farmhouse Archives - Page 3 of 10

How a Rustic Bedroom will Help You Reclaim Your Calm

Rustic reclaimed wood bed frame with wooden blanket box and bedside table

Having a sanctuary to retreat to is more important than ever right now and the bedroom is the one room in the home where you can shut the door and find a moment of undisturbed peace. But if you thought calm and zen were plain and minimalist, you’ll be pleased to hear there are other more homely ways to create a pared-back, simplistic zone. The modern rustic bedroom is a cosy escape that brings comfort and tranquillity to our daily life in a natural, pared-back and simplistic way. Want to know how to create this fresh take on the rustic style? Explore our Winchester Reclaimed Wood collection to find out how..

1. The Bed

The choice of bed is without doubt the most important decision in any bedroom and for the rustic bedroom, the quickest way to inject some modern charm is with the Winchester Reclaimed Wood Bed. You’ll be sure to fall in love with the smooth lines and curves of this double wooden bed frame, king size double wooden bed frame or even super king size, as quickly as you’ll want to fall into it (and possibly never want to get out of!). The modern curves fit well with the texture of the old reclaimed wood, which is peppered with natural markings, notches and nail holes, proof of its heritage.

2. The Chest of Drawers

Arguably the next best piece of furniture in the modern rustic bedroom, both in terms of styling the room and the function it provides. The perfect piece to store clothes, sheets and blankets, a large chest of drawers is also a lovely spot to add some personal style to your bedroom. Dress with a table lamp, a plant (Lavender is great as it looks pretty and is known to relax and calm), maybe a framed photo of your loved ones and hang a mirror or piece of artwork on the wall behind. With its elegant curved drawers, the Winchester Reclaimed Wood collection of chest of drawers is fresh, modern and effortlessly rustic, with absolutely no rough around the edges. Go large or go tall with a choice of three sizes.

3. The Wardrobe

A well designed bedroom should always include a double wardrobe and for a calming rustic style, it should be a reclaimed wooden wardrobe. But this large piece of furniture can sometimes be guilty of dominating your modern rustic scheme.

4. The Bedside Table

Believe it or not, bedside tables are one of the first things you notice when you walk into a bedroom. Yes, the bed is an important part, but the right bedside table can balance out the decor in our bedroom. If your modern rustic bedroom is going to become the calming retreat you desire, you’re going to need somewhere to put your relaxing herbal tea, favourite book and reading lamp. We love the three curved drawers and smart pull-out tray feature of the Winchester Reclaimed Wood Nightstand – perfect for lazy Sunday mornings or an afternoon lie down.

5. The Blanket Box

And finally, the finishing touch to a calming modern rustic bedroom is a wooden chest to store your riches, and we can guarantee you will be sure to treasure the Winchester Reclaimed Blanket Chest. Useful for so much more than storing linens, this versatile little gem has been beautifully handcrafted from 100% reclaimed wood and features a curved lid design for a fairy tale treasure chest look.

Dress your rustic bedroom with natural fabrics and a neutral colour palette and it will ooze zen-like calm. What else would you add to make it your natural haven?

Sleep with an eco-friendly clean conscience

We are all trying to do more to live a lifestyle that doesn’t impact negatively on the planet now or in the future. This includes the choices we make about the furniture we buy, where it comes from, whether it is sustainable and recyclable when we no longer need it. When it comes to furnishing the bedrooms, there is a growing choice of products that allow us to sleep with a clean eco-friendly conscience.

Eco-friendly mattresses

The pictures of tropical seas blanketed in a floating layer of plastic – from bottles to fishing nets – are truly heartbreaking.

But, plastic can, with vision and the right process, be broken down into material that can be reused in all kinds of applications, including mattresses.

The Seagreen Collection is made from a range of plastic products, such as bottles that fisherman ‘catch’ in the open seas. Made to a high standard, the pocket spring mattress is both comfortable but also at the top end of the recycling game.

The fabric covers and pockets are also sustainable materials that have wicking properties – in other words, you’ll be cool as you sleep, essential for a full night’s rest.

Hand tufted and hand stitched, these mattresses come with an impressive 9-year warranty and a 12-month guarantee.

Eco-friendly throws and blankets

Using the same materials – plastic bottles from our oceans – these throws are ideal for any bedroom. Adding a layer of warmth for chillier nights, the plastic is recycled and, using an environmentally friendly process, it weaved into a beautiful blanket that you’ll use time and again.

Adding texture and detail to the bedroom, these recycled plastic bottle throws are available in three beautiful colours – duck egg, blush and grey.

Reclaimed wood furniture for the bedroom

Hardwood was often used in buildings to add structure and strength as well as detail, and was used in the railways to build tracks. As modern life has evolved and alternative materials created, the wood has been salvaged and repurposed for our homes today. Master craftspeople turn it from an ordinary looking piece of old wood into something truly spectacular.

A heavyset bedframe bursting with personality, there is a uniqueness to each Beam piece that makes it perfect for the bedroom. Mellowing and developing over time, age creates a beautiful patina the older it gets.

Eco-friendly pendant lights and shades

Rattan and wicker bamboo are two similar materials. Rattan is a solid material whilst bamboo is hollow and can be flattened to make long, lithe pieces which can be tied together into a pattern.

When knotted and tied, these strong materials become even stronger, which is why they are used in everything from outdoor furniture to conservatory furniture, and light shades too. But, what makes them high on the eco-friendly stakes is that they are a genuine renewable source as they are naturally fast growing. Also, the manufacturing process of rattan and bamboo is quite simple, meaning it doesn’t require so many chemicals or energy.

Our Fenshaw Mango Wood Storage Bench with its hinge lid provides discreet elegance to a bedroom, not to mention a great place to store bed linen and blankets. Position at the end of your king size wooden bed frame or in the bay of a window and channel that colonial cool vibe. This eco-conscious accessory blends with any style room, from rustic or industrial to a modern farmhouse scheme.

Along with natural bed linen made from sustainably sourced fabrics, you can have a stylish bedroom and sleep comfortably, knowing you have worked with and not against the environment.

Let’s Hear it for Feel Good Furniture!

There are some items of furniture that ooze the feel-good factor. Every time you use it, it makes you feel good. It could be the old-faithful sofa, for example, that just gets better with age. But what other feel-good furniture items are there?

The leather armchair

From the traditional wing-backed leather armchair to a modern silhouette, the leather armchair is very much like its sofa cousin – is there anything better than being cocooned in its familiar warmth? We like it best with a cup of tea and biscuit or a good book.

The large rustic dining table

The dining table sees all of home life and that’s why the dings, the dents, marks and scrapes both infuriate us and make us feel warm inside. The family gathers around the table for everything from every day catch-ups and household disagreements to Christmas dinners and is the place where memories are made.

A coloured footstool

It doubles as an impromptu coffee table, the ‘something to stand out’ and, of course, a comfy platform for elevating your tired feet at the end of the day, a coloured and comfortable footstool is a must. As the feel-good factor goes, it’s at the top of the scale!

A large wooden bed frame

Along with a sumptuous, supportive mattress and high-quality bed linen, is there anything more heart-warming than a solid wooden bed frame? Strong, sturdy and the type of furniture you can always rely on, a high quality reclaimed wood bedframe will provide almost endless service for years on end.

The Welsh dresser

A large Welsh dresser solves a myriad of storage problems in the kitchen/diner in one swipe, but its grand stature in a room gives it a matriarchal presence. Its familiar shape is a nod to yesteryear, even if has a modern edge and design, that we instantly find comforting and familiar. Again, like a wooden bedframe, the Welsh dresser will instantly become part of the family, if not the head of the house, for years to come.

The dressing table

So far, we have looked at pieces that everyone will have a connection to, such as the dining table or the leather armchair, the place of comfort that the household often turns to. You may not have thought as the dressing table as being an obvious piece of feel-good furniture, but it is a truly personal space. From a slimline console table to a larger tabletop, this is a place in the bedroom where you can sit and reflect and spend time making yourself look great and feel good. Dress it with personal items and framed photos of your precious family to give a high-level feel-good factor about it.

Anything made from reclaimed wood…

The beauty of reclaimed wood furniture never tires and the range of choice is staggering – from coffee tables with storage to reclaimed wood large sideboards, open shelving display units and more – there is something for every style home. The feel-good factor is not just about choice and design but the fact that reclaimed wood gets better and better with age and use.

Reclaimed from its original use, the grain and patina of hardwood mellows and develop with age. Smooth to the touch, there is also a warmth to wood, a natural material that is nothing short of elegant. When it comes to the feel-good factor in our eyes, anything from reclaimed wood has it – but what’s your favourite piece of feel-good furniture?

The Beauty of the Small Dining Table

Small dark wooden table with linen cushions

If you dream of a large welcoming dining room complete with a substantial reclaimed wood dining table taking centre stage against other pieces of reclaimed wood furniture, you are not alone. It’s a fantasy many of us harbour, but the reality is often a lot different. And this means that when it comes to choosing a dining table for a small space, we have to make sure we make a clever choice. That said, the range of options when it comes to small dining tables is not limited. Just how do you make the most of your dining space with the beauty of a small dining table?

1 Opt for a foldaway or extendable table

If you use the dining table occasionally, a foldaway table gives the best of both worlds – you have a dining table when you need it but plenty of floor space when you don’t. A round extending table could offer the same benefit in that you have a smaller table for most days, but more dining space when you need it.

2 Go bright

The temptation to maximise the feeling of space is to go with white walls and reflective surfaces but, some designers are of the opinion that if the space is small, you should embrace it. Bright colours with a hint of pastel shades are right on trend at the moment. As well as pastel shades for the wall, opt for jewelled coloured upholstered dining chairs for your small round dining table or add coloured table covers to brighten up and make a feature of your reclaimed wood dining table.

3 Opt for a bar table

For homes where space in the kitchen really is very limited, opting for a dining table, especially if it’s just for the two of you, could swallow up space you can ill-afford to lose. There is another option and it comes in the shape of a bar table.

There are many stylish bar tables and so you are sure to find something that fits with your style whether that is the industrial style or the farmhouse look. Add some comfy bar stools and you will be happy to while away an evening supper, linger over a long lunch or catch-up with friends over a quick morning coffee.

4 Opt for streamlined dining benches

You don’t just have to think about the dining table but the chairs too. When you have little space to play with, no matter how small or bijou your chosen industrial dining table or round dining table is, with dining chairs added it can all feel too much and too cluttered.

Stools can make for a handy seating solution at a dining table when space is limited. That said, they aren’t suitable for everybody, but as an occasional seating solution, they are perfect.

The solution may lie in a streamline dining bench. No clutter and no fuss, when not in use, simply pop under the table or push up against the wall.

5 Think outside the box

If you have plentiful space in the hallway or corridor, for example, but limited space in the corner of your kitchen diner, who says that you can’t think outside the box and utilise this space as your dining space?

With the right accessories and choice of dining table, it may be more comfortable all round to move the table into an area where there is more space for the table and for diners. Maybe not the bedroom (or bathroom!), but a living room, walkway or long hallway could be ideal. Give it try!

Why a farmhouse style kitchen never dates

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

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

Mix with the warm and cool

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

Get the flooring right

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

Add a statement piece of furniture

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

Add neutral colours (but with a twist)

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

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

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

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

Add a cooking range

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

How to avoid the twee trap! Tips for a pretty farmhouse bedroom

Wooden double bed with matching bedside table with white vase and flowers

The farmhouse style is deliciously romantic, and one that is familiar and comforting. But there can be a problem with it – adding floral patterns risk tipping it from pretty to twee. If this is something you want to avoid, embrace the modern farmhouse style with its natural hues, wood accents and reclaimed wood furniture with both romance and cleanliness. Here’s how…

Ditch the floral patterns

No matter how tempted you are, ditch the busy type of floral patterns. There is a fine line between the vintage farmhouse look and the style tipping over into ‘twee’. You may be tempted by ditzy floral prints or even bold flora and faunas patterns against the rustic furniture but unless you can incorporate them confidently in the scheme, best stay away from them.

Steer clear of matchy-matchy

Whilst still on the subject of patterns, it is worth mentioning the need to steer clear of matchy-matchy. This is where everything is so perfectly balanced and cohesive that it somehow lacks the character that the farmhouse furniture style is all about.

That doesn’t mean you can’t choose bedroom furniture from the same range, however. The Onslow Reclaimed Wood Bed frame, for example, nestles nicely alongside chest of drawers and wardrobes from the same range but make sure you have plenty of texture and accessories to the room to lift it from ‘show home perfection’ to ‘lived in heaven’.

Add luxury with cushions, rugs and throws

If you love a sumptuous looking wooden double bed full of plump cushions and warm throws then this is the style for your bedroom. Rustic furniture boasts a warmth all of its own and when you combine this with bedroom rugs, cushions and throws, you have the sumptuous backdrop you crave but…

… don’t go overboard with the accessories

There is a fine line between adding extra details and swamping the room. Choose well and the items will do all the work themselves. Leave ‘fluff’ behind, opting for short pile bedroom rugs and linen textures for cushions as well as wool throws on your luxury bedding.

Add modern accents

The farmhouse bedroom style retains its comforting link with the past but by adding modern touches, you create a pleasing blend in the room. For example, alongside a traditional wooden blanket box nestling at the foot of your king size wooden bed frame, you could add a modern floor lamp. Or, on the bedside tables add a recycled glass table lamp and for the central light, consider a pendant light with wicker shade.

Keep the colour scheme restful

The idea behind any stylish additions to the bedroom is to create a restful where the energy of the day melts away so that sleep is restful and rejuvenating. The farmhouse bedroom style is perfect in so many ways because if it does one thing, it oozes comfort and relaxation.

Maintaining a restful colour scheme also allows the oak bed and bedroom furniture to shimmer, casting the warm glow of wood around the space. There is nothing more pleasing than the sight of wood in a room, especially one where you want to relax. And without a floral pattern in sight, this scheme is big on farmhouse and far from twee.

Find the Right Statement Dining Chairs

Three wooden dining chairs with white painted chair

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

Choose the right size

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

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

Oak dining table with matching oak dining chairs

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

The comfort and function factors

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

Cream velvet dining chair with button back detail

Button back detailing on velvet fabric dining chair

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

Use

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

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

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

The leg frame

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

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

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

Your style

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

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

What Dining Room Table Shape Should You Choose?

Rustic dining table and chairs with white soup bowl

The dining table is a piece of furniture that will be in your home for years. It will be the place where homework is completed, where meals are shared and where family meetings take place. Getting the right one is, therefore, of paramount importance. As well as style and size, you also need to consider shape. So which shape of dining room table is right for you?

The shapes of dining tables

There are four shapes from which you can choose – oval or round, square or rectangular, with all offering something different.

The round dining table

If it is inclusiveness you want, then the round kitchen table could be the perfect option. No matter how big or small the round dining table, you can see everyone sat around it.

There is also no ‘head of the table’, something that you may decide is important. In fact, in boardrooms, negotiations often flow better around a round table which is why many people opt for the circular shape.

There is also one other benefit to opting for a round dining table and that is space. It affords plenty of dining space but doesn’t swamp the room.

The oval dining table

Another great and sociable shape is the oval dining table. Effectively, a circle has been stretched between two points to create a shape that is wide at its middle, but less so at either end.

Like its cousin the round table, this shape is perfect if you prefer a friendly and all-inclusive dining space.

There is also an elegance to this shape that marks it out as something different. In a formal dining room setting, it has a splendour all of its own. It can also work in the kitchen diner, especially as its shape makes the best use of space too.

Having said that, many oval dining tables tend to have generous proportions, so take care not to swamp a small space or room. If you want a statement dining table, the oval shape ticks both of this box.

The square dining table

Simple, elegant, functional – there are so many ways that the square dining table could be described. Its sharp corners and pleasing angular shape makes it perfect for ‘fitting’ into a space.

For example, if you want the table to sit against a wall, the square shape is the better option. Its symmetrical qualities are not its only selling point, either. Available in a range of sizes, you can have a small square dining table in the kitchen/diner that still offers plenty of dining space.

Again, they are available in a range of styles and sizes. Pair with detailed and sumptuous dining chairs and you have a dining table that offers everything that you need.

The rectangular dining table

The stretched version of the square table, the rectangular dining table is a popular choice. You could choose a modern dining table in the kitchen or industrial dining table in the formal dining room. Whatever your choice of style, it delivers.

The beauty of this shape is that as well as opting for dining chairs, you can also opt for a dining bench along the longer sides, great for squeezing in guests at an impromptu gathering.

With a range of leg options, you can emphasise the space you have available too. There are smaller versions as well as extendable dining tables that afford more flexibility.

Have you made your choice? Which reclaimed wood dining table from our range would fit best in your dining room?

How To Avoid the Floordrobe Effect

A rustic wooden bed with a matching bedside table and a table mirror

The floordrobe, the piling of clothes on the floor and in other areas of the bedroom, is more common than you think. And it is not just a phenomenon on the teenager’s bedroom either. Poor storage solutions and inaccessible storage solutions are the cruces of the problem so how can you stop this happening? Just what are the solutions?

Introduce a bedroom chair

If you research the original bedroom chairs, you will notice that they are far smaller than a ‘normal’ chair. A small armchair can be more easily accommodated in the bedroom whilst still being of use.

Don’t opt for a larger armchair as it will immediately become a dumping ground for clothes, despite your best intentions.

Make use of under bed storage

Easy storage solutions mean that you are more likely to stop storing clothes on the floor because you are able to reach and use the drawers quickly and easily.

Our Beam wood bed is possibly one of the most beautiful pieces of reclaimed wood furniture that you would come across. As well as being beautifully stylish with a strong rustic tone, it also comes with optional under bed storage drawers. From bedlinen to clothing, under bed drawers can be the tool that solves your floordrobe problem.

Hooks can work too

Not overcomplicating storage solutions is key. If there is one tool that is the simplest yet most practical of them all, it is the humble hook.

Hooks on backs of doors, a hook on the wall in different places in the bedroom and even a hook or two on the back of a wardrobe door can work wonders for keeping that the pesky pile of clothes off the floor.

Don’t dismiss shelving

Again, the simplest solutions can be the most effective. Reclaimed wood shelves in the bedroom in the shape of a bookcase or display unit can be useful for everything from hats to shoes, books and more.

But – and this the only the caveat – whilst shelving can be useful, it can look cluttered, becoming an essentially different place for things to gather. Keep an eye on the styling and don’t let it become a place where useless and unused things gather.

Easy storage with a blanket box

The blanket box or blanket chest was an automatic staple of the bedroom at one time but as bedrooms decreased in size, it became a casualty.

But now, we are looking again to the versatility of the wooden blanket box. And for those of us who have an unfortunate habit of making use of the floordrobe, the wooden blanket box is perfect because all you need to do is open the lid, put things in and close the lid. Can you get any simpler than that?

Go for an open wardrobe

The open wardrobe can also be a wonderful addition to the bedroom. As well as being an uber-stylish solution, for those who struggle with hanging clothes or don’t have the patience to do so, this wardrobe is the easy to access piece that you need.

With a shelf for shoes and jumpers, this minimal piece with a welcome Scandinavian edge is ideal, no matter how big or small your bedroom.