You don’t have to endure 100-degree heat to enjoy the warmth of a desert home. Desert modern interiors have taken the decorating world by sandstorm, and we’re wholly behind the trend. Whether Joshua Tree is your backyard or you’re firmly planted on the East Coast, a desert-inspired home is only a few steps away. Read on to learn what’s essential to this look. Lay Down a Southwestern Rug A Southwestern rug or a kilim rug with a geometric design is a must. The floor covering adds a graphic punch and a layer of color that will be the starting point for your palette. Look to the hues in your rug for other accents in the room, like throw pillows, decorative accessories, or upholstered furniture. Add a Touch of Leather Layers of leather nod toward the Old West, but integrating them in sleek, unfussy form will provide a contemporary look. Consider a Mid-Century Modern leather side chair, leather cabinet pulls, or a tufted leather sofa. Look for cognac colors instead of dark, English-style browns, or perhaps get playful with a soft pastel pink. Photo by Kimberly Genevieve Photo by Simon Upton/Interior Archive Bring in Wood Furniture Every desert modern room demands a wood accent for a rustic touch that recalls the dusty desert scene. Consider a burl-wood coffee table, a live-edge dining table, a walnut sideboard, a carved wooden stool… or whatever wooden find you’re drawn to! Paint Your Walls White To give your home a clean, modern look, crisp white paint is required. Dark walls or paneling gives Southwestern accents a cabinlike vibe, while dusty neutrals take on a New Mexican look. White, on the other hand, feels decidedly fresh and not too thematic. Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White is one of our favorite go-tos. Integrate Greenery Drought-resistant plants are another essential for desert modern interiors. Our favorite is the cactus, of course, but other succulents, palm trees, and air plants are great standbys too. If all else fails, a fiddle-leaf fig is easy to care for and looks hip in every home.

Buy Now Pay Later for 6 months when you spend £50 or more (1 month = 28 days)Buy Now Pay Later for 9 months when you spend £125 or more (1 month = 28 days)Buy Now Pay Later for 12 months when you spend £200 or more (12 calendar months) Avoid paying interest Pay the cash price in full before the end of the payment free period, and avoid any interest. Representative 39.9% APR variable The payment free period will start from the date of order (including for those items which are purchased on pre-order and/or are not ready for immediate dispatch). All financial services products, delivery and installation charges, unless otherwise stated, are excluded from this offer, exclusions will be confirmed at the point of order. The interest is calculated from order date and will be added to your account after the end of the payment free period. Avoid interest by paying the cash price in full before the end of the payment free period. Whether you are paying the full cash price, or a part payment, remember to allocate your payment to the specific item you wish to pay off.

This is a travel topic, and an appendix to Fundamentals of flying and Tips for flying. Aircraft seats can be designated at booking, or at check-in at the airport. If seats are not designated, passengers take them by a first-come rule. A few airlines do not assign seats (e.g., Southwest), but do assign you a boarding group based on how early you confirm your flight on-line within 24 hours of the flight. As they receive your booking for a specific flight, most airlines will promptly assign you a seat. If so, visit its web-site soon after, and if dissatisfied with the automatic selection, see if you can choose another inter-actively from all available seats on the plane in your cabin class. If you are checking in at the airline's counter with no seat yet assigned, you should ask if a desirable seat is still available. Seats on a row [edit] What's desirable ? Different seat types on a plane have advantages over others: Window seats are popular with many flyers, as they allow you to look out the window, rest your head against it while sleeping and not be disturbed by other passengers. The major downside is that you'll have to clamber over a seatmate or two to go to the bathroom or access any of your carry-ons in the overhead (although most airlines also allow you to stow baggage under the seat in front of you). You may also have slightly less floor space due to the curvature of the plane, and the wall can become quite cool. Aisle seats are the choice of some road warriors, because they make it easy to get out and off the plane. On long flights, though, it's hard to sleep with people walking by, seatmates climbing over you, and the risk of an elbow being hit by a service trolley. Planes usually disembark row-by-row, so a seat further forward will often get you out at your destination quicker than an aisle seat farther back. The third possibility is middle seats , which combine the disadvantages of both aisle and window seats without the advantages of either, although taller passengers may still be able to see the view from the window. On well-equipped aircraft, some seats in each row may have entertainment electronics installed underneath . This can significantly compromise foot room for those seated behind. Poor foot room can be a major annoyance and source of discomfort on long flights. SeatGuru (noted just below) can help you avoid this. There are some special rows too: Exit row seats are located next to the emergency exit rows, and have significantly greater legroom than standard seats. You also have easier access to the aisles regardless of whether you are sitting in an exit or the aisle seat. A disadvantage of these seats is that the tray tables are tucked into the armrests on some aircraft and as a result, you can't lift the armrests. This shouldn't be much of a problem when you have occupants beside you, but if there is none you may want all the space to yourself. In addition, some carriers may require all your hand baggage to go in the overhead compartment if you are in these rows since no other seats are directly in front of you. In theory, passengers in these seats are required to help attendants with the door in an emergency, so you might not be allowed to sit there if you are physically unable to help, if you are deaf or blind, if you are a child or supervising a child or if you are pregnant. Because of the desirability of exit-row seats, some airlines now charge extra for them, using the name "Economy Plus" or similar. If you're very tall you may sometimes get these seats without paying...

Beanbag chairs are coming back in a big way. Think furniture that supports the way of life that you and your kids want to enjoy. Your kids can lie back and do homework on these comfortable chairs, or they can relax with friends while watching a movie. Many Pottery Barn Kids beanbag chairs are big enough to seat more than one. They can seamlessly fit into any decor while adding their own special touch. Most are lightweight, so you can move them to another room easily or rearrange them often to accommodate different activities or clear the floor for family dance time. Beanbags really put the fun in functional when it comes to arranging a playroom for your children. Arrange beanbag chairs around a game table so that kids can play board games in comfort. You may even arrange stuffed animals or dolls on beanbags too, so kids feel like they have company even when they are playing solo. You can choose just the right beanbag chairs for your kids’ playroom. Opt for coordinated styles and colors to suit your kids’ personalities. This ensures everyone has their own comfortable place to sit when it’s time to play, which can be worth its weight in saved arguments all on its own. Liven up your living room or den with Anywhere Beanbags® or Anywhere Chairs® too. Having extra seating for kids helps make a playdate or /shop/sleepover/ sleepover more fun. Kids feel more comfortable and with chairs that feel just right for them. Little ones may delight in the ballerina and butterfly chairs, while all kids are sure to adore the faux fur chair options. You can choose polka dots or stripes to seamlessly match your own home decor. Your child’s party will be remembered long after the celebration when you provide the comfort that makes an event memorable. Whether you are shopping for special occasion chairs or furniture for your kids to use every day, you will love how much beanbag chairs have changed since you may have last looked at them. They are not just covered in vinyl these days. You can choose from faux fur coverings to high-quality upholstery in a variety of textures, colors and materials. Durable and comfortable fabrics are where it’s at for the frequent wear and tear that kids inflict on furniture during play. With so many options kids will adore, you may even choose to give a beanbag chair as a gift. While your kids may not appreciate other kinds of furniture, a beanbag chair may be the top gift on their list. Kids may get the most use out of a beanbag chair in their own bedrooms. Coordinate the chair to match the wall decor, bedding or bed itself. When the chair is well-positioned in the bedroom, your kids can enjoy lounging on the chair while listening to music, watching a show on a tablet, doing their homework or playing a video game. That’s just the beginning. You may sit alongside your kid on the chair for heart-to-heart talks and enjoy moments that turn into memories. To put the finishing touches on your home furnishings, chairs for your kids will be practical pieces for each room, and they will also amp up the cute factor in your home. Child-sized chairs are sure to remind you of how fleeting and precious the years of childhood are. You can even customize some upholstery with your children’s names, which helps them feel more special as well as provide an attractive aesthetic. Pair and coordinate all the furniture in your home with pieces that suit your lifestyle.

It doesn't matter if you hired the best DJ ever, you're bound to have a handful of wedding guests that want to enjoy the festivities as far away from the dance floor as possible. Whether it's an elderly relative that's looking for a place to relax or a guest that doesn't particularly love to dance, offering comfortable lounge areas for loved ones to gather is a great way to add style to your big day. With lounge areas becoming more popular, couples have dreamed up seating that feels inventive, fun, and a perfect match for their wedding aesthetic. Creating these lounge areas can be a great way to drive home your wedding theme and break up large spaces. We particularly love them for expansive venues, including outdoor lawns, tented bashes, beach weddings, and ballrooms. But even if you're not getting married in one of these types of venues, you can certainly create a seating area for guests to enjoy!

Steps Part 1 Arranging Furniture Determine the function of the living room. Take some time to think about the main function of the living room. Do you have kids that need space to play? Do you plan on hosting a lot of parties? Does your living room have a large window with a great view? The function of the room should be the main influence in how you design it. If your living room has a natural focal point, such as a fireplace or a view, consider designing around it. Face the seating towards the focal point so that everyone in the room has a clear view. Add rotating armchairs so you can easily adapt the room to a space for entertaining. Some living rooms are large enough to split into two or more areas. If you have a large living room, and you need a space for kids to play, consider devoting a part of the room to a play area. Use a coffee table or sofa to create a natural divide between areas. Keep the entryways clear. Avoid putting furniture too close to an entryway. Guests entering the room should have plenty of clearance. Keep plants and other room accents away from the entryways as well. You don't want your guests to have to fight past anything to enter the room. Leaving clearance around the entryway also makes the room more inviting. Make sure you can walk around the room. Arrange your furniture so that guests can walk around the conversation rather than through it. When designing the living room, you have complete control over how guests will move through the room. Pay attention to any doorways in the living room. If you have one doorway along a wall, then group your furniture in the area along the opposite wall. Two doors across from each other create a natural divide in the room, allowing you to split the room into two distinct areas. If you have several doorways to work with, you can split the room into multiple areas, each with a specific emphasis. Design to fit the size of the room. If you have a small living room, try not to cram too much into it. If you have a large living room, you may be struggling with how to use so much space. Think about the emphasis of the room and how much space you have to work with. If you need extra seating in a small space, consider a combination of floating chairs and sofas. Being able to move the chairs allows you to remain flexible. If you have a lot of empty space in your room, incorporate it into your design. A big open room can be welcoming. Whatever you do, keep the room balanced. Part 2 Lighting the Room Create layers of light. Don't rely on a single source of light to light your living room. Try to blend several layers of light from multiple sources. Use a combination of ceiling lights, table lamps, sconces, and floor lamps to achieve balanced lighting in your living room. Pay attention to the corners. If you have a lamp in one corner, position two more in the room to try and balance the light. Use tall lights to give the impression of a higher ceiling. Install a dimmer. Dimmers give you the opportunity to change the feel of the room whenever you like. If you like to host parties, you can use your dimmers to create a flattering light. Dimmer switches can extend bulb life and conserve energy. Consult an electrician if you want to add dimmer switches to your lights. Make the light fit the function of the room. If you plan on watching a lot of T.V. in the room, make sure your lights aren't going to cause a glare. To make the room more suitable for winding down, keep the light low. Certain areas of your living room may be devoted to a specific task. Put a lamp on your desk if you work in your living room. If you have a reading chair, position a lamp nearby.

Coffee tables don't often drive the design of a room, but they can be a statement piece instead of an afterthought. Equally important as the style you choose, the shape and proportion of your coffee table will make sure it's a functional team player in your living or sitting room. Here are 10 standouts to help start your search. LOW This sleek table offers a surprising amount of storage. An open shelf lets you store magazines and books where they can be seen, while closed-door compartments on either end hide remotes and cables. Giant hairpin legs add drama to this modern coffee table's plain wooden top. Acrylic furniture is a stylish choice, especially in a small space where you're looking to lighten the visual load. At nearly 0, the Stockholm Coffee Table from IKEA is on the high end of the Swedish behemoth's table collection in terms of price point, but it offers a upscale look for a relatively modest price. A shelf for storage is a bonus. MEDIUM A reclaimed teak wood top warms up the black powder-coated steel base of this industrial-inspired piece. The Origami Coffee Table is a good choice for a small room at a slight 28" diameter (though two side-by-side would be a good flexible option for a larger room). The legs evoke both the traditional origami art form and the geometric shape that's so in vogue these days. HIGH Warm walnut legs paired with a durable powder-coated steel top is a winning combo. This versatile piece works in modern, industrial-inspired or more traditional decor spaces. The Eames Molded Plywood Coffee Table is perhaps interior design's second most famous coffee table (the first is up next!). Using the same technology as their iconic molded plywood chairs, this understated classic is a piece of design history. In design terms, the Noguchi Table sets the gold standard for coffee tables. Designed by sculptor Isamu Noguchi in 1939 as a commission from the president of MoMA, it's been a furniture icon for six decades and is now a part of MoMA's collection.

Choosing the Best Lighting for a Modern Living Room As a place of the home where you will most likely gather with friends and family, you'll want the living room to be well-lit. The right choice of lighting for living rooms provides exceptional illumination and speaks intently to your preferred aesthetics and design taste. Floor lamps, including modern arc lamps, swing arm designs and those created specifically for reading, find their home in the living room and are happily welcomed for their versatility and portable nature. Anytime you choose to redecorate your living area, your floor lamps have no problem adapting to a new layout. Likewise, table lamps also offer appreciated portability and are the perfect companion to end tables or side tables. Overhead, the space benefits from a decorative ceiling light like a pendant or chandelier. Or, if you prefer lighting that is aimed for more functional use, look to the assortment of recessed lighting, flushmounts and track lighting. Whether you are entertaining or kicking back to enjoy a movie, any of these choices of lighting are guaranteed to make the difference in the room. And if you prefer to set the mood in the living room, you'll enjoy placing any of these light fixtures on a dimmer switch. Finding the Right Living Room Furniture & Decor With lighting choices nailed down, it's time to introduce refreshed furniture pieces into the room. While a sofa and lounge chair are common furniture implements in the living room, here you'll find an even wider array of options to choose from. Mid-century modern themed sofas and sectionals from Gus Modern are a go-to choice in any living room inspired by retro design. Or, kick back in any of the contemporary lounge chairs offered by Blu Dot. Not only are Blu Dot's chair designs stylish, they are also unmatched in comfort. And there are plenty of accent tables to appropriate complement your choice of seating furniture. From chic side and end tables to coffee tables that almost become the focal point of the room, you'll find a large variety of well-designed options. Finally, look to the storage and organization furniture options available to keep your space clutter free. Finishing Touches for Living Room Design Whether highlighting a special piece of artwork or producing an ambient lightscape on an accent wall, picture lights can up the drama or create an intimate atmosphere. And to create an even more comfortable living area, consider covering your bare floors with a modern rug. Rugs are made available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and patterns to give you multiple ways to introduce a personality to your floors. With the right combination of lighting, furniture, furnishings and accessories, your living room will be the go-to destination in the house.

You finally found an apartment that you love – quirks and all! That’s great. But if one of those quirks happens to be an awkwardly-designed living area, you may find yourself bumping into furniture or wondering why the couch looks so out of place. And what are you supposed to do with that narrow wall? Here are some solutions for your awkward living space: 1. When front door and living room collide. You have no entryway to speak of – the front door opens right into the living room. Try creating some separation with room dividers. Place two room dividers between the living room and front door, leaving a space between the dividers where people can enter the living room. Free-standing screens work great. You can also use open bookcases to separate the space, or suspend curtains using side-mount or ceiling-mount curtain rods. If you want to use what is already in the room, try positioning the couch as the divider – put it parallel with the front door, facing into the living area. Place a long, narrow table behind the couch and add some tall, decorative items (such as vases filled with flowers) to create the illusion of an entryway. 2. Not having walls to break up living spaces. You love the open-concept floor plan of your apartment. But with no walls to separate the living and dining spaces, you feel as though your couch is sitting in the dining room — especially if the shared space is small. Create separation by using a throw rug, either for the living area or under the dining table. If you are allowed to paint, try using a complementary color on one wall in the dining area to create a focal point and add definition to the space. Group your living room furniture together – resist the temptation to keep everything against a wall. As long as you can walk around the couch, placing it in the center of the floor is fine – especially if you’ve created a cozy conversation area with chairs and end tables. Leave “traditional” thoughts behind. A living room doesn’t have to have a full-sized couch and a coffee table. If your room is tiny, a couple of comfortable chairs and perhaps a loveseat is enough. Instead of a space-gobbling coffee table, try strategically-placed end tables or a round storage ottoman. Make sure the room is cohesive. Your furniture and color choices in the living and dining areas should complement each other. Unlike divided living spaces where the furniture and colors can be completely different, the eye will take in all of the great room at once. While the spaces don’t have to match, be sure some common elements are repeated throughout the space – for example, the color of the throw pillows in the living room might show up in the vase on the dining room table (or in a painting, or on the chair cushions). 3. Your living room resembles a hallway. Work with the space. You might want to consider narrow furniture, such as a long sectional sofa that can rest against one wall. Place an entertainment center with a flat-screen TV on the opposite wall. A cozy rug and some throw pillows will help “fill out” the space. Think vertically – adding taller elements will help create a sense of openness. Avoid placing furniture in the walkway – keep a clear path through the room. If your room is especially long, consider creating different seating areas with chairs and tables. This will help break up the room and create a more intimate feel. A variety of strategically-placed rugs (a long, rectangular one in front of the couch, a round one underneath the two chairs and end table) will also help create the illusion of several intimate spaces, rather than one long continuous space. 4. Those awkward angles, offbeat design elements, and narrow walls.

Online lifestyle editor Briana and mobile developer Buzz fully maximized every inch of their 700-square-foot Brooklyn loft thanks to great space planning and smart, space-saving solutions. Looks Can Be Deceiving Although the tight living room of Briana and Buzz's Brooklyn loft only has 10-by-12-feet of useable space, it seems open, airy and spacious thanks to a great space plan and a plethora of space saving solutions — some simply practical, others decorative. Keep It Grounded Starting with an apartment-sized, three-seater sofa centered on the left-hand wall, Briana and Buzz arranged the space around it to maximize the flow of their loft's living room. They took focus off of the room's lack of space by grounding the area with an oversized area rug featuring a bold, graphic print. Instead of adding a bulky, horizontal bookcase to the spatially-challenged room, the couple opted for tall, metal book towers they placed by in the window. The vertical arrangement instantly turned their cherished photography books and novels into a sculptural focal point while still keeping the collection neatly organized. All Eyes on Blue Briana and Buzz decided to keep the majority of their living room's walls white to help bounce light around the room and create an open, airy aesthetic. The couple relied on color, however, to delineate the seating area, painting the wall behind their sofa in a cool robin's egg blue tone. They employed this designer's trick to redirect attention away from a room's lack of space and onto an intended focal point. Book Storage with Style While the obvious choice for book storage is often a bookcase or a bookshelf, the couple sought other solutions for keeping their favorite titles within arm's reach. To limit the amount of heavy, bulky pieces in their loft's living room, Briana and Buzz decided to use their large collection of books — from photography and interior to design to political satire and observational humor — as part of the room's decor. They found that tall metal book towers put a whole new spin on displaying the collection in an organized and highly decorative fashion. For a perfectly imperfect, casual look, they mixed two tall towers with three shorter ones, and then arranged books by color to break up the overall white color scheme of the room. Easy Eames Rocker In rooms where space is at a premium, it's wise to choose lightweight accent furniture pieces that are both comfortable and easy to move around. Briana and Buzz ensure comfortable seating for their guests with a classic modern Eames rocker made of molded plastic. Dual-Purpose Pitcher Another key element in the success of Briana and Buzz's small loft design is their ability to use a single object in many different ways. With kitchen storage limited, Briana saved space by forgoing vases and instead making use of serving pitchers to house floral arrangements. An Unusual End Table One of Buzz's favorite pieces in the loft is his fully stocked bar, complete with his collection of wine, spirits and barware. Focused on saving space and maximizing the square footage of their 12x10 living room lounge area, the bar serves double duty as one of the sofa's end tables. A Media Center That Hides Mess Although Briana and Buzz watch videos mostly on their laptops, they also enjoy watching live TV. To ensure their growing collection of DVDs and media components don't turn into clutter, they keep everything concealed neatly inside a mid-century modern console with sliding doors. When choosing TV stands or media consoles for family rooms or living rooms, it's best to avoid open-storage styles that can easily create a feeling of clutter. Concealed storage keeps remotes and DVDs tidy, plus offers back panels that hide cords. Under the Stairs, Before Before embarking on their space-saving design projects, the area beneath Briana and Buzz's staircase was inefficiently used to house their bar. Now the bar serves double duty as an end table next to the sofa. Under the Stairs, After Briana and Buzz have flexible schedules that allow them both to work from home when necessary. Although Buzz has his own designated workspace upstairs, Briana often found she had few options for working on her laptop, often feeling confined to the sofa. By outfitting the small, triangular space beneath the stairs as a tidy workstation, Briana instantly added a full-fledged space where she can check emails, work on articles and/or edit the work of her contributors. Hidden with a Hinge As an alternative to a basic desk for her personal workspace, Briana had a local contractor build a floating, three-sided box with a hinged door front. The piece works perfectly as a desk, gives the illusion of more space and also allows the area beneath the desk to remain unobstructed for chairs or stools. When her work is done, Briana can easily conceal her laptop and books behind her desk's hinged door. Pin-terests To eliminate clutter, Briana had the wall beneath her stairs completely covered with a roll of cork, onto which she pins all of her important invitations, tear sheets, trinkets and reminders. Stackable Seating Determined to save as much space in her small Brooklyn loft as possible, Briana chose red, powder-coated, stackable chairs as seating for her workstation and to provide addition seating for guests, as needed. When not in use, she can simply stack the chairs against the wall or store them in her closet.