kitchen Archives - Page 8 of 12

How to get the white farmhouse kitchen

Dorset Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and Bench

The farmhouse kitchen is a stylish option for any home. Here’s how to give it an industrial twist, a fantastic way of switching up a style that is both functional and practical.

1 Open shelving

A common feature of the farmhouse kitchen is to have items – pretty accessories and essential – on display. Open shelving can help to maximise the feeling of space in the kitchen too.

The reclaimed wood dresser gives you the best of both worlds with a mix of open shelving and cupboard space for things you may want to hide away. Choose the slight distressed white finish so you don’t end up with too much of a bright, ‘modern’ white finish.

2 The farmhouse kitchen table is a key player

No matter how tight your budget, you need to be assigning a fair chunk of it to the farmhouse dining table. It is, after all, the heart of the home and in the farmhouse style, the bigger the better.

The six-seater extendable wooding dining trestle table is perfect. It gives you ample eating space without compromising on style.

If you want a less formal eating space, ring the changes with a bar table and stools set up. A great way of adding your own twist on this popular style.

In fact, the kitchen bar stools are a functional addition, perfect for when you have more guests than dining chairs at the table.

3 The dining chairs have a place too

The dining chairs are an important component of creating a stylish farmhouse kitchen. The half wood, half upholstered dining chair is the perfect compromise if you feel that an all-upholstered fabric dining chair wouldn’t last the test of time and use in your busy family kitchen.

With the padded, upholstered seat, the slightly distressed white painted frame of the wooden dining chairs dovetail nicely with the reclaimed wood dresser.

4 Sassy lighting

Another great way of adding your own stamp on things is to opt for a central light that oozes both sophistication and character.

It has a pleasant industrial, almost café-style about it but the hanging pendant light with glass shade is the perfect fusion of industrial, rustic and farmhouse rolled into one.

Hang it over your statement table and watch the patina of the reclaimed wood dining table dance and glow under its soft lighting.

5 Don’t over style it

The farmhouse look is deliciously informal and yet, when it comes to kitchens – more so fitted ones – we tend to think too hard about every detail.

Relax with the white farmhouse kitchen look but pay attention to some of the smaller details. For example, don’t opt for the fully fitted look. Opt for half and half with plenty of freestanding furniture – if the wood dresser is too ‘obvious’, opt for a sideboard in the kitchen which will work just as well.

The distressed, slightly rustic look of this reclaimed wood furniture staves off criticisms of it looking too modern and too sleek, but pay careful attention to the handles – opt for metal, low-key handles rather than wooden knobs or colours.

Why not send us photos of your farmhouse kitchen? We love to be inspired by our customers.

Tips to make the most of a small kitchen

If you are blessed with a small kitchen, we have ideas you will love for making the most of it. Read on to see some tips and tricks you may not have considered.

1 Go big when it comes to the wow factor

So your kitchen is Bijou? That doesn’t mean it can’t have the wow factor. By allowing your kitchen one huge wow you are making a style statement unlike any other. So yes, those brass tiles are worth the money as is the statement pendant light.

2 Add a multi-functional breakfast bar table

A bar table and stools is the ideal addition to the smaller kitchen. Not only is it great for meals but the perfect standing height means that with a chunky chopping board to protect its surface, it becomes another bit of worktop space for when you cook.

3 Open shelving

It is a trick that many cooks already know and even though you may favour the streamlined, cupboard look give this a chance. The open shelving system means that you have detail in the function items that every kitchen needs. From clustering together glass jars of lentils and other pulses to cooking utensils, an open shelving unit could be a practical addition that you need.

4 Moveable furniture

Most people tend to think of kitchens as fitted with furniture thus everything has its place. But sometimes, the more fluid the choice of kitchen furniture the better. And that’s why many designers advocate a mix of fitted and freestanding furniture in the smaller kitchen. the butchers block, for example, is a small island that can easily move from one area to another, as and when you need it.

5 Add a rug

We can hear the sucking in of breath from the studio – a rug in the kitchen?! Always pushing the boundaries, we think that in some homes and for some people, a rug in the smaller kitchen could be a fantastic addition. It will add both colour and interest but depending on the pattern and colour, it could make the narrower kitchen look wider too.

6 Wall art

Another every-so-slightly controversial addition to the kitchen as most people assume that the steam and the grease will wilt and warp your lovely wall art at the first glimpse of the frying pan. But, you will be amazed at just how robust wall art is, whether it is canvas or framed, in the kitchen.

7 Opt for full-sized furniture

It can be tempting when space is limited to opt for micro-sized furniture, assuming that smaller pieces will give you more space. It has the opposite effect – small furniture makes a room look smaller and the compact kitchen is not immune to this. If you have a small kitchen and dining space, opting for an extendable reclaimed wood dining table with wooden dining chairs will work just as well as opting for smaller, more compact pieces.

8 Lighting

Lighting in a small space is key to it not only being usable but feeling bigger than it is. However, this doesn’t mean only opting for stark bright white lights – change your bulbs for soft glow white LEDs and if your kitchen is particularly dark, a light on the breakfast bar table wouldn’t go amiss either.

How have you styled your small kitchen?

5 Useful tips on measuring the space in your home

When something comes flat-packed, it often isn’t an issue to get the item into the home, through the doors and into its final resting spot. It may mean carrying it in bits, however!

With items of furniture that come readymade, there can be an issue. For example, the large headboard of a bed, a delightful piece of reclaimed wood, beautifully styled and finished may not fit up the stairs if you have a low ceiling height in the hallway.

Or maybe the turn in your stair means getting anything larger than the vacuum up and around the corner is nigh-on impossible.

And then when you do get the item through the front door, getting it into the living room or the kitchen proves problematic because there just isn’t the space…

When ordering readymade, reclaimed wood furniture, we suggest you do the following;

1.Measure the entry doors to your home

Whether that is the front or back door, making sure that the item will fit through the door is important. Measure width as well as height, making note of steps and lips, as well as other issues that could impact on the moving of items into your home.

Items may be readymade but they often arrive in separate component pieces, especially rustic furniture such as the rustic dining table that will need its legs attaching to the table top. But still, the bigger the table top…

Of course, if you have patio or bi-folding doors and we can access them through the garden, it shouldn’t be an issue.

2.The staircase

The staircase in any home can present a challenge when getting items up and into the bedrooms, whether the modern bedroom furniture or rustic bed, or double wardrobe.

For example, the headboards of many of our beds are large and inflexible. Thus, there needs to be the head height to manoeuvre it safely from the ground floor.

With the stairs, take note of its shape and measure the width of the staircase and the height too, important if you have an overhang of the floor above.

Beds require some assembly but the chest of drawers from most of our collections are completely assembled prior to delivery.

3.The kitchen

Access to the kitchen can be easy, depending on its location to the door we are using to bring the furniture in.

But don’t forget, if you have fixed wall and floor kitchen cabinets, manoeuvring pieces into or through the space can be difficult. Some of our items come ready-made, such as the sideboards.

Assembly of items is rarely difficult or problematic. We offer free assembly on items from our Beam Collection simply because items are much heavier to handle.

4.The dining room

Again, access can be an issue so measure the doorway – height and width – and note the position of any other features or items that are immovable. Most pieces come partly pre-assembled with just the legs needing to be adding to large sideboards and so on.

5.The Living room

It’s a similar story in the living room, with sofas arriving without their legs or castors, ready for assembly.

But remember, any sofa, whether it is a two-seater or a three-seater, is not an object that bends! Thus, to get your plush velvet sofa into position, we will need space in the hallway to manoeuvre it into the room.

Measure the hallway, as well as the doorway height and width. Are you confident the items you order will fit through the door?

Beautiful kitchens – as styled by our customers

Farringdon Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and Bench

The kitchen is the heart of the home and so it’s no surprise that for many people, it is the first renovation project they undertake in their home.

A personal space, we all use our kitchens differently. From layout to kitchen cabinet combinations, how we style the space is different from one home to another.

And it seems that the popularity of combining the kitchen and dining room is showing no signs of going anywhere yet.

This made us think – just how well do our fabulous dining tables fit into kitchens that are clearly individually designed. From the traditional to the farmhouse, to the uber-modern, it seems we have no need to worry because taking a peek at the photos our customers send us, they fit right in.

Combining modern with the traditional

Sometimes, it is not the styling but the tone of the wood that pulls everything together. We work with designers and domestic customers to create beautifully bespoke kitchens and sometimes, the most unlikely of items work together.

A modern kitchen with darker wood tone kitchen cabinets blends seamlessly with this chunky mid-tone Stanford dining table. The use of leather kitchen chairs seals the deal as far as we are concerned.

A customer shared their recent purchase on Instagram. @morethanblush also combined the Standford dining table in their modern kitchen, complete with modern kitchen chairs. Their chosen dining table had a more industrial slant to it.

The wooden leg dining chairs fit surprisingly well with the sleek dark steel frame of the Standford table and the bright, modern tiled kitchen floor.

The whole effect is softened with the crisp white walls and the modern kitchen units but the reclaimed wood table top looks just fabulous.

Modern farmhouse kitchen

Another customer, @Justalittlebuild shared the photo of the reclaimed wood dining table they had bought in situ in their kitchen. Shared on our Instagram page, it shows how a modern kitchen can be achieved.

The traditional kitchen doors work well with the industrial dining table from the Luxe Kensington collection.

The twist of modern lies in the polished, reflective surfaces of the metal frame on the table, the see-through modern shaped plastic dining chairs and the glass top of the dining table.

It all comes together because of cohesive elements like this with the neutral walls and grey sofa softening the overall finish. We love it! How about you?

Age and beauty

The Farringdon collection is one of our most popular which comes as no surprise to us. The reclaimed wood used in this collection could be more than a century old.

The romance of age and the warmth of the wood is a sheer delight in the picture sent to us by @prettylittlehomethings on Instagram.

Again, it shows how versatile it can be to combine and mix styles and finishes. Who would have thought that the Farringdon reclaimed wood dining table with dining bench would fit in a space that is so obviously modern?

The reason why it works is that the dining bench, simple yet functional, is the perfect partner in the functional, modern space.

Why not share photos of your purchases with us via Instagram? Or send them to us via email– we’d love to see them!

Creating a beautiful white kitchen, Ibiza style

The Ibiza style kitchen is everything you imagine it to be – predominantly white, the use of wood tones softens the bluntness preventing it from looking too clinical.

With various well-placed accessories, the Ibiza styled kitchen is an absolute delight. Here’s how you can emulate it!

Opt for white cabinetry

Whether you are undertaking a whole new kitchen renovation or simply looking to update it, to get the Ibiza style you need to think in one colour: white.

White cabinet doors with minimal detailing – in fact, the flatter, the better – is a key foundation stone in building this fresh-looking kitchen.

Wood

Wood tones are important in this style because it is the addition that moves it from sleek, modern kitchen to the Ibiza style.

There are various ways of doing this including keeping the frames of the cabinets and central island in wood;

·Choose oiled wooden worktops to add warmth to the scheme

·Wooden door handles, such as the round door knob is also a way of adding wood without adding too many unnecessary flourishes.

Play with the tones

White and wood is a combination that has been prominent in many designs and styles over the years. but this doesn’t mean you can’t add your own touch and flourishes.

Reclaimed wood furniture works well in this style and can be incorporated in many ways. For example, create a herb rack with wooden shelves or opt for a white dining table that has charm and appeal to it.

Retain the informal feel

The style is very informal and that means there are many ways in which you can add your own personal touches.

For an informal, occasional eating area, a small bar and stool wouldn’t go amiss.

And maintaining the idea of the kitchen being a social space is a round reclaimed wood dining table. Both these items retain the wood and white wood combination, perfect for the Ibiza styled kitchen.

Go rustic

The rustic style is less refined – but just as appealing – than the farmhouse pieces and this is why it is one that dovetails effortlessly with the informal, relaxed Ibiza style.

A rustic dining table, for example, with its well-worn look and the pedigree of reclaimed wood furniture is ideal for the white kitchen. Complementing wooden chairs are a must too.

Adding strands of warmth throughout the scheme can be done in other ways too, such as the beauty of a white display cabinet for holding and displaying essential items and pretty detailing.

Or, opt for a half-height white sideboard with drawers and cupboard space if that suits better.

All a bit too white…?

Although white is a great colour for the kitchen, it doesn’t always give the desired effect. For some people, even when tempered with natural wood tones, it still looks too stark, too clinical and too crisp.

There are solutions: opt for off white or even a cream for the kitchen cupboard doors and keep the wood tones creeping through the kitchen, adding spots of natural warmth.

And our final tip for this style of kitchen? Don’t forget the lighting!

How to achieve a modern rustic kitchen

Hoxton Oak White Round Extending Dining Table

If you enjoy the heady mix of modern and rustic seamlessly rolled into one then you will love the charm and warmth exuded by the modern rustic kitchen.

Define the area

The open plan kitchen/diner is remaining a firm favourite and those who want to enjoy open plan and the modern rustic style may find this trend gives them the tools to make more of this area.

The basis of the modern rustic style is on creating and defining an area. But this doesn’t mean just a formal dining at a reclaimed wood dining table OR a modern breakfast part type of arrangement.

Mix the formal with the more formal dining area – why not choose a pleasingly chunky, rustic dining table with its heavy-set table top? Soften it a little more by ramping up the comfort levels with velvet upholstered dining chairs.

For a more family-friendly alternative, matching the rectangular rustic dining table with a dining bench makes perfect sense.

Informal dining or snacking areas at a kitchen island are also well within reach of the modern rustic kitchen. Opt for wooden bar stools to err on the rustic side or if you want to introduce a super-modern note then leather upholstered bar stools are ideal. Choose a coloured leather to increase the heat of the design scheme a notch or two.

Mix and match

Mixing the rustic with the modern is an exciting combination and one that this style is all about.

But sometimes, taking the plunge can be more than a little scary – will everything marry seamlessly together or will it look like you couldn’t decide on which pieces to go for, so you opted for everything?

Avoid this by;

Keeping textures and materials similar but not exactly the same – the rustic is all about natural materials, wood and leather for example, as much as possible throughout the scheme. Modern is streamlined, with synthetic materials not being off the menu. To keep both in harmony, if you want sleek and chic, stick with leather or faux leather, two materials we stock and that are popular.

Choosing one or two key pieces – modern chairs, for example, sitting against the traditional shape and styling of a rustic farmhouse table, for example, is a great example of the two sitting side by side. Because there is nothing else conflicting with the modern chairs, they look like a concerted effort and a specific choice.

To give you a flavour of this look, take a look at the Maddox table and ice cream coloured velvet chairs. It may be an industrial piece by the marrying of the industrial with the soft, plush velvet gives you an idea of what can be achieved when you combine distinctly styled pieces.

Accessorise carefully

On one hand, the rustic style is about bringing in character and warmth but is achieved in a different way to the modern style.

Again, the key to success is to choose wisely when it comes to which style of accessory will be the dominant force and which will highlight key areas or pieces.

A large, modern, over-sized wall clock will work fantastically, as well as a piece of modern sculpture. Temper this with quirky wall art.

Is the combination of rustic and modern the style that appeals to you?

Get the cosiest farmhouse look in a small kitchen

Hoxton Oak Dining Table and Upholstered Dining Chairs

The farmhouse look is practical, with more than a hint of comfort. The original styling by farming families years ago would have been created from materials to hand thus wood features heavily in this interior design style.

Possibly because the wood was of different types, shades and quality, wooden furniture was often painted.

And colour was introduced in other ways too – from varnishing to painting walls, to curtains and other soft furnishings.

Golden yellows and pretty greens would probably have been the colours or choice, with bright white playing a prominent part, especially in the kitchen.

If you are looking to create the farmhouse style in your home, it is a style that works well in the small kitchen.

The heart of the home

The farmhouse kitchen table was – and still is – the heart of the home, with the process of eating together the main event of the day.

Mimic this in your home with a dining area or table that draws people to it. The oak dining table with its statement legwork grabs attention if you have the space. Whilst we tend to think of the traditional farmhouse table being rectangle, as in this case, with the head of the household sat at the head, this shape may not be the most versatile in the smaller kitchen.

Versatility is gained from extending dining tables, perfect for unfolding and putting away when no longer in use. The central pedestal leg is this round extendable dining table is again a feature because there is nothing in the farmhouse design rulebook that says there cannot be a detail that covets attention.

The seating is important. When space is limited, there is no denying the versatility of a dining bench. Plus, with a rectangular dining table, it fits neatly underneath, affording you valuable extra space when the dining table is not in use.

Handy hint – the dining bench looks fabulous in the hallway too.

The farmhouse dresser

It was – and still is – the stale of the farmhouse style. It is grand and imposing – it is meant to be this – it makes a statement and yet, oozes practicality from every knot in the wood, every curve and hinge: the farmhouse dresser.

But don’t cramp your small kitchen with a size of dresser that you don’t need. A small display cabinet works just as well to show off your finest chine (a charity shop will do!) and keep your practical, everyday plates and bowls in the cupboard beneath.

Of course, there is nothing to say that the farmhouse dresser in all its glory cannot be used in another room.

Copper and brass

The shiny stainless steel and aluminium or the painted side of pans and pots didn’t come about until modern times. Although they may complement your farmhouse kitchen, if you want authenticity, there is no substitute for brass or copper pans.

Admittedly more expensive than other pan sets, both of these metals age beautifully with wear and use. And they look great against the white painted furniture that is so common in the farmhouse kitchen too.

Have you been inspired to get the farmhouse kitchen look?

Get the look – the beautiful Lansdowne industrial kitchen

Lansdowne Reclaimed Wood Dining Table and Bench

The warmth of the red brick and the orange of the bench cushions, matched with the brown and neutral palette of this industrial kitchen is without doubt, stunning. It is no wonder that more of us are embracing the industrial look as offering function and style.

To get the look, you need the beauty that can only be found in our Lansdowne collection, a superb range of industrial furniture pieces that make the above landscape a distinct possibility in your dining room.

And we’ll show you how…

The dining table

The Lansdowne industrial dining table is the centrepiece, around which everything in the room revolves.

This is the natural order of things in the dining room or kitchen/diner. The dining table is the platform around which the world is sorted, politics discussed, homework done, and family dinners consumed.

Available in three different formats – non-extending, one extension or a double extension option – choose the industrial dining table that matches your needs.

Dining chairs and benches

The dining chairs are the next consideration with the PU leather dining chairs clearly meant to sit alongside the grandiose industrial dining table.

You can opt for all dining chairs – this table comfortably accommodates three chairs on either side – or you could ring the changes without losing the sense of cohesive style with the Lansdowne dining bench. Just as we have done here, softening the seating with plump cushions or use a sheepskin rug in winter for warmth without compromising on the industrial styling.

For the smaller dining space

When space is a factor – in other words, you have to be uber-clever with furniture choice and placement – there is a refreshing alternative. Better still, the Lansdowne reclaimed wood bar table continues the industrial style in the smaller kitchen. Available without or with complementing kitchen bar stools, it is an appealing alternative.

Sideboard and shelving

Storage in a dining room is essential and you can see that there are solutions, no matter your budget or the space available.

Industrial shelving perfectly complements the reclaimed wood dining table in this dining area, with the angular metal handles of the sideboard pulling together nicely with the darker metal legwork of the table, chairs and dining bench. Available in two sizes, the bijou small sideboard and the larger reclaimed wood sideboard, for the smaller room, there is also a versatile console table that offers open storage solution.

The open industrial shelving unit is also complementary to the whole scheme and despite its height, does not swallow the limelight.

Texture and detail

Texture in the industrial styled dining room, or living room for that matter, can look overly flat if there is not a change of tempo. For a ‘lighter’ look, as in this landscape, keep everything smooth – the Lansdowne Collection is a firm favourite because of its refinement.

Change textures with the change of season – this look is ideal for spring and summer – by adding a rug, textured cushions or why not add romance with flickering candles as the rain lashes against the window?

The industrial style is not just for loft living, but a practical choice for the busy family home too. Is it a style that attracts you?

The pros of adding a breakfast bar to the kitchen

In our series of renovation blogs, we look at various projects that add not only value to a property but enhances comfort, style and flow.

This time, we are going to take a look at adding a breakfast bar table and stools to the kitchen, an invaluable addition to any home. And the great thing is, you don’t need a lot of space to accommodate one either.

Why include a breakfast bar?

As an informal seating area, it is an ideal addition to a busy kitchen. It doesn’t have to be a full-sized breakfast bar with seating for the whole family. A small seating area where the kids can perch while you make breakfast or a place where you can sit whilst your other half makes dinner, to a place to grab a snack or read the paper, with kitchen shelving built in, a breakfast bar is easy to incorporate in a kitchen renovation.

1 The ideal spot

A breakfast bar need be nothing more than a small overhang of a ledge and matched with two breakfast bar chairs. To keep the appeal slimline, choose a stool without a back or too many details. When not in use, simply tuck away under the ledge.

2 Make the most of the U-shaped kitchen

To get the best from the kitchen, many of us choose a U-shaped design. Giving three sides of possible storage solutions, it makes the best use of a small space. If you have at one side of this U-shape open, you could place a row of bar chairs on the opposite side of the kitchen, a super-easy way of creating a breakfast bar table with stools to match!

3 Round the corner

To make the most of your kitchen space, you may choose to place a cupboard and expanse of worktop beyond a kitchen wall or corner. What this creates is an ideal space that is perfect for two bar stools to snuggle next to each other and offer a fantastic seating area. Match the stools with the worktop to give a cohesive finish. And don’t forget, there is nothing wrong with a little luxury like these rather grand and sumptuous breakfast bar chairs.

4 Freestanding breakfast bar

So far, we have discussed making a breakfast an integrated part of a new kitchen, but it could be that you decide to add a freestanding farmhouse furniture one. A breakfast bar table and stools set that matches the farmhouse kitchen table, for example, would be a shrewd move as it wouldn’t look out of place. And because it is freestanding, you can not only relocate it in the kitchen but onto the patio for breakfast in the sun too, from time to time.

5 Custom design

If the space is small or even a vast kitchen area, or the shape of the room awkward, the best solution is a custom-made breakfast. Remember, you need to be accurate with your measurements, especially concerning the height of the custom-made breakfast bar as you want to be confident you will find bar chairs or stools that ‘fit’.

Is a breakfast bar something you have considered? We would love to see your ideas!

Main photo credit: Photo by Brad Javernick of Home Oomph