Buyers’ Guide

Karin Hubber from Hubbers Furnishing guides and inspires when it comes to buying the finishing touches for your space

When you look around your home, it is the finishing touches that translate your house into a home. The spaces in which we live – the walls, floors and ceilings – are canvases on which we can create and make our mark. But, it can be a daunting and time-consuming process to find those perfect pieces. Set to complement the larger pieces in your interior, the smaller items allow you to embrace the latest trends and must-haves. Yet it is imperative that you make informed decisions to ensure these additions balance function and style, and truly enhance your space. 

Occasional Chairs
Easy to move around, occasional chairs are one of the most versatile and practical pieces of furniture you can own. Whether used as a decorative accent or to fill small or awkward spaces, they are a great addition to your living space or bedroom. 
Before buying an occasional chair, consider what its purpose will be. Will it be used frequently in the living space? Do you want it to stand out as a design feature? Or, to blend in with the rest of your décor? 
If it is for the living room, the size should be based on the size of your couch. A smaller chair will make the room appear larger, while a larger chair will make the room appear more full. Ensuring your chair and couch are at the same height will prevent the room from feeling disjointed. 

All of the above products are available directly from Hubbers.

Vases
Grouping like items together and putting them on display can be a great way to add personality to your space. With or without flowers, vases and jugs are a great way to embrace this concept, as their varying height, shape and finish will help you to bring texture and colour to the space. Layering your items will create a push-and-pull effect between the objects, adding visual interest.

Side tables
Coffee tables, or side tables, are a necessary addition to your living room. Used for coffee cups, magazines, television remotes and, in some cases, as a foot stool, your side table will anchor your seating space. 
Like all purchases, consider how the table will be used and what kind of atmosphere you want to achieve. A glass top will create a sense of space, but may not be right for those wanting a casual feel. If you have small children, you may want to avoid tables with sharp corners. Another key consideration is storage – drawers can be a great place to hide away the remote.  
Ideally your table should be slightly lower than the seat height of the chairs and sofa surrounding it, and the length about two-thirds that of the sofa. 

Lamps
Purchasing a lamp is all about balancing practicality and ambience. First of all, your chosen lamp must be a practical solution when you need additional light, but it should also add to the mood of the space. Whether you wish to add an oversized floor-standing lamp or a table lamp, it is important that you view the addition as a key part of the room’s décor: in scale, colour and design, it needs to complement the other furnishings.
As well as the design and size of your lamp base, there is also the shade to consider. Darker shades will limit the light output, which is ideal for those wanting to create an ambient mood, while lighter shades are ideal for reading.

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