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Find the right dining table for your personality

Reclaimed wood dining table with four natural coloured fabric dining chairs and dark grey linen runner

If you’re in the market for a new reclaimed wood dining table then you might find this blog sheds a little light on how to buy the perfect table that not only suits your home but also your personality!

Are you a natural minimalist?

An industrial dining table is our top pick for you! A gorgeously rustic, hand-finished wood tabletop that sits on sturdy, metal, industrial style legs. The industrial design is no-frills and functional – on this table, the character of the reclaimed wood table top will definitely be the star of the show. Pair this up with some faux leather dining chairs or even an upholstered bench for a very cool loft look.

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

Are you a social butterfly?

If you love to entertain your friends and family at every opportunity then you really should consider an extendable table – ready for when guests drop around unexpectedly. Of course, this goes beautifully with a dining bench – perfect – so everyone can budge up a bit when you need to get more around the table! We would suggest the Branford oak extendable table – but there are too many to choose from!

Photo featuring: Branford Oak Extending Dining Table

Are you a homemaker?

A warm kitchen with a cake in the oven and the kettle always on. A sturdy farmhouse table for your friends and family to gather around is a great choice for you. If you are a stay at home father or mother and just love to be there looking after the home and the family, then a rustic dining table will bring additional warmth and character into your family room.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Are you an eco-warrior?

Do you want to do your bit to change the world? Small steps make all the difference so you should definitely consider a reclaimed wood dining table. The Chelwood range is produced entirely from salvaged wood – to add to this all pieces are hand finished with a beautiful, pale wood finish. With different sized wooden sideboards, console table and benches available to mix and match you will be able to sit at your dining table with a completely clear conscience.

Photo featuring: Skyline Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Is bling your thing?

If a touch of sophisticated glamour is your thing then you simply must consider the Skyline Reclaimed Wood dining table with it’s sleek frame. This modern dining table really makes a style statement by merging bling with industrial style – pair this up with some luxurious upholstered dining chairs for a super sleek dining room.

How to treat marks on reclaimed wood furniture

A reclaimed wood dining table, or any reclaimed wood furniture for that matter, are pieces of furniture that are investments and will be in your home, for you to enjoy, for years to come. Over time, accidents will and do happen, so in this blog we will look at ways to try to prevent accidents and how you can get your furniture looking as good as the day you bought it. The two most common are watermarks and minor dents.

The beauty of reclaimed wood is that it is never going to be a smooth, pristine, mark-free, piece of timber. The timbers used are salvaged from old buildings, factories or railway tracks, which means the wood is not going to waste but being skillfully recrafted and given a new lease of life. Of course, this means that the wood will have undulations and markings and we want those on reclaimed wood as they make each piece unique and gives them some history.

Because of these beautiful little features, the odd mark or scuff to your wood dining table will simply blend in and give it a little more character. However, some damage will leave a more lasting mark that you might not want to be a part of your table, water damage is one of those.

Corner of a rustic dining table with a brown and grey faux leather dining chairs and newspaper and spectacles on table top

Water damage

Be a little bit fussy! Make sure diners use coasters when drinking at the dining table, especially if they have ice in a drink – before they have even picked it up you may have a water ring under the glass…..and don’t forget to have coasters at the ready on pieces such as your reclaimed wood coffee table as well. To deal with water spillage you really need to dry it as quickly as possible . Dab it with a paper towel or something very absorbent to remove any water. This can then be wafted dry or left to dry naturally, the longer you leave it the more chance it has to soak into the wood. If you are standing a vase of flowers on your rustic dining table, then again use a coaster to place it on – or put them out of the way on another piece of furniture, such as a wooden sideboard where they are less likely to get knocked over by people reaching across the table.

Minor scuffs and dents

Waxing – that is all you really need to do to get any minor scuffs and dents to blend in with the rest of the table. It is actually best to wax or oil your table (depending on its original finish) regularly to keep it looking its best and to keep up, and build up, a good layer of protection. If the damage is a little more serious then you call a furniture technician to come to your home – they can work wonders on your rustic furniture.

Everyday care Do’s

– Use coasters for drinks and hot dishes

– Clean up spillages as soon as possible by dabbing gently with a paper towel

– Use a little water and a mild soap for daily cleaning

– Rub scratches or scuffs with wax or oil

Everyday care Don’ts

– Use abrasive chemicals

– Use furniture polishes containing silicone as they will build up over time

– Rub vigorously as this can damage the finish

What table leg is right for you? See our top tips

So, you’ve decided to be eco-conscious and invest in a rustic dining table and have started scouring the internet looking at the many different styles available. Confused? Here, we look at the types of legs that you will find featured and a few things to consider to help you make the right purchase for you.

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

Four Legs

Because of the simplicity and focus on functionality, you will often find that an industrial dining table has four simple, fuss-free legs. A table with four legs may not be so easy to fit your chairs around – especially if you have chairs you want to use already. For example, if you have six wooden dining chairs you want to put around a new table – two down each side and one at each end – then you will have to check that the legs will not be in the way when you push the chairs under the table.

Think of it this way, if a 1.8 metre table fits well in your space then the legs could well be inset 20-30cms from each end of the table. Taking the size of the legs into account, you could be left with as little as 1.1 metres usable space down the sides. Yes, this will fit two of the most common sized chairs in, but if you have spacious velvet dining chairs with arms they may keep banging into each other when people get up or sit down. Of course, you can put chairs at each end of the table as long as your dining area has enough room to do this. As a rule, you should allow 1 metre around the whole of your table for moving chairs.

Trestle base

A trestle table is a great option if you want to get extra chairs around the table – they are also very sturdy as the trestle runs all the way down the centre of the table rather than just the corners. You would have a support bar at some height underneath your table which could be an issue for taller people who may bang into this when they are sat at the table. Having said that little children often like this support bar as they rest their feet on it helping them sit more comfortably (and still!) on standard size dining chairs! A trestle table and a wooden bench are a match made in heaven; they just look so great together, and using a bench also allows the trestle base feature to be seen a bit more.

Photo featuring: Dorset Reclaimed Wood Trestle Dining Table & Dorset Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench

Some people may also find it a little harder to vacuum or mop around a trestle base as there’s a bit more to them than just four straight legs.

Pedestal or Spider Leg base

Photo featuring: Rocco Industrial Rustic Oak Spider Leg Dining Table and Cleo Faux Leather Industrial Dining Bench. For similar chairs see Standford Brown Leather Dining Chairs

A single pedestal is a classic base for a round dining table and chairs and a large oval table may have two pedestals or a spider leg. Of course, the obvious benefit, as with the trestle base is that you can get more chairs around the table, you can easily move chairs up to add a couple more if you have unexpected guests. If the base of the pedestal is big then you may not be able to push your chairs fully under the table when not in use, so this could be a point to consider if space is tight. If you have spent ages choosing the right pedestal base for you table, it’s worth bearing in mind that you may not be able to see much of it once your chairs are around it.

House Tour: A 1930’s home with a rustic heart

Woman with long blond hair and light green top carrying a large bunch of pampas grass

If you haven’t found @jade.doutch on Instagram yet, you’re in for a treat! She transformed her 1930’s semi-detached property in Anglesey, Wales into a fabulous fusion of modern rustic and Boho/Scandi styles that not only we fell in love with, but her 100k plus followers.

Jade’s home is a masterclass in modern rustic design, celebrating the beauty of natural materials, modern subdued hues and tactile surfaces. Rustic furniture such as her gorgeous wood dining table in the open plan kitchen and wooden chest of drawers in her bedroom mix with modern and Scandi influences in the way of monochrome accents and faux fur accessories to bring a wonderfully styled home that is warm and inviting.

The Kitchen/Diner

It’s hard not to love everything about this room. From the combination of natural and dark grey painted wood cabinetry and open rustic shelves to the metal and reclaimed wood detailing, not to mention the grey bi-fold doors leading out to a wonderful wooden decked patio. The rustic dining table with its pale finish and chips, scars and markings add the character of this well-thought-out scheme.

The sitting area in the open plan kitchen/diner is a fantastic example of how to mix different interior themes. By keeping the same colour tone throughout, Jade has brought together industrial, rustic, scandi and boho styles in one beautifully cohesive curation. We love the industrial coffee table with its metal frame and concrete effect round top.

Living Areas

What makes this home perfect for modern-day living is the organic layout. The property features different rooms and zones to relax in, from a formal sitting room to a more relaxed living room, together with a TV room. Jade’s natural eye for style means each space blends harmoniously with the other, whilst each having its own identity. She has used accent furniture and soft neutral textures to bring the looks together. A vintage wooden sideboard mirrors the colours of the walls, whilst a rustic milking stool replaces sofa side tables.

The Bedroom & Shower Room

Jade has continued the same vibe of the downstairs into the upstairs of her home with her bedroom and bathroom reflecting the same rustic and boho style. In the bedroom, the large chest of drawers and wooden wardrobe provide essential storage, but the warm wood features add character and cosiness to the room. The shower room is one of Jade’s most liked images on Instagram, and it’s easy to see why.

For more gorgeous modern rustic interior inspiration follow Jade @jade.doutch.

All images Jade Doutch @jade.doutch

Ideas to decorate your home for Easter

Thin twigs from a tree with yellow flowers

Decorating the home for Easter is certainly gaining in popularity with more and more people buying an Easter wreath, decorating an Easter tree or adding an Easter themed table decoration. Here are a few ideas you might want to try out yourself this year!

Dining table decorations

A reclaimed wood dining table is a very versatile piece of dining room furniture and can be decorated in many ways from fun and colourful Easter baskets filled with fake grass and chocolate or painted eggs to an exquisite Easter bouquet – which will really bring the outside in. We think a mix of both works best, a basket of painted eggs as well as simple fresh cut flowers like daffodils or tulips. For something really rustic, natural and simple to stand on a wood dining table, you can arrange some spring twigs in a vase.

Close up of a collection white Easter eggs in gold framed geometric ornament as a table decoration

Living room decorations

To bring some spring cheer into your home why not decorate your living room? Hang a spring and Easter themed garland around the fireplace or add some fairy lights and a simple but striking decoration to the mantlepiece. Dedicate a shelf of your wood bookcase to Easter decorations, use little pots of spring flowers and twigs, decorative egg and rabbit ornaments to create a small Easter display – you can also add any Easter cards you receive to complete the display.

Easter wreath

This is a really popular choice for an Easter decoration now. You can hang one on your front door to welcome your own family or anyone else who comes to your door. A rustic wreath looks stunning placed on a farmhouse table or on a kitchen sideboard. You can really go to town and theme the whole kitchen by adding ribbons on the back of the kitchen chairs – something bright and cheery like yellow or green.

You can buy wreaths ready-made or you can opt to create your own, we love this rustic spring and Easter themed one above.

Easter tree

You can create an Easter tree for indoors or one for in the garden…. if you plan to do some outside entertaining. All you need are some bare twigs, which you can arrange in a vase using decorative stones to keep the twigs in place and some Easter decorations to hang on this – paper spring flowers, egg decorations, rabbits and chicks are perfect for the job.

Fun things to do with the kids over Easter

Happy Easter words on a rustic wood table with iced biscuits cut in shape of rabbits and baking utentils

Easter is a time for new beginnings – spring is coming and life is starting to look a bit brighter after a long year. Although things are looking more promising we will still have some restrictions to abide by. With many attractions, cinemas etc. still closed, and a limit to the number of people we can see, we are looking at fun things you can do at home with the kids to keep you all occupied and happy over the Easter holidays.

Egg painting

This is fun for a whole range of ages. Get some dyes, transfers, stickers and stencils and really let the kids go to town. This is not the best activity to do around a rustic dining table as the dyes could stain the natural wood of the table; a work surface or kitchen island, covered in newspaper, is a much more sensible idea. Pull up the breakfast bar chairs for the kids and let their imaginations go wild. You can also get them to decorate their own baskets to display their creations in.

Paper flowers

Make some pretty paper spring flowers. These can be used to decorate Easter baskets, make a bouquet to stand in a vase on a reclaimed wood coffee table in the living room, or a cheery welcome on a small console table in the hallway. If you just want to add a little bit of spring to the hallway and keep the theme rustic to tie in with reclaimed wood furniture then some sprigs of spring blossom in a vase also look great!

Easter baking

Most kids love baking – we suggest some cupcakes with nests of mini chocolate eggs on top, easy to make and always look good on the Easter wood dining table! Another family favourite are plain biscuits that the kids can decorate however they choose – with hundreds and thousands, mini eggs decorative icing and so on. You can get egg shape cutters, bunny cutters, flowers and other spring theme cutters.

Easter Bunny tracker

Yes, just as there is an online tracker for Santa, there is now one you can sign up to so the kids can keep track of where the Easter Bunny is on Saturday night! Gather on your large sofa and follow with an Easter movie, such as Hop!

Easter egg hunt

This is classic Easter Sunday fun for the kids. This can work either in the house or if it is a nice day, in the garden. You can make up your own clues (there are plenty of ideas online) or buy a ready-to -go kit. If you are going to go it alone, get the kids crafting in the run-up to Easter and let them decorate their own collection baskets. To make the egg hunt for for all ages, get the children to find all the treats and then share out what they have found! For a healthier alternative, instead of chocolate eggs or sweets, hide small toys or gifts, such as yo-yo’s, colouring books or stickers.

Quick tricks of the trade to create a sellable home

Welcome doormat in front of white front door with two large grey plant pots with green shrubs either side

Moving home is listed as one of the most stressful things in life. Organising finances, selling, finding your new home, packing, unpacking and finding new schools for the kids can make it time-consuming and costly. So, here we have put together some basic pointers of what you can do to get your home ready to sell and hopefully get as close as possible to your asking price, without stressing every time the estate agent calls to organise a viewing.

Entrance

This gives the all-important first impression. Paint the front door if it looks a bit shabby, wipe down outside windowsills and thresholds and give the windows a clean. If you have a front garden make sure the grass is mowed and any borders are weed-free. A hanging basket or a floor-standing planter always look good to potential buyers as they walk or drive up to your house. Hide wheelie bins around the side or in the garage! Inside, a hallway storage bench will be a place to hide away shoes ready for when viewers pop round.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table

Living room

The living room should be set out to show how the most popular pieces of living room furniture can be placed in it. A 3 seater sofa arranged around a rustic coffee table and a TV unit are essential in this room. A bookcase with doors can hide any living room clutter ready for viewings but there is no need to clear everything away – the house will benefit from a few personal pieces left on show to make it look homely and lived in. Light the open fire if it is a cooler night to give your room an instant cosy look and feel – a velvet armchair pulled up to the fire will make the buyer imagine themselves sitting there reading a book!

Kitchen

This is probably the most important room of the house to have ready for viewings. Floors, walls, worksurfaces and cabinets have to be clean. If your kitchen units are a little dated or too dark for the room you can consider painting or replacing cupboard doors. Touch-up dirty grout using a grout pen. Once you have the decor tidied-up you can look at decluttering worksurfaces and open shelving – don’t think that everything has to be hidden from sight, just minimise it giving an open and uncluttered feel to the space. If you have a breakfast table in your kitchen put a crisp table cloth on it and add some fresh cut flowers.

Dining room / area

The dining room should be clear and clutter-free ideally in a neutral colour with rustic furniture that is in good proportion with the space – a small round table at one end of the room will look a bit lost if the space is large, maybe consider an eye-catching reclaimed wood dining table instead? Arrange the dining table and chairs and add a wooden sideboard, again showing there is ample space for the most popular size, a 6 seater dining table, as well as storage. Have a clean runner on the table and a centrepiece on it, like some fresh cut flowers or greenery.

Photo featuring: Mitcham Industrial Oak Spider Leg Dining Table & Standford Brown Leather Dining Chairs

Bedrooms

The master bedroom should be a calm and inviting space with room for all the bedroom furniture essentials like a double or kingsize bed, bedside tables, a wooden wardrobe and a wooden chest of drawers. Let children’s bedrooms be children’s bedrooms, but tone them down and declutter them a little – just taking a few posters off the walls, adding a neutral throw and some cushions on the bed will transform the room.

Garage and garden

Now’s the time to clear out the garage, it’s going to have to be done when you move anyway, so do it before viewings start. Gardens of course should be cleared of toys, maybe get a storage shed to keep things in. Make sure the grass is mowed and flowerbeds are weed-free. If you have patio furniture and it is the right time of year, then put them out in the garden, again you are giving the potential buyer a small glimpse of happy days in the garden!

What buyers like to see in a bedroom

Modern bedroom with large bed with white and dark green covers and cushion. Room also features tall houseplant

When potential buyers see the bedroom they are looking for calm, space and storage options. As it is a bedroom the bed should be the centrepiece.

First, pay some attention to the general state and style of the decor. If the room is a child’s room and decorated to their taste with posters and bold coloured walls then consider how the room would look with some of the posters taken down and a more gentle colour on the walls. This is more likely to appeal to the masses! Clear clutter away – there is possibly no end of stuff you can clear by packing it ready to be moved or donating to charities. Of course, you may still like to leave some items, it is a child’s room after all! Don’t forget to give the floor a quick assessment, does the carpet need a clean and freshen up? Or could you dress the room and make it look a little cosier with a new rug on the floor?

If the room is a double room then show how a wooden double bed fits in it. This will really help the buyer see the potential of the room rather than trying to visualise it during the few minutes they actually see the room. If it is a little on the small side add a slim bedside table to show there is still room for the essentials. The other option is to use a dressing table with drawers to double as a bedside unit as well as a desk or dressing table. Of course, if it is a single room then put a single bed in it, rather than trying to fit in a double. Reclaimed wood furniture is perfect for styling a bedroom. Its natural features warm the room and blend with whatever interior scheme you have.

Photo featuring: Onslow Reclaimed Wood Bed

Don’t overfill the room, this is quite an important note – don’t try to show how much storage is possible by overfilling with furniture leaving the room feeling claustrophobic. A wooden blanket box looks good at the end of the bed – plenty of storage, while still being low level and making the room appear as an uninterrupted space.

When it comes to finishing touches then you can go to town a little. As we are making sure the bed is the centerpiece you can dress it with an extra throw, some cushions, and a lamp placed on a bedside table or bedroom chest of drawers. If the room does not have a mirror then you may want to hang one over a dressing table, place a houseplant on a small chest of drawers or some flowers in a vase. Patterned curtains may again distract the house viewers attention – if possible switch these for some blinds or plain curtains which you can coordinate with the bed.

How to make your dining room your selling point

Minimalist dining room with wooden refectory dining table and black dining chairs with two hanging green plants and black ceiling pendant light

As a nation, we are in love with an open plan kitchen diner, but the traditional separate dining room still has its part to play when selling your home. Do not skip over this – here we look at some quick ways you can upgrade your dining room making it more appealing to a potential buyer.

Photo featuring: Boston Reclaimed Wood Monastery Dining Table

Invest in some new dining room furniture. This is a way to instantly inject some warmth and style into your dining room. If the room is large then make sure the new dining room furniture fills the space correctly. Don’t cram an 8 seater dining room table and chairs into the room if a 6 seater would fit and look much better, add a wooden sideboard if you have the space to illustrate that there is ample room for a decent-sized table, not to mention some handy dining room storage – you need to keep the room balanced. A reclaimed wood dining table is a feature in itself and can be styled to suit a traditional home or a modern dining space.

Photo featuring: Bladon Velvet Dining Chair

If your budget don’t run to all-new dining room furniture then you can just upgrade the chairs – look at some different styles of modern dining chairs – you would be surprised at how just this can transform a room. A mix of a dining bench and upholstered dining chairs is a quick way to give the room a more modern feel. When viewers look at your house they will be thinking about how they would use this room to entertain their own family and friends.

Photo featuring: Colette Reclaimed Wood Refecorty Dining Table

If your dining room is doubling up as a home office, schoolroom or playroom then no doubt there are things in there that do not really belong – tidy all objects and furniture away to their rightful homes! Consider restaging the room on viewing days; if buyers are expecting to see a room called the dining room this is what they will want to see!

Maybe the room would benefit from a lick of paint – if this is the case opt for something neutral – potential buyers will see it as more of a blank canvas that they can add their own colour scheme to without redecorating it first. This will also work for you, as you can add some accessories in a colour you like and take them with you to your new home.

Dress the table – pick out an accent colour and set the table ready for dinner – show homes generally do this to show buyers how the room can look when entertaining guests but just also a table runner down the centre and a vase of flowers or some candlesticks will just make the room look so much more attractive and used.