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Are Black Dining Chairs in Style?
August 20, 2026

Are Black Dining Chairs in Style?

Black dining chairs remain firmly in style because black functions as a neutral rather than a trend colour. It sits comfortably alongside timber, marble and glass, and provides the tonal contrast that rooms of pale walls and light floors otherwise lack. What has shifted is the finish: matte and satin blacks have replaced high gloss lacquer, and black frames paired with textured upholstery have become one of the most useful combinations available. Light oak is the most reliable table pairing, while glass tables suit smaller rooms by keeping the arrangement visually light. This guide covers why black works as a neutral, the differences between finishes, pairing with tables, where black chairs work less well, and how texture, materials and lighting stop them feeling cold....

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Are Glass Dining Tables out of Style 2024?
August 20, 2026

Are Glass Dining Tables out of Style 2024?

Glass dining tables remain a standard choice in contemporary interiors, though the designs have moved on considerably from the chrome trestle and thin clear top that most people picture. This article separates the material from the dated design language, identifying the three features that aged, thin clear tops, heavy polished chrome frames and multi tier shelving, and describing what has replaced them: tinted and smoked glass, thicker tops and sculptural or timber bases that carry the design. It explains why transparent surfaces suit compact and light limited British homes, addresses practical concerns around safety glass, fingerprints, noise and scratching, and sets out how chairs, lighting and surrounding texture determine whether a glass table looks current. Includes buying advice and a short FAQ....

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Are Black Dining Tables in Style?
August 20, 2026

Are Black Dining Tables in Style?

Black dining tables remain firmly in style and have gained ground steadily in British interiors, with matt finishes, black stained timber and dark stone now favoured over the high gloss look of previous years. This guide explains why black endures as a neutral rather than a trend colour, and compares the practical differences between matt, gloss, stained wood, marble and black glass tops. We look at the rooms where black performs best and how to support it in darker north facing spaces, plus which chair materials, upholstery tones and metal accents pair with it. There is honest advice on daily maintenance, cleaning dark surfaces without streaks, and choosing a silhouette that will not date. Finally we look at styling the table itself, from pale stoneware and candlelight to natural fibre runners, and at how repeating black in a lamp base, a frame or a sideboard elsewhere in the room keeps the whole scheme feeling balanced rather than heavy....

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Are Round Dining Tables out of Style?
August 20, 2026

Are Round Dining Tables out of Style?

Round dining tables are not out of style, though the version most people picture when they ask certainly is. This article looks at why the shape keeps returning in contemporary UK interiors, from flats and square dining rooms to open plan kitchens where a circle softens the grid of straight lines. We set out what round tables genuinely do well, including easier conversation, flexible seating around a pedestal base and better circulation in tight spaces, alongside an honest account of where they fall short, such as long narrow rooms and seating more than six. There is guidance on current base and material choices, practical diameters for four, five and six diners, and how extending round to oval designs solve the capacity problem. We finish with styling advice on centrepieces, rugs and pendant lighting....

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Are Oval Dining Tables out of Style?
August 20, 2026

Are Oval Dining Tables out of Style?

Oval dining tables have not fallen out of favour, but the way they are designed has changed substantially. This article looks at why the shape persists, from the improved circulation in narrow British rooms to the better sightlines it gives across a table, and explains what separates a dated oval from a current one: the base, the proportions, the edge profile and the finish. It also covers where ovals outperform rectangles and rounds, how to size one for six or eight seats, which chairs suit the curve, how extending mechanisms work on oval tops, and why table shape is not really subject to fashion cycles at all....

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Are Glass Top Dining Tables out of Style?
August 19, 2026

Are Glass Top Dining Tables out of Style?

Glass top dining tables are still widely used, but the designs have changed considerably. This article explains which elements of older glass tables actually dated, namely thick chrome trestles, thin clear tops and multi tier shelving, and what has replaced them: tinted and smoked glass, heavier tops and sculptural or timber bases that treat the frame as the main design feature. It looks at why transparent surfaces continue to suit compact and open plan UK dining spaces, addresses the practical concerns around safety glass, fingerprints, noise and scratching, and explains how chairs, lighting and texture determine whether a glass table reads as current or dated. Also covers when glass is the wrong choice and what to look for when buying, plus a short FAQ....

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Are Mirrored Wardrobes Outdated?
August 14, 2026

Are Mirrored Wardrobes Outdated?

Mirrored wardrobes are not outdated, but the way mirror is used has changed a great deal, and that distinction explains most of the confusion. This article traces where the dated reputation actually comes from, from deep bevelled edges and small mirror tiles to the more fundamental problem of using too much mirror in too small a room. It then sets out how mirror is handled in contemporary bedroom design: restrained quantity, flat edges on slim frames, smoked and bronze tinted glass, fluted textured panels, and sliding rather than hinged fronts for large panels. There is a clear practical case for mirror in single window British bedrooms, an honest account of the rooms and positions where it is the wrong choice, several ways to update a mirrored wardrobe you already own without replacing it, and sensible care advice....

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Why Is Brown Furniture Out of Style?
August 8, 2026

Why Is Brown Furniture Out of Style?

Brown furniture is often written off as dated, yet what actually fell from favour was a specific look: heavy, high shine, orange toned reproduction pieces bought as matching suites. In this guide we separate that formula from warm wood itself, and explain why smaller homes, better natural light, the decade long grey era and a shift away from glossy lacquer all pushed dark timber out of the spotlight. We then cover why warm wood is returning as walls move towards plaster, clay and oatmeal tones, and give practical ways to make dark pieces look current, including wall colour, upholstery, hardware changes and reducing quantity. There is guidance on choosing new timber that will not date, which rooms benefit most from wood, and answers to the questions British homeowners ask most often....

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Is Cane Furniture in Style?
August 7, 2026

Is Cane Furniture in Style?

Cane has moved from a periodic revival into an established fixture of contemporary interiors, and understanding why explains how to use it well. This article looks at what cane actually is, distinguishing the woven outer bark of the rattan vine from rattan itself and from wicker, which is a technique rather than a material, and why that distinction changes what you should expect from a piece. It explains the shift from whole rattan suites to framed inset panels on wardrobes, sideboards, headboards and media units, and why that treatment is both more durable and more adaptable, including practical benefits such as ventilation on wardrobe doors and remote signal transparency on television units. There is detailed styling guidance on palettes that flatter cane, the combinations that make it look dated, how many pieces per room work, and lighting that reveals the weave, followed by realistic advice on humidity, sagging, cleaning and long term care....

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Is Grey Furniture Going Out of Style?
August 7, 2026

Is Grey Furniture Going Out of Style?

Grey furniture has spent a decade at the centre of British interiors, and the question of whether it still belongs there deserves a straight answer. This piece explains what has genuinely changed: cool blue leaning greys now look dated while warm greige and deep charcoal remain thoroughly current, and grey has shifted from being the whole scheme to being one element within it. It covers how to update a grey room without replacing any furniture, which greys still work and which have aged badly, how grey performs differently in living rooms, bedrooms and dining spaces, and the warm earthy palette gaining ground alongside it. There is also practical guidance on when grey remains a sensible purchase and when to take a risk elsewhere. A simple daylight test using plain white paper will tell you which grey you own, and bulb temperature explains why a grey room can feel cold after dark....

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