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Shabby chic is a style that is here to stay, businesses have been slow on the uptake but now most high-street brands are making full use it and it’s been successful. Shabby chic interior design and inspiration can now be found everywhere, from your home, in shop windows and even inside offices across the country.

Call it vintage, antique, reclaimed, rustic or French cottage, the trend of using old furniture or old looking furniture hasn’t been a relatively new trend. Judging by the way it is encompassing parts of everyday life, it isn’t going away anytime soon.

Why is Shabby Chic furniture so Popular?

One of the best parts of shabby chic is that it can be done on almost any budget. Your old furniture can be painted and distressed or sanded down to give it an old rustic look for only a few pounds.

Shabby chic furniture can be very difficult, nearly impossible to get wrong, which is why it is so great for pub and restaurant furniture. Mixing and matching furniture as well and clashing colours is all part of shabby chic, so your only limitations are your imagination.

The beginnings of shabby chic 

The origins of shabby chic come from the French country and cottage chic fashions, where distressed and worn furniture and décor is used to a brilliant effect to give a comfortable atmosphere. All the styles give a relaxed feeling that has suited many people looking to unwind at home.

The vintage styles mixed with contemporary fashion and accessories are becoming increasingly more popular as the shabby chic style continues to develop and change. Elegant restaurants and chic pubs are putting their own twists and personalities on shabby chic, improving on it and changing it slowly over time.

After becoming so popular in peoples’ homes, commercial businesses and the hospitality industry wants to recreate the cosy atmosphere in their establishments. The natural progression from homes to pubs and restaurants means that customers are used to the look and feel of rustic commercial furniture.

Shabby Chic Tables

If you’re not sure which interior design style to go for, then shabby chic is the one for you. By using different styles, shapes and sizes of table, even in different colours and tones, you can reduce the costs and hassle of filling a large area.

Let the individuality of the furniture speak for themselves and each different piece of commercial furniture becomes an eye-catching addition to your interior design. Here at Trent Furniture, we have varied ranges of tables available in many different colours and finishes so that even if you fall in love with one style, you can mix the colours to create the shabby chic look.

For a really effective way to enhance your tables, the Solid Oak Table Top can bring a quick rustic look to any table without the need for lots of work. It can be finished in a raw finish to really bring the best out of the wood textures and boost the rustic appeal of your business.

For a softer, Parisian look to your interior, the Shabby Chic Farmhouse Table brings a brilliant mix of light and dark tones with white spindle table legs and walnut table top. The white legs will complement any colour scheme you have and will make an impression on customers when decorated with rustic ornaments.

Shabby Chic Chairs and Seating 

Getting the seating right for your pub or restaurant can be really important for your customers. With shabby chic furniture and old or distressed antique furniture, the seating can be quite uncomfortable. Wobbly chairs and tables are a commonplace among some vintage eateries, while these may add to the charm of the interior, some customers will feel uncomfortable and it will impact on their experience.

Investing in new chairs that bring the shabby chic look to your business and please your customers sounds like a hard task, but Trent Furniture has got you covered. Our great ranges of dining chairs and farmhouse chairs give you the option for hundreds of combinations for different chairs that all give an individual look to the interior design. The Washington Side Chair in White will work really well with a mix of neutral wooden tones or splashes of bold colours for a clash of colours that add to your atmosphere.

For a comfortable shabby chic sofa, the chesterfield is the best choice that will invite your customers to take the weight off their feet. They add a touch of rustic class in any environment and add a wow factor to your seating area.

Shabby Chic Interior Design

Investing in new furniture is a great start to updating the look and ambience of your pub, hotel, bar or restaurant. But having lots of great looking shabby chic furniture could look out of place without the right décor.

A lot of the rustic furniture will have warm and neutral colours that have a lot of soft tones in them. Introducing pastel tones will complement your colours schemes and the bright and soft colours will amplify the light to make your room look and feel bigger.

Remember that shabby chic can be done on any budget. Commercial and industrial fittings and fixtures can be found at very reasonable prices, the rough edges and rough textures of industrial items will accompany the textures in the furniture for a theme that will flow throughout your pub or restaurant.

Recycling old furniture and decorative items is a fantastic way to add to the character of the building, a bit of DIY and a touch of paint can transform any item of furniture into something really interesting. Mix up the old and new commercial furniture for a style that will get your customers talking about your business.

Check out our ranges of shabby chic chairs and tables to help inspire you with rustic creativity.

Finding the right pub table

People love pub tables and here’s why: it’s somewhere for your beer to go.  It’s somewhere that’s your space in what can be a busy and loud environment.  It’s somewhere to relax.  It’s somewhere to lean.  It’s somewhere to put your food or to read a menu.  

It’s somewhere to put your mobile phone in plain sight so that you don’t have to keep getting it out of your pocket or bag to check it.  It’s somewhere to huddle around with your friends or family.  It allows space for business meetings without having to get too cosy on a sofa.

If those aren’t enough reasons (and we could go on!), pub tables also look great.  They complement the seating, utilise space and encourage your customers to take a seat, spending longer in comfort at the pub and even ordering food.

So what makes a pub table look and feel great?

Different types of pub tables

Here are some popular combinations that are regularly ordered together to create a comfortable and relaxed pub environment, whether a pub is modern, traditional, country or gastro.

Round pub tables

Often, round pub tables have smaller surface areas, mainly designed for holding a number of people’s drinks whilst they sit or stand and talk.  The aim is often to fit as many people around a space saving round table as possible.  For a good combination of a round pub table with seating, we think this Round Wellington Pedestal Table is well complemented by round stools like this Tall Shaker Stool.  For lower round tables, we find that tub chairs like this Portobello Tub Chair are a popular and very comfortable option.

Rectangular pub tables

Rectangular pub tables are often the best table for dining – you can fit more people around them, which means more people staying to eat!  Square stools are often the best space saving and comfortable option for rectangular pub tables.  We like this Regular Wellington Table or this Rectangular Rustic Table with either a stool with a sturdy back like this Tall Captains Bar Chair or a stool with an extra comfortable seat, like this Tall Squareback Bar Stool.  

Square pub tables

The beauty of square pub tables is that they’re great for space saving if you’re looking for the ‘couples’ clientele who will come in for a meal and stay for a few hours.  Similarly, they’re great for a couple of mates to sit over a pint or 7, at a space that they can reserve as theirs for the night.  For a traditional look, we like this Square Tudor Table in Dark Oak paired with Straight Leg Mates Chairs.

Coffee tables for pubs

For a super cosy feel, a coffee table can hold a number of drinks and nibbles whilst friends and families sit comfortably on a sofa or chair for hours on end.  A table like our Farmhouse Rectangular Coffee Table would look great with a classic like our Chesterfield Two Seater Sofa.

Pros and cons of having pub tables

The main benefits of having pub tables at your pub is that customers are more likely to stay for longer – they have a place to settle, relax and put their pint.  They are also more likely to take the opportunity to eat at the pub, or at least to have more than one drink.

The main downside is that tables take up space.  If you have a small bar area and no dining facilities, a space saving option like smaller round or square tables with bar stools would work far better than a couple of large tables, which could easily get taken up by a couple and leave groups of friends and families with nowhere to sit.

How much do pub tables cost?

Depending on the type of pub table you are looking for, we can supply your pub with as many pub tables as you need starting from less than £40 per table.  For larger tables, the cost is more likely to be around £85.  For more information, view our range of tables and if you have any questions about which chairs go with which tables, give us a call. 

Where to buy pub tables

Through Trent Furniture of course!

We specialise in furniture for pubs and provide a range of pub tables ideal for pub dining, banqueting and events.  Our tables come in a range of sizes and colours, including light and dark woods such as light oak and walnut, as well as materials like aluminium and laminate.  

With winter now out of the way and warmer weather on the horizon (fingers-crossed) pubs, bars and restaurants will now be looking to their outdoor space to bring in more customers. 

If your establishment is fortunate enough to have outdoor space, there is a great opportunity for owners to increase footfall throughout the spring and summer seasons, but only if it’s done right. Here are some tips:
 

Provide consistent, attentive service 

A common reason to avoid eating outside for visitors is the slow service. Research by Hospitality GEM shows that 48 per cent of visitors claim slow or poor service puts them off eating outside. With such a high percentage of people having this impression, it’s vital to get the service right. Ensure that there is an adequate number of staff on shift and make it clear if it is table or self-service. 

Give diners space

Research shows that 42 per cent of families with children will use outdoor space for dining. Families like outdoor areas as it gives them the chance to move around more freely. Make sure you arrange the furniture to allow space in between tables for pets and pushchairs which often accompany families. Having an area with toys and games will keep the children engaged and help parents to relax.

Provide clean eating areas

With lots of elements to battle against, outdoor furniture needs to be able to withstand the weather. Not only does furniture need to be long-standing, it also needs to be well maintained. For simple instructions on how best to clean your furniture, see here. Furniture can also be protected by providing ashtrays and napkins.

Choosing your furniture

There are a number of options available when selecting outdoor furniture, but research shows that 72 per cent of people prefer dining tables over the 21 per cent who like picnic tables. However, with outdoor space, there is no one-size-fits-all. All spaces vary, and for that reason you need to choose furniture that fits with your style and the space that you have available.

One thing is certain though, no matter how much of an optimist you are: rain is likely. Remember to provide adequate coverage should the weather take a turn for the worse and have a few outdoor heaters to make sure customers stay well into the evening.

Trent Furniture’s extensive outdoor furniture range has something for every pub and restaurant. Browse through our outdoor chairs, tables and stools now and get your venue ready for the finer weather. 

If you’re considering sprucing up your hotel with a touch of luxury, what better way than with a Chesterfield sofa!  It can be mixed in with modern interiors for a touch of class and elegance, or added to a traditional room for the finishing touch in sophistication.  Wherever you put a Chesterfield sofa, one thing is for sure - it adds style.

Where do hotels use Chesterfield sofas?

You’ve decided your hotel needs a Chesterfield sofa (great choice!) but in case you’re not sure where it should go to best complement the interior of your hotel, here are some great ideas from UK hotels for Chesterfield sofa inspiration:

Chesterfield sofas for a hotel lobby:

 
As with almost everything else in life, first impressions count.  A Chesterfield sofa in a hotel lobby gives an immediate impression of quality and luxury.  Where could be better for someone to wait and take in their surroundings whilst their other half parks the car or gets the room key, than a comfortable, stylish, hard wearing Chesterfield sofa? 

The other benefit of having a Chesterfield sofa in a hotel lobby, rather than a fabric sofa for example, is if people are carrying drinks with them or come into the hotel out of the rain, the material is far less likely to stain or be damaged by liquids.

For style inspiration, a classic example of a Chesterfield sofa being used in a hotel lobby is at the Chesterfield Mayfair in London.  

Chesterfield sofas for a cottage or apartment hotel:

If your hotel offers penthouses, apartments or is even a cottage, having a Chesterfield sofa within the rooms adds a level of grandeur and stylish comfort that no fabric sofa could achieve.  Take the rooms at the Old Chapel House in Barnoldswick, Lancashire as an example.  Mixing modern and traditional styles, the use of Chesterfield sofas creates a character that perfectly complements the attractiveness of its grand country cottage atmosphere.

Chesterfield sofas for hotel bedrooms:

If your hotel has rooms that are large enough for sofas, you have the perfect opportunity to use those rooms as your hotel’s luxury or executive suites.  What better way to convey extravagance than to include a Chesterfield sofa in a hotel room?  It certainly makes a hotel room look more attractive on a booking website.  The rooms at Stoke Park Country Club Spa & Hotel provide an excellent example of how a luxury room is styled  by the inclusion of a Chesterfield sofa.

Chesterfield sofas for hotel event rooms:

With our experience of working with hotels across the UK, we know that luxury hotels prefer furniture that reflects the standard and quality of their hotels.  After all, seminars, weddings and other events regularly held at hotels are often what first brings people to the hotel.  It’s after that first visit that many people decide to book and can turn into guests that return year after year.

Similar to a hotel’s lobby, event rooms are important for setting  the sorts of standards that guests can expect from the rest of the hotel.  Once again, the Chesterfield Mayfair in London shows how adding a Chesterfield sofa (or several) can really improve the opulence in a hotel event room in its library event room.

How much do Chesterfield sofas cost?

You don’t have to be a large luxury hotel to afford a Chesterfield sofa.  Trent Furniture are hotel furniture specialists and sell both two and three seater Chesterfield sofas, which would add a touch of class to any hotel interior, for under £300.  For more information, visit the sofa section on our website.

There are many influencers that decide whether a restaurant will be profitable. Obvious factors include demand for the cuisine, variable costs and marketing efforts. However, one area that is often over looked is the ambience of the restaurant itself.

Importance of restaurant interiors for business success

Studies have shown that restaurant atmosphere can affect how much/fast customers eat, how much they spend, how long they stay and if they decide to return. If a restaurant creates the right kind of ambience, customers will feel comfortable and enjoy their experience at your restaurant. 

Judgement is made on an establishment’s décor before anything else. The quality and style of the furniture should reflect the price of the restaurant: a high quality design will echo the establishment’s prices. In a restaurant with certain pieces of furniture such as sofas, this suggests a relaxed environment, prompting customers to unwind and stay for longer periods. The following interior design elements are areas which can be altered to change the experience you provide.
 

Lighting and music in commercial spaces

Lighting will create the atmosphere for each table. It plays a strong supporting role in creating a brand. Restaurants featuring bright lighting encourage quick eating, just think of fast food establishments. In comparison, restaurants which are softly or dimly lit encourage customers to relax. 

It is also important to match the music with the lighting of the restaurant. A study found that guests who dined in a softly lit environment consumed less food, however they lingered longer, making additional orders. Sound in restaurants also had the same outcome, loud and popular music promoted faster eating whilst slower tempo music helps diners to relax.

Colour schemes for dining

Colour schemes again need to match your restaurant type. The colour choice can affect the way customers perceive your restaurant. Reds, yellows and other bright colours are commonly used in quick turnover food establishments whereas dark colours are used to create a more intimate, romantic feeling as they make rooms look smaller.

Comfortable eating

Customers’ comfort is vital in improving the diners’ experience. The use of quality tables and chairs help to create comfort but the spacing of the furniture is equally important. Spacing can prompt customers’ decisions, for example a fast turnaround can be created by placing people in the middle of the room. It has been found that this makes people eat quicker. Whilst it is essential to make sure spaces aren’t cramped, there needs to be enough seating available to create a profit. 
 
Ultimately, each restaurant will have different needs and requirements. In smaller places, the opportunity may be more limited, but it is nearly always possible to alter the ambience of a space with careful manipulation of design elements.

Whatever interior your restaurant is looking to create, Trent Furniture can help. Call us now on 0116 2864 911.