christmas Archives - Page 2 of 4

How to help your Christmas tree last longer

Many of us are itching to get the tree up… if it’s not up already! A real Christmas tree will blend beautifully into a home with reclaimed wood furniture, continuing the rustic theme. But if you’re planning on a real Christmas tree it’s a little harder to judge exactly when it is the right time to put it up. You don’t want to miss out on the magical build-up to Christmas but at the same time, you don’t want it to be bare, dropping needles all over the floor and your rustic furniture by Christmas eve. In this blog, we look at how best to treat your tree so it lasts as long as possible over the festive period.

Choose the right tree

A healthy fresh-cut tree should last around four to five weeks. Many trees available to buy are ones that are described as needle retaining – but how long they will last depends on when it was cut. If at all possible you should buy your tree from a place that cuts it down as you’re there – of course, this is not always possible and you will only have the sellers word for when it was cut.

Tips to help you know if your tree is fresh

Gently pull your hand along a branch – only the odd needle should fall.
Tap the entire tree on the ground to see how many needles fall off.
The needles of a fresh tree should snap in half and should not be pliable.
The tree should have a fresh and fragrant scent.

Before you take the tree into your home, cut off 2.5cms from the bottom of the trunk as this will allow it to take up more water. The tree should ideally be placed in a leak-proof stand – it can drink 1-2 litres of water a day!

The best position for your Christmas tree

Ideally, you want to avoid placing your Christmas tree in direct sunlight or near an open fire or radiator. Whilst a real tree next to a roaring open fireplace feels festive and cosy, it will really shorten the tree’s life.

If your tree is a bit tall then cut some off from the bottom – you may be able to use any offcuts to make a festive display down the middle of your rustic dining table, as part of a table setting or on an industrial sideboard.

It may be worth moving your furniture around to get the tree in just the right position, maybe you have the ideal spot but a wooden side table or small armchair is in the way. A small piece of furniture can easily be moved out of the room temporarily to make room.

When Christmas is over and it’s time to take it down, look at responsible ways to dispose of it. Your local council will be able to help with this, or see our blog How your Christmas tree can live on after the holidays for some other great and eco-friendly suggestions.

What side of the fence to you sit on when it comes to real or imitation Christmas trees? We’d love to hear what you prefer. Leave a comment below to start the conversation!

3 super stylish interior looks for Christmas 2023

beam industrial reclaimed wood dining table with Christmas tree and decorations

It’s that time of year where our thoughts are firmly set on Christmas and we dust down our decorations to bring the festive spirit into our home! Do you fancy a bit of a revamp and update of your decorations this year? If so, we have some great suggestions for you that we hope will help you decide on the right theme for your home.

Credit: Lights4fun

3 Stylish looks for Christmas 2023

1. Shimmer and gold

This is always a good choice at Christmas and as it is such a popular theme right now, there are plenty of gorgeous options out there in the shops and online. Gold is sleek and sophisticated allowing you to use minimalist pieces that blend with your existing decor…..the colour on its own screams Christmas! We think this look is perfect for a modern home that has an industrial element. We love the contrast that is created when you blend gold decorations with an industrial dining table, the gold accessories look wonderful against the reclaimed wood dining table top.

Credit: Ginger Ray

2. Rustic & Recycled

The rustic look continues to be as popular as ever and is the perfect Christmas theme for a country cottage or farmhouse. From a real Christmas tree to twig wreaths with pine cones, dried orange slices and dried flowers, there really is so much scope when it comes to this look. This theme completely embraces eco-friendly Christmas decorations and you can either buy new rustic accessories or make them yourself.

Treat yourself, or a friend to these fantastic scalloped star decorations, by Plant a Bloomer. When Christmas is over the stars can be planted outdoors and will grow into wildflowers. We also love this embroidery eco-friendly kraft paper bunting in the shape of little Christmas trees by Leah Nikolaou. During the countdown to Christmas you hand embroider a bauble onto the tree, keep this hanging above a wooden side table in your living room so you can admire your handiwork!

Credit from left: Leah Nikolaou and Plant a Bloomer

3. Monochrome

This is definitely the look for a very modern and minimalist house or flat. Mixing black or navy with white will give your room an instant sleek and crisp look. Black and navy are not colours we generally associate with Christmas but it certainly looks great when done right. The Standford Industrial Dining Table and the rustic Standford Reclaimed Wood Dining Chairs suit this colour scheme perfectly.

Credit: Standford Industrial Dining Table with Standford Reclaimed Wood Dining Chairs

To bring a monochrome Christmas into other areas of your home accessorise with black and white decorations, such as candles, pine cones and fairy lights. We love these black and white modular candle sets from Concrete & Wax to bring some drama and ambience to your festive scene.

Credit: Concrete & Wax

Get ready! 5 tips for impressive entertaining this Christmas

Many of us are guilty of putting too much pressure on ourselves to get everything just right when we’re entertaining and this seems to be amplified when it comes to Christmas entertaining. Decorating the house, styling your reclaimed wood dining table and getting the lunch or dinner just perfect. Here we have put together a few suggestions that may help take the pressure off a bit – so you actually get to sit back and relax and your dinner parties will run like clockwork.

5 Festive ways to impress your guests

1. Shop in advance

Getting the shopping finished early is a great way to rid yourself of at least some stress. Even without talk of potential shortages, it is always a good idea to get stocked up early – it helps spread the cost as well. Items like freezer items, wine, beer, gifts, biscuits, snacks and the Christmas pudding, will all keep for a long time, so you can buy weeks in advance. Many online shops are again extending their return periods so you can easily return things if you see something better a little later on. However, if you are thinking of buying bigger items like an extendable table or new fabric dining chairs for Christmas then don’t leave it too late!

2. Prepare and freeze

To make life easier over the holidays, much of the food preparation can be done in advance. Homemade stuffing and some home bakes can all be prepared now – just keep a list of what you have done and cross off items as you get more organised. Also think about preparing and blanching vegetables, you can peel potatoes and parsnips the evening before your dinner, salad can also be prepped and kept in airtight containers in the fridge overnight.

3. Wrap those gifts

Christmas always seems to sneak up on us – as soon as it turns December the time just flies by and before you know it it’s the 23rd. Wrap presents as you buy them it is surprising how much time this does end up taking up, especially stocking presents! Pop them under the Christmas tree or hide them at the back of your rustic wardrobe or wooden blanket box. If time is really short, select the gift wrapping service from stores and get someone else to wrap!

4. Plan your table setting

This is the fun part. Think about how you are going to set your dining table now – there is nothing worse than having an idea and just not being able to find all or some of the components you want. Planning now gives you plenty of time to shop around and even tweak your plan if you need to. The rustic dining table looks good with natural decorations, warm colours and natural evergreen foliage along the centre. For a reclaimed wood dining table, you can add contrast by choosing a glamorous gold or silver theme. And of course, there’s no reason you can’t set the table the day before!

reclaimed wood dining table with blue Christmas decorations

Organise your cupboards

Allocate a section in your kitchen dresser or cupboard in which to keep Christmas supplies – candles, serviettes, snacks, chocolates, pickles and pretty much everything you have bought to keep for the holidays. At least you’ll know where to find everything when you need to and you won’t use anything by mistake. If you have a cocktail cabinet then get this tidied up and check out what you’re running short of. Wash and polish glasses that haven’t been used in a while and make sure you have ice buckets, stirrers, shakers and anything else you need when mixing cocktails. And finally, if you have a wooden sideboard in your dining room, check your serving dishes for chips or cracks and enough cutlery.

For more Christmas tips and inspiration, including 5 Ideal Seating Solutions see our blog.

Ways to create a cool industrial dining room this Christmas

Introducing our new Urban Industrial Reclaimed Wood Furniture dining collection

Although industrial style furniture conjures up images of a New York City loft or a 1920’s factory it has evolved to a style that isn’t exclusive to only urban style homes, but all types of interiors. It is no longer a cold, bare look. With the use of warm materials such as leather, velvet, rattan and statement lighting, it can be elevated to create a warm, sophisticated and inviting living space – perfect for a cool Christmas.

Urban Euston Industrial Dining Table and Urban Euston Industrial Dining Bench

If you’re picturing a Christmas gathered around a trendy industrial dining table with family and friends sat on a mixture of an industrial wooden dining bench and plush fabric dining chairs, there’s still time to get the look with our new Urban Industrial Furniture collection.

What’s more, order any industrial dining table from the Urban collection before 15th December 2021 and we not only guarantee delivery in time for Christmas, but we will throw in the matching Urban Industrial dining bench completely free.

Order any Urban industrial dining table before 15th December 2021 and receive the matching Urban dining bench for free!

Tempted? Let’s take a closer look at how you can bring the industrial look into your dining space this Christmas. The main elements to consider are….

reclaimed wood furniture
exposed brick
metal
concrete
bare bulbs
neutral colour scheme, but you can add accent colours
a pared-down look

Once you have your main industrial elements in place you can bring in the finishing touches. Mix a wooden dining bench with plush blue velvet dining chairs around the table. An industrial style pendant light over the table and a table lamp on a wooden sideboard for some mood lighting. Hang some striking modern art or a wood-framed mirror on the wall, choose leather or rattan placemats and coasters for the dining table. A large floor standing houseplant in a rattan container is another great way to soften an industrial space. And, of course, adorn it with cool Christmas decorations for a festive feel. We’re loving the deep blue colour scheme that’s popular for Christmas 2021 – it sits effortlessly next to the rustic wood and black metalwork.

Urban Kings Cross Industrial Dining Table and Urban Kings Cross Industrial Dining Bench

Loving industrial furniture as we do, our new Urban range of industrial dining tables with matching benches will help you achieve a cohesive look in your dining space. With a reclaimed wood dining table top and sturdy black steel legs, they are the perfect anchor to design and personalise your own unique industrial dining space. The tables and benches in this range come in four different sizes, three different finishes (light, medium and dark) and with three different metal leg designs, you are bound to find something that is right for your home. Free delivery and assembly are also included!

We also think these tables are perfect as a home office desk. The industrial look is very popular right now in office design, creating a functional minimalist space to work and be creative in.

Urban Victoria Industrial Dining Table and Urban Euston Industrial Dining Bench

The new Urban Industrial range, along with our Beam range of handcrafted furniture, supports our efforts to purchase from growing British business whenever we can. Every table and bench is handmade to order, by craftsmen right here in the UK and as the wood used is reclaimed, each and every wooden dining table with bench will have unique markings and undulations meaning they are a genuine one of a kind.

How your Christmas tree can live on after the holidays

Close up of the trunk of a Christmas tree

As usual, it seems like only a few days since we decorated our homes ready for Christmas and yet it’s nearly all over.

We have spent lots of time decorating our homes with festive cheer and very soon it’s got to come down and be packed away again. Record numbers of people across the world have opted for real trees this year so what will happen to them all now? Before we begin to start trying to craft them into a reclaimed wood dining table (!!) we have a look at ways they can be disposed of and reused in a sustainable manner.

Garden mulch is a great way to make use of your tree after Christmas – you may be able to find a company local to you who offer a mulching service. Mulch is a great allrounder for your garden – it helps flower beds retain water in summer, it helps prevent weeds growing and helps protect roots from frost and the cold in winter. Use it to decorate around your outdoor table and chairs patio area, or to create walkways around your garden.

You can remove the smaller branches and twigs to add to your composting heap. Larger branches and the trunk can be made into decorative features in your garden.

You can also create a feature garden bird feeder to feed garden birds through the rest of the colder months. Cut some of the top off your tree so you can attach a flat platform to put bird food on, you can then hang feeders off this and some of the branches of your old tree.

Old Christmas trees create a perfect fish habitat in rivers and lakes as they provide great hiding places for fish over the colder months. Obviously, we shouldn’t all just put our trees in the back of the car and throw them in the nearest watery spot but you can look online to find a local contact who can advise you.

We really love the idea of making coasters or depending how big your tree was, wooden serving boards, from the Christmas tree trunk. They are the perfect coasters to go with gorgeous reclaimed wood furniture. They look lovely on a rustic coffee table to stand your cup of tea on or a kitchen sideboard to stand a vase of flowers on, it would also protect the rustic surface of wooden sideboards and wooden chest of drawers getting potential water ring damage.

If you really can’t make any use of your Christmas tree yourself then look online where you may find collection information from your local council and businesses.

Quick-check – Last minute Christmas check list

To do notepad on rustic wood with green pine needles

Christmas is going to be quite a different celebration this year – but even if you are at home with just your immediate family or have a few extra guests over, you will want to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible….so all you’ll need to do is sit back, relax and spend valuable time with your nearest and dearest.

Here we have put together a list of a few things you might want to add to a last-minute to-do list.

Tidy round

Most of us will have this covered already! But it is surprising how quickly a room gets cluttered with a few extra guests and opened gifts. Not to mention the discarded wrapping paper. If you have a wooden sideboard in your living room put as much away in there as possible – If you keep your remotes on a rustic coffee table pop them in a drawer or on the shelf underneath it so you won’t be hunting around later. Tidy away shoes in the hallway, make additional space under a hallway storage bench to make some room for your guest’s shoes

Prepare the guest room for overnight visitors

You may know some guests will be staying over, but even if there is a chance some may unexpectedly stay, have the spare room hoovered out and some fresh clean bedding and towels ready and waiting to be used – having last-minute guests to stay will be a breeze! Place a festive plant or some Christmas decorations on the bedroom wooden chest of drawers, or place some festive cushions on the bed.

Think about seating

Seating around the dining table is always an issue at Christmas! Now is the time you should check if you have enough dining chairs. If you have an upholstered bench in the hallway you can easily bring it into the dining room ready to use. You may have an office swivel chair in a kids bedroom or the home office that can also be counted in. It’s not just in the dining room that you need to consider seating – you may need extra in the living room too so you can all sit down together and watch a festive family film after Christmas dinner.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Large Reclaimed Wood Dining Table & Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Dining Bench

Do you have everything for the table?

Do you have enough serving dishes and/or trays? How will you dish up Christmas dinner? Check you have serviettes, crackers, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, even salt and pepper. If you enjoy eating cold meats and cheeses for supper, or the next day, check you have some of your favourite pickles in. You might even want to get the table set now – rustic Christmas decorations and wreaths look beautiful on a reclaimed wood dining table and can be left in situ throughout the holidays.

Last-minute household essentials

Foil is one of those things that often gets forgotten about – I know I have done it myself! But things like toilet roll, matches, scented candles and especially batteries for the kids new toys or even the TV remote. It’s also worth checking on dishwasher tablets, kitchen roll, clingfilm for leftovers and the other things things that we do not purchase as regularly.

Treats to offer any unexpected guests

It’s always a good idea to have some extra bits in just in case you do get some unexpected guests. Mince pies, a spare box of festive chocolates, savoury nibbles and a couple of extra cartons of juice will keep well in the store cupboard.

Assortment of milk chocolates and white star biscuits on a brown plate

Create a festive welcome with wonderful wreaths

Large green Christmas wreath hanging on dark grey front door

However many or few people you invite into your home this year it will be lovely to give them a warm Christmassy welcome. Here we are looking at wreaths – these don’t just have to be hung outside on the main door to your house – but they will also look welcoming and Christmassy in the Hallway.

Wreaths are a very traditional part of Christmas – they are thought to date back to the pre-Christian Germanic people of Eastern Europe who would gather wreaths of evergreen and light fires as a sign of hope for the coming spring and light. This tradition was taken up in Germany (around the 16th Century) who to this day use a wreath with four candles. One candle is lit each week in the four weeks of advent in the run-up to Christmas.

Putting a wreath on your front door is seen as a sign to welcome guests into your home over Christmas – nowadays it is also seen as part of our traditional home decor during the festive season. Many different styles and sizes are available to buy but they are also very easy to make yourself – which of course you can completely individualise.

Chic

This wreath looks so chic and is great for a smart townhouse door.

Green and blue Christmas wreath on dark grey front door

Rustic

The perfect wreath for a cosy looking cottage door – warm colours, rustic natural elements and a bright ribbon to bring it all together. This could easily be hand made from things you can find in local shops and in the home.

Modern

This is a modern take on the traditional wreath – thin twigs have been swirled into a round shape with dried flowers in a similar muted hue. A simple, but very effective and welcoming wreath.

A festive hallway…

We often concentrate on the living room and dining room when it comes to festive cheer – but why not decorate your hallway? This is the place where you can make the warmest of first impressions. A wreath set on a small console table or a tall hallway shoe storage unit with large candles or better still Christmas scented candles will be lovely for you to walk into….as well as any guests. If you prefer not to have candles burning in the hallway you can arrange fairy lights in a glass bowl or vase or hang them over a round wall mirror above a wood console table.

White lit Christmas candles with frosted pine cone against wood wall

Tips to adapt Christmas dinner to a plant-based feast

Our population is becoming more and more environmentally conscious of the products we purchase and the lifestyle we are choosing to lead. From purchasing items made from sustainable materials, reclaimed wood furniture with faux leather dining chairs to embracing a vegan diet.

So how do you adapt the traditional sumptuous “no holds barred” traditional turkey dinner to a plant-based feast?

If you and your family are all vegans then you will probably have plenty of ideas on how to switch to a plant-based Christmas dinner – but what if you have one member of your family who is vegan? Or if you have one or two guests coming who are vegan? It’s worth checking if they are flexible at all, some people who usually eat vegan will be more than happy to slot in a little and be OK with a small amount of dairy product. It’s definitely worth checking before stressing over how to adapt everything.

Photo featuring: Kensington Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

To make life easier on the day set your dining table the night before. If you think you have to squeeze extra guests around the table then consider a dining bench or for extra comfort a dining bench with back or fabric dining bench, it’s much easier to squeeze up on one of these than adding extra dining chairs.

Starters and nibbles

I think it’s a given that most vegans, and vegetarians, enjoy hummus, it’s also popular with carnivores too. This is a great choice to start your Christmas feast with, you can dish this up individually or have a sharing platter ready for all to dig in to a rustic dining table – serve with carrot, cucumber and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, peppers and some vegan breadsticks that you can get from most supermarkets. Traditional guacamole is also vegan. For nibbles, you can put out olives or a platter of nuts and dried fruits.

The main event

A cashew nut roast, a mushroom and lentil loaf with cranberries, stuffed butternut squash and meals based on polenta are all great options – there are so many recipes waiting to be discovered online, you will easily be able to find something to suit. The great thing about many of these meals (having no meat to worry about going off) is that they can be prepared or even frozen well in advance. Now we have the main element decided on we can start on the side dishes. Yes, the veggies – all you have to do here is be mindful of adding butter, animal fat and other meat-based elements as you cook and prepare them. Then there’s just the gravy, again there are some great vegan recipes online or you can go for ready-made shop-bought.

Christmas pud

The traditional Christmas pudding is quite easy to adapt to a vegan one – full of dried fruits, Christmas spices and booze there are only really a couple of ingredients you need to swap – the suet and any dairy product. The vegan society has a great recipe on their website that is definitely worth a look. This can be served with brandy butter which can be made using vegan margarine, icing sugar and alcohol.

Whatever you serve, Christmas, more than ever this year, will be about spending as much quality time as possible with your nearest and dearest.

Checklist! Get your spare room ready for last minute guests

White bedroom with metal bedframe and hanging Christmas wreaths on window and small Christmas tree beside bed

It’s been hard to be organised this Christmas! If you’re having a last-minute dash to get the guest room ready for Christmas or New Year guests, we have put together a quick checklist to help get the basics sorted.

Start off with….

This is the perfect excuse to declutter the room – get rid of any old books, clothes and other things that may have accumulated in there over the past few months. You might want to turn the mattress over on the bed or buy a new mattress protector. This is the basics covered to add a bit of extra comfort for your guests.

Photo featuring: Standford High Reclaimed Wood Bed & Standford Reclaimed Wood Bedside Table

Add new pieces of furniture

You might want to move some furniture around to try a different or more practical layout or you may need to add some new reclaimed wood furniture pieces. If you don’t have one already, a bedside table and lamp is a great addition. A small bedside table will give your guest somewhere to put their book on, charge their phone. With some small table lamps, they can enjoy subtle lighting as they read a little or wind down for sleep. If you need a bit more storage then a wooden blanket box is great to put spare bedding, pillows and bathroom towels in for your guests.

Photo featuring: Beam Slim Reclaimed Wood Blanket Box

Warm up and brighten up

For cosiness, get a new “winter” throw and scatter cushions for the bed or dressing table chair – get something in a colour scheme that either blends with or contrasts with the other colours in the room. A couple of bedroom rugs, even if you already have a good carpet, can cosy up a room in a tick.

A few extra special touches….If you have the time of course

You can add a bunch of fresh-cut Christmas flowers in a glass vase on the dressing table – this will delight any guest as they walk into the room. A few Christmas decorations will also provide a warm seasonal welcome for your guests, just a small natural wreath will do the trick and looks great with rustic furniture. It’s also nice to leave a few toiletries out for your guests to use. You could also put some snacks, fruit and drinks in a basket in the room for them so they won’t feel like they are bothering you while you are busy getting food and drinks ready for your seasonal celebrations!