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How to spruce up your dining space

Creating a welcoming, stylish dining space enhances the dining experience, whether it is a mid-week roast with the family or a dinner party with friends. Spruce up your dining space with these fantastic ideas!

Wave goodbye to formality

We often think of dining spaces following formal lines – the wood table in the centre surrounded by matching leather or fabric dining chairs – but sometimes, sprucing up means dialling down the formality of the setting a notch or two.

The rustic interior design look, the rawness and the slightly-less refined appearance of the table, sideboards and so on, is a fantastic style for any home.

Formality and function don’t always make practical bedfellows when it comes to the dining room and so by ridding yourself of the rigidity of dining chairs with a fantastic dining bench, you can say hello to people huddled around your dining table, enjoying good food and vibrant conversation.

But if you are thinking of a long, hard, bum-numbing bench, think again. The majority of the upholstered dining benches in our range can be customised – choose from leather or opt for long-lasting moon wool or the dashing nature of Harris tweed, an ideal finish for the Stanton dining bench with low armrest.

Ramp up storage

A dining room is a well-used space – and not just for eating – and so it makes sense to create a room that is versatile, as well as stylish. A statement piece that is functional is the ideal addition.

The Colette reclaimed wood sideboard is the ideal statement rustic furniture piece, working well with a reclaimed wood dining table and the soft, luxurious moon wool fabric dining chairs.

Mix and match the chairs

Adding a freshness and zing to a dining space is easier than you think and making one key change is all that it needs: the dining chairs.

Mix and match is not a euphemism for adding everything and anything to your dining room in the way of styles and colour of dining chairs but rather, mixing and matching colours in the same style, print and choice of fabric.

Easy to achieve with fabric dining chairs, choose the same Harris Tweed pattern, for example, but some two complementary colours. A great way to add colour and a note of interest.

Or combine Harris Tweed with leather, such as the Scout dining chair, that adds more texture and interest to the dining table.

Choose a pedestal table

Of course, if you are going all out and making a big change in the dining room, a new dining table will be on the cards.

For an on-trend, yet timeless look, consider adding a pedestal table – a round table with a delightful centre leg that not only saves space but adds a sculptural element to the dining room. Take a look at the Abbey round dining table, perfect for sitting alongside fabric or leather dining chairs and other pieces of reclaimed wood furniture.

From adding small accessories to a zing of colour to replacing dining chairs to investing in a new, reclaimed wood dining set, there are many changes you can make that spruce up the dining room. Which ideas will you try?

It’s official, luxury traditional tweed is irresistibly gorgeous

Fabrics in the home need to long-lasting, wear well and be fit for purpose. They also need to be stylish and colourful, as well as offering different properties depending on their use.

Fabric is everywhere in our homes from the plush, soft cushions to the gathers of fabrics as curtains and blinds. It is, of course, the outer layer of the fabric dining chairs that look so elegant in the dining room, as well as the sofa and armchairs of the lounge.

But we wondered, which material do our customers prefer when it comes to a sofa? Would people opt for the cool to the touch but ever-so-elegant brown leather sofa or would the pleasant feel and warmth of a tweed upholstered sofa hit the mark?

We Asked, You Answered

And so, we took to both Instagram and Houzz to pose the question. We gave you an idea of one of best selling brown leather sofas in the shape of the Bamford Chesterfield sofa. Available in leather and tweed, you told us what you thought.

There was a clear favourite: tweed. Winning hands down on both Houzz and Instagram, you told us that tweed was the choice when it came to the sofa fabric.

What is Tweed?

It is a woollen fabric, with a soft, open and flexible texture. Slightly ‘rough’ to the touch, it is a fabric that when spun into a closely woven pattern, is incredibly strong and long-lasting. As it is a natural product, it has fantastic insulation properties as well as a whole raft of benefits and superpowers.

In the busy family home, it makes an ideal fabric for all kinds of upholstery applications, from fabric dining chairs around your reclaimed wood dining table to bold coloured or understated patterned armchairs by the wood coffee table near the fire.

And it is probably these qualities, along with the fact it looks and feels great, properties not easily diminished over time, that the majority of our customers answered the poll with a resounding yes to tweed.

In recent years, we have noted an increase in the popularity of tweed. It fell out of favour for a while, seen as old-fashioned. But with new life breathed into it in terms of colours and patterns, tweed is now a staple of the new urban modern styling we are witnessing.

Leather: NOT the Poor Relation

But it wasn’t a complete whitewash in terms of tweed versus leather. There was a strong showing in support of leather and no wonder.

One comment was clear: leather was the favoured choice because it is an easy-care fabric, looks good and stays looking good for a long time. Leather dining chairs make sense – simply wipe away sticky finger marks and blobs of jam – and the brown leather sofa is the ‘old favourite’, the addition to the home that sees all of life from the tears to the laughter.

Leather never falls out of fashion. Suited to many different interior styles, including the note of warmth in a rustic interior and the added-detail-without-fuss to the industrial styled living room, it is an understated, versatile fabric.

Why not join our next poll? Find us on Instagram or Houzz to join in the fun!

How to transform your space with tweed

Nothing defines the feeling of a room like the fabrics used to decorate it. Whatever your style, if carefully incorporated, tweed can look truly fantastic. It is soft, warm and is also perfect to inject some colour into your space – making it a great addition all year round, not only in the winter like you might think.

The Harris Tweed we use to upholster our furniture is sublime. Luxurious and sophisticated, Harris Tweed is the only fabric in the world governed by an Act of Parliament. The Act protects the brand from cheaper, low quality imitations so customers can be confident they are buying only the highest quality product. But there are many other benefits to tweed too: its fantastically hard wearing, is stylish, warm, and supports British trade too! To find out more about Harris Tweed, click here.

There are plenty of ways you can inject tweed into your space. Soft furnishings like cushions are a great way of trying out the trend without making a huge investment on larger items of furniture, like a sofa.

However, if you’re feeling brave, fabric dining chairs look wonderful upholstered in tweed. You could even have a tweed chair at each end of your dining table with leather or wooden chairs along each end to break it up and create an interesting décor scheme.

Something like the Castello Leather Dining Chair is perfect. The combination of fabric and leather has created this beauty – a dining chair you will fall in love with and will receive endless compliments on its style and comfort from dinner guests. The sleek, simple design of these brown leather dining chairs is another style that would look stunning upholstered in tweed and paired with a light reclaimed wooden table.

If you’re just looking for a statement tweed chair at each end of your table, a dining chair with arms like the Scout Grand Leather and Harris Tweed Dining Chair is a great option. The button back design contrasted against the leather, gives this chair a fantastic, rustic look. Alternatively, the Eriksson Grand Leather and Harris Tweed Dining Chair is great for an ultra-modern take on tweed.

If you have a breakfast bar, you could even go for fabric bar stools for a sophisticated, rustic aesthetic. The gorgeous wooden base of the Parker Leather Bar Stool pairs beautifully with tweed and would look great in a country kitchen.

And what about colour? Have some fun with your interior with bright or pastel colours for a fresh splash of colour. Multi coloured dining chairs are fantastic for turning a typically functional room into a stylish haven perfect for hosting dinner parties. Alternatively, go for natural earthy tones to create a tranquil space that is elegant and timeless.

What do you think about tweed in your home?

Are wall cabinets in the kitchen for you?

The kitchen, like other rooms in the home, has no many ‘traditional’ features that when we re-design or create our perfect kitchen space, we assume that we must follow suit.

This is the case when it comes to wall cabinets. But we wondered, are wall cupboards still as favoured as they once were? If we were given the chance to completely re-design the kitchen, would wall cupboards feature strongly in the rustic or contemporary style?

We Asked, You Answered

And so, we posed the question: are wall cabinets in the kitchen for you? Once again, our followers on Houzz and Instagram didn’t disappoint (why don’t you join in? Follow us!).

The results were clear: upper cabinets are still in the running, with only a small handful of our followers declaring that they didn’t like cupboards on walls.

With this in mind, we thought we would look at the alternatives, and what a kitchen gains from not having too many upper cabinets crowding the wall space.

What can you do with all that wall space?

For some people, not having wall cupboards crowding their eye line is welcome, especially in a smaller kitchen. But we think that every kitchen could benefit from fewer wall cabinets. Just imagine all that wall space! What would you do with it?

Mirror – we examined using mirrors in the kitchen in a previous blog post and we recently polled our followers to ask whether including a mirror in a kitchen was a good thing or not. Mirrors are perfect for any room and with frames complementing the style of kitchen furniture, you’ve got nothing to lose!
Artwork – all too often we assume that the grease and cooking smells prevent us from adding any kind of soft furnishing or artwork. However, many of us now cook in a different way – there are not many chip pans gracing stoves as there used to be decades ago! – and so, the kitchen can be a place you accessorise. As well as mirrors, why not consider adding artwork to walls, or beautiful wall sculpture to admire as you drink your morning coffee perched on a wooden stool in your rustic kitchen?

But, would storage be a problem?

Yes, we hear you and we understand why: removing wall cabinets is all well and good but instantly downsizes the space for storing kitchen essentials

We have solutions:

Storage shelves don’t have to be hidden – we love the collection of glass jars on show, the contents adding colour to a kitchen. You could wall mount these if you wanted.
Floor or free-standing display units – a display unit is similar to wall mounted shelves, and can hold everything from cooking utensils to dinnerware. There is a display unit that will suit your rustic or contemporary kitchen perfectly.
A sideboard – frankly, a sideboard in the dining room is the ideal item for storing less frequently used items, from tableware to serving dishes. They also work well in the kitchen diner. With a range of style and sizes available, from the half sideboard to taller display-unit-cum-sideboard, there is something for every budget. See our Sideboards collection here.

Have we changed your mind? Would you now consider reducing the number or eliminating wall cabinets from your kitchen?

How mirrors in a kitchen can create a fantastic look

When it comes to accessorising a room, we tend to have a fixed idea of what can and shouldn’t be included.

Mirrors are no different. We use them across the home, being an obvious choice for the hallway and a practical addition to both the bathroom and bedroom. It is a practical accessory, essential in many ways which is possibly why adding a mirror to the kitchen is not always top of the list when styling this busy room.

It makes sense to add a mirror to the kitchen. Reflecting light around the space, it can make it feel bigger. And frankly, with so many beautifully styled and framed mirrors, why wouldn’t you add one or two to the kitchen?

But do you agree?

We Asked, You Answered

And so, we took to the Instagram and Houzz polls again, gathering responses from followers and professional interior designers alike. The reaction was mixed but there was a leaning towards a mirror being perfectly acceptable and a worthwhile addition to a kitchen. But not everyone agreed.

The reaction for using mirrors in the kitchen was stronger on Houzz. For our Instagram followers, it was a definite no. So, what are the pros and cons of mirrors in the kitchen?

Steam, heat and grease

Even in a little-used kitchen, the heat, steam and grease created when cooking can be problematic for some materials. Although the mirror can be cleaned, many comments related to the frame material.

In the bathroom, also a humid, steamy space, the best materials are those impervious to moisture. If you think this heat, steam and grease will cause a problem for wood in your kitchen, opt for metal framed mirrors.

Rather than choosing a wood-framed mirror, opt for a metal frame such as this gold round mirror. Easy to keep clean, it is effortlessly stylish and a super-popular product.

Will it look right?

Basically, this comes down to style. But we also love adding notes of interest, as well as detailed surprises in the design of any room. And we think a mirror in a kitchen is a fantastic detail that more of us should be using!

The starburst frame of the celestial mirror is ideal for a contemporary kitchen. The rustic kitchen diner is also not immune to the beauty that a mirror can bring.

Don’t shy away from wood, assuming it will swell or warp in the heat of the kitchen as reclaimed hardwood is far more robust than you think. This rustic-inspired wood framed wall mirror is perfect for introducing detail without being overpowering.

Will You Add a Mirror to Your Kitchen?

It may not be something you have thought of before or you may already enjoy the benefits of a mirror in your kitchen. Why not share snaps of you kitchen mirrors with us or better still, get involved with our polls on either Houzz or Instagram? We would love to know what you think!

How to create a stunning and personal kitchen just for you

Each month, we will consider the steps that need to be taken before major renovation work in the home on a room-by-room approach. This month, we look at the kitchen and what you need to consider before you make any major changes to it.

Renovating the kitchen is an exciting opportunity to bring your kitchen up to date with the latest gadgets and styling, as well as improving it so it flows better for you and your family. But it is not just choosing new cupboard doors and fancy gizmos…

Heating

If you are performing major renovations in the kitchen, spare a moment to consider whether this will include the heating system. Radiators are all well and good but for any kitchen, underfloor heating is worth a second look. As well as no radiator taking up space, it is a gentler heat for the space.

Does it flow?

Before you start styling your kitchen, think about whether it flows in its current format or whether it links with other elements in the area. For example, does it work the garden, connecting with nature and summer, al fresco dining?

Half walls

If you are blessed with a large kitchen diner, it can be tempting to assume that it will connect and flow. Putting in half walls is not about adding a barrier, but using the space wisely. Kitchen islands work well as do bar table and stools, especially if you don’t make it a fixed feature.

Storage solutions

Kitchen cupboards are staples of the space, but fixed ones don’t have to be. For a modern, clean look a bank of floor to wall cupboards is a great move, especially if they are bespoke and make the best use of awkward space or walls.

For some, this too clinical and devoid of character. If you prefer the rustic kitchen or even the farmhouse style, then open storage shelves are a worthwhile consideration. As well as fixed options, consider freestanding kitchen shelving solutions. As well as open ladder shelving, you may want to consider a sideboard, either half height or with a display unit on top.

Your touch

It is, after all, your kitchen and so you want it to tell your story, so to speak. This comes through in the styling choices from whether you have fixed cupboards, floor and wall mounted, or whether you opt for a less prescribed approach.

It is the small stylistic touches that make it yours: the choice of tiles, shape and colour, the worktops, the lighting, the materials used.

But there is one piece that we think should never be compromised on – the kitchen table. It is the place where people gather, in joy and sorrow, and it never to be underestimated. From the satisfying brawn of the farmhouse kitchen table to the utilitarian industrial kitchen table, the table is the piece that pulls the finished kitchen together.

Your Project

Are you renovating your kitchen? If so, why not take some before and after photos to share with us. We would love to see the results, especially if our products feature in it!

Our favourite customer comments of the year

As we wave goodbye to 2023, we became reflective of what a great year it has been. We have had amazing opportunities come our way and faced challenges that have made our business better and stronger.

We have fantastic products and a customer service that is really beginning to shine above customer expectations.

We didn’t realise the difference our business and products make until you started to tell us just how happy our quality reclaimed wood furniture, from the king bed to the sideboard makes you.

Products

For example, a recent customer was so delighted with their Winchester Reclaimed Wood Bed – [it] is the single nicest piece of furniture we’ve ever had, absolutely love it – that they took time out of their busy day to email us.

We’re are delighted that our products, customer service and delivery make you smile and the emails have been flooding in.

Claire from Pontefract loved her Derby Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table… “amazing table with really thought-out details that reflect the quality of the workmanship. I’m delighted with it”.

And Jasmine was head over heels in love with her delivery and we were pleased to note that “the furniture was exactly as it appeared in the picture and great quality”

We choose all our pieces carefully, making sure we get the best reclaimed wood and by using skilled craftspeople, we know that the design and the final product will be of the highest standards. What we have changed over the year is the way we photograph our range.

We want the best reproductive quality for our photos not just because they look good, but because this is the best way for our online shoppers to get an accurate idea of what they are ordering.

Customer Service

Nina is a recent addition to our team and with many years’ experience in customer service, she has set about improving our service to you. And it’s been working…

“What really stands out about this company is their excellent customer service”

We pledge to always ‘go out of our way’ to make everything about buying from us one of the best retail experiences you will have.

So when you order from us in 2024, why not leave us a review and better still, email us photos of the piece in your home, complete with your own stamp and personality on it.

Delivery

A big part of what we do is making sure that what you have ordered, whether it is one of our small wooden sideboards or one of biggest reclaimed wood dining table get to you in perfect condition. And that means a delivery team that know exactly what they are doing.

And it seems we have been getting it right…

“The delivery guys were really excellent – punctual friendly and careful moving stuff in. We’ve had some terrible delivery experiences recently, but your guys were perfect”

“The delivery men were on time and really friendly.”

“The delivery gents were exceptional, well-mannered and assisted in carrying all furniture to the correct rooms. Fantastic!”

We’ve had so many great comments over the last year that we can’t include them all but we want to finish with this one…

Nothing has been too much trouble and Katie has gone out of her way to make sure we were happy. Thank you, Modish Living!

The most popular decor trends of 2017

As we bid 2017 goodbye, we often look forward to the coming spring trends of 2018. But it wouldn’t be fitting to wave adieu to 2017 without taking a look back at what the year offered in terms of décor trends. What did we love and what didn’t catch on?

Sophisticated Pastels

A definite win was the palette of sophisticated pastels that suit any room in the home. But think beyond sugary pinks and watered-down blues. The must-have colour was Millennial Pink, a colour described as ‘very now, but timeless’.

It was and is a beautiful colour, perfect for bedroom decorations. Think of a ‘grapefruit shade of apricotty salmon’ and you are there. Not too sugary, not too dark, a perfect balance between introducing a colour to a space but just enough to not be too light that it is a mere whisper of a colour but not too dark that it looks like a bedroom of a princess-obsessed little girl.

Will it stay? Possibly but there are also some stronger colours making their way into the home this coming year, although we are yet to see what the Pantone Colour of the Year 2018 is yet…

Local Materials

The other trend that we loved was the growing movement to buy local, whether this was from smaller artisan craftspeople or sourcing companies that used British designers and materials.

There was also a growing trend for upcycling and recycling, with our reclaimed wood furniture becoming increasingly popular too. Customers love the romance of reclaimed wood, the fact that as a table, the English beams have a story that they will never tell…

Black-Finish Metals

Metal is always a popular material but black-finish metal has placed industrial furniture back in the eye of the creative homeowner over the year.

At one time, bright, polished stainless steel or aluminium was a must, and then came the brass-effect look. But 2017 saw us embrace the black-finish metal with its satisfying heaviness, without being too clunky or demanding.

The industrial style Maddox dining table is a fine example or this exquisite piece, the Luxe Kensington console table with it cross legs and reclaimed wood top.

Moody, Jewel-Colour Interiors

For depth, there was no doubt that 2017 was the year for strong, moody, earthy colours. And we loved the jewel tones that once again graced dining rooms, living rooms, bedrooms and hallways of the modern home.

As well as jewel-coloured dining chairs – think plush velvet in amethyst and turquoise blue, the colour of the depth of the ocean – adding coloured rugs to a space was a great way of switching things up. This striped Louise de Poortere green rug is the perfect addition to any room and any style, from the modern to the rustic.

What didn’t quite make it…

The signs were there but the beach effect was a difficult trend to pull off, especially in a way that was more adult than child’s bedroom. But we did love the nods to the beach or oceanscape theme with deep blue rugs and the occasional reference to all things maritime.

What will 2018 hold for us in terms of interior décor and style, we wonder?

Party games to try this year

Parties are tremendous fun, a great way to relax and enjoy the company of others. However, there’s no reason to sit around the dining room furniture making small talk all evening. With these great party game ideas, no matter whether it is an adult-only party or a Christmas celebration with adults and children, we have some great party game ideas!

Suitable for…

Mixed parties: Baubles on the Tree

A quick game to welcome guests as they arrive. Ask them how many baubles they think are on your tree. Works exactly the same as ‘number of sweets in a jar’. Get your guests to write their name and guess on a piece of paper and keep it in a jar on the rustic coffee table until you announce the winner.

Child-focused parties: Christmas scavenger hunt

For some children (and adults too!) a big party gathering can be overwhelming and party games can be the activities they need to help them mix and mingle.

You can either create your own hunting cards or download pre-printed ones and make sure you have all the items hidden around your home. You can bring the game into the 21^st century and ask your guests to photograph the item in situ. Give prizes to those who have all the items photographed on their phone!

Mixed parties: Draw a Christmas scene

When your guests are gathered around your reclaimed wood dining table, give them a pen or pencil and a piece of paper each. You will now give instructions, without discussing and your guests are to draw on the paper what you say…

INSTRUCTIONS

Draw a line for a floor
Draw a Christmas tree and add decorations as you like
Draw a star on top of the tree
Draw a fireplace with a mantelpiece next to the tree
Draw a stocking hanging from the mantelpiece
Draw a present below the tree

You may think you can’t go wrong with instructions but as you continue the game, you will realise the different interpretations people will have put on the instructions given.

Award points as follows:

2 points if their tree is touching the floor
2 points if the stocking is touching the mantelpiece
1 point if the star touches the tree
1 point if the star is above the tree
4 points if they drew more than 4 baubles on the tree
1 point if they included tinsel on their Christmas tree
1 point if your tree is a safe distance from the fireplace!
2 points if you drew a cute motif on the Christmas stocking
2 points if your present is under the tree

What other suggestions can you think of? The idea is to award the prize to the person with the most artistic picture and the most points too.

Adult party game: Global Christmas traditions quiz

Sometimes, you need a quiz with a difference and for this one, you will need to do your research. Take a look at some of the weird and wonderful Christmas traditions practised in countries across the world, creating a quiz that will both educate and provide plenty of laughs.

The harder you can make it the better. Have bonus questions worth triple points and simply enjoy the laughter this kind of quiz brings. Great for smaller parties, with guests lounging in a comfy armchair or two and for New Year parties, bring a few New Year traditions into it too.

Whatever the get together, throwing a few games into the mix is sure to make it memorable. Enjoy the party!