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Dining With Style
Creating a dining area your guests will never want to leave
(ARA) - It's time to spruce up the style of your kitchen and dining room! Your
dining area may be a gathering place for eating casual meals and doing homework,
or it may provide an elegant setting for formal dining. No matter what the
function, it's easy to update the look of the room with this season's versatile
and interchangeable dining pieces.
"Kitchens are becoming a multi-functional gathering place while dining rooms are
becoming less formal," says Greg Mononen, Product Developer for Arhaus
Furniture, a 19-store lifestyle furniture retailer. Home furnishing trends are
leaning towards all-purpose style, quality and function. "Watch for dining
furniture that can easily transition into either a formal or casual setting," he
suggests.
Personalize Your Dining Space
A new approach to dining furniture is to buy pieces that coordinate but do not
necessarily match. "Today's homeowners are putting together eclectic furniture
groups that don't resemble 'sets.' They want their dining areas to look like
they've evolved over time, similar to a collection of antiques," says Mononen.
"This approach gives the home a more personalized feeling."
He recommends using design details to tie a look together when mixing different
pieces. For example, the leg detail on a table or chair can determine if it will
coordinate with other furniture. Shapely wrought iron curves, hard-carved
pedestals or straight Spartan legs will give the furniture a collective look
without being exactly the same. Scale can also make a difference in creating a
balanced look. For example, larger chairs should go with a larger table.
Another approach to merging different pieces is to mix finishes and colors.
Traditionally, designers have shied away from combining dark and light finishes.
However, today's styles encourage the mixing of contrasting finishes using
similar tones and unique textures. Try using a copper-top sideboard to
compliment the warm tones of a distressed pine table.
Natural Materials and Finishes
This season, watch for dining furniture, such as stone, marble, porcelain and
copper (Yes, these materials make wonderful, resilient table tops!). Durable
woods, like cherry, maple, pine and poplar are also making an appearance. Dining
chairs can be found in rattan or upholstered in leather, rich tapestries or
cotton slipcovers. These hearty materials not only add elegance and style to a
room setting, but they can also withstand the wear and tear of everyday use.
The Arhaus Italian Mosaic dining table combines several of these natural
materials. Its top is made of stone and marble mosaic tiles that sit on a
hand-forged, wrought iron base. Mononen suggests pairing this handsome
one-of-a-kind table with the Colette Leather dining chairs. "Leather is big in
dining right now because it is so durable and easy to maintain," he explains.
Distressed finishes can help bring out the depth and personality of natural
materials. An example is a French Cherry dining collection featuring a rich,
deep finish that is the result of a labor-intensive, fifteen step antiquing
process.
Old Is New Again
The grace and elegance of the Victorian era are defining current dining trends.
Turn-of-the-century styles are updated with a modern twist. For an interesting
look, a dining table influenced by a Louis XV French antique may be combined
with a contemporary leather side chair. Or, a hand crafted, antique-styled
sideboard may share dining quarters with a sleeker, modern table and bright,
colorful upholstered chairs.
"The look is more refined and delicate than the heavy, rustic feel of the last
several seasons," says Mononen. "We are seeing much more European tailoring in
dining furniture." Furniture is enhanced by details such as cabriole legs,
shapely aprons, Cameo-backs, hand painted doors, hand carved bases and inlayed
marquetry tabletops.
Courtesy of ARA Content
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional information or images regarding Arhaus' home
furnishing collections, please contact Pat Carlson or Danielle Nowell at Akhia
Public Relations at (330) 463-5650, danielle@akhia.com or pat@akhia.com or visit
the Arhaus Web site at www.arhaus.com.
SIDEBAR:
According to the design experts at Arhaus Furniture, look for the following when
purchasing a dining table:
Size: Allow 30 inches around the table to give ample room for walking behind
chairs.
Shape: As an alternative to the rectangle, try an oval or square table for
flexibility.
Style: Refectory (expands from the ends), drop-leaf, flip-top, or removable
leaves are some of the most popular expandable options.
When shopping for dining chairs:
Proportion: Pair high-backed, wide chairs with a hefty table. For a more
delicate table, use smaller chairs. Seats: Tapestries or rich chenilles are
perfect fabrics for seat pads in the dining room. Kitchens may need the clean-up
quality of a rush or cotton seat pad.
Versatility: Try using slipcovers over a wooden chair to seasonally change its
look and for easy cleaning.
Arhaus has 19 store locations in: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus,
Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo, Ohio; Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y.; Pittsburgh and
Wexford, Pa.; Louisville, Ky.; Indianapolis, Ind.; and St. Louis, Mo. |
