Introducing our new glamorous Standford Collection

Knightsbridge Reclaimed Oak Dining Table and velvet chairs

We have gotten ourselves a little bit excited about our new Standford collection of reclaimed wood furniture and couldn’t wait to share it with you!

This range is for the environmentally conscious who really don’t want to skimp on style and luxury it’s crafted from prime reclaimed wood with its natural markings and undulations proudly on display. The industrial element is introduced by the shiny silver metal legs and frame. This range of rustic furniture includes everything you would need to luxuriously furnish your living room, dining room and hallway – so let’s have a look in a little bit more detail!

Photo featuring: Standford Large Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table

For the dining room

The focal point of a dining room is, of course, the dining table – the Standford brings together a rustic dining table, a good helping of glamour and a brings in a dash of industrial. This statement dining table looks gorgeous when you add plush velvet dining chairs or a velvet dining bench. This collection includes three different size wooden sideboards giving you complete flexibility to choose how much storage you need and also how this range will fit into your dining room. If you only have a little space then the console table will give you an extra surface to put serving dishes and drinks on.

Photo featuring: Standford Large Reclaimed Wood Industrial Sideboard

For the living room

Of course, an industrial sideboard is a great option for a living room too – plenty of hidden storage space for family games, DVD’s books, console games etc. With a solid wood coffee table in the collection, an oak side table and the choice of either a small TV stand or a large TV stand your living room furniture could be coordinatingly complete.

Photo featuring: Standford Reclaimed Wood Small TV Unit

We think the clean industrial lines make this an ideal furniture for the modern home as this collection will also add a real warm rustic element to contrast. The incredible character of the prime solid oak used to craft these pieces is sure to be a conversation piece in your home and will definitely encourage compliments. In the image below you can just see how this collection will bring the beauty of nature into your home.

Most importantly you will have a clear conscience knowing that your furniture has been skillfully produced from reclaimed wood that would otherwise have ended up in landfill.

For the hallway

A narrow reclaimed wood console table is perfect for the hallway – hang a mirror over it for a last once over before you head out the door and a decorative dish keeps keys in so you aren’t hunting around for them when you’re trying to get out the house.

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Console Table

How to use Dulux colour of 2021 in your dining space

Dark brown leather sofa with beige wall
Brave Ground™ is the Dulux colour of the year for 2021 so we thought we would look at how reclaimed wood furniture pieces would work with this colour.
“Dulux colour experts have chosen Brave Ground™, a bolstering shade that connects back to nature and the simple things. A warm, earthy tone, it creates a feeling of stability, growth and potential; and provides a firm foundation for change and creativity in your home.”

Stone painted living room wall with brown pendant light and dark grey leather sofa

This gorgeous neutral earthy colour will set a sublime backdrop for many different interior decor styles. Here, in particular, we are looking at using Brave Ground™ in the dining room as we think it would make the perfect wall colour to complement a reclaimed wood dining table.

Being reminiscent of an old stone farmhouse means that Brave Ground™ would look particularly good with rustic furniture it. Use this hue as a backdrop to dress a farmhouse table with earthenware and terracotta pots. The Farringdon reclaimed wood dining table is a top pick of ours with the option to add a mix of leather dining chairs or a more rustic, but very on-trend wooden bench.

Close up of reclaimed wood dining table top with bamboo basket and stone pots

We love the versatility of this colour it will work well in a minimalist Scandi inspired dining room. It would imitate the wood panelling seen in the image below to give the room a quick bright and airy lift and leave you with a neutral canvas to work from. You can accessorise with a bamboo pendant light over the table, wicker baskets and house plants to nail minimalist Scandi style.

Pale wooden dining table with wooden bench in room with wood wall and floor

Photo featuring: Wycombe Oak Extending Dining Set

For an ultra-modern sleek look, we like how Brave Ground™ could be blended with bright and bold statement colours like warm burgundy and other colours with a hint of red or pink. Accessorise your dining room with rich burgundy curtains, striking wall art, a statement rug and wooden dining chairs dressed with coordinating cushions and small chair throws.

Large reclaimed wood dining table with grey faux leather chairs in industrial style dining roomPhoto featuring: Mitcham Industrial Oak Spider Leg Dining Table

Now we can look at the industrial dining space, this colour will soften the heavy black of an industrial dining table like this spider leg one. This table has been paired with a mix of grey and tan faux leather Cleo chairs so the warm earthy colour of Brave Ground™ will blend with the tan chairs and provide a neutral contrast to the black.

How to create a Boho inspired Living room

brown leather sofa with large wall hanging and green plant

So, firstly, what actually is “Boho stye”? It’s busy, bright, patterned, colorful, eclectic, with plenty of natural materials and house plants thrown into the mix – it’s basically a decor style that is influenced by the hippies of the 60’s and 70’s as well as travelling artists. It’s also an interior style that has seen a resurgence over the past year.

With this in mind let’s take a closer look at how to easily achieve this on-trend look in your living space.

Brown leather sofa with wall boho wall hanging

 

Boho style is all about natural materials, so reclaimed wood furniture is a bit of a no-brainer. Eco-friendly and from nature, a rustic nest of tables is a great choice, easy to move around and to dot around the room where needed. The Melbury Industrial Nest of Tables is just made for this style of decor, industrial legs support the tabletops, which are created from gorgeous reclaimed wood railway sleepers, produced in a manner to showcase the natural beauty of the wood. For a lighter, more minimalist and lighter Bohemian style table, the Abingdon reclaimed wood side table is perfect.

Photo featuring: Melbury Industrial Nest of Tables

Reclaimed wood side table with white trestle legs Photo featuring: Abingdon Reclaimed Wood Side Table

Seating

The Boho keywords for seating would be relaxed, casual and low level that encourages conversation and playing music together. So a brown leather sofa and leather armchair are a great starting point to achieve the look – add in some leather footstools and / or floor cushions and you are really making headway to achieve this style. The Maverick retro relax leather armchair should be at the top of any list of furniture to be included. Of course, you can add paisley or patterned cushions on the sofa as well as natural fibre sofa throws to reinforce the look.

Brown leather armchair with metal arms with white sheepskin rug

Photo featuring: Maverick Retro Leather Armchair

Flooring

Patterned rugs are a must-have, choose a mix of natural and bold bright colours. You can layer rugs as well to add more interest to your floor space, start with an extra large rug, and layer on small rugs and don’t forget they don’t all have to match, you can have fun with trying out and seeing what works for you and your room.

Blue living room with sheer green curtains and rugs and cushions on floor

Colours and textures

White walls with earthy colours like terracotta and brown are the base colours, but it’s the fabrics and accessories that you can play around with, a mix of leather, sheepskin rugs and different types of cushions. When it comes to textures you should add natural materials like wood, wicker, rattan and bamboo. Use wall tapestries, macrame wall hangings and pictures for extra texture and interest.

Large green houseplant with white sofa and window in background

House plants

No Bohemian styled room would be complete without a few, and by few we mean a lot, houseplants. You can use the plant pots to add extra “Boho” to your room. Ideally, plant pots should be produced from natural materials like wood, wicker, rattan and terracotta. A macrame hanging plant holder would be right at home in the corner of your Bohemian influenced living room.

Why is a dining bench a key trend for 2021?

Reclaimed wood dining table with matching dining bench and sheepskin throw

The dining bench is completely on-trend right now and works so well with reclaimed wood furniture. Here we look at some of the huge plusses it brings to your dining room or kitchen diner.

Wooden bench and table in the sun

Choose your style

First and foremost benches are bang on trend right now and because of this, there are many different styles on the market to choose from. From the humble locker room style wooden bench and Scandi inspired designs, to a chunky industrial bench or a very elegant gold or silver legged velvet upholstered bench.

Wooden table with black steel spider legs and grey faux leather bench

Photo featuring: Mitcham Industrial Oak Spider Leg Dining Table with Cleo Faux Leather Dining Bench and Dining Chairs

Fit more around the table

This is, of course, one of the key benefits – you can squeeze more around the table if you want to. On the nights when it’s just your family dining you can spread out and have plenty of space, but when you have guests everyone can squeeze up a bit to make room for one or two extra people around the table. We love a dining bench and chairs combo – it’s a perfect choice for around a reclaimed wood dining table.

Reclaimed wood dining table with pedestal leg and grey fabric armchairs

Photo featuring: Hoxton Reclaimed Wood Refectory Dining Table

Save space

A bench will take up less room than a dining chair. If you have a corner you can fit a table in then a built-in bench could be just what you need. No need to pull chairs out, you can just slide in and use dining chairs on the remaining sides of the table – these work so well in kitchen / diner corners and of course you can get benches with hinged lids to make a bit of extra storage space too. Opt for a rustic wood dining table with a pedestal leg like the Mitcham oak table and you can fit a larger table in the space available….and no legs in the way to bang knees into. As a guide to help you work out how much space you need you should allow enough space so that when you sit on it the front of the bench is at the same line as the front of the table.

Wooden table and dining bench against kitchen island with grey chairs

A lower focal point

If your space is small then you can choose a reclaimed wood dining table and bench set with no back; this will make a small space look larger and less interrupted. Dining benches work really well against a wall or partition in the room as you can use this as the back of your bench. They are also great if you have a view you want to make the most of.

Wooden dining table in pale wood with matching dining bench and stool

Glam up your bench

You can treat a dining bench like a sofa. So go for it! Add some cushions and throws to glam it up. You can coordinate this with your existing colour scheme or take the opportunity to add some contrast to the room. You can position a floor lamp next to it, for more intimate after dinner lighting.

How to set your table for on-trend dining

White plate with beige napkin tied with natural straw

Setting your table for a special event takes some thought. Think about the occasion, who the guests are and the atmosphere you want to set. Here we have looked back at the top styles for tableware in 2020.

Dining table with layered linen tablecloths in front of large bright windows

Layering

Layering is often seen on beds and sofas but you can adapt this to work on your rustic dining table by mixing and matching table cloths, runners and napkins. Start with a white tablecloth and go from there – try a few different ways with a runner going horizontally or vertically – add different colours that will blend together or go for contrast. If you have dining benches you can continue the layering approach with coordinating cushions or small throws. Different shades of grey table linen look amazing on a black metal legged, industrial dining table and bench set.

Industrial dining table with wooden bench and layered table linens

Photo featuring: Industrial Lansdowne Rustic Wood Dining Table and Rustic Wood Dining Set

Traditional

The classic timeless table setting with a white table cloth and a white napkin – this works well in most settings – add some silver candlesticks or a fairy light lamp and a floral centrepiece, silver cutlery and white crockery. You just can’t go wrong! The fairy light lamp doubles up as the perfect decorative piece on your dining room sideboard when you are not entertaining.

White folded napkin on table with white tablecloth and crockery

Gorgeous Gold

Gold in the dining room is very on-trend right now, a warm colour scheme, great for autumn and perfect for, dare we say it, Christmas! Gold cutlery, candlesticks holding large candles, plates with gold edgings and gold serving dishes… this colour scheme works so well with a reclaimed wood dining table to provide a stylish and glamorous table setting.

Flat lay image of dining table with grey tablecloth and various food dishes

Relaxing rustic

A rustic table setting perfectly complements an industrial table. Our Lovely Linen table linen is made for this style – gorgeous earthy colours, produced from 100% natural European linen with a slightly crumpled look which helps create a laid back and relaxed ambience.

Spider leg wooden dining table with brown industrial dining chairs

Photo featuring: Mitcham Industrial Oak Spider Leg Dining Table

Serving dishes

We would recommend you get a selection of serving dishes – some staple pieces that you can adapt to different requirements. We love how the Suzy baguette bowl can double up as a fruit bowl or a dish for serving crisps or breadsticks in – it’s also a perfect gift for a friend or family member who loves to entertain! And of course, as we are partial to cutting down on clutter, we recommend choosing a serving bowl that will work as a decorative item on a sideboard or in a display cabinet when not in use.

How to choose the right accent chair

Woman dressed in mustard trousers resting on an armchair next to green plant

Sat in the corner of a room or by a window, accent or feature chairs are hugely popular right now. An occasional chair to enjoy a coffee and relax in or team your chair up with a side table and a lamp and you have a designated reading corner. You can put an accent chair in the living room, kitchen, a bedroom and even the hallway. There are three key considerations that makes the perfect accent chair – style, colour and shape. Here we look at how to find the right stand-out chair for your home.

Photo featuring: Grayson Fabric Armchair

Choose your style

As you are just adding one chair you may want it to slot into the style of the room…. but then the beauty of the accent chair is that it doesn’t have to either! Go for a retro look, industrial, Scandi or classic. You might have a oswald 2 seater sofa and want to add a modern armchair to the room. The Edward Leather Armchair, being in a stunning brown leather is contemporary and extra comfortable, while the Ava White Armchair would make a bold statement in a retro-influenced living room or bedroom.

In a more formal setting, a brown high back chair with a classic button back and decorative stud work wins hands down.

Photo featuring: Ava White Armchair

Colours

If you have a neutral decor scheme you may want to add a pop of yellow, rich blue or bold red these are all great options. These colours would also work well with a black or brown sofa to introduce a bold contrast to a room – you can also use the colour to base other accessories on.

You can of course also be a little more daring by choosing a completely different bold colour. Say you have a room with various shades of yellow then you could add a bright blue armchair, these work well together but your accent chair will become a feature that draws the eye.

Photo featuring: Grayson Fabric Armchair – Midnight Blue

Shape and texture

There are so many chair shapes available – we love the Reeves Rattan Armchair – ideal for a neutral coloured bedroom or the perfect small armchair for a morning coffee or afternoon reading.

The Oswald Armchair is a vintage brown leather and has both texture and shape with its luxurious super soft leather and gorgeous curves, the perfect addition to a funky living space.

Photo featuring: Oswald Armchair Vintage Brown Leather

6 of the Best Coloured Armchairs

Multicoloured velvet fabric armchairs

The quickest route to show off your interior design confidence is with a bold colour. A pop of unexpected colour in a room not only adds personality, but let’s the world know you’ve got this interior styling thing sorted!

Blue velvet armchair with side table and grey painted stairs

However, if, like most of us, you don’t exude that confidence and are wary of any other colour of the rainbow other than white and grey, here’s an interior trend that you can jump on and be brave with…..the jewel hued modern armchair.

Coloured fabric armchairs exude sophistication and add an instant wow-factor to your space, whether that’s the living room, hallway, bedroom or open plan living/dining room.

 

1. Ava White Armchair

With its soft shade, upholstered in faux sheepskin, this chair will inject glamour into any room. 

2. Edward Leather Armchair

We love this armchair for its shape as well as its colour. It’s solid oak frame, this stunning brown leather armchair is a perfect addition to anyone’s home.

 

3. Reeves Rattan Armchair

This wooden armchair with a black painted finish will liven up any dull corner in any room. Crafted in super strong ash wood, rattan back and wide armrests provides both comfort and support.

4. Grayson Fabric Armchair

A modern fabric armchair providing both comfort and sophistication. With it’s retro shape and it’s slim metal frame, adding a touch of modernity to the overall design. Small occasional chairs are a great choice for the home as they can be easily moved around and placed wherever needed, whether that’s the living room, bedroom or even a home office. 

5. Oswald Armchair

The Oswald Armchair showcases an elegantly minimalistic design, making it a versatile fit for various interior themes. Cloaked in premium top grain full leather hide, its inviting warm brown tone harmoniously complements the ash legs. 

6. Preston Armchair

Dive into the epitome of comfort and sophistication with the Preston Armchair. This lounge chair, designed meticulously for those seeking a blend of style and relaxation, promises unparalleled serenity. Whether you’re indulging in a book, catching a quick nap, or just unwinding after a long day, the Preston ensures every moment is cloaked in luxury.

 

What’s your favourite?