Alright folks, so yesterday I decided I wanted to figure out this whole Dave Lingwood design thing. Kept seeing his name pop up everywhere, you know? Pictures of rooms looking super comfy but also kinda sharp. Figured, why not dive in myself and see what the fuss is about?
Starting Simple: The Look
First thing I did was just start looking him up. Not for buying anything fancy, mind you, just to get the vibe. Pulled up pictures on my laptop, scrolled for ages. His stuff… it’s got this specific feel. Not fussy, not messy. It looked kinda solid, you know? Like, wood that feels real, fabrics you wanna touch. Lots of clean lines but not cold. He likes mixing those dark woods with lighter ones, maybe some brass or steel bits. Saw tons of chairs and tables with legs that taper down or splay out slightly – became a real giveaway.
My Living Room Experiment
Got inspired enough to poke around my own living room. Felt like trying to channel some of that Lingwood energy without spending a dime. Started by clearing clutter – big time. He doesn’t do knick-knacks overflowing shelves. Then I focused on furniture legs. Pulled my armchair out a bit so you could see its wood legs clearly, made it look less “plopped down”. Tried rearranging things to create little conversations areas – like turning two chairs to face each other better near the window.
Textures & Materials Try-Out
Next part was messing with textures. I knew he loves natural stuff. Dug around my linen closet and found some chunky woven throws and a couple of wool cushions. Threw those on the sofa and armchairs. Replaced the shiny, smooth cushion covers with ones that had more texture – kinda rough, tweedy feel. Made a huge difference! Suddenly things felt warmer, more inviting, less like a showroom.
The Shapes Challenge
This is where it got tricky. His pieces often have these interesting, distinctive shapes. I don’t own anything that cool! So, I got… creative. Well, attempted to. Found an old wooden stool in the garage. Grabbed some sandpaper and started smoothing it out. Had this wild idea to try tapering the legs slightly like I saw. Yeah, bad idea. Ended up looking uneven, like a preschooler made it. Laughed at myself and put it back in the garage. Lesson learned: admire those shapes, don’t try carving them yourself! Maybe later I’ll hunt for something secondhand with that vibe.
Lighting Check
Almost forgot the lighting! His spaces always feel just right – not too bright, not too dim. Checked my own room. Had a big bright overhead light dominating. Switched that off. Dug out a simple table lamp with a fabric shade from the spare room, plugged it in near my rearranged chairs. Turned on a floor lamp in the corner. Instant mood changer. More layered light, way cozier. Still need better task lighting near the sofa for reading properly, but it’s a start.
The Finished(ish) Look
So after this whirlwind of shifting furniture, chucking blankets around, wrestling with an unfortunate stool, and playing with lamps, I stood back. It wasn’t perfect. It definitely wasn’t an actual Dave Lingwood showroom. But man, it felt… better. Calmer, more intentional. Less chaotic. The clean lines where I could make them, the mix of wood tones, the visible legs, the layered textures – it all started clicking. It felt like a space I actually wanted to sit in for a while. And best part? It wasn’t about buying new stuff, just using what I had differently, with his style principles in mind.
Okay, time for tea. Hope this little DIY dive was useful!