The most crucial decision to make when installing your patio is the material.
With so many advantages and disadvantages of various paving materials, making a final decision might be challenging.
Fortunately, we’re here to assist you in deciding between the top two paving materials — limestone and sandstone.
Appearance
Both sandstone and limestone pavement have a lot of advantages.
Both stones complement your garden and outdoor space beautifully because they occur naturally in caverns, seabeds, and mountains.
In contrast to non-natural pavers, limestone or sandstone can appear at home in any garden and can complement any aesthetic.
Limestone pavers make it simple to personalise your yard.
While there aren’t as many colour selections as sandstone or slate, there are still plenty of lovely limestone options and hues.
Whether you choose a soft grey, tan, or cream, you may discover the ideal colour for your home.
It looks just as amazing inside as it does outside, making it suitable for any decorative needs.
Sandstone is also available in a wide range of colours and styles, all having a delightfully delicate combination of colours flowing through them.
As a result, no two sandstone paving slabs are alike, giving your patio or indoor pavement a sleek and traditional appearance.
One of the primary distinctions is that sandstone is somewhat more porous than limestone, allowing it to absorb slightly more water.
With this in mind, as well as the inconsistency of British weather, you should consider how your paving will seem when wet.
It may rain more days than not in the UK, and this can cause your sandstone pavement to seem slightly different, so it’s worth verifying what stones will look like in the rain before purchase.
Durability and malleability
Because limestone and sandstone are both highly flexible, they may be shaped to fit whatever size or form of patio you need.
Both materials are acquired in a more environmentally friendly manner than conventional pavers, so you can be assured that your new paving will not increase your carbon footprint.
Best of all, you won’t have to worry about your paving becoming obsolete in a few years.
Both materials are known for their durability, so they can survive any weather.
While sandstone absorbs slightly more water than limestone, both are reasonably water-resistant, so other than the difference in looks, you shouldn’t have to worry about rain.
Lime may be a preferable choice in terms of endurance and upkeep, since somewhat lighter hues of sandstone may necessitate additional treatment or sealant application.
While the difference is minor, it may be a deciding factor, particularly if you are immobile or have difficulty with accessibility.
Versatility
Because both materials are pliable, they can be used in a variety of ways around your house and garden.
Sandstone is ideal for use on patios and garden walkways, whether you want a modern or vintage aesthetic.
However, if you want a sleek, clean design, sandstone may not be the best choice.
With no two stones appearing alike, you’ll get a classic, natural style that’s ideal for patios and driveways.
Limestone, on the other hand, is ideal if you want a versatile material for both the interior and exterior of your home.
Limestone can be used for stepping stones, indoor flooring, paths, and roads.
You may obtain a uniform, classic aesthetic by using a dark black limestone paver instead of worrying about lining each stone neatly beside one another.
Maintenance
Finally, one of the most significant advantages of limestone and sandstone is their low maintenance requirements.
Needless to say, regardless of how little maintenance the paving is, you must maintain it if you want it to last.
To get the most out of your paving, conduct your research before putting it.
Never, ever use salt to defrost your limestone patio.
You should use sand to protect your road from pitting.
Aside from that, if you want the most readily maintained alternative, limestone is the way to go.
Limestone is the best paving stone for both internal and exterior use when you need something quick and easy to maintain.
Because sandstone is softer than limestone and other types of rock, it may be more prone to scratching or denting.
Avoid this for internal use to keep your flooring in good condition for longer.
You should also avoid highly polished sandstone if you have elderly or toddlers in your home.
Although this appears to be aesthetically beautiful and classic, it can become slippery in damp circumstances.
The Decision: Limestone or Sandstone
So, now that we’ve considered all of the important criteria, it’s time to make a decision…
Which material is better for you: limestone or sandstone?
We believe that, depending on their intended use, both are viable options.
Limestone is the greatest paver for interior flooring and as a material that can be utilised in and around the home.
Sandstone, on the other hand, has the most colour and style options for patios and driveways.
Sandstones are unrivalled for a classic look due to their wide range of hues, tones, and textures.
2022 has been a year that has redefined bathroom design. From marble accents to plant decorations, there are so many new innovative ways to refresh your bathroom space. We have spoken to interior experts on how anyone, no matter size or budget, can jump on these trends and alter the most popular bathroom trends right now to suit you.
Marble
Marble slabs, tiles, and accents around your bathroom has been on trend for a few years now but remains as popular as ever. The white stone brightens up the room creating an illusion that increases the space you have. Accents on door handles, taps and shower heads also can add an extra uniqueness to your bathroom, truly making the space yours.
Plants
Bring the nature inside by adding plenty of greenery to your bathroom design. By incorporating real or fake plants to this space it instantly adds an air of serenity to your bathroom and will allow you to completely relax.
Shower
Another on trend accessories for your bathroom renovation is to invest in a waterfall shower. Whilst these are on the expensive side, customers rave about this luxury style of shower. Whether you need an invigorating dip to wake you up in the morning, or a relaxing soak in the evening, waterfall showers is definitely a trend to invest in.
Dark colours
You may have noticed by now there is a running theme for these 2022 trends; that being designed to mimic the atmosphere of a spa. The calming nature of the materials, the imitation of the great outdoors through the use of plants, and showers that mimic the rainforest. But why not starkly oppose this by adding a splash of a dark blue or black to achieve a more rustic and industrial feel. Experts suggest this décor aesthetic will be the trend of the future.
Planning to renovate your home is a monumental task, with many hidden steps and problems that you may not have tho8ght of. Whether it is a complete home do-over, or just one room design change, you should always make a timed plan of your renovation and prepare yourself with these 4 tips!
Here are our 4 Things You Should Know Before Renovating Your Home:
1. Determine your budget and stick to it
Sounds obvious, right? But many individuals start design and home maintenance projects within having a set budget in mind which can create problems down the line. Before buying the first can of paint even, set yourself a strict budget and plan how much of that budget you will designate to building, decorating, appliances etc.
2. Know where to focus your time and money
Once you have a budget in mind, you need to figure out which areas of your house you are reworking and if more than one, in what order. Think about what makes the most sense practically. For example, think about ways you can renovate your kitchen whilst still having access to basic appliances such as your fridge and oven during this time.
3. Get expert opinions when necessary
DIY projects can be an amazing way to save money on home designs and maintenance, but often will double the renovation time. Trickier building work and installations, especially in kitchens and bathrooms should always be consulted with by a professional to ensure you haven’t missed anything vital.
4. Be realistic
There are other considerations that must be thought of before starting any realistic project. Does your renovation require planning permission? Do you have the space in your home to create the vision you have in mind? Ultimately, you must stay realistic throughout the process, to ensure the practicality of your home improvements and to avoid any disappointments.
Kitchen trends are always changing, and it can be hard to keep up. From splashbacks to the open vs closed planned kitchen debate, your space needs to be stylish yet practical. So, what do the experts suggest you steer clear of this year 2022?
Here are our Kitchen Trends to Avoid in 2022
Open planned
Whilst a few years back open panned kitchens were all the rave, the modern kitchen trend has lacked popularity this year due to its failing simplicity to separate cooking and dining space. ‘Zoning’ considers the size of each space and divides the kitchen into these distinct areas. But why the sudden change you may ask? With more people working from home the last few years, it has become so important to have defined spaces, especially creating a quiet and more private kitchen area, hence the avoidance of open planned kitchens.
Bright patterns
Patterns on splashbacks or tiles can add an artistic element but only if installed correctly with proper kitchen design consultation. Too many patterns or patterns with ultra-bright colours can make your kitchen look busy and loud, which is the opposite atmosphere you should be creating for your kitchen space.
Brass features
A feature of many Instagram kitchen accounts that are very aesthetically pleasing are the brass features such as taps and door handles. But how practical are they for your kitchen? Whilst this may be a sign of luxury, it can often look tacky and need replacing multiple times a year. Instead, opt for a matte black for these features.
All white kitchens
You’ve probably heard before that white kitchens are the way to go and they brighten up the space. However, all-white kitchens have started to become a design flaw with many elements of the kitchen fading due to the lack of colour and tone. Rather, pick colours that stand out from the average and bring you joy.
Do you intend to keep your summer home open all year? Do you wish to utilize your summer house as a man-cave, for example? It is critical to insulate your summer house so that it remains comfortable all year. You can opt to fully insulate your summer house or simply the floor, roof, or walls.
Chances are, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your garden office. Whether you’ll be working hard or enjoying some downtime. Whatever the reason, both our wooden garden offices and WPC (Wood Plastic Composite) office pods are fully insulated, allowing you to use them all year-round.
In addition to that, our log cabin offices offer more variety, styles and insulated options. You can choose between adding insulation to your log office or opt-in for one of our fully insulated home office log cabins.
Despite the name our summer houses are an excellent outdoor building, no matter the time of the year – including winter. Speaking of the colder months, if you’re planning to use your summer house throughout the coldest season of the year, then it’s definitely worth considering summer house insulation.
It will likely be uncomfortable to work in a garden building or even spend a great deal of time in there, when the weather is simply too cold. To make the most of your summer house on a cold, crisp wintry day, read on to find out how you can keep your summer house warm and cosy during the winter
How our Summer houses can be used :
Garden Storage – As with many garden buildings, summer houses makes an excellent storage solution for your garden needs, as well as for your outdoor furniture, toys and bikes.
Workshop – Most summer houses are designed with larger windows, meaning that they can provide you with the right amount of space to install workbenches and racks to keep your gardening/craft tools safely organised.
Outdoor Dining – Fill your summer house with a comfy dining set, paired with fun decorations, and enjoy your new outdoor dining experience!
Garden Office – Who would have thought that a summer house hidden away at the bottom of your garden could be used as an idyllic location to do your work? Include a sturdy desk with a comfy desk chair and working from home may have never been easier!
Made with quality materials and following excellent standards, our garden building collection, including our wide variety of summer houses, are offered at extremely reasonable prices.
At EEV, we love helping our customers take on the many challenges of interior design. The most common room our customers struggle with? The living room. Since they’re usually at the top of the list in terms of rooms to decorate, we’ve encountered our fair share of awkward living room designs and helped our customers find solutions for them.
Awkward living room layouts come in all shapes and sizes—from slanted walls to tiny spaces, we’ve designed it all. The living room is the hub of the house, but when it’s oddly shaped or has quirky features, it can feel impossible to make it work with the living room furniture and style you want. That’s why we’re rounding up some of the most common design challenges right here in one place. Read on for some great living room layout guides and awkward living room design solutions!
1. An Attic Loft Living Space
This attic loft is a funky, cool space with a ton of low-key hangout potential. The slanted ceilings create an immediately cozy vibe, and the big window at the back of the room lets in a lot of natural light for sunny afternoon reading and naps. However, sloped ceilings do tend to make for pretty awkward living room designs.
The key here is to find living room furniture that will accommodate the short and slanted walls—but this can be a challenge. It can be equally tough to fit everything in without making the room feel too cluttered and cramped.
To make the most of this awkward living room design, we went with a double sofa layout. The seating is super comfy and geared toward chatting and lounging, but the design also makes it easy to watch TV. We added a small desk in the back corner and propped artwork against the wall to make the most of the limited wall space.
2. A Long and Narrow Living Room with Full Walls of Windows
If you have a long and narrow space like this one—which stretches lengthwise, with two full walls of windows and one side open to the rest of the home—you might be struggling to find the right layout and furniture.
Often, a long, narrow space doesn’t leave you with a ton of layout options. In a space like this, if you want a comfortable room with plenty of seating for watching TV, the TV will probably only fit on one wall, which limits your layout options. But if you don’t need TV to be the focal point, use the awkward living room design to your advantage and create a cozy space to read, cuddle up, and relax—TV watching optional.
We found a large comfy sectional that fits perfectly against two walls for an extra cozy feel. And instead of a traditional coffee table, we used two poufs that can double as extra seating/footrests. They take up the same amount of space, but provide so much more in the way of function—a must-have for all awkward living room designs!
Struggling to design an awkward room?
Let our experts show you ideas for your exact room in 3D.
3. Split-Level Living and Dining Room
This split-level living and dining space is awesome because you get a living room and dining space with an open, airy flow. It’s an awesome set-up for those who love entertaining but this unusual space can also be an awkward room to design.
A split-level room means you are left with a quirky half-wall, and this is the greatest design challenge to contend with. Consider placing shorter furniture against this wall, so as to not draw attention to it. Here we opted for a bench but you could also try a credenza for extra storage.
We arranged the living room furniture in a conversational layout, with a tailored look that’s equally great for both casual hangs and more formal dinner parties. The polished color palette ties both rooms together for a cohesive look. And the sofa and facing chairs make for easy conversation while the bench against the partition wall maximizes that tricky wall space.
4. Super Small Apartment Living Room
The architectural details of this space beg to be used for entertaining, But the main issue here is, of course, size. We needed to maximize the space to make room for chilling out, entertaining, watching TV, functional storage, and more. And we also wanted it to look good!
We gave this space plenty of seating and a style that is small-space friendly. This design works because it allows for open traffic flow into the room and leaves plenty of space to navigate around furniture. The sofa has a built-in side table so you can skip the extra piece of furniture, and the wall-mounted desk and bookcase combo offers plenty of convenient storage to free up more floor space.
5. A Wide Open Living Room
This living room is HUGE, with a beautiful fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows on every wall—design features that are highly sought after but also present their own challenges. With windows on every wall, landing on a furniture layout is extra difficult.
We addressed this conundrum by embracing the idea of —aka pulling furniture away from your walls and letting it “float” in the middle of the room. Here, we floated a huge sectional sofa in the center of the room. This helps fill the space and also makes for killer TV viewing. Pulling the sofa away from the walls is a great interior design solution for the windows, too. And, the room is big enough to add a cozy convo circle around the fireplace and a tucked-away space for kids to play—giving you multiple uses in one space.
6. A Long, Open Living and Dining Room
This open-flow space is long and airy—but there’s so much space you might not know where to start, especially if you want to create distinct spaces for lounging and dining in a space like this. When creating this open living/dining room layout guide, we wanted to make sure the space also had adequate seating and functional traffic flow to get the most use out of the space.
To address these challenges, we created a layout that features a relaxed and inviting space with both a formal dining room and a loungey living space. The sectional sofa offers plenty of seating and the back of the sofa acts as a partition between the two “zones” of the room. But it still feels open to the dining area and kitchen, with a coordinating color scheme to tie together the two spaces.
7. A Petite Living Room with Multiple Doorways
When you have a small living room, it can be challenging to find a layout that gives you all the functionality you need in this type of space. And when the space also has multiple doorways to other spaces in your home, it can feel extra challenging.
The best solution here is to use living room furniture that’s proportionate to the space—so, go for an apartment-sized sofa, a smaller media console, an open and airy coffee table, and small poufs as extra seating options. And, if you’re looking to maximize storage space in your small living room, try wall-mounted bookcases. They take up less floor space than a typical bookcase while still offering a space for organization and display.
8. An Awkward Living Room With Angled Walls
While we’re really digging this modern and edgy space, designing it posed a bit of a challenge since the walls are set at less-than-right angles. Slanted walls?? Talk about an awkward element to design around! The quirky, awkward room shape creates lots of hard-to-handle nooks and crannies that can be difficult to fill without the space looking hodge-podge.
We opted for a conversational layout in this space with a sofa and armchair for more seating versatility. It offers a comfortable space for lounging, working, playing and watching TV. This arrangement uses one of the small, awkward corners as a sunny home for plants, which helps brighten the space and detract from the weird angle. We also included a desk/workspace to maximize the functionality of the room.
9. A Small Living Room with a Fireplace and Five Walls
Not having a lot of space doesn’t have to be a buzzkill, but it does mean you might have to get creative with your design choices. This modern living room design makes great use of a small space, with tons of hangout room and lots of comfy seating. But the challenges don’t stop at a small space for this living room. This space also has a small fifth wall! This can be an imposing shape to work with, along with the challenge of having lots of doors and windows to work around.
This design works because it features a cozy sofa and extra comfortable chairs that optimize TV viewing but also make for easy conversation. Small space solutions help fill out awkward spots, like wall-mounted bookcases adding vertical storage along a narrow wall and the two poufs adding seating options without taking up a bunch of floor space. And the short, fifth wall is easily integrated into the design of the space by hanging curtains that match the others in the room and placing a large plant in front of the window-wall to fill out the space!
10. A Small Living/Dining Room With a Slanted Wall
The awkward living room design challenge here was working with a funky, narrow room with an awkward, slanted corner. Maximizing a small, narrow space can be tough—especially when you want both a living room area and a separate dining space.
To make the awkward, acute corner work, we pulled two armchairs up perpendicular to the sofa. This creates a functional living room set-up and also visually “squares-off” the back corner. Then we popped a few potted plants in the corner to round it off and make it functional
11. A Large, Rectangular Living Room
This rectangular space is large and open—a great quality in a living room, but also a challenge in terms of filling out the space. A room like this needs more than one zone or purpose to best use the large space.
The primary purpose we gave this living room layout was for TV viewing. This is perfect for those who love hosting movie nights or having people over to watch your favorite sports. The large, three-piece sectional grounds this living room and, along with the area rug, defines the TV viewing area.
To further fill out the space, we placed a console against one wall for storage and decor and created a reading nook by the fireplace on the opposite wall. We used furniture to create these distinct zones, but we kept the style and colors cohesive throughout so the room feels like one space rather than multiple disjointed rooms.
12. An Open Living/Dining Room with a Corner Fireplace
A corner fireplace, combined with a full wall of windows, can make furniture layout pretty tricky. On top of that, the living room is open to not only the dining area but also the kitchen—making it one big room with several distinct uses.
The way to tackle this type of space is to work in zones. We opted for a sectional vs sofa to maximize seating without cramming in extra furniture pieces. We then paired the sofa with a console table behind it to act as a visual divider. By floating the sofa and facing it into the living room, we separated the living area from the dining area. Plus, with this layout, there’s an open walking space from one zone to the next.
13. A Living Room With Vaulted Ceilings
Wondering how to design a living room with high ceilings? We get it. Tall ceilings can be awkward, since we tend to decorate at eye level and below. But that can leave a lot of extra wall and ceiling space when you have 10-foot or vaulted ceilings. In cases like these, we recommend balancing the room layout with the height of the ceiling so it doesn’t feel off-balance.
What better way to balance out tall ceilings than a row of tall bookcases that fills up your empty wall space? The living room shelves pictured here function as practical storage while minimizing the cavernous look of the tall walls. It’s a great use of vertical and horizontal space—giving you both storage and a focal point that connects the lower half of the room with the upper ceiling.
14. An Open Living Room with No Solid Walls
This living room doesn’t have many solid walls that you can put furniture against, which can make creating a functional layout feel daunting. Where do you put furniture that looks intentional rather than awkward?
In these cases, we recommend pulling furniture away from the walls and floating pieces to create a seating area “shell” within the space. Use an area rug to establish and anchor the furniture grouping. This helps the space feel less open and awkward and instead feel more cozy and purposeful. Then, bundle the furniture together, creating a seating area somewhat centered around the fireplace. This makes conversation the primary purpose of this living room, while a TV and console on the one solid wall still allows for TV viewing. (Bonus: the accent chairs are swivel chairs, so they can turn around for additional TV-viewing seating.) As you arrange your living room layout, keep a walking area around the furniture to make moving through the space easy.
A customer asked me how much it cost to do this job….I answered him: £1500He said: So expensive for this job?I asked: How much do you think it would cost you?He answers me: £800 maximum… That’s a pretty simple job right? !”- For £800 I invite you to do it yourself.- But…. I don’t know how to.- For £800 I’ll teach you how to. So besides saving you £700, you’ll get the knowledge for the next time you want- It seemed right to him and he agreed.- But to get started: you need tools: A floor sander, edging sander, chop saw, jig saw, multitool Respirator, dust extraction equipment etc…- But I don’t have all these equipment and I can’t buy all of these for one job.- Well then for another £300 more I’ll rent my stuff to you so you can do it.- Okay, he says.- Okay! Tuesday I’m waiting for you to start doing this work- But I can’t on Tuesday I only have time today.- I’m sorry, but I’m only available Tuesday to teach you and lend you my stuff. Other days are busy with other customers.- Okay! That means I’m going to have to sacrifice my Tuesday, give up my tasks.- I forgot. To do your job yourself, you also have to pay for the nonproductive factors.- That is? What is this?”- Bureaucratic, tax, vat, security, insurance, fuel etc.- Oh no!… But to accomplish these tasks, I’m going to spend more money and waste a lot of time!- Do you have them? You can do it to me before?”- Okay!- I’ll make you all the material you need. Truck loading is done Monday evening or Tuesday morning you’ll have to come by 6 loading the truck. Don’t forget to be on time to avoid traffic jams and be on time- At 6??? Nope! Too early for me! I used to getting up later….- You know, I’ve been thinking. Y ‘ all better get the job done. I’d rather pay you the £1500. If I had to, it wouldn’t be perfect and it would cost me a lot more.When you pay for a job, especially handcrafted, you pay not only for the material used, but also:- Knowledge- Experience- Study- Tools- Services- Time to go- punctuality- Accountability- Professionalism- Accuracy- Guaranteed- Patents- Sacrifices- Safety and security- Payment of tax obligationsNo one can denigrate other people’s work by judging prices.Only by knowing all the elements necessary for the production of a certain