Antique dining tables and chairs Archives

Settee Dining | Integrating comfort & style in modern homes

Categories: Articles, Blog, Style|Tags: Adding antiques to contemporary spaces, Antique dining tables and chairs, Mix antiques with modern decor, settee dining, The Crown Collection decor store|

As dining spaces evolve to accommodate modern living, it’s exciting to see antique items step in as designer options. Settee dining is at the heart of this change, creating the cosy, inviting feel of a living room with the functionality of a dining area.

Dining is more than eating; it’s about gathering, sharing, and making memories. Settee dining adds soul to a space and transforms any meal into a comfortable experience.

The décor trend of adding a settee as part of your dining seating options is transforming these spaces in modern homes, especially when choosing antique settees to bring character and sophistication.

What is settee dining?

Simply put, it involves using a settee or smaller sofa as seating at the dining table; on one or both sides. This unique seating alternative offers a plush, comfortable alternative to conventional dining chairs or wooden benches, lending any dining room or eat-in kitchen table configuration a more relaxed, intimate look.

Why settee dining works in modern spaces

As conversation starters, antique settees boast intricate woodwork, fine upholstery, and distinct shapes; bringing unique character and history that modern pieces often can’t replicate, By thoughtfully blending comfort with aesthetics, settee dining has emerged as an elegant way to elevate a dining area. It’s also a style that effortlessly integrates old-world charm, especially by integrating antique settee options.

A brief history of settee dining furniture

Settees have been in use since the early days of aristocratic interiors, where comfort and class were paramount. These furniture pieces were initially crafted for sitting rooms but have found a new ‘upcycled’ purpose in today’s dining rooms. Their style has evolved to suit modern sensibilities, from ornate Victorian settees to sleek, contemporary designs.

The benefits of settee dining in contemporary homes

Enhanced comfort for relaxed dining

Adding a settee to a dining area creates a welcoming space in homes with open-plan layouts. A settee allows diners to relax, lean back, and enjoy long meals in a more informal setting, making it perfect for hosting family and friends.

Space efficiency for smaller dining areas

For smaller dining spaces, settees can be a space-saving solution. A well-sized settee can accommodate more people without requiring individual chairs, maximizing seating without overwhelming the room.

Aesthetic versatility

Settees come in various styles, making it easy to find one that matches your décor or adapts to your style. Whether your home has a classic, rustic, or modern aesthetic, a settee can blend seamlessly into the design.

Settee dining in various interiors

French-style | Classic elegance and comfort

A French-style settee with wood detailing or tufted upholstery can enhance a traditional space’s timeless appeal. Pair it with a dark wood table to create an atmosphere of sophistication or a light, bleached table for a casual décor dining narrative.

Modern, minimalist style | Streamlined sophistication

For modern spaces, a streamlined, low-back settee in a neutral colour can add an element of warmth without disrupting the room’s simplicity. Choose sleek designs with clean lines for a minimalist approach.

Bohemian and eclectic styles | Bold patterns and colours

Bohemian and eclectic interiors allow for more vibrant choices. A patterned antique settee can act as a striking contrast and a statement piece, drawing attention and adding character to the dining area. For a curated, layered look, have fun mixing different styles of dining chairs with a settee.

Key considerations for choosing a settee

Sizing | Finding the perfect fit

When adding a settee to your dining area, sizing is crucial. Ensure it fits comfortably with your table, leaving enough space for movement and other seating options.

Material choices | Upholstery and finishes

The upholstery should be durable and easy to clean, especially in a dining space where spills are common. Leather, microfiber, and performance fabrics are all good options.

Colour and fabric selection

Choose colours that either complement or contrast with your existing decor. For a subtle look, neutrals are ideal, while bold colours can make the settee a focal point.

Durability and maintenance tips

Settees in dining rooms need to withstand frequent use. Opt for high-quality, durable fabrics, and consider using slipcovers to protect from wear and tear.

Settee dining options from The Crown Collection décor store

For those looking to create a dining experience beyond the ordinary, our hand-picked collection of settees combines style, story and comfort.

Whether you opt for an elaborate decorative design or a simpler antique version, a settee added to your dining table will always fit beautifully into a modern interior.

Browse our curated selection of antique settees. (Our in-house restorers can also stain, bleach, gild or paint antique pieces to achieve your preferred finish).

Chic harmony | Settee dining with a French twist

Categories: Articles, Blog, Style|Tags: Antique chairs, Antique dining tables and chairs, Antique settees, dining tables, French-style chairs, French-style settees|

The art of creating relaxed and welcoming social spaces is an invitation to relook at your dining table setup. Settee dining introduces a less formal approach to home decor. Suppose you don’t have a separate dining room, and your kitchen doubles as your meal-gathering space. In that case, the trend of mixing dining sofas with occasional antique chairs around the table is a popular design option.

French-style settees and occasional chairs perfectly fit in a contemporary setting to incorporate settee dining within a more contemporary design brief.

The chic impact of a settee in interior design

The distinction between a settee and a sofa lies in their functionality and their visual impact within a space. While both provide seating, the nuanced differences – in size, formality, and overall aesthetic – contribute to their unique roles in shaping the ambience of interior spaces.

A settee – often characterized by its compact size and more upright but ornately carved backrest – exudes an intimate charm, making it an ideal choice for smaller living areas, cosy corners and dining tables. Plain wood or upholstered French-style settees complement multiple interior styles and pair beautifully with a variety of chair styles across the table. (Although a settee can make its mark in a living room, a sofa is unlikely to make it as a seating option at your dining table).

The art of settee dining with a mix-and-match flair

The interior design concept of mixing and matching has become a trend that transcends eras and styles. One of the most intriguing expressions of this trend is the fusion of settee dining with a diverse array of seating options around any shape of table.

Take a contemporary or classic dining room table, choose two statement chairs for each end, and then flank one side with a French-style settee and the other with an eclectic ensemble of antique chairs. (upholstered, gilded or rattan).

It’s a dance between tradition and modernity, creating an ambience that invites gathering, dining and conversation moments.

The decor story moments of settee dining

Offering an undeniably striking juxtaposition, the fusion of an antique French-style settee, with more modern seating options makes the settee a focal point; fostering an opportunity for guests to linger longer and creating an intimate atmosphere of warmth and conviviality.

A thoughtful collection and arrangement of antique and contemporary chairs paired with a French-style settee becomes the setting for each chair to boast its artisanal character and tell its own story. This all contributes to the narrative of your dining space.

This timeless blend of old and new creates a sense of history and nostalgia. And the patina of aged wood against the clean lines of modernity is a design marriage that speaks volumes.

The charm of rattan as a settee dining focal point

Incorporating rattan pieces into the mix provides a beautiful twist when it comes to settee dining options. Incorporating a rattan settee or rattan chairs celebrates the simplicity, craftsmanship and ‘earthiness’ of natural materials in your seating design.

The organic texture and lightweight nature of rattan furniture provide a delightful visual contrast to the solid form of a contemporary table and solid-backed chair or settee counterparts.

Successfully meeting the relaxed social brief, rattan settees and chairs effortlessly bridge the gap between indoor and outdoor aesthetics, infusing any dining space with an informal statement.

Let French-style pieces take centre stage

French-style chairs and settees – with their graceful curves and intricate details – bring a touch of relaxed romance to your dining experience. Place them strategically around the table, allowing their timeless elegance to complement the clean lines of modern dining spaces. ‘Mixing and matching’ the charm of French-style pieces with contemporary minimalism creates an ambience that is both sophisticated and inviting.

The key to successfully executing settee dining with mixed seating lies in the art of balance. Harmonize the visual elements by choosing a common thread, whether it be colour, material, or style. Perhaps a consistent upholstery fabric ties the diverse chairs together, or maybe a shared wood finish unifies the ensemble. This cohesion allows for the ‘mix-and-match’ approach to feel intentional and seamless.

Settee dining – with a mix-and-match approach – is an ode to personal expression and creative flair that is both timeless and avant-garde

The Crown Collection

With its inherent charm and sense of intimate luxury, settee dining breaks away from traditional norms, offering a refreshing departure from the conventional dining chair setup.

The first step to transforming your dining experience with a settee option is to visit The Crown Collection, South Africa’s largest décor store showcasing an extensive range of antique, French-style and contemporary furniture.

Browse all our settee options online or visit us in-store at 20 Ballyclare Drive, Bryanston, for a fully immersive experience.

Antique extendable dining tables | Place for everyone

Categories: Articles, Blog, Style|Tags: Antique dining tables and chairs, Antique extension tables, Extendable dining tables, Extending drop-leaf dining tables|

There are dining room tables and then there are extendable dining room tables. Our belief is that furniture choices play a pivotal role when it comes to interior design and creating stylish spaces that speak to longevity and practicality. And so, if you happen to come across an antique extension dining table, grab it with both hands! The double-duty, win-win functionality of these pieces means they will fit perfectly in a smaller space but have the wonderful potential to seat more when an occasion or celebration demands or when unexpected guests arrive for dinner.

An extension dining table is an invitation to gather and an investment that you will wonder how you ever lived without.

The practicality of extendable tables

The aesthetic value of antique extendable tables – besides their clever craftsmanship and design mechanisms – is in their artisanal variety.

Drop-leaf extension tables feature hinged leaves that can be folded down when not in use. They can be easily extended by lifting the leaves which provide additional surface area for dining or other activities.
Boasting a distinctive trestle-style base with a removable leaf (or leaves) that can be added to the centre of the table, trestle extension tables offer stability and flexibility whenever the need arises to host additional guests.
A gateleg extension table is characterised by hinged legs that swing out to support the extended leaves making them ideal for large gatherings.
Butterfly leaf extension tables have a unique self-storing mechanism; the leaf is folded and hidden beneath the table’s surface and can be easily unfolded and locked into place when extra seating is required.

The benefits of extendable tables

From an intimate dinner for two or a cosy supper for four to hosting a festive gathering that accommodates more, these pieces of furniture will support all your socialising needs.

In smaller homes or apartments, extension dining tables become a game changer, offering you the opportunity to maximise your seating space and have everyone over (when necessary) and retract to their smaller size when guests have gone, giving you back your space.

Coming in a broad range of shapes, sizes and materials, you can either harmonize with your existing decor or take your room design in a completely new direction. And whatever extending table you do decide on, they also become the ideal surface to showcase tablecloths or table runners or to display your tablescaping creativity.

(If you are partial to a large dining table and would love an antique refectory table but just don’t have the space, then an extension table becomes a wonderful alternative).

The beauty of extendable tables

Antique extension tables can be seamlessly incorporated into modern spaces, creating a captivating fusion of old and new. Not only do they offer wonderful versatility in seating and room arrangement for dining rooms and kitchens, but they also come in a wide range of designs, materials and styles, upping their timeless decor potential to mix and match antiques with modern styles of furniture.

Giving your dining room or kitchen the wow factor simply comes down to showcasing the craftsmanship of a bygone area with an antique extension table. And from an investment perspective, these coveted pieces of antique furniture are highly sought after.

No matter what your personal interior style is – modern sleek, minimalist simplicity, traditional elegance, or French farmhouse rustic, you can take your pick at the Crown Collection. From a Mid-Century French-Style Regency extendable dining room table or an antique Baroque extending dining table to a Victorian Mahogany (fourteen to sixteen seater) dining table with five extension leaves, our curated collection will suit your design preference, space constraints and budget, and elevate the overall ambience of your home.

With their varied designs, decorative detailing, materials and patinas, extension tables will always become an elegant focal point (and conversation piece) in your dining room, no matter how many guests you are hosting.

Pop in at the Crown Collection to browse our coveted selection of antique extendable tables online or in-store at 20 Ballyclare Drive, Bryanston.

‘A Match Made in Heaven’ – Antique & Modern Dining Tables & Chairs

Categories: Articles, Blog|Tags: Antique & modern tables and chairs, Antique dining tables and chairs, Contemporary dIning tables & chairs, Mixing contemporary and antique furniture, Modern dining tables & chairs|

Can you mix traditional and contemporary furniture? Our most recent blog answered that with an emphatic “YES!” Pairing modern and antique furniture is one of the easiest ways to add interest and simple luxury to your home. And it doesn’t get easier than mixing and matching antique and modern tables and chairs in your dining space. It’s all about adding story and intrigue, with a touch of the eclectic, as you throw the rule book out the window.

A separate or open plan dining space deserves special design attention as it is a place where social gatherings occur and where memories are made around food and community. A table and chairs are the centrepieces of any dining space and they need to fill the room with presence and personality.

A nod to the past and a respect for the present make mixing and matching contemporary and antique furniture a bold decor decision that will result in defining showpieces.

An antique table with modern chairs

One of the biggest current decor trends is a statement piece with contrasting pieces. The dining room is a well-defined space to pull this off and apply your design objectives. There is no denying the investment value of an antique or vintage dining table. So, how do you bring your heirloom Victorian mahogany or Mid-Century French Style Regency dining room table into the 21st century? The simplest way is by adding clear acrylic chairs (aka ghost chairs). The result keeps the table as the hero piece by adding a modern minimalist element. What is not to love about this look? It is practical, stylish and allows you to play with table setting elements and a variety of decor accessories.

Of course, ghost chairs may be pushing you a little too far out of your design comfort zone and that is ok – there are other successful ways of mixing an antique or vintage table with modern chairs

The mixed classic/contemporary aesthetic can be a little more subtle with wooden chairs with velvet, floral or striped upholstery designs, or a little more refined with simple mid-century modern wooden chairs. Otherwise, embrace your eclectic side with sculptured plastic chairs, or low-profile wire or metal chairs for a bolder yet relaxed industrial impact.. And if you prefer a comfortable farm-style feel, pair contemporary chairs plus a bench with a rustic vintage wooden table.

Whatever you love will work as antique tables and modern chairs will have you dining in style. It is all about your personal style and taste and creating a talking point.

A modern table with antique chairs

If your decor personality leans towards a more contemporary scheme, mixed-era design is a wonderful way to play with design pieces and slowly introduce antique pieces into your contemporary spaces. Vintage and antique chairs become wonderful supporting actors to a modern focal point table, adding a touch of warmth, interest and depth, and completely transforming your look with a nostalgic timelessness and a sentimental counterbalance.

The joy of mixing and matching a contemporary table with antique chairs offers you so many style options – from iconic Mid-century wishbone or Eames chairs and early American style ladder back chairs to Chinese yoke chairs, gilded Louis XVI chairs and bustle back Victorian chairs and any type of chair in between.

Shopping for modern and antique furniture will give you the opportunity to be like Goldilocks and find just the right ones to smarten up any modern wooden, painted, glass, marble, or cement dining room table.

The Crown Collection

Mixing a variety of antique and modern furniture will add personality and timeless character to your design story. Creating the atmosphere and look you love for your dining room starts at The Crown Collection, South Africa’s finest and largest interior decor store. With over 5000 pieces of stylish decorative antique, French, vintage, and contemporary furniture and accessories, timeless quality and extensive choice are at your fingertips.

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An antique table with modern chairs

A modern table with antique chairs

The Crown Collection

Find your perfect antique or modern table and chairs by shopping online or visiting our studio at 20 Ballyclare Drive, Bryanston.