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All Posts By Sam Allcock

Food & Drink Travel

A foodie trip around Europe? Sign me up!

By Posted on 4 m read

The start of 2020 has seen a slew of culinary delights trending across the UK, from Gregg’s vegan steak bake to KFC’s vegan burger to Subway’s Meatless Marinara (we’re picking up a trend here). If you’re someone who loves their food and is currently thinking of where to go on their city breaks this year, prepare to get your taste buds tickled.

I’ve compiled a few locales around Europe you should definitely think about visiting this year, from the lofty height of Paris to the actual heights of the Scottish Highlands.

Paris

Baguettes in the morning. Champagne in the evening.

It’s not the ideal diet to swear by, but when you’re in Paris, you can’t not treat yourself to some of the most exquisite food going. Even better than that, Paris has a thriving street food scene that will see you hop around town without ever having set foot in a fancy restaurant.

Right now Parisians are going crazy for new takes on sandwiches (the Pastrami sandwich at Frenchie to Go is an Instagram favourite), California style tacos and Dosas. Hotspots to look up and save on your phone include CUT on Rue Saint-Bernard, Bep Viatnemese and Baranaan.

Travel Tip: hotels near the likes the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower can be stupidly dear, so look for hotels in La Defense or Saint-Denis where you can get in and out of town in around 20 minutes without paying too much on a room.

Belfast

You don’t have to fly too far for a taste of Europe. Belfast is a foodie haven that not many people would think to consider, especially if you go on a weekend trip.

St. George’s Market attracts thousands of visitors every weekend who are looking for any and every kind of local delicacy under the sun. You can skip the hotel breakfast and go for the legendary Belfast Bap with bacon and potato bread or try local sweet treats like 15s. Oh, and make sure to leave room for a Cubano from the Cuban Sandwich Man. The tiny family stall became so popular that they’ve opened two locations in the city centre.

A pint of  Guinness andoysters is also on the cards if you book a place in the Belfast Oyster Experience; an intimate tasting session that takes place above Kelly’s Cellars, one of the city’s most legendary pubs. Obviously, Saturday in Belfast means all the pubs will be busy, so you’ll be able to have “good craic” no matter where you end up.

Travel Tip: While Saturdays are buzzing, Belfast trading hours are limited on Sundays, with most places not opening until 1 pm, so plan accordingly.

Moray

Another staycation foodie spot that you might have to take a few seconds to pinpoint on the map, Moray is home to something that kitchens across the country have tucked away in their cupboards; Baxter’s Soup.

Now suggesting someone goes to a soup factory might be one the weirdest thing you’ll read this week, but there’s a good reason to go. The company has turned the factory into a mini-village that is full of shops and little attractions. It is a bit odd to be standing in a thatched style shop selling nothing but soup, but it’s one of those unique things that you’d only find in the Highlands.

Also, you have to go there on a weekend morning. Locals flock to it for breakfast, and the restaurant there has a reputation for its pancakes. Weekend brunch usually involves a little stack of pancakes, but not here. They make giant pancakes (think the size of a pizza) and you only get one that covers the entire plate, along with a selection of the jams they make. It’s baffling why they do this way, but it’s oh so tasty and you’ll never think of pancakes the same way again.

Frankfurt

Love it when you have currywurst or a big bratwurst at the Christmas market? Then why not have one whenever you like in Frankfurt. Skip trendy Berlin and get a real taste of Germany from the city that has an area aptly named the Fressgass, which roughly translates to “munching alley”.

You’ll want to visit Oosten on a Saturday morning for brunch with a view, while Kleinmarkethalle is the best place to be in the afternoon to sample local food and try your luck at a seat on the wine terrace. Also, pretty much anytime you see Flammkuchen on a menu you have to get it. It’s a very thin pizza, usually rectangular, that has a cream-based instead of tomato and sauteed onion; think quiche pizza.

Travel Tip: When staying here, look for serviced accommodation in Frankfurt rather than hotels as they tend to be cheaper.

Want to tickle your taste buds some more?

Read all the food and drink articles from the site right here.

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Lifestyle

How to Tackle the January Blues

By Posted on 2 m read

Christmas is behind us and we’re now into another year, another decade. January is known for being a long month; it’s a while until payday and the days are still too short.

But there are lots of ways to combat the January blues. If you want to find the silver lining, here are some ideas to help you.

Go outside

It can be easy to go into hibernation mode when the weather is cold and the days are dark but getting some fresh air can do the world of good. While we can’t all afford to hit the slopes, we can go for a walk around the office at lunchtime or head to the local park during the weekend, allowing the endorphins to kick in.

Plan a holiday

Now is the perfect time to plan your big summer getaway. Whether you just map out some ideas in your head or grab a bargain on your next mini break, knowing that you could be escaping to warmer climes is a great way to lift your spirits and give you something special to look forward to.

Dress up

You don’t have to splash out to feel good. Take a look in your wardrobe to find the outfits that make you happy. Sorting through what you have is not only a great way to give your wardrobe an early spring clean, it also gives you the opportunity to find forgotten gems that you can wear out over the weekend or even to work.

Treat yourself

There are plenty of offers to enjoy at this time of the year. Dig out your card holder and hit the sales to see if you can get a good deal on the things that you liked the look of before Christmas. Even if it’s only something small, a spot of retail therapy can be the ideal distraction.

Ditch the resolutions

Making resolutions can be a good idea, but if you feel like you’re making them out of habit only to feel bad when you break them, it could be time to leave them behind for good. Instead of beating yourself up for not sticking to the resolution, set aside some self-care goals that give you the chance to look after yourself.

For example, rather than trying to give up chocolate, why not run yourself a bath as a treat? Or, instead of joining the gym even though you don’t want to go, try something small that you enjoy, such as a walk to the shop or taking up a dance class.

 

Do you have any top tips for tackling the January blues? What will you try to take your mind off things?

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Food & Drink

Roof East looks set to be the ultimate festive hangout this Christmas

By Posted on 3 m read

Christmas is almost upon us, the time to kick back and get exceedingly merry with all your best mates as you let the festivities commence. This year, as well as looking forward to santa sliding down your chimney and seeing your family get more drunk than usual, the guys at Stratford’s Roof East are ready to take your Christmas to the next level. 

The sprawling urban space set up on a former rooftop carpark, with incredible skyline views of the city, is going all out this year to make your festive season the best one yet. 

Roof East is a rooftop bar, that much you should be happy about. But it’s so, so much more besides. How many bars do you know where you can partake in Curling, VR Foosball and Crazy Golf? None, is the answer. Except here.

Roof East have laid out a veritable spread of action across December for you to enjoy, much of it completely freaking free! What pray tell do they have in store?

Well, those with an eye for detail can enjoy the free art classes they’re putting on, where you can try your hand at being the next Picasso, as Santa Claus poses for you as you aim to recreate the spirit of Christmas on paper. 

You can also learn how to craft your very own custom-made stockings with London Craft Club, or get a free caricature drawn of yourself in just five minutes flat by the renowned Luisa Calvo. And no festive drink with your mates would be complete without a pub quiz to get your mind working overdrive as you attempt to see beyond the haze from all the mulled wine you’ve drank. 

Those who are currently single but have bagged themselves a hot date could find this the perfect venue to kindle those flames, as Roof East was recently featured on the Channel 4 show dating show Flirty Dancing, which shows they know a thing or two about matchmaking. Impress them at the pub quiz, or get straight down to it with some mulled wine to warm your cockles and some hot chocolates, hot buttered rum and hot berry punch to tempt your taste buds.

If you want to forgo the romance and show the world how good you are at everything, then those of a competitive nature will be glad to know Roof East caters for you too. Sliders Curling, VR Foosball, Birdies Crazy Golf and a whole host of new ‘90s arcade games such as Pac-Man, Street Fighter II and Space Invaders, will keep you fully entertained for hours, all courtesy of the fine folks at the SFG Club.

 

If you’ve got a shedload of mates, or work colleagues, and want to organise the mother of all shin-digs, then you could think about hiring out Roof East like an absolute baller. They cater for groups starting at 50 people going right up to 300, big enough for even the most well-connected social butterflies. 

Eat, drink, be merry, and so much more besides, with 2019’s ultimate festive hangout Roof East. If there’s a side of fun they haven’t yet covered, we sure as hell don’t know what it is!

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Corporate Events

theProfileClub has been acquired by Clique Luxury Events

By Posted on 2 m read

Private members’ business club, theProfileClub has been acquired by Clique Luxury Events and has been rebranded the Clique 100 Club. The official launch was held last night at an exclusive event held at The Stock Exchange Hotel; Manchester supported by the members.

Set up in 2011 by Barbara Hallwood, Managing Director of Marketing Profile, based in Hale, theProfileClub has attracted top executives from across the North West providing top business introductions at prestigious events coupled with a package of benefits. The unique approach aimed predominantly at senior decision makers coupled with a cap of just 100 members each year has attracted top organisations and brands. Commenting on the sale, Barbara said, “No business can stand still, and I believe that the time is now right for the club to evolve further.  The team at Clique totally understand the concept and I feel sure will take the Club to the next level. I am grateful to all the members who have made it such a success.   For the foreseeable future I am pleased to continue as a consultant for the Clique 100 Club”.

Commenting on the deal, Director of Clique Luxury Events, Sarah Restrick added, “We are delighted to take over such a prestigious Manchester based Club with such a diverse membership.  We very much look forward to working with members to build on the past established brand whilst increasing the benefits and opportunities across the North West. When I was first introduced to theProfileClub I liked the approach, sociable however with a genuine business focus. I believe that the Clique 100 Club will fit perfectly within the Clique portfolio.”

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Sports & Leisure

Testosterone Deficiency – The Silent Killer

By Posted on 3 m read

“My mood is low, I feel anxious, I have unexplained fatigue, I lack drive & determination, I have ‘brain fog’, I don’t enjoy anything anymore, something isn’t right.”

“I think you are depressed and/or anxious. Take these antidepressants”

“I don’t feel any better”

“Let’s increase your dose.”

“Still no better, I’m having some side effects”

“Let’s try a different antidepressant”

“I’m still no better.”

“Let’s increase your dose.”

“I still feel the same.”

“I’ll refer you to a Psychiatrist.”

This is an all too common scenario in the UK at present.  Often the potential cure – Testosterone Replacement Therapy – is never even considered, despite there being a clear link between low testosterone and depression.  Medical research backs this up.

Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome is a medical condition.  There are British Society for Sexual Medicine Guidelines for its treatment which doctors in the UK are simply not adhering to.  Whilst guidelines exist, it is up to the doctor to implement them.  However due to a lack of education and understanding of the impact of low testosterone on men’s physical and psychological health, it is not high priority.

Statistics already show that men are at particular risk of mental health issues.  Low testosterone is a risk factor for mental illness.  Most men who end up on Testosterone Replacement Therapy have already been to their GP or an Endocrinologist and have either been denied treatment or offered ineffective treatments.  This has led to many men self-administering testosterone from underground steroid labs because they already know that their levels are low and know that testosterone improves their mental well-being, but they can’t get the help they need from the NHS.

How many men have committed suicide with a confirmed diagnosis of low testosterone but had not been offered the treatment that they need?  How many more high-profile male suicides need to happen before affirmative action is taken?  How many of these suicides were preventable?

Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome, who were previously on anti-depressants, often no longer need them once on TRT.  Antidepressants will not cure symptoms caused by a testosterone deficiency, only dampen them, often making them worse.  Low testosterone is reversible, depression due to low testosterone is reversible.

The Healthy Body, Healthy Mind #ChooseTRT campaign was recently launched following two young suicidal patients, both in their 20s, saying that TRT saved their lives.  We need to raise awareness and improve understanding surrounding the link between mental health and testosterone deficiency.  We need affirmative action.  Men have been keen to tell their story and share their experiences for the campaign in order to help others.  I have included a few examples below.

Until a national screening programme is implemented, or doctors in the UK wake up to the fact that hormone levels need to be tested in ALL men presenting with symptoms of depression, men are going to continue to suffer.  This is stark contrast to the US where they have a far more progressive attitude towards preventative health and wellbeing.  High profile celebrities such as Joe Rogan, Jeff Bezos, Robbie Williams, Dorian Yates, Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson and Dan Bilzerian all openly admit to needing TRT. There is no shame to needing TRT.  Testosterone Deficiency is simply a hormonal deficiency, much like any other.

Dr Robert Stevens MBChB MRCGP Dip.FIPT

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Products

Top 5 Nicotine Salt E-Juices

By Posted on 3 m read

People vape for many different reasons. Some like to blow big clouds, some like sitting back and relaxing with a great-tasting vape. Others vape as a less harmful alternative to tobacco smoking, by providing nicotine with less dirty extras.

Nicotine salt e-liquids are made for people more focused on taking in nicotine than taste or cloud production. By formulating nicotine differently to regular juices, these provide a higher concentration of nicotine. The result is more effective nicotine consumption, as well as less hardness on the throat.

The good news is, you don’t necessarily need to sacrifice taste for a nicotine salt e-juice. As nic salts grow in popularity, a lot of the big e-liquid producers are coming out with awesome salt blends. That means you can enjoy the best of both worlds – a great tasting vape that still packs enough nicotine.

Here are 5 of the best nicotine salt options available today. Some of them are available here.

  1. Naked 100 Salt

One of the go-to e-juice brands on the market, Naked 100 have nic salt vapers covered too. They provide a bunch of their universally loved flavor blends, such as Brain Freeze, Lava Flow and Really Berry, in a nic salt variation.

  1. Mad Hatter – I Love Salts

I Love Salts is a salt line developed by popular e-liquid brand Mad Hatter. Coming in a range of largely fruit-based flavors, I Love Salts are simple, yet so good. Their flavors don’t have wacky names or a ton of crazy ingredients packed together, which ends up showing that sometimes, simpler is better.

They provide a high concentration of nicotine in a 50/50 PG/VG blend, giving a suitable nicotine hit without being harsh on the throat.

  1. Crft Salt

Crft makes a range of high-quality e-liquids in reserved, yet delightful flavor combinations. They have vapers of many tastes covered, with blends from classic tobacco, to fruity options such as Papaya Punch and Passion Fruit Orange, to the great Mint Iced Tea. Their salt range comes in 30mL bottles with 40mg nicotine salt, for the value-for-money nicotine hit you need.

  1. Dinner Lady Salt

Dinner Lady have developed a salt blend for some of their incredibly authentic classic dessert and candy flavors. Their 50/50 PG/VG salt juices come with 20mg nicotine in a 10mL bottle. Lovers of the original Dinner Lady juices won’t be disappointed moving over to their salt range, which maintain the incredible, unique profiles of blends such as Lemon Tart and Bubble Gum.

  1. Milkman Salt

Finally, another much-loved e-liquid brand branching out to accommodate salt vapers as well. A long way from the original 1950s milk bottle-inspired classic, Milkman has a range of dessert-based flavors, and a range of salt options which are a little more fruity. 

Packing 40mg of nicotine into a 60% VG blend, Milkman’s salt range go down as smooth as you could want, letting you drop smoking in the easiest and most enjoyable way possible. Their salt options include the OG flavors, The Original and Churrios, but the star of the range may be the sweet raspberry of Crumbleberry Salt.

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Food & Drink

Gin is just the tonic for drink retailers.

By Posted on 2 m read

Last year’s record-breaking summer temperatures provided unprecedented opportunities for drinks retailers to drive sales within the alcohol category, with sales of gin outstripping other categories and setting new records.
Retailers are capitalising on the widest choice of gin spirits ever produced in the UK and demand continues to break all records.

As the temperature rises it’s clear this year that summer drinks are in a league of their own, with home cocktails proving more popular than ever. As the nights grow longer and the temperatures rise the sales of alcohol take on their own seasonal performance and where once it was a choice of red or white wine it is now a choice of hundreds of combinations of gin spirits and mixers.

And the drinks retailer should look to cater for the new drinking opportunities that this warmer season brings and especially with chilled alcohol .. drinks resellers must merchandise properly to get the most out of the customers desire to cool off with a chilled alcoholic beverage.

A store with a chilled shelf or unit is great for improving profits and for consumers satisfying demand as it promotes impulse purchases. Many consumers want consume drinks as soon as two hours after purchase, so it’s essential that retailers keep stock sufficiently chilled to satisfy demand.

Spirit success

The selection of different spirits is growing. Gin is by far ahead of the game and flavoured gin is making big impact in sales and will continue to grow.

Gin is still a huge and growing favourite for many consumers and is still on top. Some drink industry bosses predict that it must slow soon but there really haven’t been any signs of this happening, in fact it is quite the opposite, with UK consumers buying over 70 million bottles of gin in the year end December 2018.

New gins are being released weekly with a variety of flavour stories. Producers come from all corners of the UK and just as Scotland has been the traditional home of spirit production in the UK, we now see Welsh Gin producers and regional representation of flavours. The Snowdonia Spirit Company said that there is very strong demand for regionally produced gin spirits, gin drinkers like to know about the back story to their gin recipes and discover new flavours along with new mixers, the gin category looks very positive for 2019 and beyond.

Flavoured gin, the latest trend, especially in the summer, is proving a smash hit with gin drinking customers. With the introduction pink gins and summer fruit flavours the retailer is seeing opportunities for improving their cash receipts and keeping customers happy at the same

What’s hot

Consumers are focusing more and more on taste as well as convenience when purchasing and, as a result, ready-to-drink cans are experiencing a big sales boost.

Drinks on the go are very convenient and the ready mixed spirits fly off the shelves in warm weather, especially premixed gin and tonic.

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Film, Music & Media

Perfect Ending for “Fascinating China” Events of 72nd Cannes Film Festival

By Posted on 4 m read

The “Fascinating China” Events of 72nd Cannes Film Festival is successfully concluded on May 15 and 16 by local time at Cannes, a beautiful town in South France. During the two days, distinguished guests and film and television practitioners from all over the world are attracted to various kinds of activities feeling for the uniqueness of “Fascinating China” during the period of the festival.

The 72nd Cannes Film Festival “Fascinating China” is jointly sponsored by Cannes International Film Festival Film Market, French National Film Commission, French National Film Center, China Xinhua Net and China Film Foundation, and undertaken by Huayi Brothers and Wu Tianming Youth Film Special Foundation, including a series of events such as “Young Film Makers Training Plan”, “Overseas Presentation of Chinese Film Industry”, “China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location Presenting and Recommending” and “China VR Film Immersive Interaction Experiencing Exhibition”.

Wang Zhonglei (First From Left), Co-Founder, Vice Chairman And CEO Of Huayi Brothers, And Kun Ling (First From Right), Chinese Actress, Are Presenting The Prizes For The Meritorious Winners.

As one of the highlights of “Fascinating China” Events, the promotion and the award ceremony of “Young Film Makers Training Plan” are held on May 15, which is divided into two competition units, “Short Film Works” and ”Film Script”. Since its startup, more than 800 pieces of works are collected, including feature films, action films, documentaries and other types, with eventually 32 works standing out. Among them, Inheritor, narrating the heritage of traditional Chinese operas, has won the Best Award for Short Films by Young Film Makers; and the screenwriter Lin Weiran of the feature film Great Ideal People has won the Best Award for Young Screen Writers. The Round Table Forum on “Gathering and Promoting Growth of Young Film Makers” is also held on the same day. Film makers from China and France fully exchange by sharing their film ideas, educational experience and the general situation of young film makers in both countries.

The Representative From The Tourism Administration Bureau Of Cannes, France (First From The Left), Michel Chevillon, (Fourth From The Left), Vice Chairman Of The Bureau Of Industry And Commerce In Cote D’Azur And Chairman Of Hotel Federation, Adeline CHAUVEAU (Third From The Right), Officer In Charge Of Movie And Television Projects From French Embassy To China, And The Representatives From The Cities Awarded For “China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location” Are Taking The Group Picture.

On May 16 (local time), an event is held at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival to recommend China’s most beautiful shooting locations on the theme of “Fascinating China”. In this event, on the list of China’s most beautiful locations are Huanghai National Forest Park in Dongtai of Jiangsu, Long Stretch of Azaleas in Bijie of Guilin, Siming District in Xiamen of Fujian, and Li Autonomous County in Lingshui of Hainan. After the wonderful live presentation, film makers from all over the world sing high praises for the scenery and vigor of China’s most beautiful shooting locations and express great interest in going to China for shooting and producing film and television works.

Audiences From All Over The World Are Experiencing VR Films.

It is worth mentioning that, as an essential part of “Fascinating China” Events, the booths for “Overseas Presentation of Chinese Film Industry”, “ China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location Presenting and Recommending” and “China VR Film Immersive Interaction Experiencing Exhibition”, jointly launched by XinhuaNet and Cannes Film Market, are displayed during the festival. the booth for “Overseas Presentation of Chinese Film Industry” is designed to unfold the vigorous development and comprehensive strength of Chinese film industry to the whole world. More than 20 representative Chinese film works, such as The Eight Hundred and Skyfire, are introduced on the scene. As the representatives of Damei China (Chinese version of Wild China), the four places of Huanghai National Forest Park in Dongtai of Jiangsu, Long Stretch of Azaleas in Bijie of Guilin, Siming District in Xiamen of Fujian, and Li Autonomous County in Lingshui of Hainan have their own publicity films screened repeatedly at the booth for “China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location Presenting and Recommending”, attracting many foreign film makers to stop for a look. “China VR Film Immersive Interaction Experiencing Exhibition” brings the audience two VR films with Chinese characteristics, namely Flying Over RiversideSceneatQingmingFestival and Hui-Style Architecture. By combining traditional culture and technology , both films intensify the understanding of overseas audience about Chinese culture, add the appeal of Chinese traditional culture to the public and make Chinese traditional culture “move up and go out”.

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Fashion Food & Hospitality Lifestyle

“Joeone” was the only designated menswear brand at the official dinner of Cannes Film Festival

By Posted on 2 m read

In recent days, the Cannes Film Festival has gradually drew to a close. During the entire event, Chinese films and Chinese filmmakers became an integral part of the Cannes Film Festival. In the main competition units, the Chinese film “Wild Goose Lake” has received a lot of good comments and evaluations, and the Chinese stars on the Cannes red carpet have also been widely concerned by the world fashion Circle. As a most popular Chinese entertainer in the international market, Li Guangjie’s appearance on the red carpet has triggered a new “Chinese tough man fever”. As the most favorable role in China’s science fiction work “the wandering earth”, Li’s handsome appearance and good body shape, and the gentleman image of “tetsuo” will become a totally new trend in the field of international fashion.

According to the report, one of Li Guangjie’s fashionable dresses is “little black pants” specially designed by the Chinese brand Joeone. Different from other clothing products with single function, little black pants is featured by fashion variety, which can match all scenes, and become a fashion leader and technical representative of international charm.

At the just-concluded “Chinese and French cultural Night” dinner, Joeone also won the title of “the only designated menswear brand” for Cannes official dinner, which was the first time that China’s domestic brand accessed to the world’s important fashion hall–the Cannes Film Festival authorized. Mr. OLYMPIA AWARDS GELLINI, President of the Global Film and Television Union, mentioned in an interview that the choice of Joeone men’s clothing was a fancy as it is a famous garment enterprises in China, with good quality and craftsmanship. This is probably the highest praise for the Chinese brand Joeone, because there was a strong chemical reaction between the French the most picky one about fashion and Chinese brands.

As a factory in the world, while people from all over the world are used to made in China, we seem to ignore the fashion charm that Chinese itself upholds and creates.The combination of Joeone’s little black pants and Cannes fills the imagination gap of this part, but also allows the whole world to witness the extraordinary performance after the collision of Chinese fashion and world fashion.

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Shopping in Leeds

6 Pieces of Furniture to Consider for Your Home

By Posted on 3 m read

Searching for timeless style? While modern furniture has its advantages, choosing something a little older with a timeless aesthetic can give your home a more unique look, all while giving you a piece of furniture that will last for decades.

From classic sofas to wingback armchairs, we’ve built a list of five timeless pieces of furniture to keep in mind for your home below, along with information on how each piece can enhance your living room, hallway, bedroom or other spaces.

A classic Barcelona chair

Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, the Barcelona chair made its debut as part of the German Pavilion in the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. Today, it remains a famous design and an icon of early 20th century furniture.

Thanks to its lightweight design and small size, the Barcelona chair is perfect for the living room or for the home office, with a sleek, modern look that works just as well in new homes as it does in older houses.

An elegant four-poster bed

Large, luxurious and designed for comfort, a four-poster bed is a piece of furniture that, while far from common these days, can be a great addition to your bedroom.

With four vertical columns, a four-poster bed offers significantly more presence than the typical double bed found in most homes. While four-poster beds do come with a slight price premium, the luxurious feel and unique look make them worth it if you’re looking for something unique.

A comfortable ottoman or pouf

Perfect for lifting up your feet and relaxing at the end of the day, an ottoman or pouf (learn the key differences here) can add some extra aesthetic flair to your living room.

Whether you use it as a footstool or as a spare seat, an Ottoman pouf is an interesting piece of furniture that can fit into any living room, from expansive to compact. It’s also a great opportunity to add some extra colour to your living room without purchasing a full armchair or sofa.

A stylish Eames Lounge Chair

Another classic of the 20th century, the Eames Lounge Chair and ottoman were designed by Charles and Ray Eames in the 1950s. They quickly became a hit, earning a place in the living rooms and offices of the mid-20th century’s most fashion-savvy people.

While the original Herman Miller chair comes with a hefty price tag (upwards of £4,000 as of 2019), a variety of different companies have put their own spin on the classic Eames Lounge Chair over the years, making it far from difficult to pick up an affordable version.

A timeless Chesterfield sofa

A favourite of British royalty, the Chesterfield sofa is both a masterpiece of classic design and something that’s effortlessly at home in a modern setting.

Unlike many other historical sofa designs, the Chesterfield has stayed in fashion for centuries, resisting trends and carving out a niche as a sofa that’s both classic and modern. Although it’s usually upholstered in leather, it can look just as good in a variety of dark, soft fabrics.

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