Country or classic: why fine dining never goes out of style.
May 2008
In an ideal world, we’d all sit around the dining table for hours. Come the weekend, we’d follow the lead of Mediterraneans and while away the hours over lunch.
Hectic modern day Britain doesn’t always allow for such luxuries, but that’s not to say that people don’t recognise the importance of enjoying food together around the table.
George Blowers, cabinet buyer at Glasswells’ World of Furniture in Newmarket Road, Bury St Edmunds, says that whilst sociologists might tell us that families no longer eat together, that’s not the whole picture.
According to George, family mealtimes are enjoying a revival. This time round, rather than the formality of the dining room, families are gathering in the kitchen, the hub of the household.
It’s a trend that has gone the full circle. Back in 1946, when Glasswells first opened its doors, post-war Britons would regularly share family mealtimes in the kitchen. It was often a simply furnished room. Solid wooden dressers and functional sinks were the norm. Dining furniture often comprised a functional Formica topped table with tubular metal legs, matching chairs with vinyl seats.
Time, fashion and, it has to be said, social convention changed all that. But, nowadays, where the space is available, we are back again eating in the kitchen. That’s not to say that the dining room has had its day. It’s still the place that family and friends congregate at the weekend to enjoy the latest culinary suggestions of Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay.
Trends in dining furniture have come and gone. Influenced by home-style magazines, makeover shows and celebrity designers, people today regard their homes as an extension of their personality and a reflection of their personal taste.
The 1960’s and the introduction of central heating (and therefore more warm rooms in the house) meant people used their homes more fully. That was the advent of elegant teak furniture, still a popular choice for dining furniture.
It’s oak though – light, rustic, medium, limed or stained to look like teak (to compensate for the shortage of sustainable teak sources) – that dominates the dining scene these days. Increasingly it is teamed with leather or leather look dining chairs for a stylish and robust choice.
More adventurous combinations are popular too. Glasswells stocks a wide range of stylish chairs covered in brightly coloured fabrics, striking flower designs, stripes and patterns. Tablecloths have become almost a thing of the past, as people increasingly opt for the look and beauty of natural wood as a complement to their decor.
Some dining suites are, of course, extremely expensive, but it’s no longer necessary to pay the earth for solid wood furniture, explains George. Whilst traditional UK manufacturers are very well represented in Glasswells’ showrooms, their high quality dining furniture is complemented by cost-effective, stylish ranges originating from both the Far East and from Eastern Europe.
It is not just solid wood and veneers that are looking good these days. “Foil”, a durable man-made alternative is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
The very newest trend in dining furniture is for reclaimed oak – sourced from old beams or sleepers – which are very much in vogue; cracks, blemishes and all. Recycling and sustainability are high up on the wish-list of buyers these days, and Glasswells is keen to source furnishings from manufacturers who take their environmental responsibilities seriously.
Glass, marble and chrome are still popular choices, and ideal for use in conservatories which can be too hot and damaging to wood. Reproduction furniture is perennially popular too, especially solidly constructed furniture from long-established manufacturers, such as Ercol and Wood Brothers.
The influence of the East is seen everywhere with an increasing trend towards Indonesian style furniture – chunky, heavy looking pieces with metal handles and features. Other current trends include cream or white painted furniture, often combined with natural wood finishes, for the perfect country look.
The choice has never been wider and Glasswells’ showrooms across the region are firmly at the forefront of home design. Whether your taste runs to country casual or classic and traditional, there’s the answer at Glasswells’ stores across the region.
Glasswells’ new 73,000 sq. ft. showroom in Ipswich’s Orwell Retail Park opens in December, to complement its stores in Bury St Edmunds, Martlesham Heath, Haverhill and Saffron Walden.
