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More happy home New Year Resolutions: Part Two

Page from a spiral notepad with large numbers 2021 and plan

Following on from our last blog, here’s part two of our easy New Year happy home resolutions to get 2024 off to the most positive start possible.

Number 6 – Reorganise & de-clutter

Decluttering is a great way to make your home a more serene place. Go through your kitchen cupboards and have a good sort out! Just adding a small sideboard in your kitchen or dining room will give you so much extra storage space. If you haven’t worn some of your winter woolies by now then think if you will ever wear them again. If there are some you are unsure about then pop them away in storage, if you don’t miss them by spring you can probably donate or recycle some. Buying new bedroom furniture is a great incentive to declutter your bedroom, a wooden wardrobe with drawers is ideal with plenty of storage options.

Photo featuring: Luna Double Wardrobe

Number 7 – Cook one new thing a week

Cooking, especially weeknights, can get a bit repetitive! This can be something the whole family is involved in, not with just helping to cook but also let the kids help by making suggestions. Even if the kids just want pizza, they will still enjoy making one from scratch, maybe try out some new toppings, and then all sit around your rustic dining table to enjoy your efforts!

Number 8 – Cut down on alcohol

Avoid temptation and keep the bottles out of sight…Even though Christmas and New Year have been low key, we have probably all enjoyed a bit more to drink than normal. Keep your bottles out of sight and out of mind with the gorgeous Wardour Reclaimed drinks cabinet.

Number 9 – Get more sleep

We should all be getting 7-8 hours sleep a night – how many of us actually manage to do this? Turn your bedroom in a place you really want to spend time in, freshen it up with a lick of paint in a tranquil colour (blues and green are great for bedrooms) concentrate on comfort. Natural, warm feeling, eco-conscious reclaimed wood furniture is perfect for the bedroom – A Dulwich Reclaimed Wood Bed frame would be a dreamy addition to any bedroom, with a chest of drawers, a small bedside table and a wooden blanket box you have plenty of storage available to keep your bedroom clear and organised.

Photo featuring: Dulwich Reclaimed Wood Bed

Number 10 – Start writing a diary

A journal is a great way to clear and organise your thoughts and also vent your feelings at the end of the day – it’s also a great way to remember the little things that people so often forget. You can write this tucked up in bed before you go to sleep – but if you really want to knuckle down and create your own masterpiece you can get small dressing table for your bedroom that can double as a writing desk…….something like the Parquet Dressing Table would be ideal.

Photo featuring: Parquet Dressing Table

Hello 2024! Happy home New Year Resolutions: Part One

2024 Is finally upon us and 2023 has been and gone – YAY!! So let’s get the year off to the most amazing and positive start. In this blog, and in the next one, we have listed our top 10 New Year’s resolutions for a happy home.

New Year resolutions don’t just have to be about dieting and working out! But also about improving our lifestyle in the space we value, relax and recharge time in – our homes.

Number 1 – Read more

“Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book” – Jane Smiley

Make a point of picking up a book every now and then – aim for a book a month to get started – chances are you will find some real gems which you will not be able to put down! And with all this reading going on you will, of course, need somewhere to keep all these books – give them pride of place in the Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Bookcase. In the right spot, you can create a small reading corner in your home – all you need is some shelving for your books, a small armchair and maybe a small side table for your reading lamp.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Bookcase

Number 2 – Keep the hallway tidy

The hallway is an often forgotten about part of the house – it’s not a place we spend much time in so don’t give much thought about furniture in it. But our second resolution suggests we should at least sort out some practical hallway storage – who likes to walk into a home tripping over abandoned shoes and bags? A narrow console table is perfect to put a handbag down on and you can get one with a shelf below and drawers if you resolve to keep clutter-free. A hallway storage bench is a perfect allrounder – somewhere to sit down while you get your shoes on and off as well as compartments or baskets to hide them away.

Number 3 – Get a better work/life balance

Working from home is a lot more in our lives now – invest in a good home office desk and desk chair to make your working time as productive as possible – it’s so much more comfortable than the kitchen table. Also, if you have a designated workspace then it is much easier to switch off and spend downtime away from work distractions. We love the Standford industrial desk which is crafted from gorgeous reclaimed timbers; it’s a very popular choice with our customers too!

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Desk, Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bookcase, Standford Grey Faux Leather Office Chair

Number 4 – Live a greener life

Start a new greener life in 2021 – if everyone took a few small steps like recycling and reusing, then together we could really make a difference. Little shifts in habits, like a couple of vegetarian meals a week, recycling more, choosing reclaimed wood furniture, cutting down on single-use plastics and composting food waste, could really bring in change.

Photo featuring: Derby Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table

Number 5 – Sit at the dining table for meals

Make time every week to have some family meals sat around the dining table. We love the Derby Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table – a reclaimed wood dining table that gives your kitchen or dining space a hint of Scandi style. With the option of extension leaves, upholstered dining chairs and dining benches it’s a brilliant family option and a must have when entertaining.

For part 2 of our Happy Home Resolutions, see our next blog!

A look at our top 2023 sellers

Wooden numbers saying 2020 on white washed wood with fairy lights behind and best sellers words

With 2023 behind us, we take a look back to see which furniture was the most popular with our environmentally conscientious customers. Our stunning range of dining tables (as ever) has again been at the top of the list!

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Table & Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench

Dining Tables

The Standford dining table – This is from our hugely popular Standford range which includes gorgeous reclaimed wood furniture pieces for just about every room in the house! This rustic dining table is available as a fixed top table or as a very handy extendable table. From wooden sideboards to beds, large chests of drawers to a small living room lamp table – everything in this popular wood furniture range is skilfully crafted from timbers salvaged from former factories.

The Chelwood – This glamourous dining table features in our top sellers list just about every year! The polished stainless steel legs provide industrial elegance while the unique, full of rustic charm, solid reclaimed wood tabletop completes its undeniable allure.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Large Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Rocco Spider Leg – This industrial dining table features a sustainably sourced solid oak top which sits on a central and stylish industrial spider leg. Plenty of room around the table with no annoying legs in the way for diners to bang their knees on!

Dining Chairs

Allegro chair – Sit back and dine in a high quality, soft Italian leather dining chair. These modern dining chairs pair perfectly with industrial furniture as well as more rustic and modern dining room furniture.

Photo featuring: Allegro Leather Dining Chair

Standford Leather & Faux Leather chairs – These leather and faux leather dining chairs from the ever popular Standford range won’t disappoint – a hugely popular addition to dining spaces up and down the country.

Cleo Faux Leather chairs and benches – Faux leather dining chairs are becoming increasingly popular with our animal-friendly customers. Our Cleo range of dining room seating is available in grey or tan, you can choose from dining benches, bar stools or chairs which all have sleek industrial legs. For those who want a comfortable upholstered dining chair that can easily be wiped clean then faux leather is proving to be a top pick.

Bedroom furniture

Onslow bed frames and bedside tables – The glorious bedroom furniture from the Onslow range has proven to be a winner yet again. Handcrafted in the UK from salvaged railway sleepers, this chunky bedroom furniture adds a warmth to your bedroom that can only be achieved by a statement king size bed frame, caringly crafted using solid reclaimed wood.

Photo featuring: Onslow Reclaimed Wooden Bed Frame

Living room furniture

Oldman coffee table – We think this is a fine example of an industrial coffee table and our style-conscious customers definitely agree! As this is another of our pieces that are hand finished in right here in the UK, your coffee table can be made to bespoke sizes….meaning that you can have a coffee table that is perfectly in proportion with your living room.

Photo featuring: Oldman Industrial Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

Barkby sofa – This gorgeous brown leather sofa has been a huge hit during 2020. This range is skillfully made to order, you get to choose from a 2 or 3 seater leather sofa with or without an armchair to create the perfect combination for your living room.

Chestey Velvet Sofa – The popularity of this stylish, industrial style sofa just proves how much style our customers have!

Oswald Armchair – The Oswald real leather armchair is just waiting to be sat in, in a cosy reading corner. Seeking the ultimate in comfort, our customers have also opted for the coordinating leather footstool. A 2 seater sofa and a 3 seater is also available.

Quick-check – Last minute Christmas check list

To do notepad on rustic wood with green pine needles

Christmas is going to be quite a different celebration this year – but even if you are at home with just your immediate family or have a few extra guests over, you will want to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible….so all you’ll need to do is sit back, relax and spend valuable time with your nearest and dearest.

Here we have put together a list of a few things you might want to add to a last-minute to-do list.

Tidy round

Most of us will have this covered already! But it is surprising how quickly a room gets cluttered with a few extra guests and opened gifts. Not to mention the discarded wrapping paper. If you have a wooden sideboard in your living room put as much away in there as possible – If you keep your remotes on a rustic coffee table pop them in a drawer or on the shelf underneath it so you won’t be hunting around later. Tidy away shoes in the hallway, make additional space under a hallway storage bench to make some room for your guest’s shoes

Prepare the guest room for overnight visitors

You may know some guests will be staying over, but even if there is a chance some may unexpectedly stay, have the spare room hoovered out and some fresh clean bedding and towels ready and waiting to be used – having last-minute guests to stay will be a breeze! Place a festive plant or some Christmas decorations on the bedroom wooden chest of drawers, or place some festive cushions on the bed.

Think about seating

Seating around the dining table is always an issue at Christmas! Now is the time you should check if you have enough dining chairs. If you have an upholstered bench in the hallway you can easily bring it into the dining room ready to use. You may have an office swivel chair in a kids bedroom or the home office that can also be counted in. It’s not just in the dining room that you need to consider seating – you may need extra in the living room too so you can all sit down together and watch a festive family film after Christmas dinner.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Large Reclaimed Wood Dining Table & Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench

Do you have everything for the table?

Do you have enough serving dishes and/or trays? How will you dish up Christmas dinner? Check you have serviettes, crackers, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, even salt and pepper. If you enjoy eating cold meats and cheeses for supper, or the next day, check you have some of your favourite pickles in. You might even want to get the table set now – rustic Christmas decorations and wreaths look beautiful on a reclaimed wood dining table and can be left in situ throughout the holidays.

Last-minute household essentials

Foil is one of those things that often gets forgotten about – I know I have done it myself! But things like toilet roll, matches, scented candles and especially batteries for the kids new toys or even the TV remote. It’s also worth checking on dishwasher tablets, kitchen roll, clingfilm for leftovers and the other things things that we do not purchase as regularly.

Treats to offer any unexpected guests

It’s always a good idea to have some extra bits in just in case you do get some unexpected guests. Mince pies, a spare box of festive chocolates, savoury nibbles and a couple of extra cartons of juice will keep well in the store cupboard.

Assortment of milk chocolates and white star biscuits on a brown plate

Tips to adapt Christmas dinner to a plant-based feast

Our population is becoming more and more environmentally conscious of the products we purchase and the lifestyle we are choosing to lead. From purchasing items made from sustainable materials, reclaimed wood furniture with faux leather dining chairs to embracing a vegan diet.

So how do you adapt the traditional sumptuous “no holds barred” traditional turkey dinner to a plant-based feast?

If you and your family are all vegans then you will probably have plenty of ideas on how to switch to a plant-based Christmas dinner – but what if you have one member of your family who is vegan? Or if you have one or two guests coming who are vegan? It’s worth checking if they are flexible at all, some people who usually eat vegan will be more than happy to slot in a little and be OK with a small amount of dairy product. It’s definitely worth checking before stressing over how to adapt everything.

Photo featuring: Kensington Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

To make life easier on the day set your dining table the night before. If you think you have to squeeze extra guests around the table then consider a dining bench or for extra comfort a dining bench with back or fabric dining bench, it’s much easier to squeeze up on one of these than adding extra dining chairs.

Starters and nibbles

I think it’s a given that most vegans, and vegetarians, enjoy hummus, it’s also popular with carnivores too. This is a great choice to start your Christmas feast with, you can dish this up individually or have a sharing platter ready for all to dig in to a rustic dining table – serve with carrot, cucumber and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, peppers and some vegan breadsticks that you can get from most supermarkets. Traditional guacamole is also vegan. For nibbles, you can put out olives or a platter of nuts and dried fruits.

The main event

A cashew nut roast, a mushroom and lentil loaf with cranberries, stuffed butternut squash and meals based on polenta are all great options – there are so many recipes waiting to be discovered online, you will easily be able to find something to suit. The great thing about many of these meals (having no meat to worry about going off) is that they can be prepared or even frozen well in advance. Now we have the main element decided on we can start on the side dishes. Yes, the veggies – all you have to do here is be mindful of adding butter, animal fat and other meat-based elements as you cook and prepare them. Then there’s just the gravy, again there are some great vegan recipes online or you can go for ready-made shop-bought.

Christmas pud

The traditional Christmas pudding is quite easy to adapt to a vegan one – full of dried fruits, Christmas spices and booze there are only really a couple of ingredients you need to swap – the suet and any dairy product. The vegan society has a great recipe on their website that is definitely worth a look. This can be served with brandy butter which can be made using vegan margarine, icing sugar and alcohol.

Whatever you serve, Christmas, more than ever this year, will be about spending as much quality time as possible with your nearest and dearest.

Ideas for a fun and alternative Christmas dining table

Pineapple with Christmas baubles hanging off leaves next to two starfish with Christmas hats

One of the main events of Christmas day is the feast we sit down to eat with our nearest and dearest. It’s never too early to start thinking about table decorations!

Long gone are the days of limited options – just a candle in the middle and a Christmas cracker each! So in this blog we look at slightly alternative ways and put a few ideas out there to decorate the table!

….It no longer has to be just candles, tinsel and baubles!

If you don’t have a wooden sideboard or a handy big extendable table to place dishes of food on you will need to consider how you are going to dish up food – you don’t want a large dining table that is so full of decorations that you have nowhere to put the serving dishes, nor do you want your decorations too high and not be able to see and engage with those on the other side of the table.

A reclaimed wood dining table already gives you a superb base to start with – the tabletop will have gorgeous natural undulations in the wood, start with a table runner in your chosen colour, perfect for along the middle. Then you can decide what mood you want to set for your Christmas dinner – modern, rustic, alternative…..

A rustic dining table lends itself perfectly to rustic style decorations – dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cones, a twig wreath and some candles would be a simple, stylish and eco-friendly way to style your table. If you have other items of reclaimed wood furniture, such as a reclaimed wood sideboard, then again you can decorate these items by making or buying small arrangements and also hanging fairy lights on them.

Plants in pots and small hints of Christmas may be all you want to see on your dining table!

Less is more – just a simple festive Santa cutlery holder for your cutlery and a cleverly folded napkin is fun yet elegant, add a natural fir wreath as a centrepiece and your table can be good to go.

A pendant ceiling light is great hanging over your dining table but a candle or two give the table some atmosphere and create a more magical and dreamy setting. However, candles are not always a great idea if little hands might be reaching over to pull crackers or to get more food. This is where you can add fairy lights to your table decor. These can stay here throughout the festive period to give your table a child-friendly cosy and warm glow during every meal.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas dining table?

Bright white Christmas dining table with white plates

We are now into December (at last!) and you would be forgiven if you wanted to start decorating your home much earlier than usual to bring in some Christmas cheer!

This is a time of year when a more cluttered look is completely acceptable. We thought we would look at a happy medium – get your decorations up in the kitchen or dining room but in a more subtle and sophisticated way with a white dining table giving the base colour.

White and gold

The classic Christmas combination – sophisticated and luxurious. It’s always a winner to decorate a dining room with a touch of gold for a celebratory sit-down feast but bringing in white just brightens it up some more. This scheme is perfect if you have a white dining table with a natural reclaimed wood tabletop like our stunning Hoxton oak farmhouse table. You can bring in just a little gold to warm up and blend with the white, you can use an antique gold for a more rustic / farmhouse feel.

White and silver

Set a sleek frosty scene in your dining room by combining white and silver. The Dorset white extending dining table is the perfect rustic dining table if you entertain many, keep your room light and airy by adding white dining chairs and possibly a bench with a furry throw so you can get your guests to squeeze up a little when needed!

White and pastels

We just love how this mantlepiece has been dressed in white and pastel pink. This idea would transfer beautifully to rustic furniture or even a kitchen display unit, with a coordinating centerpiece on a Worcester white round dining table or a kitchen breakfast table. Baby blue and teal are also more modern colours to consider if you are looking for a more modern Christmas vibe.

White and red

Red is the ultimate Christmas colour, warm, bold, positive and energetic red is definitely a firm favourite. With a white reclaimed wood dining table, like the Worcester, and a crisp white table cloth, the red will really pop and give your dining space a warm traditional feel without being too dark and cluttered. You can bring in some of the more modern or rustic table decorations available now if you want to move away from the standard baubles and tinsel.

Why opt for a spider leg dining table for Christmas?

Close up of Christmas dining table with small pine wreath and decanter and glass of red wine

This Christmas is shaping up to be a little different for most of us but here we look at why a spider leg table is a great longer-term investment for your home.

Wooden dining table decorated with christmas decorations and wooden sign spelling family

The main bonus of course of a spider leg table is that the legs are not at the corners of the dining table, making it perfect if you entertain a lot and like to get a few extra around the table….without people banging their knees into the table legs. It’s also easier to slide onto a dining bench or sit down into the end dining chairs without the table legs in the way, there’s also more space to slot in an extra chair or two when needed, ideal for future large family celebrations.

A big bonus is of course, that they just look so superbly stylish! The three we are featuring in this blog have eye-catching industrial style spider legs.

An industrial dining table is an incredibly popular choice right now – they lend themselves to many interior styles – you can reinforce the industrial look by coordinating with an industrial sideboard, pair your spider leg table with other reclaimed wood furniture items, soften the industrial lines with a rustic cottage interior theme or elevate to luxury with rich and sumptuously padded fabric dining chairs.

Close up of wooden dining table with thick black metal spider leg, tan leather dining chairs and grey faux leather bench with back

Photo featuring: Rocco Industrial Rustic Oak Spider Leg Dining Table

The Rocco

This gorgeous oak dining table is definitely for the style and quality conscious. The sustainably sourced solid oak used for the tabletop is finished with a light / natural oil lacquered finish. This rustic dining table top showcases the natural beauty of solid oak and is chamfered in to give it a streamlined profile. Style this rectangular table with wooden chairs and an upholstered bench – using a bench again will allow you to make the most of the additional seating space…. you can get more people onto a dining bench as opposed to chairs.

Oval industrial oak dining table with black spider leg and grey velvet dining chairs

Photo featuring: Sussex Oak Parquet Industrial Oval Dining Table

The Sussex Parquet

This table is definitely in a class of its own. Not only does it feature the stylish and practical spider leg but the tabletop has been crafted in an eye-catching parquet design. An oval table makes a family meal or a Christmas dinner party a more intimate event as you can look across to other diners more easily. Without corners, it will also give the impression of taking up less space in the room. This classy table is sure to be a talking point among your dinner guests, especially if you pair it with sophisticated and exquisitely comfortable velvet chairs. Here we have paired it with the soft grey Bladon chair to soften the elevate the industrial look and add a touch of luxury.

The Mitcham

This is another rectangular table with a spider leg – the finish on this is a little darker than on the Rocco and the tabletop has a straight edge. The gorgeous natural wood finish is still there though, the same as on the Rocco. As you can see in the image we have paired it up with chairs and a dining bench from the industrially influenced Cleo faux leather range.

Photo featuring: Mitcham Industrial Oak Spider Leg Dining Table

So, when you are purchasing a new dining table and want something that is as practical as it is stylish you really should think about the benefits of choosing a spider leg table. These oak tables are beautifully made and will give you many years of comfortable dining pleasure.

How to go green this Thanksgiving

Happy thanksgiving in wooden blogs on rustic wood with scattering of acorns

Traditionally an all American celebration but we, across the pond, are now starting to see it as the start of the final countdown to Christmas. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving Thursday, is generally the day when our American cousins start their Christmas shopping and when all the high street and online stores start their Christmas gift promotion sales. The origins of Thanksgiving are thought to date back to 1621 when it started as a 3-day festival to celebrate the harvest and other blessings of the past year.

As with many celebrations, it has all become a bit over-commercialised and “disposable”. If you’re having a Thanksgiving celebration, discover here how to give it a more environmentally conscious meaning – with some principles that you can carry over to your Christmas dining table and maybe even some good, long-lasting habits.

Industrial reclaimed wood dining table with velvet dining chairs

Photo featuring: Kingsbridge Industrial Reclaimed Oak Dining Table

A reclaimed wood dining table is a great start, this will give you a great foundation for your sustainable Thanksgiving celebration, consider an extendable table if you like to entertain a lot. Although celebrations may be a bit more subdued than normal this year, a wooden bench is a great way to fit more people around your table for years to come. Not only that but they are also right on trend and look gorgeous dressed with cushions to sit on or a small throw. Start a sustainable theme in your home now and beyond, and invest in reclaimed wood furniture next time you need to replace a piece of furniture.

Close up on various squash and pumpkins on rustic dining table

Keep the look rustic with your table decorations – use gourds rather than plastic or throwaway decorations – these will give your rustic table an earthy look and will be completely in keeping with the time of year and the harvest origins of the celebration. Think also about decorating other pieces in your dining space, such as a reclaimed wood sideboard.

Napkin with bunch of dried berries tied with string and tag saying Thankful

There are many ways to incorporate nature into your table setting – autumnal leaves and twigs in a vase look great. The beauty of natural decorations is that they can be easily sourced outside and are fully compostable when finished with.

Even for large gatherings, you don’t need tonnes of different serving dishes. This is another area that you can purchase a few good quality versatile dishes that will work as well for your autumnal Thanksgiving table setting as they will for a summer barbecue. Table linen is another area where you can embrace sustainability, use a crisp white linen table cloth and add a runner and linen napkins in one or two coordinating earthy colours – this will give your table a much more polished feel than cheap throwaway serviettes.

Fruit and vegetables displayed on rustic table and baskets in a farm shop

Try to purchase locally grown organic food from farm shops – this will help support local small businesses and have less impact on the environment as very few chemicals are used in growing organic crops. This is, after all, a celebration of the local harvest! You can also extend this to the drinks you serve by purchasing local or organic wine in recycled glass bottles and avoiding soft drinks in plastic bottles. Try to reduce food waste. Many of us hugely overestimate how much food we need to put on the table so make a little less food. You can also ask your dinner guests if they want to take any leftover food home with them…. to save it just ending up in the bin. Any biodegradable food waste and vegetable pairings can be composted.