kitchen Archives - Page 5 of 12

The Lazy Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Home

Whole lemons and halved lemons on white surface

Cleaning may be therapeutic to some but for others, keeping on top of the dust, dirt and grime in the home is a chore. And with a change of season on the doorstep, the dreaded spring clean is once again upon us. However, you can give your home a new lease of life without hours of scrubbing and cleaning. Here’s the lazy guide to spring cleaning your hoe. We won’t tell if you don’t…..

Embrace symmetry

The thing with winter is that we tend to ‘huddle’ in our homes, cowering from the winter chill under many layers. And that means the symmetry or balance in a room can be knocked off-kilter as furniture is moved so that we bunch together for warmth. Simply moving your reclaimed wood furniture so that the room is symmetrical once again really works in giving your home the lift it needs in spring.

What does this mean? Balance your modern sofa with a side table at either end and a reclaimed wood coffee table placed front and centre, for example, or cluster things in threes on the rustic shelves or wood bookcase in the living room.

Clear surfaces

This goes for all rooms but in the kitchen, the bathroom and areas like the slimline console table in the hallway, as items tend to gather on tops of furniture. Whittle down these items so that you can see ‘space’ on work and tabletops.

Streamline the coat rack in the hall…

… and store away heavier winter boots and shoes. It’s amazing the difference it makes to the appearance of your home when you streamline items. Bulkier coats should be washed or dry cleaned and then safely stored away until the chill of autumn winds arrive.

Nourish the leather sofa

The sofa is the place where the family will pile onto at the end of the day and has probably had its fair share of spills and stains over the winter period. Look after your prized brown leather sofa by giving some love in the shape of cleaning it with nourishing leather wipes or cleaner. It’ll carry on giving you years of service if you do so.

Switch up the scent in a room

Scented candles are perfect for winter, especially those with spicy or musky scents. With the arrival of spring, lightening up the scent in your home by introducing floral notes. Stick with lighter perfumes for your large candles as the times isn’t right for anything too heady or perfumed just yet.

Get to grips with storage

The beauty of reclaimed wood furniture is that it is designed and made into ‘new’ pieces of furniture with the modern home in mind – and that means clever storage solutions. And so with spring knocking at the door, get organised with your home storage so that it is always tidy and aesthetically pleasing. A storage chest acting as a coffee table in the living room is a perfect example or a wooden blanket box in the bedroom hides a multitude of messy sins.

Give the hallway some stylistic attention

And finally, first impressions count, so we head back to the hallway. Giving your hallway a bit of style is a great way of making it look like you have spent hours cleaning and ordering your home to give it the warm and welcoming vibe you want it to exude. Add pretty table lamps and update the central light with a pendant light or new shade for a fresh new look this spring.

Why a farmhouse style kitchen never dates

The kitchen is where all the action of a busy family home happens. Labelled as the heart of the home, creating a stylish space is a must. If there is one style that spells out comfort and homeliness in the kitchen, it is the farmhouse style.

Whether you live in a remote spot in the country or have city traffic hurtling passed your front door, the farmhouse kitchen style can fit in both rural and urban homes. It can be both cosy and lived-in, grand and luxurious. Here’s how to create the farmhouse style in the kitchen that never dates…

Mix with the warm and cool

The farmhouse style is synonymous with warm tones, especially as rustic, reclaimed wood furniture features strongly. For a modern twist, mix warm with cool tones. You can do this with crisp white-painted furniture and pretty tableware.

Get the flooring right

Of all the components of a kitchen, the one that you won’t change frequently is the floor. Making the right choice is important and when it comes to kitchen flooring for the farmhouse style, opting for natural stone or synthetic material that emulates it is key to success. Clearly, hard flooring in the kitchen is the more practical choice but if you feel you want an extra layer of warmth, both physically underfoot and visually too, a neutral coloured rug under the dining table is ideal.

Add a statement piece of furniture

The farmhouse kitchen style is understated and yet, there is something about it that makes it stand out from all other styles. The grandiose of a kitchen dresser, for example, is a brilliant statement piece. But it’s not just about looks. This piece of furniture is enormously practical too, with storage space for all your kitchen equipment, including cutlery, plates and more.

Add neutral colours (but with a twist)

There is nothing in the rule book that says the traditional farmhouse style cannot be paired with key modern elements. Colour, for example, is an important component of any interior design style. The farmhouse style has always embraced neutral but warm colour tones from creams to pretty yellow and sage green. Adding a twist of the modern is super-easy with colour. For a neutral, but warm tone Dulux’s Tranquil Dawn is perfect against reclaimed wood furniture in the kitchen, just as Pantone’s Classic Blue would bring a welcome hint of drama alongside your reclaimed wood dining table.

Embrace a solid wood oak dining table – and let it take centre stage

The dining table is more than just a platform from which to eat. All of life happens around it, from the daily grind of homework to tears and laughter.

For many people, the most attractive element of the farmhouse kitchen style is the gargantuan dining table at its heart. A solid wood oak dining table with chairs and/or a dining bench embraces people. It looks solid, comforting and familiar. It is imposing without being overly forceful. Let it take centre stage…

Add a cooking range

From the iconic shape and styling of an Aga to a modern equivalent, the cooking range is almost a given in the farmhouse kitchen. An Aga throws off a gently, delicious heat that in the depths of a dark, cold winter, is welcoming and comforting. Offset this traditional style with modern elements, such as a beautiful pendant light over the kitchen island or the dining table and you have the perfect farmhouse style kitchen, ready for modern life.

Silo London – the zero-waste revolutionary

Bar area of Silo London with wall lights and cream bar stools

Back in 2014, Douglas McMaster opened the world’s first zero-waste restaurant in Modish Living HQ’s hometown: Brighton. Called Silo, the eco-chic restaurant focused on ‘closing the loop’ in the food production process. It became known for serving drinks in jam jars, using upturned crates as seats and, of course, offering a delicious menu of locally sourced produce, long before upcycling and sustainable living was a hot topic.

Fast forward to 2019, the award-winning chef has taken his revolutionary concept to Hackney Wick in London where he created an innovative evolution of Silo Brighton. McMaster’s vision was conceived from a desire to innovate the food industry whilst demonstrating respect: respect for the environment, respect for the way our food is generated and respect for the nourishment it gives our bodies. This means creating everything from its whole form, cutting out food miles and over-processing, together with preserving nutrients and the integrity of the ingredients in the process.

“we’re constantly raising the bar when it comes to up-cycling and zero waste”

Douglas McMaster

McMaster and his team work directly with farmers and compost any leftovers using the kitchen’s own compost machine. The continually changing menu includes inventive dishes such as grilled fantail squid, white kimchi and Douglas fir; Jerusalem artichokes cooked on fire and served with Cashel Blue and ruby kraut; and blue potatoes, barbecued sea kale and caramelised whey. Wines are British, sourced from artisanal producers including another Modish Living neighbour, Tillingham in Sussex, which specialises in biodynamic, zero-sulphite wines.

For something a little stronger, the cocktail list, made in collaboration with award-winning bartender, Mr Lyan, is thoughtful and interesting, as is the craft beer from Silo’s partner, CRATE Brewery.

But what of the interior? As you would expect, the design and furniture mirrors the restaurant’s ethical and sustainable approach, where less is more. Created from a desire to re-use, the open space was designed by Nina Woodcroft of Nina+Co, who softened the building’s original industrial features by using a few pioneering high-quality materials that are biodegradable. For example, the entrance pendant light is moulded from foraged seaweed, while the natural cork flooring is carbon negative. The dining tables were crafted using sustainably sourced English ash and the cocktail lounge furniture was grown to order from a fungus called mycelium. We also love the dining bar, which is wrapped in recycled leather and topped with a counter made from reconstituted food packaging.

As champions of sustainable and reclaimed wood furniture we applaud Silo London for its pioneering approach. Long may creativity and sustainability continue to thrive in all that we do!

How To Soften Your Industrial Space

Industrial living room with black metal staircase and grey fabric sofas

The industrial style is loved by many. Clean and unpretentious, there is a pleasing sparseness that makes it a simple and elegant scheme for any room in the home. But for many, the industrial style lacks prettiness and softness. However, if you think that the industrial style cannot be ‘prettified’, think again. We show you how to add the small touches and details that give it personality without compromising on its industrial character.

In the industrial kitchen and dining room

The kitchen and dining space are important, busy spaces in any home and so the industrial furniture style is the ideal backdrop with the reclaimed wood dining table taking centre stage.

Make the industrial dining table special – with all the gifts that the industrial style has, our Sussex oak parquet industrial oval set is the perfect choice. It boasts the timeless combination of steel against reclaimed wood, but the patterned tabletop of this industrial dining table gives is that extra ‘something’ you are looking for.

Reclaimed wood dining table with spider legs

Add fabric dining chairs – adding upholstered dining chairs to an industrial dining table softens the edges and gives it a wonderful unique look too. Cream fabric dining chairs make the perfect complementary addition.

Hanging pendant light with reclaimed wood dining table and upholstered chairs

Spice up the lighting – functional it may be but that doesn’t mean the industrial kitchen and dining room cannot enjoy a sumptuous elegant addition in the way of lighting options. Pendant lights are just one solution and our Bordur white woodchip pendant light is a brilliant choice. Directing light onto the work surface, its practical function is not lost but the unique shade makes it an interesting choice.

In the industrial living room

The practical functional appeal of the industrial look is what attracted you to it in the first place, but it can have a touch of coldness about it. This is because many people leave out textures, assuming that rugs and cushions will add clutter to a style that does not welcome it.

The industrial glamour look is one aspect you could adopt for the industrial living room…

Rugs – a staple of any design scheme, for the industrial living room, opting for soft beige living room rugs will make all the difference. You get warmth underfoot, you get the warmth from varying texture in the space and you get colour without it jarring against the style.

A velvet armchair – against the industrial backdrop, the leather sofa is the ideal companion but if it all feels a little flat, adding texture in the shape of plush velvet is one solution for ‘lifting’ the room from the page. Plush green velvet armchairs will marry seamlessly with your sofa, leather or fabric, and will also add the hint of glamour and sumptuousness that we seek in the living room.

The industrial bedroom

Cool, calming and welcoming, the industrial style bedroom is a haven for de-stressing and unwinding at the end of the day. The industrial style bedroom oozes everything you need but for texture and warmth, you could…

Opt for reclaimed wood bedside tables that are made from lighter colour woods – beech is a beautiful light but warm wood that works well in the industrial style.

Use mirrors to reflect light in the room – mirrors are always a welcome addition to the bedroom, both floor and floor standing mirrors.

Don’t forget lighting for the bedroom too – our Sassa wicker bedside table lamps introduces the natural fibres of wicker, with a hint of both pattern and colour.

Top 3 Reasons Why a Round Dining Table is a Great Choice

white oval dining table with wood chairs and eucalyptus leaves in glass jar

The dining table is an important purchase and so it’s no wonder that you want to make the right investment. A round dining table may not be your first choice, but it ticks many boxes. Here are just three top reasons why a round dining table is the table of choice in your kitchen or dining space.

1 Because the dining room is square

Isn’t that like hammering a round nail into a square hole, you may ask? Go with it; there is a method to this madness.

A square room and round dining table combo are perfect in so many ways. The combination of two different shapes sitting with each other can make for a pleasant aesthetic appeal to a room. With an angular room decorated with a strong nod to the industrial style, for example, a round industrial dining table can ‘soften’ the edges.

2 Because you can squeeze more people around it

Some of the best dinner parties and get-togethers are those that happen by accident. Is there anything better than a group of friends or your extended family dropping on by and staying for something to eat?

It’s the stuff of memories and although we would love to have a dining table around which everyone will fit, it is neither possible nor practical in many cases.

But the round table – or even the oval dining table if you want to switch up the shape a bit – is perfect for these happily-accidental drop-ins, because you can easily squeeze more people around its perimeter.

Even better, you can invest in an extendable round dining table, just so you have extra space on standby for such occasions.

3 Because a round dining table is something different

For many of us, the dining table is either a café style small dining table that fits neatly into the corner or a large rectangle farmhouse dining table that is stylish but possibly a little imposing.

There’s nothing wrong with this, in fact it fits in many a home, but if you want to ring the changes with your next dining table, opt for a round one. For the smaller space, a round small dining table is perfect. Or maybe an oval table would be just right, a sumptuous and elegant piece of reclaimed wood furniture if ever there was one.

How to choose the right dining table, no matter the shape

If your curiosity to go full circle has been ignited, there are a few factors to consider when choosing your dining table, round or otherwise…

Don’t forget to measure – measure the space you have and then with tape, mark out on the floor the dimensions of the dining table. Is there room to walk around the table and move the chairs too?
The 1-metre rule – there should be at least one metre between the back of the dining chair when you are sat on it and the nearest wall or object behind the chair. Any less and taking your seat at the dining table will be difficult.

Ready to make the change? Browse through our collection of round dining tables and find the perfect match for your home.

Find the Right Statement Dining Chairs

Three wooden dining chairs with white painted chair

You’ve found the perfect reclaimed wood dining table and all you need to do now is find the right statement dining chairs. It can be more difficult than you think, especially with so much choice laid out before you. How do you make a choice? Here’s a few key areas to think about…

Choose the right size

Chairs that look too big for the table and the dining room will simply swamp it, not a look that you are going for! Start by measuring the dining room and the space you have around the table, as well as between the table and the wall. You need a clear metre from the back of the chair to the wall for easy movement. You also need ‘elbow room’ between diners.

Dining chairs come with different dimensions, so check the height, width and depth of your chosen chairs. Check the table height too.

Oak dining table with matching oak dining chairs

If you are seeking the modern farmhouse style for your dining space, oak dining chairs have the perfect dimensions for the farmhouse table.

The comfort and function factors

How often you use the dining table and chairs will also play a part in the style you choose. For a more formal dining room that is used less often, high-backed upholstered dining chairs will nestle perfectly against your reclaimed wood dining table. You could opt for the glamour of grey velvet dining chairs, for example.

Cream velvet dining chair with button back detail

Button back detailing on velvet fabric dining chair

For the kitchen table, statement pieces in the shape of kitchen chairs wouldn’t go amiss, similar to the aforementioned oak dining chairs.

Use

It’s the chair on which you sit while eating at the table. Style choice will also depend on who is using your chairs and dining table.

A formal setting with adults means that velvet or fabric dining chairs would be perfect but at the family dining table, you will look for other practical elements. Wipe-clean chairs, for example, are a must in the family home.

As well as wooden dining chairs, you may want to consider leather dining chairs. With older children, the fabric choice is perfect. Wipe clean with leather wipes and you can expect many years of robust wear from a naturally strong fabric.

The leg frame

Shape, material, dimensions and colour are all important but if you feel that some of these options are still too ‘fussy’, there are other means of choosing statement dining chairs that have a look-at-me-detail – the legs.

The right leg frame makes a huge difference. It can give you more leg space and also give a hint of unexpected detail. Pedestal legs give more legroom and also contribute to the room feeling bigger too. Sleigh legs, on the other hand, open up the space too and add a little hint of decadence.

You also need to consider if the legs of the dining chairs allow them to be neatly pushed under the table when not in use. If this is something you need, there will be nothing more annoying than chairs sticking out…

Your style

And finally, there are your likes and dislikes, as well as choosing a style of dining chairs that complements your chosen décor and style.

There is the glamorous appeal of velvet upholstered dining chairs, as well as functional wooden dining chairs. There are the beauty and elegance of industrial leather dining chairs to the Scandi style, mid-century style, and more. Whatever your preference, you’re sure to be able to find an option that suits your taste, as well as your space.

Our Endless Love of Reclaimed Wood Furniture

On this international day of love, we think there is no better time to declare our endless love for reclaimed wood furniture than today.

Reclaimed wood furniture is unique, different, stylish and warm. There is a simplicity to it and yet, it has a complexity that also makes it a must-have for the home. For any room, from the hallway to the kitchen, the dining room to the living room, to the bedroom, reclaimed wood is a beautiful material. But why do we love it so much?

Emotional connection

The wood used in a reclaimed wood dining table, bed frame, coffee table and more is usually a slow-growing hardwood – in other words, too good to waste. Some are native to the UK and others from further afield, their qualities well-known.

In its previous life, the timber performed a range of functions, possibly structural such as oak beams or in another guise, such as doors. It may have been used outside too, such large heavy railway sleepers.

When it is no longer useful, it is reclaimed and given a new lease of life. And so a structural beam that was part of the strength of a building becomes a reclaimed wood coffee table, for example.

Unlike brand-new furniture made from recently felled wood, it is not pristine. It has marks and scuffs. There are dents and knots. Without compromising its strength and integrity, reclaimed wood brings the romance and the story of its past life to furniture for the home.

For us, that is simply perfect, wouldn’t you agree?

Unique and beautiful

You can tell by the expert craftsmanship of reclaimed wood furniture that the artisan’s heart and soul has been put into each piece. Specialists in reclaimed wood work it into a new shape and form guaranteeing it is genuinely unique.

It is this uniqueness that many people covet. No two pieces of reclaimed wood are the same. There will be scuffs in different places, the grain will hold a different pattern and the wood itself will hold its own different secrets too.

We may want something different, but we also want beauty and style too. More often, when something is ‘different’, it is made to stand out. We don’t always want that.

We want a reclaimed wood bed frame, for example, that looks like wood, feels like wood and behaves like wood. We want style and beauty with a hint of uniqueness, but we don’t want it to stand out for all the wrong reasons.

This is another reason why we love reclaimed wood – its subtleness and the fact that every piece is different and beautifully unique.

Across the home

There is nowhere in the home that reclaimed wood furniture cannot be used. brought back to life, it still has so much to offer…

… a functional reclaimed wood bench alongside a rustic dining table is a match made in heaven. Or, if you prefer the Nordic style with its clean lines and light textures, reclaimed wood can be that too.

… a reclaimed wood bed frame is as unique as relationships and family. Alongside bedside tables, chest of drawers and wardrobes, create your own exclusive boudoir in the style that you want.

Find out for yourself

We could go on and on about reclaimed wood and what it feels like to allow the palm of your hand to drift across the history contained within its grain, but that would be taking it away from you. Why not discover the beauty of reclaimed wood furniture for yourself?

A Match Made in Heaven

Mathematical calculation drawn in the sand for love

With Valentine’s day near, it can mean only one thing – love is in the air! And for us, that means celebrating the partnerships that stick together through thick and thin. In the world of furniture, there are many and our love for them is as strong as ever…

Armchair and side table

Is there anything better than sinking into the warm folds of an armchair after a long day or when you need to escape real life for a while? We think not, which is why the partnership between armchair and small side table is as strong as ever.

For an armchair to be truly useful, it needs its trusty sidekick of a side table or if space allows, a rustic coffee table to perch your feet, coffee cup or wine glass. One ties in with the other…

Dining table and chairs

… which is exactly how the companionship between a reclaimed wood dining table and chairs can be described. Both have their uses separately but they are better together. Whether you opt for wooden dining chairs or the plush fabrics of upholstered dining chairs, the chemistry between both is the ultimate love affair.

Bed and bedside table

No matter the dimensions of your reclaimed wood bed frame, without a bedside table it offers little apart from a place to lay your head. Taking care of everything from your alarm clock to bedside table lamp, this small but mighty piece of bedroom furniture has one of the biggest hearts and is a must in any bedroom. There is an undeniable connection between the bed and bedside table that is set to last for all eternity.

Kitchen island and pendant light

No man is an island, a saying that shows we all need some kind of emotional connection in our lives. The same could be said of the kitchen island and the relationship between it and the hanging pendant light. Casting light where there is shadow is its number one priority and catching the light when it falls is the kitchen island’s job. When you are working, eating or sitting at the kitchen island, you need light, something that our stylish pendant ceiling lights offer. The only problem is deciding which one…

Console table and mirror

Another couple that every could benefit from having it its life is the console table and mirror. Commonly found in the hallway, this must-have combination is so stylishly versatile it can lend itself to anywhere in the home. The slimline features of a narrow console table give it an elegant style and with handy storage solutions combined, it’s no wonder so many of us choose to have one in the home.

And with a mirror hanging above it, reflecting light in what can sometimes be a small space, you see how the two personalities complement each other.

Coffee table and rug

Both have a streak of independence but that makes their partnership even more wonderful. The rug provides the colourful, patterned platform that the coffee table needs to shine. And if there is one thing that makes any relationship a success, it is the mutual support that one offers the other.

Spread the love if you can you think of other furniture combinations that are perfect together.

Top tips to add character to a new kitchen

A white and sleek kitchen with light wooden flooring

A new contemporary kitchen is a wonderful thing to behold. Smooth, clean surfaces, gleaming tiles and backsplash… but there is something missing. As beautiful as it may be, if your new kitchen is lacking character, it can feel soulless. Here’s how to add that little extra something to your fabulous new kitchen.

1 Add a plant or two

Any room, from the kitchen to the hallway, is given an immediate uplift when a plant is added. Clearly, in the kitchen, you’ll need to add a variety of plants that enjoy heat, so opt for evergreen plants, such as Aloe Vera (also great for the bathroom). These types of plants flourish without too much fuss and care, apart from the occasional watering. Place one on a reclaimed wood dining table as a centrepiece, or on the windowsill.

2 Layer the kitchen lighting

We often see the kitchen as being only a functional space but in truth, it is an important room with a variety of functions. This is especially true if you have opted for a kitchen/diner.

Layering lighting in the kitchen needs as much considering as it does in any other room. That means as well as bright lights that you can work under, you could choose softer lighting, such kitchen pendant lighting hanging above the kitchen table and chairs, for when you are eating or entertaining. Different light levels can also be important, as the kitchen table is often the place that homework is done and other important work. A rattan pendant light might help to add texture too.

3 Add wood accents with freestanding kitchen furniture

When designing your new kitchen, you may have assumed that the more everything is fitted and streamlined, the better. Whilst in some kitchen spaces this is the better option, if you have a larger kitchen, freestanding furniture can be a workable alternative. Consider reclaimed wood furniture as a contrast to the modern kitchen design.

From a large kitchen sideboard to a wooden kitchen dresser unit, adding freestanding kitchen furniture that complements the overall design will be simply perfect.

4 Make a feature of the dining table

A kitchen/diner is a popular choice and that means the kitchen table becomes the focus of attention with style being the main ingredient. For example, a rustic dining table is not only functional but stylistically dramatic. Team this with functional and equally dramatic rustic styled chairs and you have an immediate focal point.

5 Add pattern and colour

The easiest way to lift any room is to add hints of colour and pattern. Colour brings a homely feel to the space and pattern is perfect for giving it a lift.

Choices of both depend on the style you have chosen for the kitchen. Popular pattern choices can work well with most styles but with some, you need to make careful choices. Choose a neutral and muted palette for the industrial and Scandinavian styles, sticking with natural colours for the farmhouse style. For a modern look, any colour and pattern will work although geometric patterns are on-trend.

Make it YOURS!

An important room, you will spend a lot of your time in the kitchen, cooking and eating with family and friends. In our drive for style, we can sometimes leave out the important things – us. And so those small personal effects, such as photographs and your children’s paintings are never out of place, even in your new contemporary kitchen.