Amthal Karim – Head of Design at Furniture And Choice – shares her monthly overview of on-trend styles and interior looks currently inspiring furniture buyers.
Dining furniture is being transformed with the introduction of mixed material design. We’ve noticed an increase in dining table styles that mix wood and metal, marble and wood and – more recently – contemporary stone with fluted wood.
The aesthetic advantage of the mixed materials trend in the design world is that it creates interest, depth and elevates a room making it feel more expensive. It’s the juxtaposition of varying textures and layering of elements in your interior space that creates a designer look. It shows that the space has been thought about, the layers considered, and the furniture chosen carefully.
The mixed materials trend is also exciting because customers can choose from endless combinations of materials to create their own look – it’s like buying a bespoke product. The style of a piece of furniture can be completely re-imagined by picking a different combination. A dark, walnut wood dining table with black metal legs works perfectly for a Modern Industrial kitchen-diner. The same table design with a marble tabletop and brass-effect legs instead and now it’s more fitting for a luxury dining room with panelled walls.
When it comes to a dining table that combines wood with glass or marble with metal, then the quality and craftmanship of each material is essential. Using stone-effect finishes and powder-coated metals in contemporary furniture enables retailers to market them as long-lasting pieces. However, the challenge is producing dining tables in these materials that can withstand everyday use – at an affordable price. A paper-effect marble or travertine stone finish offers a choice of hundreds of patterns and colours for the customer to choose from. But more importantly, it’s durable enough for regular use and easy to maintain.
Of course, it’s not the dining table alone that benefits from the mixed materials trend – it’s the entire dining set. It’s no longer fashionable to match your dining table to your chairs so ‘mix and match’ is in vogue. Customers can create drama in their dining room by combining and contrasting shape, texture and even colour. A modern, wishbone dining chair is sophisticated when paired with a slab-style table in statement marble. Equally, an extending glass dining table is beautifully balanced with curved, velvet dining chairs.
Whether you choose to combine practical with luxe or contrast rustic against modern – the mixed materials trend blurs the lines of traditional design allowing you to create your own individual style.