Category: dining room

Loft living: how to get industrial style in 2021

Girl sat on brown leather sofa facing a large warehouse window with exposed brick wall

It was in the late 60’s / early 70’s that the trendy loft conversions really started to take off in NYC ….and to this day they continue to gain in popularity. This is now spilling over into UK suburbia. Here we have a look at some inspirations and ways to bring the industrial look to your home.

Industrial loft style living room with large grey metal staircase and industrial coffee table

The features we associate with the industrial loft are bare brick walls, metal, neutral coloured walls, even bare plaster and concrete floors. You can interpret this look by having a grey tiled floor or using reclaimed wood floorboards and painting walls grey or off white. This all sounds a little harsh and cold but you can break it up by adding rugs, prints on the walls, houseplants, throws and cushions to soften the look. Mix different textures and materials together like leather, wood, metal etc. The loft look is supposed to be rustic, functional industrial furniture with simple sharp lines, and not too much fussines!

Industrial living room with exposed brick walls, warehouse windows and brown leather sofa

Loft spaces tend to be large open multi-use spaces – often incorporating a dining space, sitting area and even an office space. We love to see a brown leather sofa in a loft seating area – the brown leather will tie in warm reclaimed wood furniture on an industrial metal frame. The Oldman range is handmade, to bespoke sizes, right here in the UK – so you can furnish your open living space with an industrial reclaimed wood desk, shelving, coffee table and console table all from the same range in the sizes that suit your space. If you wanted an accent piece to slot in with the industrial theme then the Chestey 3 seater sofa in burnished orange velvet will definitely bring a pop of colour and luxury to your space.

Close up of industrial reclaimed wood coffee table on grey rugPhoto featuring: Oldman Industrial Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

Of course you don’t have to go the whole way with this industrial look, take a more subtle approach by introducing a few elements to your home. The Standford range includes the perfect industrial coffee table that you can build an industrial theme around – bring in an industrial sideboard from the range or the TV unit to introduce more elements. Again, the metal frames have the industrial element with the reclaimed wood adding warmth. In the dining room, you can add an industrial style pendant light over the dining table and opt for a dining bench instead of just chairs.

Industrial reclaimed wood coffee table with two drawers in front of a grey sofaPhoto featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

Style fix: chairs for an industrial dining table

Industrial dining room with reclaimed wood dining table and six velvet dining chairs

In a new regular feature, each month we help one of our customers with a styling quandary. This month our customer is interested in buying some new industrial furniture for her dining room but needs some guidance before making the final decision.

“I would really love to buy an industrial framed reclaimed wood dining table but am hesitating as I can’t decide what chairs to buy for it. Will metal and leather-look too industrial and cold? Would wooden chairs feel warmer? What are my options…?”

This is a great question and one that is often asked! So let’s dive right in and look at some options

Reclaimed wood dining chair next to industrial dining tablePhoto featuring: Standford Reclaimed Wood Cushioned Dining Chair

All wood

The Standford range of reclaimed wood furniture has everything you need to furnish a house in industrial style paired with eco-friendly reclaimed wood. The dining room furniture from this range is definitely our best-seller, so we’ll start here! The Standford industrial dining table is available as a fixed top table as well as an extendable dining table and includes wooden dining chairs that look great together – perfect for a family as the chairs can be wiped down. You can also opt for a wooden bench, which are very fashionable right now. They are easy for people to squeeze up on and a bench fits in perfectly with the rustic-industrial feel. To cosy an all-wood dining set up a little you can add cushions or faux fur throws to soften and bring it into your existing colour scheme.

Brown leather dining chairs around a round reclaimed wood dining tablePhoto featuring: Standford Brown Leather Dining Chairs

Leather or Faux leather

The Standford range also includes a round reclaimed wood dining table – perfect for the smaller dining space – but of course, we don’t want to compromise on comfort just because our dining space is small. We think the Standford leather dining chairs are perfect with this table – stylish industrial legs with a soft Italian leather seat to relax back into – if you prefer not to have real leather then you can opt for the faux leather dining chairs. The Tilde vegan leather chair is also a perfect match!

Photo featuring: Skye Dark Grey Dining Chairs

Luxurious velvet

If you opt for an industrial dining table with a glamorous touch like the Standford then you can add plush upholstered dining chairs, velvet is a top choice – the Celine stone grey velvet chair is a perfect match for a dining room with a west end look. The silver legs of the dining chairs match the silver legs of the Mayfair table, complementing each other perfectly. Of course, these chairs are superbly comfortable, perfect for long dinner parties.

We absolutely love how the Knightsbridge reclaimed oak dining table looks when paired with the modern spider leg Knightsbridge chairs. These velvet chairs are available in grey or striking teal. We think the teal works well to give your dining room a more contemporary feel, for a more neutral colour scheme the grey will work a treat.

5 reasons rustic furniture makes our heart flutter

Wooden heart with red gingham ribbon on rustic wood

Reclaimed wood and rustic furniture are so popular right now. We have found the top five top reasons why people fall in love with wood furniture produced from salvaged timbers.

White wooden heart with red bow on rustic wood

1. It’s environmentally friendly

Why should we waste perfectly good wood? This is a natural resource that does not need to go into landfill or be burnt. Reclaimed wood furniture is generally hand finished meaning expertly skilled craftsman are employed to give each piece a unique and personal touch.

2. It has its own story and history

This is where reclaimed wood furniture really does shine – the timbers used are often over 100 years old and have been salvaged from factories being demolished or old railway tracks that are being replaced. It is full of character and history. Brimming with gorgeous natural undulations, just waiting to be given a new lease of life.

Reclaimed wood large sideboard against dark wall with green plantsPhoto featuring: Knightsbridge Reclaimed Wood Medium Sideboard

3. It fits into any scheme

A piece of rustic furniture adds character and texture to your room. A natural wood, large sideboard in a dining room or living room will bring a natural and warm earthiness whether your style is retro, traditional or ultra-modern. If you fancy a move around, this sideboard can be used in a different room as reclaimed wood pieces just slot in with so many different styles of furniture. You can move a wooden sideboard into a dining room, kitchen, living room, home office, conservatory or a hallway,

4. A love that will last a lifetime

Solid reclaimed wood is transformed into pieces of furniture, such as reclaimed wood dining table and reclaimed wood shelves that will last a lifetime – in fact they grow old very gracefully, looking even better as the wood ages! Your family and friends will love to gather around a rustic dining table for a family feast. Another great feature of choosing reclaimed wood is that any general wear and tear marks will blend in and add your own story to the piece. To keep reclaimed wood looking great, just go over it every now and then with some clear wax or oil – depending on the finish.

Industrial dining table with reclaimed wood top and grey fabric dining chairsPhoto featuring: Kensington Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

5. It’s glamorous too

Please don’t think reclaimed wood furniture is only for the farmhouse look! The Kensington table above is a perfect fit for a sophisticated dining space, as is the Redmond Reclaimed Elm dining table. These are just two ranges that elevate reclaimed wood to a higher level. A shiny industrial element is added in the shape of silver polished legs – pair these gorgeous tables with sumptuous velvet dining chairs for the ultimate high-end dining space.

A romantic table for two at home

A red and white handstitched fabric heart with two silver forks

This year we will not be making a reservation for a table for two in a romantic restaurant. Instead, we will be staying at home and getting a takeaway or preparing our own special dinner for two.

Reclaimed wood dining table with velvet dining chairs and two glasses of white wine

Set the scene

Place some candles on a reclaimed wood dining table to get the lighting right, some fresh cut flowers always spell romance on Valentine’s day. A dining bench with back is a great love seat – make it cosy and comfortable with cushions and throws.

Prepare your meal

Here are a few meals to consider cooking for your special meal for two.

A classic steak dinner, serve on a wooden board on a rustic dining table with fries or jacket potato and a crisp fresh salad, if you like you can add a mushroom or tangy pepper sauce.

Slices of cooked steak on wooden board with green salad and glass of red wine

A smoky Spanish chicken dish with roast potatoes and greens, the simple ingredients for this dish, chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes and paprika take need little cooking on the stovetop, soak up the sauce with rice or couscous.

A creamy salmon and pasta dish is always a winner – indulging and comforting it is quick to prepare and cook leaving you free to enjoy your evening. Serve this with some fresh crusty bread rolls.

White bowl of salmon pasta on wooden dining table with black fabric plate mat and glass of wine

For a completely vegetarian meal, ricotta-stuffed aubergine rolls – all tomatoey with melted cheese, serve this with a side of pasta or fresh bread rolls and a green salad. Again these can be prepared in advance and put in the oven to warm through just before serving.

A chocolatey desert like a double chocolate mouse is quick and easy and can be prepared well in advance, then left in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Sit down, relax and enjoy the evening

Whether you have a farmhouse table or an industrial dining table, bring your dishes and set them out, grab a glass of wine or special drink and get comfortable for the evening on some sumptuous fabric dining chairs. Wooden sideboards provide an extra surface for additional romantic lighting and to place dishes on, keeping your table clear of pots and dishes.

Industrial reclaimed wood dining table with fabric dining chairs and wine glasses on topPhoto featuring: Raffles Reclaimed Wood Industrial Dining Table

Get a modern farmhouse look with reclaimed wood

Living room with extra long rustic sideboard with white sofa and wicker armchair

The modern farmhouse look combines the traditional farmhouse with Scandi influenced minimalism. An eclectic blend of old and new. This look should ooze sophistication and style – with no need for loads of vintage-style bits ‘n’ bobs to clutter up your home. The colours should be light and airy opposed to the more traditional dark farmhouse look. For this, you need to contrast the old and the new, leaning towards crisp and clear rather than busy and kitsch.

White kitchen with rustic wooden shelves and wooden table

So, in the kitchen for example you can use a rustic farmhouse table or reclaimed wood dining table and dining chairs but style this with modern elements like stylish floor or wall tiles. To accessorise choose eye-catching statement pieces like unusual pendant light fittings, a section of display shelving or sleek barstools around a kitchen island. We think the Newton Dining Table (below) is the perfect piece of furniture for the modern farmhouse kitchen – providing plenty of character and able to blend in beautifully. 

 Photo featuring: Newton Dining Table Small – Natural

In the living room, let exposed authentic brickwork, a traditional open fireplace or exposed beams be the main feature in your room. Keep the rest of the room simple and crisp – choose a classic farmhouse or cottage style light coloured sofa, pale walls and lots of lovely reclaimed wood! Adding the wood will bring warmth and cosiness to the room, we think a coffee table such as the Standford Industrial Wooden Coffee Table and a TV stand. 

For the bedroom, we stand by the ever-popular Onslow range – solid wood furniture crafted right here in our UK workshop. Sturdy a wooden double bed, or king-size bed will provide the foundation for many wonderful night’s sleep – for bedroom storage you can add bedside tables, a chest of drawers and a wooden blanket box. Keep the bedding light and add an array of cushions to give your room a cosy but not too cluttered cottage feel.

Photo featuring: Onslow Reclaimed Wood Bed

Why choose a reclaimed wood dining table?

White dining room with wooden table and white and beige table cloth and tall display of dried palms in corner of room

Middle of the forest with moss on ground and sunlight between the trees

Sustainability is the very foundation that Modish Living is built on – we believe that you can have beautiful and unique furniture in your home while still being kind to our planet.

What better way to be environmentally conscious than deciding, right now, that the next piece of furniture you choose for your home should be crafted from reclaimed wood? No new trees are being chopped down and wood that would otherwise be burnt or end up in landfill is being skillfully crafted into something beautiful that will be cherished in your home.

Industrial dining table with matching bench and sideboard

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Natural wood is the perfect way to add warmth and character to your room. A reclaimed wood dining table can look great with many different home interior styles – cottage Scandi, rustic but also stunning with ultra-modern. Completely versatile, you can use so many different styles of seating with a rustic dining table – wooden dining chairs, faux leather chairs, rattan chairs, upholstered dining chairs, or to be right on trend, you can opt for a dining bench or two. Again, you can purchase all these items produced from reclaimed or eco-friendly materials.

Close up of rustic reclaimed wood dining table with glass top and blue fabric dining chairs

Photo featuring: Kensington Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

If you look forward to the days when we are able to entertain in our homes again then you should opt for an extendable table – there are many different styles available from the Dorset trestle table to which you can add extension leaves when needed to the Standford industrial dining table which features butterfly extension, meaning the extension piece is conveniently stored away inside the table. The Standford reclaimed wood furniture range is produced from wood salvaged from old factories that are being dismantled whereas the gorgeous Kensington is produced from old railway sleepers which are sandblasted and cleaned – so as you can see each piece of furniture has a story to tell, is completely unique and bursting with character.

Another bonus is that because of what it is produced from and how it is produced, reclaimed wood furniture is perfect for a family home – the wood is aged making furniture pieces hardwearing as well as forgiving to everyday wear and tear. Any small accidental dents, scratches or bangs will just blend in and add to the history of your dining table and as they are made from solid wood, anything more serious can often be easily fixed and blended in by a furniture technician.

Close up of rustic wood with hand wiping wood with cloth

Caring for reclaimed wood furniture could not be easier – just a thin layer of wax (or oil, depending on the finish) a few times a year or so will keep your furniture looking wonderful for years to come….you will actually find that your table becomes more beautiful as it ages.

Why every home needs a reclaimed wood sideboard

Large sideboard in rustic wood with gold floor lamp and tall green plant on the side

Humble wooden sideboards are fast becoming hugely popular statement pieces of furniture in the home – providing valuable hidden away storage space in the living room, kitchen or dining room – and when it’s crafted out of beautiful reclaimed wood, it becomes so much more than just storage.

Wooden sideboard with trio of mirrors on wall above and a gold floor lamp and plant in room

The traditional and most obvious place for a sideboard has always been in the dining room. They were used to store the best dinner plates and occasionally used serving dishes – thus freeing up valuable space in the kitchen. Of course, there is no denying that this is still the case, but we as a nation are leaning towards clever storage and clutter-free living spaces and as such, they are being used in different rooms in the home. Sustainability is now also more and more important to us when considering what dining room furniture we want in our homes and this is why reclaimed wood furniture is becoming increasingly popular. You can buy a reclaimed wood dining table or ready styled dining room sets with the option to add on a beautifully coordinating modern sideboard to store away all those dining room essentials.

White reclaimed wood sideboard with tall glass vase and green stems

Photo featuring: Abingdon Reclaimed Wood Sideboard

A reclaimed wood sideboard, even a small one, provides an additional surface in the dining room when dishing up a meal – think back to a Christmas, an Easter or other celebration when you had a table full of guests with loads of serving dishes, drinks and festive decorations piled on the table- how handy would an extra surface area have been then?

Not only that, a sideboard in the dining room also means, you will have placemats, napkins, additional serving spoons, a corkscrew, a bottle opener…the list goes on…all at your fingertips – and you won’t have to do a dash to the kitchen every five minutes!

Reclaimed wood sideboard next to wood dining table with cream fabric dining chairs

Photo featuring: Farringdon Medium Reclaimed Wood Sideboard

In between celebratory get-togethers you can use the top of the sideboard to show off some of your prized possessions. Whether that be house plants, some candle holders, a table lamp, family photos or simply a lovely vase with some seasonal cut flowers. With a mirror hanging over the sideboard you can turn this piece of furniture into an eye-catching feature in your dining room.

Industrial sideboard with glass table lam, glass vases and green aloe vera plant

A large sideboard can accommodate all sorts of things in the living room as well – a music, book or DVD collection, kids toys and books to name just a few things. You can stand a lamp on it to provide mood lighting or your TV if you don’t have space for a rustic TV stand as well as a sideboard to provide hidden storage space. In open-plan living spaces, you try positioning an industrial sideboard in such a way that it will zone the space so you can define living space and dining space.

2024 Trending – Dining space style for the year ahead

Industrial oak dining table with six dark grey dining chairs and matching wooden sideboard

The dining space in our homes has most likely seen much more action throughout 2020 than it has in previous years! With all the family at home it has probably seen many more weekday family meals together, been a home office, a video call meeting room as well as a schoolroom, possibly even a quiet place to escape from the kids for a bit! So what are the trends for the dining space in 2024?

Rustic wood dining table with laptop and pencil case on top

The dining room should reflect its many uses by becoming a more family-friendly and laid back space – more informal and less traditional. You can achieve a more relaxed, informal and spacious feel by opting for a round dining table and chairs instead of a rectangular wooden table.

Ensure the furniture and lighting in the room is multi-functional – plenty of light available if it is a study space that can be toned right down when a more intimate dinner party atmosphere is the order of the day – or should I say evening. When the time comes that we can open our homes to family and friends again you might find an extendable table is a very good move!

Reclaimed wood dining table with black steel legs and matching wooden bench and dining chairs with bamboo hanging pendant light

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Extending Dining Table, Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench & Standford Cushioned Dining Chairs

Improve the functionality of your dining space – with one room having so many varied uses, adequate storage space is essential to keep organised – wooden sideboards provide perfect storage for the dining space, ideal for storing serving dishes as well as school and office supplies all tucked neatly out of sight!

Dining room with modern oak industrial dining table with grey metal legs and dark grey dining chairs

Photo featuring: Picasso Industrial Oak Dining Table

Bring natural elements into your dining space. House plants will continue to be a huge hit in 2021 – so try to incorporate them into your dining space. Natural and sustainable is of course even better so if you are thinking of replacing existing dining room furniture then a reclaimed wood dining table is the way to go. Industrial dining tables should also not be overlooked – industrial furniture will be as popular as ever.

Outdoor square rustic dining table with wooden chairs and outdoor bar area

Take your dining area into the garden – dining outside, has proven popular, with many of us transforming our gardens into ‘outdoor rooms’. This is likely to stay for the foreseeable future. Now is the time to make plans to create an outside dining area ready for spring and summer. You may be able to open up from your kitchen or dining room or create a separate area in your garden – you will want to consider how you will cook outside, source a nice outdoor rustic dining table and may want to include some form of patio heating as well.

2021 Trending – Why you should consider a dining set

Reclaimed wood trestle dining table with wood bench and wooden dining chairs with blanket of bench

Reclaimed wood dining set including trestle table, wooden bench and wooden dining chairs with terracotta vase on table

Buying a new dining table and chairs for your dining room can be quite an investment so you will want to make sure that you get it right first time! Here we look at the benefits of choosing from already put together dining room sets as it takes all the guesswork to of how to pair a table with chairs. Dining sets can also work out to be a little more cost effective as sellers may be able to offer reductions on these bundles.

It can be hard to picture what will look good together in your room – if you have your heart set on a particular reclaimed wood dining table it can be tricky to decide what style of chairs would work best with it…. And not just chairs, you may not even of thought about opting for a dining bench with the table.

When looking at dining sets you get a chance to see what different textures and materials look like together, such as wood with metal, metal with glass and wood with soft materials such as velvet chairs or leather dining chairs.

Kensington Reclaimed wood dining set

Reclaimed wood industrial dining table with stainless steel legs and grey velvet dining chairs

We have styled our high-end Kensington rustic dining table with stunning button backed velvet dining chairs. Here you get the opportunity to see exactly how the different materials such as the rustic wood, the glass top and the metalwork work with the stylish velvet dining chairs. This gives you a much clearer idea of how it will look in your dining space.

Dining sets featuring the Dorset Reclaimed Wood or Farringdon Reclaimed Wood tables

White painted reclaimed wood trestle dining table with matching wooden bench and three wooden dining chairs

The Dorset and Farringdon reclaimed wood dining tables are the foundation of several dining room table sets on offer. These rustic dining tables are a very popular choice with our customers. There are options to purchase it with coordinating wooden dining chairs from the ranges or combine with a ‘very on-trend-right-now’ wooden bench. But we have also styled these tables with rattan chairs or upholstered dining chairs such as the Florence or the Brooke – showcasing just how fabulous modern dining chairs can blend with a more rustic table.

Close up of reclaimed wood dining table with grey linen runner, plates and grey stone vase

Standford Reclaimed Wood dining sets

The versatility of the Standford range ensures it remains as popular as ever. The dining sets on offer combine industrial look fixed top or extendable tables with soft leather chairs, faux leather chairs, wooden dining chairs and benches all harmoniously styled together leaving you to order exactly what you see. All you have to do is look forward to them being delivered to your home.

Industrial reclaimed wood dining table with four tan leather industrial dining chairs