Furniture to give that traditional equestrian look a contemporary edge, all available at our showroom, 665 Lisburn Road, Belfast

Leather chest of drawers with bridle bit detail on handles and stripe panel detail depicting equine leg warmers.

Equine Leg Warmers

Available at showroom, chunky trunk bookcases with bridle detail in leather, brass and linen.

Equestrian fabric available at showroom

A touch of inspiration.

Available at showroom, 665 Lisburn Road.

Writing desk (or dressing table), stool and horseshoe lamps and desk stationery.

The same thought has to be given to the design of a living space, whether it’s a separate drawing room or an open plan family area, to make it a comfortable and functional space.

The room needs to be inviting for both entertaining or to curl up in for some quiet time.  Sofas and armchairs should be grouped together to make conversation intimate.  Your coffee table or an Ottoman in the middle, for serving drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and your side tables dotted about for table lamps, and to make sure each person can set down a glass within easy reach.  Make sure your seating has different depths, not everyone can get out of a deep seat.  Deep sofas should have lots of big scatter cushions across the back to adjust the depth.  Check out the height of armchairs, it’s unpleasant to sit in a high chair next to someone in a low chair.  Put footstools or benches under console tables for extra seating.

The ceiling lighting should be dimmable, table lamps added for soft light and a task light beside your favourite chair for reading.

The soul of the room is made in the detail.  Family photographs grouped beside table lamps, piles of books on the coffee table, bowls of fresh flowers or foliage breathes life into a room. The arm of the sofa or chair with a soft throw to curl up in, full pillows that are soft and comfortable, a warm fire in the hearth, light the candles and add a sensuous fragrance .

Elle Decor showing perfect positioning of furniture, giving the room balance too.

All items in this picture are available to buy in our shop, 665 Lisburn Road, Belfast.

A beautiful room design in Architectural Digest.

All furniture and lighting, in this picture, are available at our shop, 665 Lisburn Road, Belfast

Comfy scatter cushions

All items in this room are available to buy at our shop, 665 Lisburn Road, Belfast

A room of colour

All items in this picture are available to buy at our shop, 665 Lisburn Road, Belfast

Simple design for a family area, open plan, off the kitchen.  Wallpaper is Elitis, linen sheer for the windows all available at our shop.

Stripes are big again.   Literally, big and bold, broad stripes of black and white are the latest graphic style for interiors, taken straight from the Spring/Summer 2013 catwalk.  They can be vertical or railroaded (horizontal), in wallpaper, fabric and carpets.  Keep the rest of the decor in the room with a minimal monochrome look to keep it masculine and striking.

A Nicholas Haslem Design

Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 2013

Balmain Spring/Summer 2013

A bathroom tented with stripe wallpaper and fabric

The Royal Monceau Hotel, Paris, reopened after it’s new design by Philippe Starck.

Perfect look for the pool

Dolce Gabbana Spring/Summer 2013

Railroaded stripe wallpaper

Lavin windows Paris January 2013

Designers Guild new spring range of wallpaper, in different colours, available at our studio, £45 a roll.

Stripes on the carpet

Ralph Lauren’s Tuxedo wallpaper available at our studio, £238 a roll.

If it’s too much for your eye, but you want to embrace the look, it’s a great conversational look for the downstair w.c.

Inspiration…

An elegant look for the stripe, by Lorenzo Castillo.