Browse Month: August 2020

Avoiding cliches is the best way to enjoy your Barcelona Chair (II/II)

In our past article, we made reference to the copycat Cliches in interior design trends. Now let’s talk about the practical cliches, and address the terrifying question: Is the Barcelona chair a cliche?. Let’s see.

What are Practical cliches?

We talk of practical cliches, when something that is common advice in decor is followed too tightly, at the cost of losing originality. Examples of these practical cliches are: Matching furniture sets. Sometimes we get obsessed with the search for a perfect match. Just now the trend goes a little bit on the contrary: A dining table can have a couple of chairs (mainly in the tops) with a different design. These chairs don’t have to match wit the dining room, but with some element of the living room, with color for example.

Light paint in small rooms.

Due to the high popularity of Scandinavian and Coastal Living, white tones and closer alike, are frequently abused, and you find houses of a monochromatic white stubbornness that ends being just tedious. Balance is the keyword.

Overly coordinated decor.

Don’t be afraid to break some rules. A person’s belongings have to be around from time to time. It’s the normal thing since you live your life inside your house. Don’t be afraid to leave some magazines. books, musical instruments, or work in progress in your spaces. They mark your personality.

Identical nightstands.

Two people in the same bed have two personalities, and don’t have to necessarily share the same taste for nightstands, right? Well, you can dare to try two different models of nightstands, and see how it looks.


Bedroom furniture is for the bedroom only.

Interior Design is not about rigid rules, is about balance. You can go on “safari” in your own place, and make some experimental changes, like exchange your side-tables in the living room with your nightstand. Have you ever think about it? Maybe it is worth to try.

It’s the Barcelona Chair a cliche?

As we just stated, something turns in a cliche when is used an abused in a repetitive way. The Barcelona Chair, a very popular piece of design furniture is settled in a lot of homes around the world. Some people maybe tend to use it in a repetitive way: Just aside of an Eames Lounge Chair and in front of a Noguchi center table), but, the truth is that a Barcelona Chair has a very classic and flexible style. A Barcelona Chair fits easily in a Coastal Living space, or in a Scandinavian living room.  Creativity and balance are the key factors behind decor.


Don’t be afraid to break some rules, and stay away from cliches. Go to  Manhattan Home Design and discover the Barcelona Chair, one of the trademarks of Interior Design.

Don’t forget to bring your personal taste with your Barcelona Bench

When you decore your room, is important to follow some rules and principles of decor. Declutter is important, and keep the functionality of your decor as originally is made, is important, too; but remember that Interior Design is made for you, and you are the one that sets the rules.

A Barcelona Bench is, exactly a bench. Used to sit and to store some light stuff, its versatility is one of its main features. One of its main recent adaptations is using it as a center table or coffee table.


On the other hand, don’t be so tough on your own declutter. With a Barcelona Bench in the middle of a living room, or at the end of your bed, is not bad to see some magazines or books on it. That is part of your everyday life and bring some identity to your space, something that you won’t see at the cover of a magazine, or a blog.  In the end, you are using your Barcelona Bench to relax and read for a while.

This is something that came from the own users of benches, and the Barcelona Bench users find it useful too. People appreciate seeing some strengths in the features of the benches, like wide surface, the quality and endurance of its leather upholstery, and its portability.  This use is becoming popular.


Using a bench as a coffee table? Maybe. Why don’t you give it a try in your Barcelona Bench?

Avoiding cliches is the best way to enjoy your Barcelona Chair (I/II)

When it comes to decor and Interior Design,  decor enthusiasts are willing to make with its furniture a really good impression.  In this will, people tend to look for safe bets.  A safe bet, in decor, is a furniture arrangement and selection that has proven to be quite popular.

But when something is too popular, and it appears everywhere, it could turn into a cliche. And we don’t want a cliche.  And a terrifying question: Is the Barcelona Chair a cliche? Let’s take a look.

It sounds bad, but: What exactly is a cliche?

A cliche is not a mistake. It’s an overused practice that is considered boring and ultimately bad taste.

A cliche is like an old wasted song. We hear it so many times that we don’t want to listen again for a while because it played so many times on the radio, TV, and all over.  Think about “I Will always love you”, the ethereal song by Whitney Houston. Though, while it is a cliche, and we don’t want to listen to it for a while, one day we’ll want to listen to it again because in the end is a good song. Just not now. Same as music happens with Interior Design. Some trends and some particular room arrangements became so hot and profusely used in the past, that they will not be coming back any time soon. Think about the lava lamps of the 1970s.

Cliches in interior design trends

Cliches have many ways to express. They are not only about a copycat style, but they have to do with decor practices and rules that we tend to take too seriously some times. Let’s take a look.

Copycat Style clichés

We call copycat cliches to the habit of doing furniture arrangements or decor renovations strictly with the classic elements of one style, without any improvement or addition of our own personality or style. 

Scandinavian cliches

For example, in Scandinavian style, the preference for all-white, clear, profusely lightened, pristine bedrooms is a little bit overused. If you decorate your room only with whites, white sheets, and a bed of a pale wood head top, your room will be maybe peaceful, but it maybe will lack some personal touch, too. An all-clear white bedroom was something immensely popular at the beginnings of the 2000s, but 20 years later, don’t you think there should be some improvements or additions that make us think that time just doesn’t only pass away?.

Mid Century Modern clichés

The same may happen with Mid Century Modern. That executive living room,  full of leather and wood textures,  with the arch famous Eames Lounge Chair at the end of the room,  and the dark wood panels in the wall, plus the Arco Lamp in that corner, is something a little bit overused, too.  How many magazines display an image like that?

Remember you should try to give your space a touch of authenticity, and not lo look as a magazine, or even a set of the TV series Mad Men or Frasier. Your house is not a TV set, and while we certainly use its rich reservoir to find inspiration, it’s true that an authentic successful space has personalty a sense of your own.

Find your personal story, and make it counts in your space with your details: A photograph, a paint made by yourself, a musical instrument, there are so many possibilities to make your Barcelona Chair shines as personal journeys are in your own house.

In our next article, we’ll talk about practical cliches. Don’t be afraid to break some rules, and stay away from cliches. Go to  Manhattan Home Design and discover the Barcelona Chair, one of the trademarks of Interior Design.

Going on Safari, with your Barcelona Bench

Sometimes, people tend to be too tight about decor rules and lose sense of fun and adventure.

Decor is not about tight rules, is about balance, and that means that you can break some rules from time to time.


Usually, when you buy furniture, it is labeled according to the room where you plan to keep it. A  bedroom nightstand set is supposed to be in your bedroom and nothing else. But does it really has to be that way?

Go on safari

Go “out there” of your room, and get some pray to take home. Maybe your living room sofa will look nice with that nightstand that happens to be quietly in your bedroom.  Why don’t you give a try?

Versatility in your place

Or you can do otherwise, and find that your Barcelona Bench, elegant and useful in your living room, will fit perfectly in your bedroom at the end of your bed.
This is something that you usually expect from your Barcelona Bench: Versatility. It fits perfect in your living room and your bedroom, not to mention in your lounge space or even outdoors. 

Not many solutions of this type have that versatility while keeping beauty and elegance.


If you want to know more about the Barcelona Bench, go to Manhattan Home Designs, the best place for replicas in Mid Century  Modern style.

Sofas 2020 Trends | The Barcelona Sofa & More Modern Options!

Sofas are known as the most relevant and functional furniture in the living room.

This is where you spend a lot of time watching your favorite TV show or talking to family and guests. So acquiring this important component of your interior design requires a lot of dedication and research.

What I mean is that you are not only looking for a regular sofa, but you are looking for something functional, comfortable to sit on, and last but not least, something that will suit your current space.

Today we are going to share with you a couple of 2020 trends in sofas starting with our favorite mid-century modern model: the Barcelona sofa.

Barcelona sofa – Modern style

SOurce: Barcelona Designs
Barcelona Sofa and Barcelona Chairs

The Barcelona sofa features individual panels of hand-cut, hemmed and tufted Italian leather, all on a reliable base of polished stainless steel. If you like modern looks and materials like steel, choose this sofa and you won’t regret it!

Plus! The leather colors of the Barcelona sofa combine with any decoration you have.

Next, we have the Burrow Sofa

It offers you a classic style and more space to sit. So if you have a big family and you like to get a lot of guesses, this may be the perfect model for you. Plus! It is resistant and customizable.

Our final model: the Floyd sofa

This is definitely one of the top sofas in the 2020s, it has beautiful wood accents and provides a really comfortable cushion.

A Barcelona Table & More Elements You Can Add to Your Living Room

The living room is one of the most important rooms that a house can have, they are created to receive guests; such as family and friends, having reunions, watching movies, and more activities that require a couple of persons.

Before adding anything to it you should be aware of the design and color palette you have. Today we’re going to show you what kind of elements besides the Barcelona table you can add to make your living room a relaxing and harmonious place.

Barcelona Table

What’s a living room without a table? A coffee table like the Barcelona table will serve you to hold your guest’s drinks, remote controllers, magazines, snacks, and having any classic accessorize.

Plants

A plant brings an organic look to any room, it can be used as a focal point in any empty or visually unattractive space.

Paintings

A way to add art and personality to a room, paintings are a designer’s favorite choice for decorating walls. They can contain landscapes, abstract shapes and even fruits, what you should take into account when choosing it is that the colors of the painting include those of the palettes that you have chosen

Color, Size, and Style in trend, by the Barcelona Loveseat

Trends in color

Blue, purple, orange, are some of the notes that bold consumers are taking home to make joyful, creative places to share with friends. We are living the colorful era of Loveseats, though the classic leather presentation has its niche.

Trends in Sizes

Due to the progressive trend of buying smaller homes for individuals or small families, is natural to observe a demand for smaller sofas, or for loveseats instead of sofas. Certainly, in a reduced space, is better to observe the golden rule of enough space to walk around the furniture with ease (As many designers set between 3.5′ and 10′). So, the trend is to observe loveseats or sofas of medium size, like the Barcelona Loveseat .

Trends in Style

Combined with Coastal Living or Scandinavian,  its a trend for more than two decades, Mid Century Modern continues to be the favorite style when it comes to furniture. Its clean-cut designs and elegant lines combined with a wood frame are still very popular, only with variations of color and experimental materials. 

Is the Barcelona Loveseat fashionable?

The Barcelona Loveseat meet many of the expectations of the current demand: Elegant, sleek, with its classic furniture upholstery. The Barcelona Loveseat, part of the Barcelona Collection, is your choice for timeless pieces adapted at the modern constraints of these dynamic times.

Easy to play with it in the layout and with the charm of the classics, is more than a safe bet, a winner option.   

 If you want to experience the beauty and functionality of Barcelona Loveseat, don’t miss the opportunity and go to Manhattan Home Design, the best Online store in the replica’s market, where you can get a piece of design of high quality at really affordable prices.

Barcelona Ottoman: 5 Doubts You Normally Have Before Buying It

First of all, what is an ottoman? – “An ottoman is a form of couch that usually has a head but no back, although sometimes it has neither”. They usually came in square or semicircular forms, and always follow an only rule: the wood it’s covered by a fabric lining.

BArcelona Designs
The Barcelona Ottoman is part of the Barcelona Collection

Now that we’ve defined what an ottoman is, let’s delve into the iconic model featured in this article: the Barcelona ottoman. We list some of the common doubts that everyone could have when purchasing one of these pieces. Take a look at some of them:

Is Barcelona Ottoman Comfortable?

The answer is yes! This is due to its high-quality construction; Its cushion has 18 Individual panels which are cut, welted, and tufted by hand with leather buttons from a single cowhide. If you want to know more about its construction take a look at more features of Barcelona Ottoman!

Is the Barcelona Ottoman replica worth it?

If you’re out of budget a replica is the solution for you, websites like Manhattan Home Design has pretty reliable replicas of different famous brands. If you decide to buy a replica take a look at factors like materials and finishes.

Which dimension does the Barcelona Ottoman have?

They’re small but enough to decorate any living room, office, or room. These are its dimensions:

Weight: 37lbs

Height: 17″

Width: 23″

Depth: 25″

Seat Width: 24″

Seat Height: 15.75″

Which colors of the Barcelona Ottoman exists?

It can come in different colors such as black, white, brown, and tan.

Comment below which color is your favorite!

Are you becoming what they call an “Adult”? Renew your place with a Barcelona Chair

If you are entering in your adult life, leaving your college days and the freshman years behind,  it’s time to consider to establish your self as all a grown-up. One of the definitive steps in life that take us to consider that we are in a whole new chapter in life is when we see ourselves in the need of buying furniture.

When going to college, or at the moment to moving to a new city, after getting contracted in first major work, a lot of changes coming to your life in each stage. When you buy furniture, you are assuming that you will be established for a medium – long term in one place for you or your family. So you have to think about it a while. It can’t be an impulsive thought. 

While it’s true that you will have to take some basic actions to guarantee that you get the furniture you are looking for is the right one for you, there are some decisions in your life that will reflect too that “change of skin”.

You can’t have again an empty living room. You will need to replace these paper posters of your favorite R&B star;  you will need to learn about plants, and how to maintenance them. And it’s necessary to get those weights and dumbbells out of your bedroom.

Ok, where to start? I never did these before.


First of all, you have to know what do you like the most so you can search for something with focus. Dispersion is fatal in Interior Design. Go to look for what digs you the most: Take a look at some blogs, magazines, TV shows. Some styles will catch your attention. With this, you will see a lot of related furniture.

Pretty major trends.

If you feel like you still haven’t made your mind, you can guide considering the major trends that nowadays are dominating the interior design. These trends are the most popular not without a reason. Somehow they reflect principles and values appreciated for most of the users. The most influential styles in Interior Design right now are, among others, Mid Century Modern; Coastal Living; Scandinavian; Traditional and Country.

Coastal Living expanded nationwide a couple of years ago; and its related to the elements of the coast and sea way of life: Blue colors, white sand, sailor and fishing decor, and with emphasis on natural materials.

But even in the emergency of main trends in the market of Interior Design, Mid Century Modern is still alive and in very good health. Mid Century Modern still stands for the favor of the majority of American states. In fact, there is a curious association between enthusiasts of Coastal Living and Mid Century Modern. In this association, when many people intended to label its favorite Style, they often named it “Mid Century Modern”, when they really referred to “Coastal Living”. This is due to certain alike elements that are common for both styles, like a minimalist approach. 


Today, the Scandinavian style is associated mainly to Ikea, the hugely popular Finnish furniture, but Scandi, how is it acknowledged this trend worldwide too, was born way long before and it has strong roots. As an inheritance of the pioneer movements of the beginnings of the XX Century, the Scandinavian Style fully emerged as a national answer of Danish, Norwegian, and Sweden artists and architects to the fading Romanticism. 

The Barcelona Chair, a star in every trend.

Your Barcelona Chair works very well in any of these trends, and that’s proof of how versatile is this piece of design. It’s sleeker design, and its iconic silhouette makes the Barcelona Chair light and elegant enough to fit in a coastal living fresh display, dressed of white; in a Mid Century Modern floor, as a center of an elegant and sober living room; and in one peaceful Scandinavian place, with a Barcelona Chair as an excellent accent chair.

Manhattan Home Design is one of the best alternatives in online furniture stores. It has entire design lines of high end, high-quality products, like the Barcelona Chair, or the Barcelona Bench.


The Arco Lamp Is a Helpful Element To Improve Your Dark Colors Scheme

Any interior designer or professional decorator who is a lover of Mid-Century Modern style knows the great contribution that a piece as luminous as the Arco lamp can make in an environment of dark colors. Dark tones have their very own particular charm; that’s an undeniable reality that many people are very clear about and that’s evident in other decorative styles such as Gothic or Glam, which even can make the most of tones as serious as black and make them shine in all the splendor of their elegance and sobriety. A good interior designer or decorator will be able to bring out the best in a really dark shade and use it strategically in keeping with the characteristics of the environment, such as lighting, proportions, color palette, and the chosen decorative style. 

However, mistakenly choosing these types of colors to use within certain environments can become a real headache if used as a base shade, especially when applied to walls and floors. A black wall can easily go from elegant to sad if this nuance is not used in the right way.

Originality is always the main weapon that can save us in this chromatic task. It’s not always a simple matter, but it’s important to know well what you want to achieve before making any type of investment or taking the first step forward. The key is in the focus and the handling of the details to achieve an exceptional result. If you are considering including one special design to improve the chromatic balance and light, remember that an Arco lamp replica is more affordable than the original piece.

Add an Arco lamp reproduction from Manhattan Home Design to your dark colors scheme, and you’ll be saving a considerable amount of money in the process of improving your indoor lighting.