duresta Sofa?

Here at Kings, we are obsessed with the beautiful range of Duresta sofas we have on offer. Instantly recognisable, there is something truly unique and beautiful about a Duresta sofa that we really can’t get enough of.

A Duresta sofa has a sense of opulence and luxury, which in turn gives any room they are added to that luxurious feel. Beautiful handmade, the Duresta ranges are long-lasting time pieces that are undeniably beautiful!

Alongside the assurance of a strong technical specification, a major part of the joy of owning high quality handmade furniture resides in the knowledge that the people who made the pieces have brought years of experience, good judgement and, most importantly, great care to their work. These subtle but enchanting ingredients are only found in true craftsmanship and give the furniture that special 'Something'.

Duresta has been making high quality upholstery for 70 years. The factory is in Long Eaton, a Nottinghamshire town which is renowned for the skill of its people in all aspects of furniture making. From the traditional joinery of frame-making through to all kinds of fabric-cutting and sewing expertise, Long Eaton understands how to make premium, aesthetically-beautiful furniture.

Duresta believe that sofas and chairs are not merely functional objects for seating. They also play an important part in establishing the character of the room they are set in. Although their designs naturally respond to changing tastes, at the heart of each lies an unmistakeable, quintessentially English Style, which throughout the world is generally considered to have a flavour of understatement, subtlety and fine proportion.

We supply a wonderful range of truly stunning Duresta sofas that are guaranteed to enhance and bring you home to another level.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Five signs you need a new sofa!

How do you determine the signs it’s time for a new couch? When it comes to our homes we generally love everything in it, or at least we did at one point! You may love your trusty sofa –reliable, cosy, and even moulded into your shape - a good sofa can even hold good memories!

However, sometimes, we love them too much, which makes it difficult to let go when we should! If you are on the fence about whether or not to replace your old faithful couch, consider our signs it’s time for a new one!

You’re sinking....

The cushions are flattening; your knees are creeping up to your chin when you sit down, and leaving the couch seems like an almost impossible task. If your inking a little too far into your couch, it’s time to jump ship.

Fading away?

Your new friend from work comes over for lunch - “Ooh I love your sofa, Dave would never let me have a pink sofa!” You smile politely, far too embarrassed to admit that the now fuchsia two-seater was once in fact a burgundy red number! When your sofa starts to fade in colour it’s a big clue it’s time for something new!

Moultee settee?

Fringing can look great on a leather jacket or some denim shorts – not so much on your sofa! When your couch starts shedding its outer shell, and even when the fabric begins to fray a little, it may be time to consider a new sofa!

Creaky couch?

If your guests jump out of their skin thinking they may have sat on a mouse when they take a pew on your beloved couch, it’s probably a sign to get rid! A squeaky couch is basic screaming -“replace me pleaseee, I can’t bare you sitting on me anymore”. Do the kind thing.

You’ve lost that loving feeling

The final and perhaps most given reason you may be in need of a new sofa is that you simply don’t love the way yours looks anymore! Most of us wouldn’t dream of wearing something we wore 10 years ago, so chances are you’re not mad about the interiors you had back then either. If your sofa doesn’t fit in with you decor anymore, it’s time you brought it up to date!

We have a sofa for everyone here at Kings. You will find luxury sofas, fabric sofas, loose cover sofas, leather sofas, Knole sofas, Chesterfield sofas, chaise longues and sofa beds! See our full range here.

Out with the old and in with the new (sofa)

When your old, well-loved, but worn sofa is ready to be replaced, it is always easier to put off the inevitable chore of purchasing a newer model. A comfortable sofa is a wonderful thing. A place to chat, nap, entertain, read and watch television it is easy to become accustomed to the model that you own.

Usually the focal point of a living room or family room, the right sofa can be a sizeable investment. But replacing your existing one can be a surprisingly stressful and costly experience once you have organised transport to relocate your existing one or taken it to the local dump.

As a big commitment, choosing the right sofa that matches both your home and lifestyle is a serious decision and one that is likely to affect your home for a long time, taking up space and anchoring your decorative theme.

Many people fail to research and shop around, with this in mind; we want you to be prepared and to make a well-informed investment that will happily shape your home.

Here are few things to consider when purchasing your new sofa:

Size

Most homeowners usually follow the general rule that a large room will usually dictate a larger sofa and vice versa, but other items of furniture will need to be taken into consideration too. For instance, will you want to purchase matching chairs for the same room, a coffee table perhaps or create a more spacious minimalistic living space?

Sofas, while being the main focus of a living room, should not overwhelm but in the same way they should not be too small. If you live in an apartment a two-seater sofa may be your best option with a side chair. Just because you may opt for a smaller sofa, it doesn’t always mean compromising on weaker styles either.

Consider a sofa such as the Duresta Southsea, available in varied size options and upholstery styles.

Upholstery

If you have young children or pets you may want to have these in mind when choosing the type of fabric or leather that you want to adorn your chosen furniture. Consider a strong but durable fabric if this is the case. While some people may consider leather difficult in such households, it is actually easily cleaned and cared for with regular maintenance and these do come in various grades and qualities.

Patterned fabrics will also camouflage stains much more easily although neutrally coloured fabrics and leathers are likely to be timeless in style and can be dressed up with cushions and bolder statements pieces. 

The feel of the upholstery you choose should be enough to evoke the feeling of comfort.

Our ranges of Contrast upholstery provide something for every type of household and decor.

Shape & Style

With the resurgence of period and vintage revivals in combination with contemporary interior design styles, there is a healthy variety of shapes and styles of sofa to choose from. While this is good, it can make it extremely difficult to choose the right sofa for your home.

The lines of a sofa’s shape and frame are an important aspect of the overall look of your seating option in turn setting the tone for the entire room that it is in, particularly if you  have chosen it to become the main focal point of your living room.

If you are looking for a show piece it is likely you will want something more flamboyant, like a Chesterfield sofa for example, however if you have a busy household with children or many visitors you will want a shape and style that is easily accessed, durable and simple in design.

Modern sofas have simple shapes with subtle curves while traditional sofas tend to be more rounded with the addition of buttons. Combinations of styles are available.

If you’re looking for a simple leather sofa design that boasts durability and practicality, consider the Wade Upholstery Berrington sofa. 

Knowledge

When you have your ideal designs, styles, functions and fabric styles in mind browse various furniture stores and ask the staff about the ranges, that way you are likely to find a retailer that you can build trust and confidence in.

Choosing a store you can trust with salespeople who can answer your questions without being rushes or pressured makes your purchase of the right sofa much simpler.

All of our staff at our various showrooms in Nottingham have extensive knowledge about all of our sofas and will patiently guide you through the process of selecting the style and design that you want for your home.

With various sofa brands, designs, sizes and styles available you’re sure to find the right sofa with Kings. If you live in Nottingham, Derby or surrounding areas, pop into one of our showrooms today or contact us. 

June promotion – Duresta Upholstery

Luxurious Duresta Upholstery has a traditional English style at its heart and contains sofa and chair designs which imply understated elegance and timeless style. Extremely well-made at their Nottingham base in Long Eaton they use quality materials producing furniture in the Duresta collection which is both functional in its comfort and durability in addition to being stylish too.

At Kings Interiors we only want to bring you the best names of the highest quality at the most competitive prices which is why we bring you the luxurious Duresta ranges. At our dedicated showroom in Beeston, on Marlborough Road we showcase these graceful and smart Duresta ranges and can even customise each piece you choose to suit your individual tastes – whether you want matching cushions, piped seams or wooden legs we can accommodate all your requirements. Currently you will find upon visiting the Beeston store that we have a SPECIAL OFFER throughout the month of June which sees special promotions across the entire Duresta range – however these offers only apply in-store. So be sure to browse our range online first before popping in – you will be spoilt for choice!

Our most popular models from the Duresta sofa range include the Hornblower model and the more opulent and grand model of the Duresta International Wolfgang design.

Duresta International Wolfgang collection

Duresta Hornblower collection

You will find that selected designs from the range have also been endorsed by The National Trust due to the fact that they are based on traditional English heritage fabrics and styles, with particular inspirations coming from the parks and woodlands that encompass The National Trust sites and land. This means that these styles will happily compliment formal furniture as well as more relaxed designs whether in traditional, country or more contemporary homes and prove a great attraction for most customers when visiting our store.

From the manufacturing through to the upholstering and final sale every piece of Duresta furniture, you will find, will be made to your exact specifications by expert furniture makers. Skilled frame makers at the Long Eaton base construct the frame from a selection of hard woods and as soon as you have selected your fabric (you can choose between velvets, leathers, linen or even textures) Duresta’s highly skilled talented cutters and seamstresses produce the patterns and matches to complete your ideal sofa or armchair.

We invite all potential sofa and armchair purchasers to favourably consider a piece of Duresta furniture to compliment your living spaces, particularly during the month of June while we run this special showroom promotion.

Our Beeston Upholstery superstore which stocks the main Duresta collection, Duresta leather, Duresta International, Duresta Loose Cover an Duresta Dormus, will be offering some of the best CASH prices that King’s have been famous for, for more than 100 years. An IN-STORE OFFER ONLY, we look forward to meeting you.

Period living – a revival

Furniture aesthetics and design have been part of our living experiences since the beginning of history. As an intimate part of our homes and lives, each piece can invoke a new response in every individual which is why many homeowners and interior designers choose to place importance on what pieces of furniture they choose to surround themselves with in their homes. 

As furniture styles have progressed from art nouveu through to contemporary designs a raft of imitation and revival styles have started to appear alongside vintage and retro look designs.

These more often than not have included the reappearance of Victorian and Georgian inspired designs which have proved popular mainly for their contrasting bold looks.

While the Victorian style is one of plump heavily upholstered furniture, the Georgian look inspires delicate designs with a symmetrical style.

Our range of Chesterfield sofas at Kings offer inspired designs taken from the Victorian style era. While the upholstery you choose to cover your chosen sofa in is entirely your choice we have a range of swatches also inspired by the art from Queen Victoria’s reign with bolder colour use in our Contrast designs.

Our Duresta Connaught Sofa, available in both leather and fabric upholstery is the most luxurious of all our Chesterfield sofas and takes part of its inspiration from the Victorian era shown in the sofa’s round and plump appearance and heavy upholstery.

An eclectic mix of styles present in these designs, taken from the masculine Gothic and feminine Rococo periods work well together and are perfect for anyone looking for a piece of Victorian inspired furniture to flatter the rest of their home furnishings. The optional ornamentation of wooden finishes and upholstery piping also compliment the Victorian inspired design.

The sofa, made from a hardwood frame, comes with duck filled seat cushions with an optional foam core. A varied range of wood, fabric and leather designs are available to choose from to enable our customers to work to their own tastes.

Georgian inspired designs lay in our Contrast upholstery winged chairs with their subtle and delicate style with slight hints of Palladian glamour without appearing so overt that they overpower your living room or study.

Such Georgian inspired chairs; like these are designed to encourage the use of space and light to create the illusion of regency and air should you prefer that influence in your home.

Whether you choose to keep to the original Georgian style though by opting for lighter and paler colour schemes for your upholstery is entirely your choice. Whatever you opt for we will attempt to cater to those tastes.

All the Georgian inspired chairs are made in the UK using high quality standards of workmanship, and should you choose to opt for the studded designs, these will also be applied individually by hand.

Whatever design period that you choose to influence your choice in sofas or chairs – whether it’s to revive or contemporise we have a range of fabrics to suit classic, refined, eclectic and even modern preferences.

Our range of flooring can also be used to compliment different period influences with carpets, wood and laminate flooring and of course rugs, we have a variety of colours and patterns to choose from.

Whatever the era, Kings Interiors is prepared for the return of period living.