dining room Archives - Page 8 of 39

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.

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.

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!

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.

How to zone to create a multifunctional living space

Rustic open plan living room and dining area with white sofa and furniture and large black wood burning stove

Open plan living just keeps increasing in popularity whether in the form of an extension, a new build or taking internal walls down in a current home. This is very effective in a smaller home as it gives the feeling of more space, of course, you do need to pay attention to load-bearing walls and support if you do this.

This style really only started to appear more regularly in the 1950’s where you would often find a dining room sharing a space with the living room – often an L shape area to help with the separation. At this point, the kitchen was still seen pretty much as a service room and as such was not included…. until we get closer to the 1980’s that is. Now we love a house with an open plan – a place where the whole family can spend time together.

The children can play safely, do homework or watch TV while the parents can work, prepare dinner or get on with household chores all in the one large space – but it still makes sense to have some sort of definition between the spaces.

Zone by using texture

Although you aren’t breaking up space, the use of different textures will draw the eye to the different areas in the open space – A feature brick wall can clearly define where the dining area is – a combination of a tiled area for the kitchen and wood or laminate flooring to define other areas. A rug on the floor to anchor a reclaimed wood dining table to help define the dining space, whilst the sitting area can be clearly defined by placing a rug in front of your large sofa and placing a modern nest of tables on it.

Zone by using plants

By now we all know the benefits of having house plants in our spaces – you can really embrace this natural and healthy way to zone a room. A tall plant in a floor-standing pot or some open wood shelving units are great for creating a natural divide, or how about an on-trend living wall to bring in a contemporary diversion.

Zone by using furniture

Use furniture to partition the space – it’s nice to have the option to section off an area when needed, especially if an open-plan room includes your home office. You can do this by opting for a tall bookcase, open shelving is great for this as you will still get the impression of space and see it flow. Sideboards are also great for this; the above dining space, featuring the Farringdon Reclaimed Wood trestle table, is zoned by the sideboard and a drinks cabinet. Of course, the most recognisable one is the breakfast bar or kitchen island – everyone will know that the kitchen space is beyond that point.

Zone by using colour

Painting sections of the walls in different colours is a great way to zone a large space. Or if you don’t want to commit to a wall colour, use furniture in pops of colour to define the space. We love the bright pink column radiator above for its bright and clever divide, together with the petrol blue fabric dining chairs that draw the eye to that area.

Choosing the right bar stools for your kitchen

Wooden breakfast bar with rustic wood bar stools

Here we have a look at what to watch out for when buying new bar stools for your kitchen. There are three main things to consider – stool height, usage and style/ colour.

Getting the dimensions right

The height obviously depends on the height of what you are going to sit at. But – an important reminder – bar chairs are generally a little taller than countertop stools. So if your kitchen island surface is the same height as your kitchen worksurface (90-95cm) you will be looking for a seat height between 60-75cm. If you have a high bar-style breakfast bar (101-106cm) then you will be wanting a seat height of 75cm and above. The Oakley brown leather barstool is a great choice as the height is adjustable – great for in the kitchen – but also won’t look out of place at a reclaimed wood dining table if you need to add an extra seat when entertaining.

Ideally, you want a minimum of 15 cm space in between the bar stools, this should give you plenty of space to eat, drink and turn without disrupting others sitting with you. You also should consider how much legroom will be needed and if you have the space for the stools if they do not tuck under the surface fully.

Usage

This depends on how you will be using this new seating area, if you are adding a place to spend time at – for evening meals and for people to sit for a longer time then bar stools with backs will be way more comfortable. I would also opt for a back if smaller children may be sitting on them so they can’t topple backwards. If however, it will be a spot for a quick breakfast or the occasional snack then you should not really need back on them.

Photo features from left: Dorset Reclaimed Wood Breakfast Bar Stool and Lansdowne Industrial Faux Leather Bar Stool

Style and colour

With so many styles to choose from this could be a bit of a minefield. Just because you have a light wood kitchen does not mean you have to have light wooden bar stools – you can go for a bold colour to add a modern contrast, use the opportunity to introduce an industrial element or opt for the classic leather bar stools. To bring in a luxurious look then you can opt for a classic velvet button back.

Photo features from left: Standford Blue Velvet Bar Stool and Chelsea Black Velvet Bar Stool

Adding a bar table

If you love the idea of a kitchen island, but lack the space then the Standford industrial reclaimed wood bar table is a great choice. Available in large for four stools and small for two stools, this can be styled with a whole array of faux leather barstools that will match or add contrast to your kitchen.

Style a rustic dining table with leather seating

Trestle rustic dining table with two leather industrial dining chairs and sun shining across

Wood and leather are a perfect pairing. So here we look at some of the different types of leather and faux leather dining chairs you can style with your dining table.

Leather dining chairs have always been a popular choice to pair with a rustic dining table – there is nothing like the luxurious feel, the smell, and the durability of a real leather dining chair, but for your family, a vegan leather chair might be a better fit. In this blog we look at just a few ways to team up wood and leather.

Photo featuring: Theo Faux Leather Dining Chair (pair)

1) Styling with a chunky rustic dining table

Here we have the gorgeous Standford large extending wooden table – quite a traditional style, so perfect in a farmhouse style kitchen but also works well in a modern Scandi theme. We think a delicate spindle back chair could look a little lost next to this chunky table. In this image, it has been teamed it up with the Standford industrial reclaimed wood bench.

Photo featuring: Standford Wooden Large Extending Dining Table & Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bench

2) Styling with an industrial rustic table

Rustic industrial furniture is here to stay. Here we have the Rocco Industrial Rustic Oak Spider Leg Dining Table. The rough and rustic wood is finished in a lacquer. It is made using thick solid oak planks, we have styled this with brown PU leather chairs.

Photo featuring: Rocco Industrial Rustic Oak Spider Leg Dining Table

3) Go large

If you love to entertain and have a nice long dining table then you might want to consider a dining bench with back as well as dining chairs. The back will offer a little more comfort for your diners during a dinner party but as it is a bench, you can also squeeze up a bit and get an extra person around the table… without the need for an extra chair. The Cleo is one of those timeless pieces, it is made to order as a 2, 3 or 4 seater bench. Imagine how impressive the 4 seater looks sat along the side of a large dining table, and of course, you can add cushions and throws to add even more comfort and tie in with your dining room decor.

Photo featuring: Cleo Faux Leather Low Dining Bench