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Hot tips for successful summer dining

Outdoor dining with friends is just the best way to while away a balmy summer evening – sip sun downer cocktails before dinner, a delicious light evening meal followed by after-dinner drinks around a fire pit – the perfect summers evening!

Here we look at how to dine in style whether it be indoors or al fresco – whether just a get together with close family and friends, a big birthday bash or another milestone celebration. We hope our top summer dining tips will help you hit the nail on the head when it comes to summer entertaining.

1 – Glamourous tableware

More than ever before we are all enjoying and valuing the time we spend with our friends and family, so if you’re entertaining, really roll out the red carpet. There is nothing more wonderful for your guests than walking into your dining room or garden and seeing a stunning dining table set ready for them to feast at – we do after all eat with our eyes first.

In the summertime, especially in the garden, use beautiful glass dishes to make use of any natural light – at lunch, in the midday sun, it will look blue and at sundown, it will take on the pinky colours of the sunset sky. If you have lights on or hanging over your garden table your glass dishes will continue to sparkle throughout the night.

If you choose to dine indoors then sparkly glass dishes work wonderfully against a rustic dining table and chairs – the contrast of sparkly glass and rustic wood just works so well.

2 – Set a theme

Opting for a themed table is sometimes seen as being a bit predictable but why not? Choosing a theme brings cohesion to the dining table. Whether you are dining indoors at a homely farmhouse table, or outdoors around the garden table you can go for a rustic farmhouse theme – dried or fresh cut flowers and rustic earthenware dishes are a winning and on-trend combo for summer dining.

You can also set a summer colour theme for your dining space and opt for blue or green fabric dining chairs. If you have a wooden extendable dining table and a wooden dining bench then dress the bench with colour coordinated cushions and use this colour to blend or add contrast to the plates and serving dishes you use.

3 – Light it up

To host the perfect dinner party you need ambience and atmosphere – the ambience is created by the surroundings you are in and the atmosphere will be created by your dinner guests.

Great lighting is your best friend when it comes to creating the perfect ambience. Work out where your guests will sit and spend time and add your main lighting source there – layer the lighting so you have a brighter area for serving and eating but then have the option to switch off or dim some lights as the evening wears on. A wooden sideboard is the perfect piece of reclaimed wood furniture for the dining room – use the top to add light features like some twinkling fairy lights in a glass bowl – you can place this under a wall mirror to make the light reflect around the room. Hang fairy lights around wall art and use them as the centrepiece on your wooden dining table.

Candles are of course the classic way to bring in ambient lighting – candle flames flickering will always get the mood right for a dinner party – whether it is indoors or out. Everything is softened and looks less harsh in flickering candlelight.

Lighting in the garden can be in the form of string lights, solar lights, festoon lighting or lanterns. If you have a fire pit, it is the perfect source for late-night mooda lighting.

What is reclaimed furniture?

Reclaimed wood furniture is cropping up everywhere here in the UK – so let’s have a look at reclaimed wood and furniture production in more detail…. and find out what is it and why it’s so popular.

Where does reclaimed wood come from? Reclaimed wood is wood that has been used for one purpose already – generally as part of a structure like a building (factory), a boat or ship, railway sleepers a or even a temple door or gate, the structure being dismantled is often over 100 years old! As it is being dismantled any reusable wood is salvaged and will be sold on to craftsmen who will work their magic and transform it into something beautiful! Reclaimed wood can come from anywhere in the world – from the far East to the UK.

How is it turned into furniture? Although it has to fulfil a completely new purpose the idea is to keep it looking as original, rustic and authentic as possible – Yes, we want to see dents, nail holes and slight imperfections in this wood – all add character, history and uniqueness. Skilled craftsmen will access the timbers, using only the highest quality. Any bolts, screws or nails are removed by hand and the timbers are then either machine sanded, sandblasted or skillfully worked on.

This industrial sideboard is part of the Standford Industrial range which is crafted using only reclaimed wood and industrial metal legs and fittings – a perfect illustration of how old wood can be used to create a stunning piece of unique and modern furniture!

Is it lower quality? As we mentioned before, when it comes to reclaimed wood, any dents, nail holes, blemishes, and imperfections give it its character. But in no way does this mean that the quality is lower – the wood is aged wood and extra strong. A reclaimed super king wooden bed frame is made from solid old wood – not new thin wood covered in a laminate or veneer. These are strong and lasting pieces of furniture that will become even more beautiful as they age.

Why choose reclaimed wood? Of course, the most obvious reason for choosing reclaimed wood furniture is the positive environmental impact – reusing saves waste from dismantled structures going to landfill, it also saves new immature trees being grown quickly only to be chopped down. A reclaimed wood table in your kitchen or dining room is an investment piece – it will last for years and is very family-friendly – everyday wear and tear simply blends into the table.

Reclaimed wood furniture is also very easy to care for day to day – all you need to do really is wipe up it down after use as you would with any other dining table – and then go over it every month or so with wax or oil (depending on the original finish) to feed the wood and help maintain its gorgeous luster.

Tips to plan a new living room and bedroom layout

Man moving armchair for tips to plan a new layout for your living room and bedroom blog

Following on from our last blog on Tips for planning out the kitchen diner in your new home, we will now have a look at how to plan your furniture layout in your new living room and bedroom.

The living room really is an important room for your household – a place to relax and wind down in the evenings and weekends. It needs to be comfortable with the correct amount of seating for your household and any extra guests you may have from time to time.

You need to consider if the living room furniture from your old house is the right style for your new room and if it will fit in the space correctly. If your new living room is more square you may need to rethink seating arrangements and add an extra armchair or two, maybe you can fit in a large reclaimed wood coffee table.

Take note of where the TV socket is, other sockets, windows, doors and radiators. Draw a to-scale floor plan and then cut out pieces of paper to represent the rustic furniture you want to fit in. Try a few different configurations to see what works best.

One key consideration for a living room is to note where the TV socket is when planing your seating configuration so you can allow the right amount of space between seating and the TV screen – this should ideally be around 2.5 metres but also depends on the size of your TV and the height it is at.

As for style, the industrial look is incredibly popular and looks great in modern homes – the steel frames look great with reclaimed wood. You may decide not to have a central coffee table and instead opt for an industrial side table or a nest of tables if space is too limited for a central coffee table.

The bedroom is generally a little easier to figure out – especially if it already has built-in wardrobes or a dressing room – not much other furniture will be needed. If you had a double bed before you may have enough space to upgrade to a beautiful wooden super king bed, you might only need a couple of bedroom side tables to finish the look. If you are moving a bed from your old home or plan on buying a new bed with a large wooden headboard it is best to check you will be able to get it up any awkwardly shaped staircases or narrow hallways – this particularly applies to older farmhouses and small cottages.

If the bedroom is smaller or darker and you need to add more storage space you could consider white furniture. A white-painted wardrobe will give the feel of more airiness and space rather than a large dark wood wardrobe. Pale coloured reclaimed wood furniture is also a great choice when creating a restful bedroom.

Tips to plan out the kitchen diner in your new home

kitchen with moving in boxes and ironing board

So you’ve found your new home and need to think ahead and start planning where your furniture is going to go. In this and our next blog we will look at how you can prepare to move into your new home and get your furniture lay-out planned well before you get there – I promise you this will make moving-in so much easier!

The kitchen is the heart of the home and one of those rooms that is needed from the minute you move in, so let’s start with the kitchen and dining room or your open plan kitchen diner.

First off, when you pack the final items into the back of your moving lorry or van, just make sure you add a kettle, cups, tea, coffee, sugar, milk and some snacks where you can easily get to them. Taking a 5-minute breather in your new home with a cup of tea or coffee to get re-charged and re-focused will make you more productive in the long run!

Before moving-in day get the full measurements of the space – take note of where sockets, light switches, windows, doors, radiators are. Then you need to decide if the furniture you currently have will work in the new space – there’s no point paying to move it if you want to change it. If you had a formal dining room before and are now moving into a modern kitchen diner you may want to change to a modern industrial style dining table, if you are moving into a cottage then a farmhouse table may suit the style of your new home better. Maybe your dining space is bigger in your new home and you would like to add some reclaimed wood furniture, such as a rustic sideboard.

Use a floor plan to see how this will all fit in the new space – remember to take into account which way doors open and leave plenty of room around the dining table or breakfast bar to pull the dining chairs out and get around it. If the room is open plan then use zoning to define the different areas – you may want be able to fit in a modern leather sofa and TV area and create a family TV space.

If you have a separate dining room you may want to go for a more formal reclaimed dining table and make it the focal point of the room. Think about if the lighting is in the right place? Would it work better if the ceiling light were moved? Do you need to change your wooden dining chairs to fabric dining chairs? Think about bringing in an accent colour – bold blue velvet dining chairs will give an otherwise formal room a modern splash of colour.

If your kitchen only has a little bit of spare space you may want to bring in a small wooden table and chairs that can be used for breakfasts and quick lunches. Use your floorplan to decide how big the table can be – just allow an additional metre all around it for chairs.

Tips to prepare for an easy house move

brown removal boxes and armchair with dust sheet

Moving home is always stressful – no matter how organised you think you are. You may have to find a new doctor, dentists and a new school for the children – not to mention all the companies you have to inform like the DVLA, utility companies and banks…. etc. etc. etc. In this blog, we look at ways to remove some of the stress from the hard work of packing up your belongings in the house – I promise you, you will be surprised at how much stuff you have. It’s never too early to start de-cluttering and packing!

In the kitchen

The kitchen is one of those places where everything seems to accumulate – from unused gadgets to important paperwork that hasn’t been filed away. Even if you have employed a company for the packing and move day, you will still want to have a sort out – this way you will be way more organised from the get-go in your new home. File papers away, give those gadgets away, go through your pots and pans – dispose of old chipped cups that never get used. Ruthlessly go through the kitchen units and throw away any old part used packets that have been in the cupboards for a while, use up as much food that you already have in.

Tidy and organise everything you want to keep so it is ready to simply be wrapped and put in boxes. If you have a rustic sideboard in your kitchen or dining room you might even be able to pack some of the items inside a month or so before the move – I am sure if you have guests around for dinner they won’t mind if you are not using your best serving dishes!

In the living room

Again, start decluttering wherever you can. If you have a wall display cabinet then you can pack any display items, books, CD’s and DVD’s well in advance. A good place to have a sort out are the cables behind the TV stand – sort out what you no longer need and get the rest labelled ready for reconnecting quickly in your new home.

In the bedroom

You can also make a good start in the bedrooms by donating any old clothes and packing away seasonal clothing you won’t be needing for a while. Pack spare bedding in a wooden chest….this is also a great place to pack and protect any fragile ornaments, as are drawers in a solid wood chest of drawers! You’re very unlikely to get a heavy solid wood bed out of the house in one piece so this could be another thing you can dismantle a few days before your move, leaving just the mattress on the floor. When it comes to actually moving furniture, items such as a large rustic wardrobe or other reclaimed wood furniture with drawers and doors, we suggest removing the handles and screw them back onto the furniture on the inside – this will prevent damage to items and stop them from catching as they are transported.

Top tips for an easier move

Start packing early
Decide if you will use a moving company or get friends and family to help
Dispose of, donate or recycle items you no longer want or need in your new home
Clearly label or colour code your packing boxes by room
Keep a folder to store utility company telephone numbers and any other important documents you might need
Write important dates and tasks down

Good luck! If you have any top moving tips leave them in the comment box below. We’d love to know about them.

How to be happy in your work

smiling woman at work for how to be happy at work blog

Whether you are working from home or all set to return to the office you will benefit no end from making your workspace a happy and inspiring place to spend time in. Making your workspace a happy place is a worthy investment in you! In this blog, we will introduce some quick tips to get you started.

Connect with nature

This is always a good place to start, if you are lucky enough to have a room with a view then you really should make the most of it and position your desk near it. Make a point of getting natural daylight as much as possible. If you are working from home then sit in a chair near a window when you have documents to read. If you have a call to make which will not require you being sat at your laptop then make it by the window, just take a notepad and pen with you in case you need to jot something down!

Bring the outdoors in

If you can’t get out or can’t see out, bring the outdoors into you. The obvious thing is to bring a houseplant or two into your workspace, either on your office table, a rustic bookcase or reclaimed wood shelving, but pets also reduce office stress, whether it be your cat or dog in your home office by your feet or some fish in an aquarium. Studies carried out on stress levels found something as simple as repotting a house plant greatly reduced stress in participants. First, participants had to repot the plant and secondly, they were asked to carry out a task they were well accustomed to on their computer – as you have probably guessed the indoor gardening task reduced their stress levels.

Make your desk a permanent workspace

Choosing the right desk for you and the work you need to do at it, is very important, especially when working from home. If you have to look thorough lots of documents get a desk big enough for you to set them out properly – it will save you stress and time in the long run, if however you write or the majority of your work just requires a computer then you can get a smaller desk or writing desk and fill the space with things you like to have around you, an office sofa would be more comfortable if you read a lot or make many calls that don’t require you to be sat at your computer.

If you don’t have the room or prefer not to be cooped up in the office all day then zone your living room or kitchen to include an office area. A reclaimed wood desk is perfect for the home office – it will blend into another room much better than a bog-standard desk that you see in offices up and down the country….and of course, it is another easy way to bring in a little touch of nature.

Choose the right chair for you

Getting the right chair is just as important as getting the right desk. An adjustable leather desk chair or faux leather chair will last you for many years and is certainly worth the initial investment. If space is tight then lookout for a small desk chair or a chair that can double up and be used elsewhere in your home.

Keep on top of clutter

A build-up of office clutter will certainly affect how smoothly you are able to work. Invest in some rustic office furniture it will help you keep clutter at bay, keep organised and stay on track. A cluttered office means you will be unable to locate things when you need them and bring unnecessary stress to your day, not to mention waste time. A tidy and organised home, or office, will make you feel calmer, happier, productive and more accomplished – it sounds like one of the best therapies to us!

6 tips for the best flexible home office set up

modern office desk in open plan living room with wooden office chairs

A home office has been essential for many of us over the past year or so and with many employees being given the option of working from home more, you may decide now is the time to take the plunge and create your perfect home office. If you are pushed for space or don’t want your new home office furniture to look too “officey” we have put together a few tips on hiding or incorporating it into another room, creating a versatile and flexible home office space.

1. Hide your desk

You could consider hiding your desk and chair in a cupboard keeping all office accessories such as cables, printers, keyboards tucked away out of sight at the end of the day. For this, pick a slim desk – or even a console table, just make sure to check the height If you have a dressing room or walk-in wardrobe this could be a great option for you. To help it not feel like you are working in a cupboard, you can hang houseplants on the wall, add some good lighting and put a mirror on the wall.

Photo featuring Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Desk

2. All dressed up

You don’t need a desk to look like an office desk for it to fulfil its purpose! Choose a desk that can double up as a dressing table or a dressing table that can double up as a desk! You may like something more ornate that suits your bedroom. Maybe an industrial style desk blends into your living room or kitchen better than a minimalist white one. Have a good look around at what is available and suits your style.

3. Think under for storage

If your office space is in your bedroom, use the under bed space for storage, perfect to hide all your office work at the end of the day. Some under bed drawers would be perfect for this or wicker baskets that can just be tucked back under the bed when finished with. A blanket box at the foot of the bed could also provide hidden office storage in the bedroom. There may even be some space under your desk – again there are so many different and versatile storage products around!

4. Pick the perfect chair

Choose a chair that will look good in any room – it doesn’t have to be a standard run of the mill office desk chair. Of course, if you will be sitting at your desk for many hours a day then help your back and shoulders and pick something that is comfortable for you and adjustable so you can sit at your desk correctly.

5. Soften the space

Make your office homely so it works out of hours too – opt for a reclaimed wood desk – it will bring a whole load of charm into your space. Wallpaper the room, add a rug, use a soft velvet armchair as your desk chair. Decorate the room in alternative softer colours rather than grey or brown.

6. Add some creativity

Bring in a super comfortable armchair for some clever or creative thinking, or hang an inspiring piece of art on the wall. A corkboard is a good place to pin up your favourite inspirational quotes and to pin ideas as they come to you.

The return of the writing desk

pink floral writing paper with cup and saucer

Desks first appeared in the 1600’s when they were designed more like a bureau with a sloping front. In fact, this sloping writing front had originally been attached to the top of a chest of drawers, but in time it went on to become a wholly separate piece of furniture with the front of the bureau lowering down to create a ledge to write on and a storage area for paper and pens etc.

By the early 1700’s the writing desk started to include a kneehole with narrow drawers on either side of the kneehole. By the late 1700’s the office desk as we know it, was born. Mahogany was being imported from the Caribbean at this time making it the preference of the rich and wealthy who wanted furniture items to be very decorative, they loved the luxurious rich shine that could be achieved by polishing mahogany.

Then comes the industrial revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the entrepreneurs of the time start to succeed in business so the desk is not required only in the libraries of the county homes of the rich, but in offices, warehouses and factories, where previously a table had been used, a more functional and less ornate wooden desk was the order of the day. Now, of course, they are to be found in a variety of different shapes and sizes in many modern homes as well as the workplace.

So why would people opt for a writing desk rather than a large office style desk? Below there are a couple of things to think about before taking the plunge and purchasing a new reclaimed wood desk for your home.

Size

This is probably the most important consideration and depends on what space you have available to put your desk in. If you have a corner in the living room or an area on the landing, a space in the spare room or in your bedroom then a smaller writing desk is the ideal choice – remember you will need roughly an additional metre to place your best desk chair. A writing desk can also double as a dressing table with storage for cosmetics and jewellery in your bedroom, or used by guests in the spare room, simply hang a wall mirror above it!

The Worcester writing desk is just right for the corner in a bedroom or smaller space – being mainly white it will also tie in with other reclaimed wood furniture you may already have in the room.

What it will be used for?

If you like the personal touch of handwriting letters, or your journal, or are starting out on a book then a small writing desk is really all you need. You will only need a couple of drawers for storing writing paper, notebooks, paper and pens etc. Even if you just sit at the desk to check your emails and do the occasional bit of work on a laptop then the smaller writing desk is perfect – no need to take up the whole room with a full-size office desk!

Summer trend – bring in rustic Mediterranean style

rustic dining table outdoors with orange bowl and large terracotta pot in the background

The Mediterranean interior style has timeless appeal that encapsulates the classic features of older Spanish, Italian and Greek homes with features such as natural stone walls and floors, exposed wood beams, decorative metalwork and bold ceramics. Earthy, rustic, cool and natural, the Mediterranean look is the perfect partner for reclaimed wood furniture…. bringing its own fair share of history and character with it. When it comes to recreating this style here in the UK, we are looking to mimic the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that our Mediterranean cousins do so well.

Bring the casually elegant, earthy and rustic Mediterranean look, inspired by the sun and sea, right into your dining space. A Mediterranean dining area tends toward colours and materials that look picked straight from nature – rich, earthy hues against a calming backdrop of white and natural wood. A rustic dining table is just screaming out to be filled with tapas, olive bread and full-bodied red wine, ready for you to enjoy with friends and family. Hanging a natural weave rattan pendant light over a reclaimed wood dining table would be the perfect lighting for your Mediterranean look dining room, opt for wicker placemats and rustic earthenware dishes for relaxed summer evening dining.

To get the Mediterranean style in your living room we suggest you keep things cool, white and neutral – reflecting the casual lifestyle and laid-back vibe of the area. Perfect for creating a relaxing space. Furniture is big, sturdy and built to last with natural materials, such as rustic wood, stone and natural weaves taking a starring role. Neutral tones can be complemented with bright accent colours, such as blues and yellows reminiscent of the sun, sea and sky, or deep orange, brown and terracotta to create an inviting and intimate mood. To bring in the natural element of wood you can have a reclaimed wood coffee table as your living room centrepiece or a rustic sideboard with a selection of decorative accessories like terracotta pots, leafy house plants in rattan baskets and a natural wicker side lamp.

Warm evenings and a gentle breeze call for a pared-back scheme in the bedroom. Add soft colour accents to off-white walls – think muted pinks, greens and blues – and a chunky rustic bed and full of character. Natural woven accessories like a natural jute rug and wicker baskets for storage. Introduce some wall hangings and some plumped up scatter cushions to complete this dreamy bohemian bedroom style.