katie.lacy@letsgetcoffee.co.uk, Author at Modish Living

How to host the perfect dinner party

The global pandemic, social distancing, and the extended lockdown restrictions have made for a difficult year for people all over the world. The challenges that we faced affected every aspect of our lives, from the way we work and shop, to how we interact with our friends, family, and others around us. Fortunately, however, it looks as though the pandemic is under control for the most part and the promise of effective vaccines have made people hopeful that we can get out and enjoy life again.

The UK lockdown restrictions have now eased and are expected to be lifted further before the start of summer. That means we can enjoy spending time with family and friends, even having them over for a post pandemic dinner party.

With that in mind, it might be a good time to brush up on your hosting skills and get your dining space ready to accept guests again. We’ve got some top tips to refresh your hosting skills to ensure you’re ready to host the perfect dinner party this summer.

Tips for hosting the perfect dinner party

‘Tablescaping’ Tips And Organisation – the first step in hosting the perfect dinner party this summer is to create a beautiful tablescape on your rustic dining table or reclaimed wood dining table. This can include seasonal flowers, dinnerware, and other décor that give your meal the perfect background. Think about layering plates and linens for some texture and throw in some candles for a relaxed atmosphere.

Timed Cooking – the key to any successful meal is timing. With a plan and adequate organisation, the time spent in the kitchen can be enjoyable and simple – no mad rushes or forgotten elements! Some foods can be prepared the night before and have a sharp eye on the recipe for anything that may taste better if left to marinade. Some people find having a timed schedule visible in the kitchen and ingredients prepped and lined up in order easier to follow.

Keep Your Guests Happy– your guests have been stuck inside just as long as you have, and they are more than likely excited about being social again. But we’ve all been to a dinner party that’s had less than perfect talk. It’s the host’s job to keep conversation light and positive. There are now lots of conversation prompts, interesting questions and card games created for after dinner if you need a little extra steer to the bright side!

To learn more about hosting the perfect dinner party, see our inspiration and ideas and shop our wide selection of stylishly designed home goods for your modern home. If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to share it on your favourite social media sites.

Are reclaimed wood tables good?

We are often asked questions about reclaimed furniture and in particular if it is good for dining tables ….In answer to this question, we think reclaimed wood is absolutely perfect for dining tables – read on to understand why, together with some answers to other questions we often get asked about reclaimed wood furniture.

What is reclaimed wood?

Reclaimed wood, repurposed or salvaged wood is basically wood that has been used previously – whether that be as part of an old building that is now being demolished, old railway sleepers, doors or even boats that are no longer seaworthy. Once the building is dismantled, the timbers are sorted and only the best quality wood qualify to be re-crated into beautiful and unique pieces of furniture.

Is reclaimed wood easy to maintain?

Scuffs, marks, scars and blemishes which were picked up in its previous life are all part of what forms the character of reclaimed wood this makes it perfect for everyday family use. Little scratches and dents will simply blend in, you can help this along with waxing your furniture relatively regularly. To be honest, waxing once a month or every other month is all you really need to do to keep up the rich lustre of the wood. Apart from that it is just the same commonsense stuff as other wood furniture – use mats under glasses and plates, wipe up spillages as soon as possible, lift rather than drag furniture etc. Full care guides for all our reclaimed wood furniture can easily be found on our website or read our blog How to Treat Marks on Reclaimed Wood Furniture.

What qualities does a reclaimed wood table have over new dining tables?

Imagine walking into a cosy farmhouse kitchen with a large dining table set ready for a hearty family meal – it’s welcoming and comforting, right? Reclaimed wood is older, it has an extra warmth and depth to it which will add to the ambiance of the room, something new wood simply can’t replicate.

Is reclaimed wood strong?

Absolutely! Reclaimed wood has already aged during its first life and is stronger than ever. Only quality salvageable timbers are used to craft furniture – meaning the furniture which is created will be long-lasting and sturdy. Reclaimed wood furniture and reclaimed wood dining tables are considered to be investment furniture that will stand the test of time.

Is reclaimed wood furniture only for older traditional-style rooms?

Not at all – it will actually fit in with most interior styles and is no longer associated with just the classic farmhouse dining table: It can be modern and glamorous, as is the case with the Knightsbridge reclaimed oak dining table, a beautiful solid oak tabletop sits on a stylish slim silver frame which will bring industrial elegance to any dining room. Alternatively, it can be homely, cosy and comforting, what group of family and friends would not want to gather around a rustic wooden dining table like the Chelwood for an evening of good food and conversation? If minimal industrial furniture is more for you then the Standford range ticks all the right boxes. The reclaimed wood adds warmth and texture, whilst the black steel frames brings an industrial edge.

Why is reclaimed wood better?

Close up of reclaimed wood dining table with open magazine

In this blog we will look at the benefits of choosing reclaimed wood over new wood the next time you purchase some furniture for your home.

Firstly and most importantly it’s the eco-friendly thing to do. Choosing to buy furniture produced from reclaimed wood saves new trees being cut down – but just as important, it saves wood going to landfill or being burnt when it is perfectly good enough to be reused. As long as there are old buildings and boats being dismantled, here in the UK and overseas, and railway tracks or scaffolding boards being replaced there will be a good supply of wood ready to enjoy a new lease of life.

Wood hardens and strengthens with age which makes reclaimed wood more durable than new wood – this ensures your reclaimed furniture pieces are robust and sturdy – perfect for the family home.

One of the key features of reclaimed wood furniture is that it fits in beautifully with either a modern or rustic look. Reclaimed wood can be mixed with a bit of shiny bling…. as it is in the case of the highly stylish Kensington industrial range. The wood used to create the Kensington range is salvaged railway sleepers that are processed and then teamed with a striking silver framework. The end product is just perfect for a high-end dinner party in a swanky city centre apartment. The Kensington dining table can be purchased with an optional glass top which allows the beautiful wood to be seen, while also making it completely practical for family day-to-day use.

If you are looking for a rustic dining table for a traditional or modern farmhouse kitchen then one of the Colette tables could be for you – they’re just gorgeous!

The Standford Industrial range uses reclaimed wood, this time from old buildings being demolished, this is a more rustic and raw range and is perfect for any home wanting to bring in a little industrial style. Take a look at the beauty of the wood used to create the Standford industrial coffee table, pair this up with the reclaimed wood sideboard from the range and you have two very stylish pieces of furniture for your living room.

Every piece of furniture crafted from reclaimed wood is one of a kind – yes, you are buying a piece of furniture with a bit of history and its own individual fingerprint when you choose reclaimed. Undulations, old nail holes, blemishes and small knocks and dents in the wood are beautiful features of reclaimed wood and should be celebrated! These little bits of character are all there to give your piece of furniture its individuality and uniqueness! This also means any new little scratches or dents from day-to-day family use will blend in and you will be adding your own little piece of history to your furniture. Even a small scratch on a flat, smooth, new wood table would be very hard to disguise!

It looks better than new wood – reclaimed wood just looks warmer and more homely than new wood. Salvaged wood will have matured and darkened as it has aged giving it a depth of colour that new wood just doesn’t have.

5 ways to balance a long narrow room

A long narrow room can be a bit tricky to furnish so here we have a few simple suggestions to make the space feel more balanced.

1 – Create a walkway

How you do this depends on where the doors are in the room but if you can have a clearly defined path going the length of the room it will allow the energy to flow better. A curved walkway through the room will emphasise the width of the room more rather than a straight one. On the practical side, you don’t want people stubbing their toes on pieces of furniture that’s in the way all the time.

2 – Don’t position all your furniture against the long walls

Do not be tempted to line all your furniture up along the long walls – the best way to create an illusion of width….is to use the width of the room! So you can position a leather couch against one of the long walls and place a chesterfield chair or an accent chair perpendicular to it, to help balance it out.

3 – Create zones

Zoning is a great way to deal with a long narrow room. You can section off areas using floor rugs and reclaimed wood furniture pieces to create the zones. An L-shaped sofa with a rug and rustic coffee table will instantly zone an area, perfect for sitting and chatting. If you place your sofa widthways in the room then you can position a desk at the back to create a small home office area, again you can use a floor rug to zone the space. If your room is a living room / diner then zone one area to be the dining space, using a round dining table will also help with the aesthetics of the room.

4 – Use the height of the room

To make the room seem wider you should use the full height of the room. A rustic bookcase will add a bit of balance in a long narrow space and will draw the eye to the height of the room rather than the narrowness of the room. Create a display on your bookcase of trailing house plants, your favourite decorative pieces and some books. Another way to bring some height to the room is to add an industrial sideboard, the fuss-free minimalist metal frame will give more of a feeling of space. Hang a wall mirror above the sideboard and place some tall table lamps or candlesticks on it.

5 – Bring in circular elements

Circular elements are great to use in long narrow spaces. You should opt for round floor rugs, a round nest of tables, rather than a rectangular coffee table, (this saves space as well) a round dining table in your dining zone. Choose a round pendant light over your dining table, round lamp shades, wall mirrors and artwork, a clock is perfect! All these round elements will pull the eye away from the straight lines of the room.

Ways to style the foot of your bed

The foot of the bed is often a slightly overlooked space. In this blog we share a few different ideas to style up and make good use of this little bit of bedroom space.

An upholstered bench

An upholstered bench is a great addition to the foot of your bed, somewhere to sit and put your socks on when you are getting ready to go out. A place to pop the decorative scatter cushions off your bed at bedtime, somewhere to keep a selection of reading books or a surface to pop a tray of coffee on in the morning.

A wooden blanket box

A blanket box or wooden chest is the classic piece of furniture to place at the foot of your bed. A great way to add a little more storage space for your winter or summer duvets, spare blankets, pillows, winter jumpers and anything else you don’t need to hang in a wardrobe.

A TV stand

A TV is a very popular addition to the bedroom and the foot of the bed is a good spot for maximum viewing potential. Of course there are the hugely expensive custom TV storage cabinets from which the TV rises using just a remote control. But if you like the look and feel of reclaimed wood furniture you can, of course, achieve the same thing using a rustic TV stand or if you like the TV a little higher up a rustic console table would also work.

A wooden bench and baskets

A wooden bench is a simple place to put things down or sit on. If you were to add some wicker baskets underneath it or next to it, this would give you additional hidden storage that is easily accessible, you could also use one as a laundry basket.

A pair of chairs or a small sofa

You can create a small seating area at the foot of your bed – this would be perfect in a spacious guest room where you can place a small sofa or two armchairs. In a teen bedroom, a chaise longue or just a single velvet armchair would most likely be enough, add a small lamp table and you can create a cosy sitting area.

A gorgeous reclaimed wood footboard

Maybe less is more for you and you really like to keep things simple and just allow your bed be the main feature in your bedroom. The Dulwich Reclaimed Wood Bed could be the perfect investment for you, with its impressive head and footboards you will have the foot of your bed completely finished!.

Easy ways to brighten a dark room

Grey fabric sofa in dark grey living room

A dark room can be a bit of a nightmare to decorate but chances are all of us have that one room in our homes that just always seems a bit dull. In this blog, we will look at some quick and easy ways to bring in some light and brightness! ☀

Dark grey living room with grey fabric sofa

In the dining room

A dining room is generally one of those places that doesn’t get used as much as the kitchen or the living room so a quick fix solution to bring in light, is perfect! In this room we think about the furniture as these will be the main elements in the room – dining table, chairs and sideboard. A rustic wooden dining table is perfect in this room but keep it light. The Dorset furniture range is our top pick – a beautiful reclaimed dining table top finished with a hint of grey sits atop a white painted trestle frame, perfect for keeping things light and bright. This is great paired with the dining benches from the same range or a mix of a bench and light coloured chairs. The white wood sideboard from the range will keep you perfectly organised and clutter-free. To add an extra splash of light, hang a wall mirror over the sideboard and drape some fairy lights over it.

In the living room

This is a room where we do tend to spend a little more time in and in recent years, a dark living room has become quite a trend. However, if a dark room is not for you then you should have a few more tricks up your sleeve to help brighten it up. Let’s start with walls – try to keep them light – crisp white is great, you can add some brightly coloured wall art. Direct your lighting onto the walls and ceiling as this will really help brighten the space. A light coloured floor – for this you can simply add a light coloured rug if you don’t want to replace the whole floor. Keep your window dressings light, and, keep your windows clean, something that is often overlooked but makes a big difference! Ideally, choose light furniture, white painted or gorgeous pale reclaimed wood. The rustic coffee table from the Chelwood Reclaimed Wood range is perfect with its pale wood and its no-fuss design.

Brightening a dark entrance hall

This is a dark space in many homes – hallways don’t often have windows and with a solid door not much light gets in, so this is a place where you may want to bring in some added brightness. A hallway can be a cluttered space with shoes coats, jackets, umbrellas, bags etc. all confined to a relatively small space – a hallway cabinet is a great investment to keep everything hidden away in. If space is limited then a simple rustic console table will give you a little storage space for a few essentials. Again here to lighten the space, keep the decor light and add a mirror over the console table. Dried flowers are making a huge comeback and would give a cheery splash of colour to your hallway.

10 Ways to Create a happy home

We have all been spending a lot of time within our own four walls of late, but now is the time to brighten your home, bring in the summer and make it your happy space once again. Here we look at some quick fixes to help you create a happy home

1. Embrace warming colours – is your colour scheme a bit dull? Do you want to add some bright accents? Lansford Dining Chair Saffron Dining Chairs could be just want you need to place around your rustic dining table to brighten up the space.

2. Fill your home with flowers & plants – these are proven to lift your spirits. Place a houseplant on a rustic sideboard in your dining room or a vase of fresh-cut flowers on the reclaimed wood coffee table in your living room.

3. Get a pet – we are absolutely not suggesting you dash out and get a puppy! Even a goldfish can have a positive health benefit, research suggests watching fish in an aquarium can help lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety.

4. Make your bed extra comfy – cosy up your bedroom with a mattress topper and new pillows. Finish creating a perfect sleeping sanctuary by getting a new bed throw and some new scatter cushions on your solid wood bed. You can use this opportunity to bring in a new colour scheme to your bedroom.

5. Treat yourself to something you love and that makes you smile – if you have a room that is a bit lifeless, dated or you’ve just fallen out of love with it, then have a good clear out and buy just one new piece of statement furniture. An industrial style dining table in your dining space will give you a whole new look and bring your room right up to date.

6. Create a happy entrance – place a decorative bouquet of your favourite flowers on a hallway console table, add some word art or put a photograph on the wall that makes you laugh.

7. Use a few basic Feng Shui practices to encourage positive energy – declutter the entry to your home to allow energy in, keep windows clean, place sofas and beds in a commanding position in the room, keep pathway clear in the home and bring plants in for energy etc.

8. Keep on top of clutter – have regular clear-outs and look where you can improve storage options around your home.

9. Create a happy corner – somewhere where the sun shines at the end or the start of the day or overlooking your favourite part of the garden. Choose a place that’s cosy and cossetting in any room, even on the landing you could add a velvet armchair to this space and take a few minutes out of your day to sit there and enjoy it.

10. Capture all the senses – as well as things in the home you like to look at think about the other senses – use a diffuser to enjoy a smell you love, invest in a good home speaker system to enjoy your favourite tunes. Surround yourself with tactile cushions, blankets and rustic furniture to touch. Taste: make a point of one night every week, one member of your household chooses their favourite meal and you all sit around the dining table to eat together.

5 interior mistakes that will keep you up all night

Large bed with grey covers and white sheer curtains and drapes

We all know how important a good nights sleep is now – so in this blog we will have a look at some common interior design mistakes and how you can fix them to get a perfect nights sleep.

1. An uncomfortable bed

No one likes waking up in the morning with backache, or tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable so getting the right mattress for you is so important. It is suggested that those who prefer to sleep on their side get a medium-hard mattress and those who generally sleep on their back or front get more comfortable on a harder one. The only way to really know what’s best for you is to go into a showroom and try a few out. What you put your mattress on is also important – you need good strong supportive slats to hold the mattress well to avoid any sagging. The Dulwich Reclaimed Wood Bed is the perfect solid wood bed frame for this! Another thing to consider is if you like to sleep a little propped up or like to relax and read before sleeping. If so, you should consider a bed with a good solid wooden headboard to help keep your pillows and cushions in just the right place.

2. The wrong colour scheme

It is proven that bedroom colours can affect sleep quality so think carefully about the colour scheme in your bedroom. If you are drawn to bright bold and energising colours as a rule then use these as accent colours and keep the rest of the bedroom a paler, calmer, more neutral shade to balance it. Darker colours are also a great choice for the bedroom – they will give it a more cosy and intimate feel – and coordinate well with rustic bedroom furniture, again you can always brighten some areas with something lighter or brighter. According to studies green, blue, pink, white and beige are great colours to create a sanctuary that is easy to relax and sleep in.

3. The wrong window coverings

Window coverings that are too thin will disrupt your sleep pattern. In spring and summer when it gets light earlier there is a good chance that daylight spilling in will wake you up prematurely. Likewise, at night, moonlight or a street light may be able to creep in and keep you awake longer or disrupt your sleep. You can layer your window coverings – maybe some thin blinds – great if you live in a built-up area and don’t want people to see in and then have some heavy curtains to use at night. Heavy curtains are also great if you work shifts and like to have a sleep in the afternoon and of course, can help keep a room warmer in winter.

4. Too much clutter

A cluttered room is very unlikely to be a restful sanctuary! So clearing clutter is an essential point on this list! Make it an effortless task by clearing and donating or recycling items you no longer wear or use and bringing in the correct storage for your room. A wooden under bed storage drawer is great for bedding, and a wooden bedside table or chest of drawers for those little things you like to have handy when in bed. If your room is a little dark and you want to keep it light then consider light coloured furniture such as a white painted wardrobe.

5. The wrong scents

If you are a fan of the diffuser then think about the scents that you are using with it. In the bedroom, you will want ones that help you relax and drift off to sleep, these scents include lavender, rose, chamomile and jasmine.

Spotlight: Introducing new additions to our Dulwich collection

Our gorgeous range of Dulwich Reclaimed Wood bedroom furniture has always been a hugely popular choice with our discerning customers…. now that some new pieces have been added to the range we just couldn’t wait to share them with you.

Dulwich Reclaimed Wood Bed

If you are looking out for an impressive and sturdy, solid king size wooden bed frame (or super king) then look no further than the Dulwich Reclaimed Wood Bed. It’s simply styled to let the beauty of the salvaged wood shine through the medium or natural wax finish.

Just a reminder – our Dulwich range is handcrafted right here in the UK – all the pieces in this collection started their lives well over 100 years ago as parts of old buildings that have been demolished. Rather than just going to landfill or being burnt they are skillfully crafted into statement pieces of furniture equally perfect for the modern or more traditional home. This saves new trees being chopped down and machined for furniture production making the Dulwich range the perfect choice for the eco-conscious buyer.

Additional items from the Dulwich range

The Dulwich reclaimed wood furniture range includes other items for the bedroom – such as different sizes of solid wood chest of drawers and bedside tables.

Caring for your Dulwich rustic bed

Caring for your reclaimed wood bedroom furniture is super easy too! When you first get it, to help it acclimatise to its new surroundings, we recommend a monthly wax for the first three months and then every month or so to keep up the beautiful lustre of the wood. Then the usual day-to-day stuff applies, use coasters, wipe up any spillages as soon as possible, don’t drag the furniture along the floor when moving it – pretty much the same as any other wood furniture you have in your home. Full details are in our care guide.