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Easy ways to mix rustic and elegant interior styles like a pro

Easy ways to mix rustic and elegant styles like a pro blog

If you love an elegant interior style, but have a fondness for the modern rustic look that is so popular right now, you’re not alone. Rustic furniture makes a space warm and homely, but it doesn’t have to be rough and ready. Reclaimed wood furniture in an elegant design or with sophisticated detailing can bring the two styles together. Here we explain how you can easily blend rustic and elegant interior design to create a home worthy of a glossy front cover.

Tip #1 – Make a statement

We think every room should have at least one focal point and if you are mixing rustic and elegant in the dining room the obvious choice is an eye-catching rustic dining table. This is a great foundation to build around and where you can add elegance via upholstered dining chairs for comfortable and stylish dining. A rustic console table or, for handy storage, a solid wood sideboard will give you an extra surface area to stand an elegant table lamp or a vase of flowers to further cement your blend of rustic and elegant.

Tip #2 Less is more

Less is certainly more when it comes to effortlessly blending rustic with elegant. Don’t be tempted to overcrowd your room with too much furniture or too many accessories, simplicity is key. Keep it uncomplicated with gentle neutral colours. White is a naturally easy colour to work with and provides the perfect backdrop for more elaborate and textured accessories. Consider pale reclaimed wood furniture or white painted rustic furniture as a perfect starting point for your elegant theme.

Tip #3 Use rustic accents

You don’t have to rush out and buy new furniture to achieve this look – you can upcycle and repurpose pieces you already have and just buy one or even two new statement investment pieces that bring in a rustic feel. Reclaimed wood furniture is skilfully crafted from solid wood and with so many different styles and finishes available to choose from you are sure to be able to find just the right piece that will add a statement in your home for many years to come. Pick one accent piece per room, such as a reclaimed wood coffee table or a wonderfully natural rustic bed and keep the rest of the scheme paired-back and elegant.

Tip #4 Combine and contrast

The say opposites attract and we have to agree. Combining contrasting textures is an effortless way to mix rustic and elegant styles. Reclaimed wood rich in character, natural undulations, grooves and splits paired with polished metals in silver or gold bring together opposing materials that work together so well. Good examples of this are the Onslow and the Farnham mango wood furniture collection. The Onslow reclaimed wood furniture collection never fails to make a statement whichever room it is in.

The sustainable mango wood Farnham collection combines natural wood with interesting brass inlays as well as brass metal hardware. The combination of wood, metal and a contemporary design ensures this stylish collection will add a touch of glamour to a room.

If you found this helpful, pop over to our Ideas and Inspiration for plenty more styling tips, product news and interior insights.

Spotlight: The new Derby Reclaimed wood collection

reclaimed wood dining table with black painted legs and matching wooden bench

We are always on the lookout for new and exciting ranges of reclaimed wood furniture – and are delighted to add the Derby collection to our existing ranges of reclaimed furniture. The Derby collection is a perfect blend of rustic and modern simplicity. The pale wood brings in a light and airy Nordic influence while the black painted legs and minimalist black handles give a hint of industrial style. The Derby collection offers everything you need to stylishly furnish your living room, dining room and hallway.

For your dining space…

If you are after a new look in your dining room then the Derby wooden table with matching bench could be the perfect choice for your dining area, it’s an extendable table too, giving you plenty of extra tabletop when you have guests for dinner! Adding the Derby wooden bench, as well as chairs, around your dining table is right on-trend, you can opt for modern faux leather dining chairs with metal legs to reinforce the industrial element. If you have a smaller room or want to add a table in your kitchen then there is the Derby reclaimed wood round dining table – perfect for family dinners and intimate entertaining.

For dining room storage the range includes a console table with drawers – perfect for the smaller dining space – or a large reclaimed wood sideboard for a bigger dining room, the sideboard would work just as well as living room storage!

For your living space…

Whether you’re going for a minimalist industrial look or the natural airy Nordic look in your living room then the Derby should not be overlooked. You can pair this collection with a brown leather sofa or a fabric sofa, the reclaimed wood coffee table has built-in storage (very handy for the living room) in the shape of two drawers and a small shelf. You can stand your TV on the matching rustic tv stand for those evenings when the family gathers around to watch a bit of TV. Side tables are available, again with a drawer and shelf so you can place a reading lamp near your favorite spot on the sofa.

In the hallway…

To keep your hallway clutter free the Derby collection offers a console table with two drawers, perfect to store keys, the dog’s lead and other small bits and bobs in. You can hang a mirror over this for a quick glance on your way out, or a picture, and dress the top with a houseplant and some decorative vases – just to give the hallway a warm welcoming feel.

How to zone to create a multifunctional living space

Rustic open plan living room and dining area with white sofa and furniture and large black wood burning stove

Open plan living just keeps increasing in popularity whether in the form of an extension, a new build or taking internal walls down in a current home. This is very effective in a smaller home as it gives the feeling of more space, of course, you do need to pay attention to load-bearing walls and support if you do this.

This style really only started to appear more regularly in the 1950’s where you would often find a dining room sharing a space with the living room – often an L shape area to help with the separation. At this point, the kitchen was still seen pretty much as a service room and as such was not included…. until we get closer to the 1980’s that is. Now we love a house with an open plan – a place where the whole family can spend time together.

The children can play safely, do homework or watch TV while the parents can work, prepare dinner or get on with household chores all in the one large space – but it still makes sense to have some sort of definition between the spaces.

Zone by using texture

Although you aren’t breaking up space, the use of different textures will draw the eye to the different areas in the open space – A feature brick wall can clearly define where the dining area is – a combination of a tiled area for the kitchen and wood or laminate flooring to define other areas. A rug on the floor to anchor a reclaimed wood dining table to help define the dining space, whilst the sitting area can be clearly defined by placing a rug in front of your large sofa and placing a modern nest of tables on it.

Zone by using plants

By now we all know the benefits of having house plants in our spaces – you can really embrace this natural and healthy way to zone a room. A tall plant in a floor-standing pot or some open wood shelving units are great for creating a natural divide, or how about an on-trend living wall to bring in a contemporary diversion.

Zone by using furniture

Use furniture to partition the space – it’s nice to have the option to section off an area when needed, especially if an open-plan room includes your home office. You can do this by opting for a tall bookcase, open shelving is great for this as you will still get the impression of space and see it flow. Sideboards are also great for this; the above dining space, featuring the Farringdon Reclaimed Wood trestle table, is zoned by the sideboard and a drinks cabinet. Of course, the most recognisable one is the breakfast bar or kitchen island – everyone will know that the kitchen space is beyond that point.

Zone by using colour

Painting sections of the walls in different colours is a great way to zone a large space. Or if you don’t want to commit to a wall colour, use furniture in pops of colour to define the space. We love the bright pink column radiator above for its bright and clever divide, together with the petrol blue fabric dining chairs that draw the eye to that area.

How to use Dulux colour of 2021 in your dining space

Brave Ground™ is the Dulux colour of the year for 2021 so we thought we would look at how reclaimed wood furniture pieces would work with this colour.

“Dulux colour experts have chosen Brave Ground™, a bolstering shade that connects back to nature and the simple things. A warm, earthy tone, it creates a feeling of stability, growth and potential; and provides a firm foundation for change and creativity in your home.”

Stone painted living room wall with brown pendant light and dark grey leather sofa

This gorgeous neutral earthy colour will set a sublime backdrop for many different interior decor styles. Here, in particular, we are looking at using Brave Ground™ in the dining room as we think it would make the perfect wall colour to complement a reclaimed wood dining table.

Being reminiscent of an old stone farmhouse means that Brave Ground™ would look particularly good with rustic furniture it. Use this hue as a backdrop to dress a farmhouse table with earthenware and terracotta pots. The Farringdon reclaimed wood dining table is a top pick of ours with the option to add a mix of leather dining chairs or a more rustic, but very on-trend wooden bench.

We love the versatility of this colour it will work well in a minimalist Scandi inspired dining room. It would imitate the wood panelling seen in the image below to give the room a quick bright and airy lift and leave you with a neutral canvas to work from. You can accessorise with a bamboo pendant light over the table, wicker baskets and house plants to nail minimalist Scandi style.

Photo featuring: Wycombe Oak Extending Dining Set

For an ultra-modern sleek look, we like how Brave Ground™ could be blended with bright and bold statement colours like warm burgundy and other colours with a hint of red or pink. Accessorise your dining room with rich burgundy curtains, striking wall art, a statement rug and wooden dining chairs dressed with coordinating cushions and small chair throws.

Photo featuring: Mitcham Industrial Oak Spider Leg Dining Table

Now we can look at the industrial dining space, this colour will soften the heavy black of an industrial dining table like this spider leg one. This table has been paired with a mix of grey and tan faux leather Cleo chairs so the warm earthy colour of Brave Ground™ will blend with the tan chairs and provide a neutral contrast to the black.

How to choose the right accent chair

Woman dressed in mustard trousers resting on an armchair next to green plant

Sat in the corner of a room or by a window, accent or feature chairs are hugely popular right now. An occasional chair to enjoy a coffee and relax in or team your chair up with a side table and a lamp and you have a designated reading corner. You can put an accent chair in the living room, kitchen, a bedroom and even the hallway. There are three key considerations that makes the perfect accent chair – style, colour and shape. Here we look at how to find the right stand-out chair for your home.

Photo featuring: Grayson Fabric Armchair

Choose your style

As you are just adding one chair you may want it to slot into the style of the room…. but then the beauty of the accent chair is that it doesn’t have to either! Go for a retro look, industrial, Scandi or classic. You might have a oswald 2 seater sofa and want to add a modern armchair to the room. The Edward Leather Armchair, being in a stunning brown leather is contemporary and extra comfortable, while the Ava White Armchair would make a bold statement in a retro-influenced living room or bedroom.

In a more formal setting, a brown high back chair with a classic button back and decorative stud work wins hands down.

Photo featuring: Ava White Armchair

Colours

If you have a neutral decor scheme you may want to add a pop of yellow, rich blue or bold red these are all great options. These colours would also work well with a black or brown sofa to introduce a bold contrast to a room – you can also use the colour to base other accessories on.

You can of course also be a little more daring by choosing a completely different bold colour. Say you have a room with various shades of yellow then you could add a bright blue armchair, these work well together but your accent chair will become a feature that draws the eye.

Photo featuring: Grayson Fabric Armchair – Midnight Blue

Shape and texture

There are so many chair shapes available – we love the Reeves Rattan Armchair – ideal for a neutral coloured bedroom or the perfect small armchair for a morning coffee or afternoon reading.

The Oswald Armchair is a vintage brown leather and has both texture and shape with its luxurious super soft leather and gorgeous curves, the perfect addition to a funky living space.

Photo featuring: Oswald Armchair Vintage Brown Leather

Breathe a new lease of life in to your dining room

Industrial oak dinging table with dark grey leather dining chairs and industrial sideboard

Sometimes a room just needs a bit of a freshen up and a few new pieces to transform it into a space you and your loved ones will enjoy spending time in it again. Here are our top tips to breathe new life into you dining room….

A good place to start is to decide what style suits you and your room – farmhouse, modern, Scandi minimalist, retro? With so many styles on trend right now this can be the hardest decision.

Dining room furniture

Reclaimed wood dining tables come in so many shapes and sizes you will definitely find one to suit your needs – yes, this is a bit of an outlay but it will be a stunning centrepiece in your dining room for years to come. A rustic or industrial dining table will work well with so many interior styles you will easily be able to incorporate it in your next decor theme.

To inject a bit of luxury into your dining space you can add sumptuous velvet upholstered dining chairs or even a velvet dining bench, great for when you might need to squeeze a few extra around the table. If you have a growing family and sticky little fingers to deal with then some wipe-clean leather or faux leather dining chairs will instantly modernise your room without the need to replace other pieces of furniture.

If your dining room has become a bit cluttered over the last few months, a wooden sideboard will quickly fix this for you…. plus you can dress the top of the sideboard, hang a wall mirror over it and your room will have a very practical and stylish new feature.

Lighting

Your dining room may have been used as a school room or an office in recent months and you might just want to make a small change to switch it back to being (and feeling like) a dining room again. Natural pendant ceiling lights are making a huge comeback this year – our rattan and bamboo pendant lights are all produced from sustainably sourced materials and with a range of different styles to choose from this would give your dining room an instant update.

New table linen

If you are not in a position to replace your dining table then glam it up with crisp fresh table linen. You can choose linen that blends with your existing colour scheme or a colour that contrasts. Start with a white table cloth add a runner and napkins…..you don’t just have to stick to the table, get some cushions or throws to smarten up dining chairs or benches.

Atmospheric accessories

Last but not least…. Choose a new centrepiece for your dining table – you can add a candlestick, a decorative bowl, a vase with some dried flowers and grasses or a new houseplant. Scented candles and diffusers look lovely and will soothe your guests into after-dinner drinks and conversation. Same with lighting, a ceiling pendant is perfect when you are dining but the cosy glow of a table lamp is much better mood setter as the evening wears on.

How to make a white dining room work

Minimalist dining room with wood dining table with black steel legs and wooden chairs

The Scandi minimalist look is still a hugely popular interior trend right now. So if you have white walls and a white ceiling how can you give your dining room some texture and warmth? A blank canvas is a wonderful starting point for your dining room, below we look at some ideas to introduce some homeliness while still keeping it fresh, cool and clear.

Reclaimed wood furniture

This is a great way to start. Warm, rustic, and homely – the minute you add reclaimed wood furniture you’re adding a warm and natural texture. Choose a reclaimed wood dining table, the table-top proudly boasts natural markings and undulations from its previous life. The Dorset trestle table is white painted to really embrace a white dining room theme, it’s a shining example of minimal style, accessorise the natural finish dining benches with cushions and a small throw to give additional texture to the room. We love to see a pendant light hanging over a dining table, to keep things fresh choose an unobtrusive white one.

Photo featuring: Dorset Reclaimed Wood Extendable Trestle Table

White linen

White table linen on a rustic dining table just oozes dining room chic and you can, of course, add an accent colour to mix it up a bit. This is also a great way to link with other coloured elements in the room and keep the coordination going throughout your dining space.

Flowers and houseplants

Houseplants are so popular right now, especially while we have all been staying at home more. Adding pot plants into a crisp white dining space adds an element of nature that not only brightens your room but is also proven to have health benefits. A vase of fresh-cut flowers is another option, choose something seasonal – in summer impressive gladioli or bold sunflowers and in autumn, dahlias can be arranged in a clear glass vase.

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Extending Table & Bench.

Dining chairs

If you don’t like too many accessories then you can break up the white by using upholstered dining chairs or faux leather chairs. There are so many different styles and colours to choose from you will be spoilt for choice. You can mix and match benches with white dining chairs and cushions, or add coloured cushions yourself as another way to get some more colour into the room.

Photo featuring: Dorset Reclaimed Wood Chairs

Add contrasting elements

With all this talk about furniture and accessories, we must not forget the floor and the option to add a rug. For example, a green rug in a crisp white room with a rustic dining table and some houseplants will give your room a completely coordinated theme, team this up with a contrasting small armchair in a corner and again you are adding more features and interesting elements to your blank canvas.

Photo featuring: Louis de Poortere Fading World Oyster Green Rug

Which is for you? Maximalist, Minimalist or Meditative

home sweet home plaque with dried lavender

Do you live for vibrant colours and bold, eye-catching patterns? Maybe you prefer a blank canvas with clean crisp lines and clear white surfaces? Or do soft neutral colours and touches of nature make you happy?

Whatever interior style tribe you belong to, reclaimed wood furniture will elevate your scheme. We look at each tribe and what reclaimed wood furniture fits…

white kitchen with reclaimed wood table and sideboard

Maximalist

Bold colours, rich fabrics and patterns are just begging for an aged reclaimed wood table or sideboard. The tapestry of life visible in the natural grains of wood will complement rich fabrics and bright colour schemes, by adding a focal point for the eye to rest on. You can also introduce a “bold and bright” element to an otherwise neutral room, by simply adding accent chairs around a reclaimed wood dining table. Consider a velvet dining chair to create a warm and sumptuous atmosphere.

Minimalist

Decluttered, clear surfaces, minimal colour and furniture are what the minimalist loves. This may risk looking lifeless and soulless but adding reclaimed wood furniture adds life to a minimalist home. Keep the wood light or white painted to blend in with the scheme and a natural wicker light fitting for additional texture and warmth in your room. Bedrooms are particularly suited to minimalism. Create a calming and tranquil space by adding reclaimed wood bedroom furniture to your blank canvas, just a few, well-chosen decorative items, will complete a personal and welcoming haven.

Meditative

Linked closely with biophilic design this is a mix of fresh, neutral colours that make the most of natural light and the colours of nature. Natural reclaimed wood really is the obvious choice to complete this theme through your living space. Consider reclaimed wood shelving as a way to display houseplants by adding height and plenty of space, to really embrace a meditative decor style. A reclaimed wood sideboard is not just a place to stand your houseplants on but it also provides handy storage space.

Category: contemporary