Dining table benches: How to seat more people using them

Dining table benches

When you’re hosting a large dinner party or having the family around for an occasion, finding enough chairs to seat everyone around the dinner table can be harder than deciding what to cook. Our suggestion is to think beyond the dining chair and consider using dining table benches instead. The beauty of a dining bench is that they work with all styles of dining tables and suit any type of gathering, whether that’s a formal or a casual get together. Here, we take a look at how to seat more people using dining table benches in comfort and in style.

Dining table benches

Shop Large Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

One of the main advantages of using a dining bench is that it takes up far less space than dining chairs to sit the same, if not more, amount of people. A wooden dining bench can also be neatly tucked away under your table when it’s not in use, saving important floor space in your dining room or kitchen diner.

There are two main considerations to think about when finding the perfect dining table benches for your home; how long you want your bench to be, and how tall it is. If you have a low table, be careful with the height of your bench – you don’t want your guests to struggle to fit underneath it. When it comes to length, try to find a dining bench that is as close to full length as you can to create balance and pay close attention to where your table legs are. For example, if you have table legs on the very corner of your table, you may wish to find a slightly shorter dining bench that will easily tuck underneath. A central pedestal or spider leg is ideal for seating more people using dining table benches as you can use the full length of each side of the table without worrying about the corners.

If you have a reclaimed wood dining table, the simple style of the Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench is fantastic. The slim design of the wooden dining bench is perfect if you have a smaller space to keep it looking clean and elegant.

Wooden dining bench and matching rustic dining table

The Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bench is perfect for pairing with any contemporary or industrial dining table. The bench features a wooden top crafted from 100% solid reclaimed wood which features natural markings for a gorgeous, charismatic finish and this is contrasted against the striking black metal base. A wonderful statement piece for any kitchen or dining room.

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench in Dining Room

Shop Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bench

You can even find designs which pack even more storage into your home. A storage bench like the Rattan May Wicker Storage Bench would look great paired with any wooden furniture. The rustic rattan basket is made from the highest quality rattan and opens to reveal a large space perfect for storing anything from dining accessories such as table cloths to blankets. A sophisticated addition to any classic or contemporary space.

Rattan May Wicker Storage Bench

Shop Rattan May Wicker Storage Bench

Modish Living also offers a number of wood dining table sets. The simply stunning Dorset Reclaimed Wood Trestle Table Dining Set is perfect for a contemporary twist on classic reclaimed wooden styles. The blend of natural, light reclaimed wood and distressed white paint looks great in any colour scheme. Not only this, the set comes with a mix of dining chairs and a dining bench for the best of both worlds.

Dorset Purbeck Reclaimed Wood Trestle Table Dining Set with Dining Bench

Shop Dorset Reclaimed Wood Trestle Table Dining Set

See the full collection of dining benches available at Modish Living, and contact our team for more information.

What do Mothers want for Mother’s Day?

Bramble Flower Caddy Dip Sauce for Dining Table on Mothers Day

Celebrating the #BeBoldForChange this International Women’s Day, we turn our thoughts to the one day dedicated to the women in our lives that matter most. Mothering Sunday, this year celebrated on 26th March, is the time to thank those special women in your life with a beautiful gift. But finding the right gift, balancing practicality and function with style and excitement can be tough.

There is a solution – choosing pieces that are designed and created by British designers, such as Garth Williams.

Let There be Light

These Nickel Pod Candle Holders are stylish, perfect for the modern, contemporary home or fit well within a traditional setting too.

Nickel Pod Candle Holder pack of 3 for Mother's Day

Perfect for gracing a dining table or mantelpiece, these holders designed by Garth Williams are created by skilled artisans in India, selected by the designer himself.

The tall, slim, understated elegance of these three pieces clustered together will delight the special lady in your life. Designed and made with love, they show you have carefully selected a gift they will love too.

Subtle and Stylish

The gifts we give our mums, grandmothers, aunts and other special women in our lives should reflect them and their personality. And that’s why these Wire Weave Fairy Light lanterns make the ideal gift for someone who is effortlessly stylish, borne out of subtlety. These lanterns are available in three sizes thus making them the ideal solution for clustering together on tables or on a hearth.

Contemporary Table Lamp Wire Weave Fairy Light

The fairy lighting is delightfully subtle, adding just enough detail to enhance their overall appeal.

The Beauty of Curves

Beautiful things are enhanced when they invite to be touched. And when it comes to this elegant Encore Stainless Steel Basket Bowl, the smooth curves demand to caressed. It has a taller but equally as curvaceous counterpart too.

Encore Stainless Steel Basket Bowl Modern Fruit

Never again will baskets or bowls of fruit have to be boring receptacles.

Art Deco Loveliness

There are some styles that can be described as nothing else but simply iconic. Art Deco, also known as ‘style moderne’ was a decorative arts and architecture movement that sprang to life in the 1920s. By the 1930s, it was a major style choice across the United States and Europe.

It is a firm favourite of many people today. It offers an uncluttered style, without being too minimal or lacking warmth. The detailing is exquisite, the lines clean and the overall look so very pleasing on the eye. Adding to an Art Deco interior design scheme is not hard when you come across quality pieces such as these Art Deco styled mirrors. Beautifully crisp in their appearance, these mirrors will look attractive in any setting.

Art Deco Round Wall Mirror

And Finally…

For someone who loves to entertain, these triple or double dip Bramble Flower Bowls are the ideal gift. They make a perfect centrepiece to the dining table. Adding just enough detail, they are perfect for all kinds of dips and nibbles.

Bramble Flower Caddy Dip for Sauce on Dining Table

This year, make Mothering Sunday extra special with a well-chosen gift from Modish Living.

5 creative ways to use a sideboard in your home

Hudson Living Chilson Oak Sideboard for Living Room or Dining Room

Wooden sideboards are a wonderful addition to almost any room in your home. Traditionally, sideboards are seen in dining rooms but there are so many different ways you can use a sideboard in your home decor.

What are sideboards used for?

In the Kitchen: kitchen sideboard decor

A reclaimed wood sideboard offers understated and classic style at its best. Perfect for almost any interior scheme, a reclaimed wood sideboard will provide a practical storage solution and give a charming finish to any room with the natural markings and unique character. If you are looking for something a little more creative, a white reclaimed wood sideboard such as our Large Dorset Reclaimed Wood Sideboard could be used as a kitchen island to bring the rustic vibe with a contemporary twist this spring. For more kitchen sideboard ideas read pro interior stylist, Kate Hill’s sideboard ideas.

reclaimed wood white sideboard

 

Sideboard decor in the Home Office

A sideboard with drawers can be very practical in the office area, as it can help declutter your working space. This creates a better space to think and motivates productivity. An industrial style sideboard with dark grey metal handles and frames is fantastic for office space for creating a stylish, streamlined finish. The addition of three double drawers is fantastic for providing plenty of extra storage for stationary, folders and filing away paperwork.

In the Dining Room

If you are looking to use your sideboard in a dining room, we suggest choosing a style with room for a wine rack which can store your favourite drinks close to the dining table. This also cuts out storage space needed for wine bottles in your kitchen and creates a cleaner finish. An oak sideboard also fits well into a dining room decor as its paler finish blends seamlessly with other dining room furniture and colour schemes. The Rocco Industrial Rustic Oak Sideboard is a nod to modern Scandi or Nordic styles and provides the perfect stage to display your paired-back accessories.

oak sideboard

Living room sideboard decor

In your living room, a sideboard is a great place for proudly displaying your collections or trinkets. But they can also provide storage space for family games, films, or even special glassware you don’t want to keep in your kitchen cupboards. When it comes to a sideboard for living room ideas, the modern shape and eye-catching brass inlays of the Farnham Sustainable Mango Wood Sideboard will add an instant a touch of glamour to any room and will be adored for its stylish, contemporary look.

mango wood sideboard with brass hexagonal inlays

Sideboard in bedroom

Finally, a sideboard can even be a fantastic addition in the bedroom, especially as kids’ bedroom storage. They are often a more compact solution than a chest of drawers and provide space for storing toys, books and games. The Chelwood Nordic Reclaimed Wood Small Sideboard is a wonderful option with its mixture of cupboard and drawer storage and smaller size, perfect for your little one’s bedroom.

small reclaimed wood sideboard

 

To find the perfect one for your home, take a look at our collection of sideboards, or get in touch with one of our team members.

Welcome Spring in Your Farmhouse Style: All You Need to Know

reclaimed wood dining table with white legs in farmhouse dining room with white kitchen dresser

The farmhouse style is an elegant and classic one, meaning that this type of interior is coveted by many. With a few farmhouse decors, it is a style that you can use throughout the home. Here, we outline what Farmhouse Style encompasses, and how to bring it into your space this Spring.

1. Open Shelving

In the kitchen especially, having items on display was essential in the busy farmhouse kitchen. Open shelving is the perfect solution. Choose similar storage jars but remember the farmhouse look is not about having everything the same. Therefore, mix different styles and sizes, but keep key elements the same such as glass storage jars and so on.

Light Raw Oak Wide Shelf Ladder bookcase farmhouse

2. Reclaimed Wood Furniture

The farmhouse style relies heavily on wood as the main material for furniture. It was cheap and plentiful, unlike other materials. This is why large reclaimed wood furniture is perfect for the farmhouse style. Use a reclaimed wood trunk as a toy box-cum-coffee table or opt for the shelf ladder bookcase as the perfect addition to the lounge and living area. Use it for books and other sculptures that fit with the farmhouse theme.

3. A Farmhouse Kitchen

Farmhouse kitchens are not necessarily fully fitted with fitted cupboards. Part or all of the kitchen would be freestanding furniture like a reclaimed wood kitchen dresser. The dressers were part and parcel of the home but for most farmhouse kitchens, the best dinner service was usually white with pretty detailing around the edges of plates and serving platters. They would be stored on the open shelving of the dresser during the week, and used weekly for the large Sunday roast.

As well as shaker style cabinets – wooden fronts with same coloured wooden handles – a deep Belfast sink, with old-style miser taps is the perfect means of setting the farmhouse kitchen style.

Savannah Reclaimed Wood Medium Kitchen Dresser

4. The Dining Room

The dining room would often be a formal room in a farmhouse. Again, it would only be used on special occasions or on Sunday for a large family dinner. More often than not, during the working week, meals would be taken around the table that formed a central isle in the kitchen. The kitchen table itself would be both a work station and a dining table, so the typical farmhouse table would be heavy and robust. Getting the look is easy with a reclaimed wood dining table that is as imposing as it is stylish.

Hoxton Oak White Farmhouse Table in dining room

For the dining room, the table would be slightly daintier in its appeal, with more finesse and style.

5. Farmhouse accessories

Once you have your main pieces of farmhouse furniture in situ, you need to accessorise the space with farmhouse decor to add warmth and texture.

There is a range of farm artwork that would work well, adding a touch of the modern without detracting from the main style of the room. Carry on the outdoor/farmhouse theme with animal-themed cushions, along with plaid patterns for throws and cushions.

Black and White Cow Canvas Art

Farmhouses, for practical reasons, would often have hard floors, thus rugs were an essential component, especially in front of a roaring fire. Use rugs and other textiles in natural fibres to add colour, shape and form to a space.

How will you create a farmhouse style that works in your home?

5 Types Of Interior Design Styles To Implement In Your Home

Windsor Oak Farmhouse Extending Dining Table in Dining Room with blush pink dining chairs

If you are looking for inspiration to create a new look for your home, but aren’t sure which style to adopt, then you need to know about these fantastic interior design styles and ideas. In this article, we bring you the 5 types of interior design styles and how to implement these popular trends in your home.

Industrial Look

The turn-of-the-century industrial era emphasised the liberal use of steel and distressed wooden furniture, along with exposed brick walls.

This is achievable in rooms and space across your home, including distressed-wood modern beds. Create a rugged effect but soften with softly draping, but clean-lined window dressings, along with rugs and cushions.

Lan

Find out more about the Industrial Style here.

Nautical

Nautical décor is a relaxing one, with warmth and an air of positivity to it, just like a day at the sea-side. The spirit of the sea is captured in many ways, and is the perfect style for capturing the urban modern style.

Think linear patterns, think blues and creams and think nautical patterns, from birds to anchors. Reclaimed wood is also welcomed in this style and with this modern dining table set, you can welcome the sea scape into your home, throughout the space.

Chilson Table and Bench Set in Dining room

Scandinavian Style

There is something delightful about the clean, minimalist lines of the Scandinavian style, but without lacking the warmth and texture that so many of us look for. Scandinavian pieces that fit perfectly within this style are balance engineered with organic materials, have a playful accent on colour and think smooth, rounded edges, rather than hard, angular lines.

Hudson Living Bergen Nest of Tables White

Farmhouse

And finally, the farmhouse style is a welcome trend in the urban modern style that so many of us covet. There is a warmth in its familiarity and is a style that is simple to replicate, easy to live with. It is truly practical and versatile.

Windsor Oak Farmhouse Extending Dining Table

Again, distressed wood furniture is the backbone of the style, as it is furniture that is simple to incorporate into the scheme. Think pastel colours with neutral tones on both walls and floors. Be romantic in your outlook, including accessories that are not overly fussy. And stick with natural materials as much as you can.

Mid-20th Century Modern

The mid-1900s provided some of the most iconic furniture design. New technologies gave rise to moulded plastics, plywood and aluminium furniture all perfect for the refined lines, minimalist silhouettes and natural shapes popular in the period.

To keep your home looking fresh, mix in modern-day interior design pieces, such as bright coloured modern rugs.

Louis De Poortere Vintage Patchwork Yellow Rug

In the end, all types of interior design styles are focused on making your rooms look homely. It is about adding your creative tastes and takes on styles of yesteryear – like plucking the best bits and bolstering them with modern-day textiles and furnishings to create a space that’s all your own. Choose among the types of interior design styles and make your house not only stunning but also attractive.

Identifying Industrial Style

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Set with Dining Table and Dining Bench in dining room

Industrial interior design is an eye-catching contemporary style, with an environmental conscience. You can instantly spot an industrial style piece of furniture, due to the rustic and robust appearance of the reclaimed timber, together with bold metal supports and legs. The surface of the wood features some marks, showing the character of where it was reclaimed from. Each piece is unique and handcrafted to combine the reclaimed wood top, together with welded recycled metal for the table legs. The sleek dark legs and supports are any repurposed metal object, pieces of robust iron or steel, or even pipes.

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bench and Dining Table

Colour and texture

The colour of wood varies because some pieces are made from dark hardwood; others are elm or lighter. There are many unique options to suit your taste. You can easily create a homely statement as a centrepiece for your room. Textured reclaimed wood can be beams from old barns or demolition sites, which has become popular due to environmental concerns about waste and cutting down trees. For wood to be classed as reclaimed, it must have been previously used elsewhere. Salvaging the wood is a painstaking process to prevent damage. The wood requires a lot of processing to remove any metal nails and to ensure it is free from mould or worms.

Where to find industrial style furniture

Here at Modish Living, we have a range of well-priced industrial style furniture for your home. For examples, this Stanford industrial style reclaimed wood coffee table has impressive industrial character, plenty of pattern and natural markings. There are also two drawers for storage with metal handles which draws your eye down to the dark metal legs.

Alternatively, this distinctive elm industrial coffee table is perfect for a smaller space. This round design has a typically rustic finish. More unusually the table legs are made from flowing circles which really is an amazing feature.

Industrial style coffee table

Industrial reclaimed wood round coffee table

Price reflects hard work and dedication to creating beauty

There isn’t a high price point of reclaimed wood in itself. Nonetheless, the price of the furniture reflects the handmade skills of working with wood and metal and the challenge of converting reclaimed wood into a unique piece of durable items of contemporary furniture. If you’re looking to find your ideal pieces of Industrial furniture, you’ll need to understand that are paying for beautiful unique characteristics of well-constructed pieces. Prices can range from £150+ for a bench, around £300 and up for a smaller table or to £1200+ for a large table.

Combination is key to unique décor

Industrial reclaimed wood furniture can be combined with other pieces from the same range or with other ranges to bring together the look of the entire home. For example, you could invest in a sideboard to be near your dining table; and then possibly a bookcase or console table, to create a co-ordinated Industrial theme and flow between your living areas.

Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Large Sideboard

The Lansdowne reclaimed wood Industrial table has plenty of character in the wood, from previous industrial use. This is ideal for a smaller area and a modest budget. The robust-looking steel legs are a typical design of industrial pieces of furniture, but because they are at an angle, this makes it a more unusual piece.

Industrial-dining-chairs such as the Hyatt Industrial Vintage Cafe chairs are a cost-effective option for a set of homely handmade chairs. Vintage black matches the dark metal legs of industrial-reclaimed-wood furniture. Or an off-white colour would make an interesting talking point as a contrast.

Industrial style has never been so on trend. Why not look for a few industrial inspired pieces for your home now you know what to look for!

How is your dining: Industrial or Urban Modern?

Hyatt Industrial Vintage Cafe Chairs white and black in dining room

A dining room is a great place to start when redecorating your home. As one of the most used rooms in the home, whether you’re entertaining guests or dining as a family, there are some great options for updating the room, allowing you to really put your stamp on it. But which look do you prefer? Industrial or Urban modern – and how do you go about getting it right. Here, we look at both trends, to see what would suit your dining space best.

Industrial dining rooms

Tables

An Industrial dining table is a must-have centre piece for your Industrial look. A distressed textured rustic appearance is characterised by the reclaimed wood table top, combined with dark matte metal table legs. Available space is a key factor, so make sure you measure up carefully to find a piece that will leave you enough room to get around the room. When it comes to colour, there are various shades of wood, whether you prefer contemporary light or darker wood.

Industrial Lowry Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table

Chairs

Industrial dining chairs are usually vintage upcycled or vintage inspired. Many people opt for dark metal café style chairs – and these work extremely well if you like to mix up your décor – as they’ll usually go with almost any colour – as well as exposed brick if you prefer.

Hyatt Industrial Vintage Cafe Chairs (per set)

Of course, you may prefer retro wooden chairs with dark metal legs – and these can work equally as well in the industrial dining room. Many Industrial dining chairs are stackable for storage, ready for when you have guests. An Industrial-style chair could also be used in the bedroom, as could Industrial-style-lighting.

Lighting

Industrial style lighting is an essential element of this interior design style, and it often involves black fittings with warm Edison light bulbs. The dark metal light fittings complement the robust dark metal furniture legs and supports and clusters of pendants give a fantastic appearance. Metal piping can also form the structure of your ceiling or wall lighting, and you could have a bespoke pipe wall light, which doubles up as book shelving. Many repurposed dark metal studio lighting structures make for conversation pieces – perfect if conversation dries up at a dinner party! Popular black angle-poise task lamps may be vintage or vintage-inspired, which could also be handy for the bedroom.

Indiana pendat light industrial

Urban Modern Dining Rooms

Many people prefer modern furniture for the dining room, and love the versatility of the smoother Urban Modern look. Modern furniture, when compared to industrial, looks more minimalist and neutral in colour. The Urban Modern look may include a subtle variation of Industrial style lighting but you may combine your existing furniture with new pieces of modern furniture with a sharp smooth finish. Urban Modern is an interior design technique which can make different pieces work well together, and fuses inspiration from complementary and edgy opposing design traits.

Restaurant chic

The Urban Modern dining style is similar to many restaurants, which means you can bring some of this cosmopolitan atmosphere into your home. Modern dining table sets typically have a smooth sleek finish, with the chairs matching the table. The table top could be marble or any neutral coloured shiny surface or you may love light smoothly finished wood, together with contrasting table legs, which match the chairs. Metal accents on modern dining table sets are usually polished – pulling together the whole look exceptionally well.

Chilson Dining Table and Bench Set

Accessories

Modern rugs easily fit in with the Urban Modern style. There seems to be an infinite variety of geometric designs and more adventurous bold designs to choose from – so the only limit here is your imagination. You may have more neutral colours in your Urban Modern dining area for the décor, but there is no need to stick to grey and neutral colours for the rug. Be as daring as you like for a contrasting colourful rug for either your bedroom or dining area. Use your creative flair to choose something out of the ordinary and watch your guest marvel at your good taste!

Louis De Poortere Fading World Rug - Blue Night

Industrial and Urban Modern styles are very contemporary, yet different in appearance, and naturally both forms of interior design suit different tastes. If you find the right pieces, you can add personality and texture by creating an Industrial dining area full of character and with an environmental conscience. Or, find inspiration from perfect modern-furniture for a sharper, cosmopolitan Urban Modern look. Either way your choices will look fantastic!

Find out all you need to know about the industrial style

Industrial Lowry wooden high bar table and stools

Industrial style showcases all that is rough and ready. The style came to fruition when we started converting old industrial buildings and steelworks into homes. Rather then plastering over, painting, and carpeting the original features, we chose to celebrate the intriguing design benefits that industrial buildings have. The trend has become so big and so well-loved that we are now introducing industrial chic in to everyday homes and more contemporary spaces.

Hyatt Canning Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Set Table and Benches

What to include when imitating industrial style?

To achieve true industrial style, you should include some or all of the below elements in your home – depending on how far you’re willing to take the trend:

  • Exposed or painted brick
  • Exposed metal (rusting and painted)
  • Exposed wood
  • Unique lighting, often oversized and old factory pendants
  • Vintage signage
  • Industrial furniture
  • Vintage decor
  • Recycled/ Upcycled furniture or ornaments

It doesn’t matter whether you live in an old converted industrial building or the average modern home, you can introduce the industrial style in many different ways, room by room. Choosing key pieces of furniture will help you achieve industrial style quickly and easily.

Industrial Lowry Reclaimed Wood Bar Table and stools in room

Industrial dining

Industrial dining furniture is a sure-fire way to bring industrial style into your dining room or kitchen. An industrial dining table can be statement piece that oozes industrial chic and reflects our industrial heritage. Made from steel, which has been created with recycled metal, and reclaimed wood gives dining furniture character and history; making it a real talking piece at a dinner party, as well as very functional.

Indiana Industrial Pendant light

Finishing touches

To finish off your dining space look you could introduce some industrial style lighting. Hanging an industrial pendant light over your industrial table adds interest and ambiance to your dining experience. Industrial pendant lights are incredibly stylish, you could use subtle styles, so you can hang more than one to created a striking look or perhaps pair it with another style of pendant for a truly unique industrial space that is all you. Industrial pendants often contain vintage filament lamps, giving you a sultry and sophisticated atmosphere.

Lightning and lamp kingston Table lamp

Industrial Living

Moving through to your living space, you can easily breath some industrial style into your room by adding an industrial reading lamp. These pieces are very typical of industrial chic lighting. They’re so on trend and you can see why; they can be such statement pieces and can easily transform a side table from normal to industrial in an instant. This style of lamp is also a very functional reading lamp due to its ability to be multi-positional.

Adding an industrial coffee table to your living space gives you a main industrial feature, especially helpful in homes that are from the modern era. Placed over exposed wooden flooring and a vintage rug and industrial table shows off upcycled chic to its fullest.

Wooden and bespoke reclaimed wood industrial coffee table in living room

You can go industrial in the smallest of spaces

If you do not have a space solely for a dining room, perhaps you have a corner in your living room just screaming out for an industrial bar table. Using a bar table and bar stools to make the most of a small space is a great way to make your home more functional, as well as giving it the industrial look you crave. Again, here, you can use exposed wood and metal to capture the industrial style, combine with some neutral, textured fabric on the stools to bring comfort and function together.

There’s so much you can do with industrial style, even in the most contemporary of homes. Done right, industrial style doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or too stark either – find the right accessories, such as rugs and cushions to complement your furniture, and you can have it all.