If you’ve been looking to add a drinks trolley to your living room but were unable to justify the expense, you need to add the new Primark bar cart to your shopping list this week.
The latest version of Primark bar cart is currently available in stores, and a dupe for one of our favourite Very bar carts, but £80 cheaper.
No longer just a luxury, bar carts have become an essential part of many living room ideas. If you are in the market for a new drinks trolley both the Primark and the Very version are brilliant options. Especially with the holiday season around the corner.
Primark drinks trolley
Image credit: Primark
This Primark bar cart looks very similar to the Very bar cart with its Art Deco style and oval shape. It features two shelves for bottles and glasses, and castors so it can be wheeled around easily.
We also like its smoky glass colour, which mixed with the gold-look frame makes a luxurious combo. Plus, if you look closely, you’ll see a built-in rack under the tabletop, a smart living room storage idea for your best wine glasses.
However, where this cart truly wins us over is the £40 price tag – pretty and affordable you say?! That’s a whopping £89 less than the Very version, however, there are some other differences between the two carts.
Very drinks trolley
Image credit: Very
Very’s stunning Aruba drinks trolley is just as much a statement-making. The extra price tag offers a more luxe and glossy finish, with two rails under the glass to hang your drinks glasses.
It doesn’t have the perk of being on castors either so it can be moved around, however, that isn’t a bad thing if you’re looking for a sturdy drinks station.
Aruba drinks trolley, was £199, now £129, Very.co.uk
The Very design features a clear glass top shelf and mirrored bottom shelf to add to the sparkling art deco effect. On the plus side, the trolley is all currently on sale with £70 off, and delivery before Christmas is guaranteed.
So, if you’re going to be doing some hosting over the winter months, now’s the time to invest in a trolley to keep your favourite tipples to hand.
To get your hands on the Primark version you will need to go in-store, but you should be able to find it in one of the following stores; London Oxford Street; Manchester Market Street; Birmingham High Street; Liverpool; Newcastle; Bristol; Coventry and Glasgow Argyle St.
However, call ahead to avoid disappointment, and be quick! We predict the new Primark bar cart will disappear faster than a gin and tonic on a Friday afternoon.
Last year’s Primark bar cart
Last year’s £35 bar cart is still available to purchase in-store. It features a gorgeous gold design that wouldn’t look out of place at a Great Gatsby party.
The two mirrored shelves are the perfect place to store your favourite drinks and tipples and stir/shake up a few martinis. While a new glass rack provides the ideal place to hang your most stylish glassware.
With built-in wheels and lovely gold handles, this cart can easily be wheeled over to your guests when cocktail hour hits. However, we can guarantee this bar cart will elicit more compliments than your cocktail-making skills.
The minute this house-hunter stepped through the door of her new rental property, it was love at first sight. The numerous period features really appealed; the wooden floors, the hallway tiles, the big bathroom with roll top bath and the chrome fireplace, and though the kitchen was small, the rest of the house was spacious rooms so it was a real find.
‘In general I don’t think it’s so easy to find a rental property of this quality. You normally have to be willing to compromise,’ she says, ‘So I was fortunate, as these houses usually come up to buy rather than rent.’
This dream rental home offers a neutral look for timeless appeal.
Living Room
Photography: Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
The landlord got the carpets cleaned in advance, and although the decor was in fairly good condition, the walls needed a spruce up, and he agreed that our renter could decorate straight away – leading to the grey living room idea.
‘I started with the living room and decided to paint the walls grey, though this shade is slightly cooler that I expected, but I couldn’t go and look at any colours as the shops were closed, so I just had to look online and hope for the best.’
The white paintwork had turned a yellowy colour and was chipped, but she had some leftover masonry paint from works outside, which she used in the living room to refresh the woodwork. ‘I thought, if it’s good enough for outside it must be hard wearing enough for indoors, and I like the modern look of the matt finish.’
Kitchen
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
One of the non-negotiables when looking for her rental was that the kitchen and bathroom were a blank canvas. So no green baths or brightly coloured mosaic tiles, as wall colours can be changed but kitchen cabinets or fixed furniture can’t be.
Luckily the kitchen was a simple, all-white design, which could be simply refreshed with a fresh coat of paint. ‘I stuck white self-adhesive vinyl on the inside glass of the wall cabinets to make them look a bit tidier.’
‘There’s loads of hidden kitchen storage for my pots and pans behind this roll top door. Changing the handles, which came from Amazon, from stainless steel to gold has added a touch of luxury.’
Dining
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
Over the summer the dining room was tackled. First the black and coffee coloured walls were painted white and the fireplace was white-washed. ‘It had been a bright red brick colour which I wanted to tone down and make more rustic looking.’
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
Even with the sofa against the wall, the space looked quite bare so a DIY wall panelling idea was added. ‘To be honest I winged it; we were at B&Q and I asked them to cut some MDF for me.’
‘I hadn’t measured it for size so when we got it home it was too long. We re-cut it and simply used gorilla glue and a nails to fix it to the wall.’
Dining
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
A traditional painted dresser in the dining area make for great hidden storage as well as for display items.
Our renter recommend keeping your eye on local selling sites, especially if want a particular piece of furniture, as that’s often where you’ll often find good deals. ‘I picked up the table for £20, and then complimented it with Tolix-style chairs for only £25 each from ebay.’
Bedroom
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
Our renter loves to mix beige and greys with lots of texture as it makes a neutral bedroom colour scheme more interesting. These tables were a Facebook market place bargain; £20 for both. The wall decoration is simply pampas grass glued to a plastic hoop.
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
The wardrobe panels were originally green glass, so they were painted using a primer first and then a white eggshell finish was painted on top. The Bentwood chair, found in a charity shop was sanded and waxed.
Bathroom
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
The only thing the bathroom required was to paint the floor, which needs doing regularly to keep it looking clean and fresh. ‘It’s such a treat having a roll-top bath and it’s an unusual but luxurious feature to have in a rental. The grey rug is from H&M and works perfectly as a bathmat.
Guest Bedroom
Photography Katie Jane Watson/Future PLC
For the guest bedroom a colour blocking bedroom paint idea was used. ‘People make it look really easy but I just couldn’t get the lines straight. I put the tape on and used a spirit level but then realised the walls weren’t straight, so eventually I did it by eye.
Being in one place for seven years is a long time for renting, and people ask me why I spend money decorating someone else’s house, but it’s a source of pride for me as well as a hobby, and it’s important to make where I live feel like my home. In truth, other than paint, I try not to spend a lot of money on things I can’t take with me when I leave!’
Follow the latest living room trends to give living rooms a refresh for the year ahead. Decor trends offer all the inspiration needed to rethink your home, whether that’s redefining the entire space with on-trend paint shades and investing in this season’s so-now bouclé sofas, or simply upgrading soft furnishings with the latest looks.
Discover the top living room trends for 2022
The emerging new trends for living room ideas in 2022 have something for everyone. You can choose the tranquil, relaxing back-to-nature looks that see you incorporating earthy colours and succulents or get creative with the maximalist vibe, from multicoloured rugs to mix-and-match soft furnishings.
Whatever trend you choose, you can’t go wrong because it’s all about self expression and making the most of the space to create your own version of a happy home.
1. Zoning areas for work, rest and play
Image credit: Dunelm
Our homes have never had to work harder than in recent years, especially living rooms – becoming home offices, home schooling hubs and an entertaining space. As a result the emerging trend of zoning is set to be an ongoing way of making sure our living rooms perfectly suit our multifaceted lifestyles.
Whether a single or open-plan area the use of thoughtful zoning allows homeowners to create divisions and individual spaces to cater for work, rest and play. Methods like non-permanent room dividers, well-placed rugs and furniture layouts can help to provide separation without entirely enclosing dedicated spaces.
2. Calming Japandi interiors
Image credit: Future PLC/ Damian Russell
Japandi is an east-meets-west trend that combines relaxing, minimalist décor with a neutral palette and natural materials to create a restful retreat for our living spaces.
‘Japandi’s calming interior style encourages slow living,’ Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture And Choice. ‘With a huge shift in lifestyles, many of us have been looking for ways to lead a more balanced life.’
‘One of the aspects of Japandi interiors is to reconnect with nature to boost our overall wellbeing. Channel this in the dining room with an oak dining table, linen tablecloth, earthen tableware and wooden cutlery. Touches of greenery complete the look.’
3. Blurring the lines between outside and in
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Welcoming the outside in is one trend that is going from strength to strength for 2022. Dressing our homes with house plant ideas proves as popular as ever as homeowners strive to create a sense of calm for indoor living spaces, by being surrounded by nature.
‘We’ll see the continuation of bringing the outdoors in, especially as we spend more time at home,’ shares Nina Findly at Homebase. ‘Expect our rooms to be full of succulents which are easy to care for, and larger leafy plants which add a sense of escapism, calm and relaxation to our living rooms.’
You might want to add some gardening shows to your TV programming, to help nurture your green thumb.
4. Blue sky thinking
Image credit: Dulux
The Dulux colour of the year is a fail-safe way of determining the colour trends for the year ahead. For 2022 the colour is inspired by blue skies; ‘Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas. What better inspiration can we take than the endless skies around us?’ says Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK.
‘Whereas previously, neutral tones have been the most popular for living rooms, soft and versatile shades such as rose pink and sky blue have seen a surge in popularity for the coming season,’ explains Helen Shaw, director of Benjamin Moore UK. ‘Blue works perfectly in busy spaces where you look to form a sense of tranquility, such as a chaotic family living room idea.
‘Blue is one of the colours that require our eyes to do little-to-no adjusting, which will help to create a feeling of restfulness and harmony in the home. Not only does the shade bring a sense of calm, but it is also vibrant, injecting more life and energy into a space than a more traditional neutral tone.’
Rightly so living room lighting ideas are being more considered for transforming the decor, without the need for decorating at all.
‘Extended time at home has opened our eyes to the impact different styles of lighting have on our spaces’ explains Kate Grant, Senior Lighting Buyer at Habitat. ‘We’re now seeing much more adventurous shopping in this area as people explore designs beyond pendants and table lamps.’
‘Sales of sconce lights have increased by over 40% since the start of September, and this surprisingly isn’t limited to home owners. There’s high demand for plug-in options that attach to walls and even clamp lighting for headboards, as renters look to create atmospheric looks without the hassle of rewiring.’
‘In a move away from purely functional designs, customers are increasingly opting for lamps which operate as stylish objets even when switched off’ says Anna Cross, Buying Manager for Habitat. ‘Bold, sculptural styles are an easy way to instantly elevate living spaces through an injection of personality. Pair two lamps together to frame larger pieces of furniture such as sofas.’
6. Coordinating colour
Image credit: The Radiator Company; Ancona Radiator, colour coordinated to Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal
The trend for coordinating colour is a great way to make everything in our homes feel more stylish. Take radiators for instance, an essential item but often not one we consider to be part of the decor. This emerging trend sees radiators become more inclusive in the decor, by matching the wall colour.
Rather than radiators standing out for all the wrong reasons, because they jar with living room colour schemes, this new trend makes them part of the colour scheme. The Radiator Company for instance can take your chosen paint colour and expertly create a power coated finish to colour coordinate with the paint throughout your home.
7. Factoring in on-trend vinyl flooring
Image credit: Carpetright
You’ve probably considered vinyl for your kitchen or dining room, but possibly not your living room flooring idea? It’s time to think again as this easy-to-maintain material is having a resurgence. Pair it with a neutral scheme to create a so-now raw look.
‘Designing a white or neutral scheme doesn’t mean you have to decorate rooms without flair and personality,’ says David Snazel, Carpetright buyer, hard flooring.
‘Start with a simple plain base, on walls and floors. Layer in a variety of textures, shapes and materials like on-trend jute and rattan – to add interest and keep the room from looking too stark. Opt for easy to clean flooring, such as vinyl and laminate, to ensure it remains immaculate for years to come.’
8. Grounding colours
Image credit: Future PLC
Earthy neutral tones are still a prominent paint trend for living rooms in 2022. Freshen up your lounge and build a tranquil, fuss-free scheme with a clean, nude palette – creating a calming place to spend quality time.
Natural textures such as rattan and woven jute, plus earthy pigments such as terracotta and sand will all be popular as we aim to create natural, grounding environments where we can truly disconnect from our busy lives.
9. Rich coloured velvets
Image credit: Future PLC/ Max Attenborough
Opulent Grandeur will continue to prove popular, ‘But it’s now moving towards opulent lighting and occasional furniture, and velvet remains a key fabric choice,’ explains Nina Findley, Director of Trading for Home at Homebase.
‘In upholstery, greys and blush are still popular along with rich navy blues and emerald colours. ‘Investing in a velvet sofa is a great way to get the look. However, if you’re not ready to take that plunge, opting for a velvet cocktail chair or glamorous lighting fixture will offer affordable updates to your living room.
‘Hard flooring continues to remain popular in homes across the country,’ shares David Snazel, Buyer at Carpetright. That means that making a statement will continue to be left the rugs and runners.
‘Layering the two materials injects an additional level of comfort under foot whilst providing a way to introduce colour into the room and delineate spaces; particularly in open plan rooms. Consider big and bold prints with large scale pattern and bright colourways to create a focal point in the room,’ David advises for styling this trend in your home.
11. Invigorating greens
Image credit: Little Greene
Green living room ideas are more popular than ever. ‘Green is the true colour of nature, it is one that we associate with the tranquillity of the outdoors – making it an ideal hue for relaxing areas of the home,’ says Ruth Mottershead, marketing director at Little Greene.
‘For a restful living space, consider using green on all walls for a cosy, wrap-around feel. Sumptuous jewel tones like Jewel Beetle and Puck bring warmth and impact to a room and are complimented with furniture painted in rich tones like Chocolate Colour.’
12. Escape to the country with a modern twist
Image credit: Sofa.com
‘Modern country is a strong trend we have been seeing throughout 2021 and we expect it to continue well into next year,’ comments Claire Wilks, Designer at sofa.com.‘Our customers crave the touch of outdoor, country living and we wanted to design pieces that would be a mix of country styling but with a modern flair.’
‘Cue our new Patrick unbuttoned, stripping away the traditional tufting, we wanted a refined silhouette. It’s the Chesterfield sofa of the 21st century, perfect for those looking for a traditional design but finished differently, with a contemporary take.
13. Express yourself with classic florals
Image credit: Farrow and Ball
Classic florals are staging a comeback for living room wallpaper ideas. However, it is just sticking to the walls, it it covering the ceiling too.
‘Small and somewhat traditional floral patterns like the classic Jasmine connect us back to nature and make us feel protected. Especially when taken over the ceiling,’ explains Joe Studholme, Farrow & Ball colour curator. ‘For the more contemporary living room, Amime wallpaper with its organic weave is a perfect choice, especially when teamed with darker woodwork.’
14. Add texture with Bouclé
Image credit: Heals
The trend for this nubby textile took off in 2020, and shows no signs of stopping. Embrace this fabric and opt for a bouclé statement piece like a sofa, or tip your toe in the trend with a textured cushion.
‘Contrast is important when adding this soft fabric to your space,’ explains Emily Dunstan, Home Accessories Buyer for Heal’s. ‘A plain, no-frills wood table will also help balance out the glam vibes these sofas can introduce. Dark paint colors will also make ivory bouclé material really pop.’
15. Multi-functional space
Image credit: IKEA
Multi-functional is the watch word for living rooms in the new normal. Now that our homes are doubling up as offices, gyms and pop-up bars, clever storage ideas are a must. An ottoman living room storage idea will provide space to store gym equipment, or office supplies. While a fold down desk will allow smaller spaces to be transformed into home offices with minimal disruption.
‘People will be looking for versatile pieces of furniture and flexible storage units that work across the home, creating seamless clever combinations for a range of needs and solutions,’ explains Rosheen Forbes Commercial Activity & Events Leader at IKEA UK & Ireland. ‘These functional, beautiful and personal solutions also create a sense of calm, which is particularly important at the moment when we’re spending more time indoors.’
16. Shine a spotlight on natural linens
Image credit: Habitat
‘Over the last few seasons bright velvets have dominated sales of upholstery at Habitat, however in the last few months we’ve seen an emerging trend for linen-finish sofas. These are rapidly increasing in popularity and topping our bestsellers lists,’ explains Laura Burnett, Junior Buyer for Upholstery at Habitat.
‘Giving a more relaxed, informal feel, linens in more neutral colours (natural, grey, stonewash) are having a moment. With customers focusing on using calming materials in the home, looking at more oversized sofas such as our Askem design that tap into the current ‘cocoon’ trend in upholstery with generous cushioning to emphasise relaxation and escapism from the outside world.’
17. Mix and match maximalism
Image credit: John Lewis & Partners
‘Individuality will remain at the forefront of design,’ says Philippa Prinsloo, partner and head of design, Home at John Lewis & Partners.
‘As interior enthusiasts look for ways to breathe new life into their rooms, without a complete overhaul, carefully selected mix and match accessories will offer the opportunity to have a little fun and inject personality.’ A vibrant living room colour scheme is key for this trend.
‘In addition beautiful and affordable timeless pieces, that consider material and shape, will be popular as shoppers balance value and provenance with style and design.’
18. Braving bold colours
Image credit: Zoffany
‘We’ve all began to decorate with more confidence,’ says Peter Gomez, Lead Designer at Zoffany. ‘We’ve become braver with darker hues and are not afraid of making a brighter statement, either. There seems to be a more sophisticated way of using related tones to create a layered and sophisticated interior. Whether that’s through painting ceilings or decorating all four walls the same colour.’
He goes on to say, ‘Try a rich, on-trend deep green like Zoffany’s Huntsman Green. Which perfectly represents the connection with nature trend that’s so on-point right now.’
So there you have it, all the trends to inspire your living room decorating projects for the year ahead.
Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Supernova” by Craig Bill. Location: Arches National Park, Utah.
“Arches National Park, by many accounts, is my favorite natural area,” explains Bill. “It contains a collection of over 2,000 of the greatest natural sandstone arches in the world—not to mention other countless fascinating geologic formations. Colossal stone fins, massive balanced rocks, soaring pinnacles and spires all tower above your head. The rock in this area was deposited as sediment in a Jurassic sea, which in the time of the dinosaurs was a northern tropical forest that extended almost entirely through the Colorado Plateau.
“‘Supernova’ was captured in The Garden of Eden area. Although the arches are a popular formation, this part of the park features bizarre formations that sends your creativity into overdrive. For this image, I waited until the moon was just barely breaking around the rock edge. Using a ‘starburst’ lens, I began shooting exposure after exposure until I got just the right one. It’s amazing how fast the moon and stars move, as I had to move the tripod and camera every couple of seconds to line the moon back up on the rock. Too much moon and the image blasted out in a washed-out exposure. The bright star to the upper right of the moon is Jupiter. The more accurate title to this image would be ‘Superluna’.”
Want to get your images in the running for a Photo of the Day feature? Photo of the Day is chosen from various galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
