As you can see in the “Expressive Bloom” and “Deep Sea” images from the Furniture Village Spring Summer ‘16 lookbook, many looks this season have seen a rise to richer shades within the home and a move away from airy summer tones. “Iconic Style” however, utilises an off-white canvas – allowing the beautiful pieces of hand-crafted furniture to become the focal point.

When creating this look, we took inspiration from classic minimalist style and offered it a modern twist with mismatched pieces and opposing colours. Dashes of light grey and matt black, offset with hints of lime green, lend this serene look an upbeat feel and give traditional elements a contemporary update. Here, we talk you through this look and explain how you can recreate it in your own home.

Clean lines

With “Iconic Style” we wanted to focus heavily on the   beautiful craftsmanship of these wooden ercol pieces   and, as you can see, their quality speaks for itself. The polished finish of this look gives a nod to the clean aesthetic of traditional minimalism, but is afforded a more relaxed vibe with the addition of contemporary accents and accessories.

Classic black

People are often a little wary of using black in the home as they believe it will make the space look less open, but touches of black add an air of elegance and help to ground the lighter shades. The addition of black accents will actually serve to give your chosen colour greater impact in the room, especially if incorporated with hints of white too, as the colour will be weighted by both ends of the colour spectrum, and the monochrome provides cool contrast.

Mismatched chic

To keep this look fresh and upbeat, keep the focus scattered with the use of mismatched furniture and contrasting colours. The feel should be minimalist but never bare. Pair a simple, natural wood table with chairs in varying styles and colours. Lime green works beautifully as an accent colour and, as you can see, by choosing just one bright chair, the colour has impact without being overwhelming. Take the same approach when accessorising; pair modern geometric pieces with classic ceramic vases and bowls.

Natural wood

The use of beautiful natural wood is key to this look, and is a prominent feature throughout our current lookbook. Always allow the grain of the wood to show through – from tables and cabinets to sideboards and  chairs, wood is the sole material. A combination of polished and simple unfinished wood, alongside painted, hewn or carved pieces, will add to the contemporary appeal of this look while still retaining a chic and traditional air.