🟤 Buying Guide

The dining room is no longer a “formal” space anymore. It is a place where family, friends, and others (including pets!) spend time together. Whether it be enjoying delicious food, having fun with activities, working on school/home projects, dining areas in many households have since become a multi-purpose space. This is where Old World New Style comes -  we can help you make your OWNS home!

• The decor style of a room is defined by a number of things - the colors, the patterns, the era and style of the accessories, and more. But the room itself is mostly defined by the furniture that we choose to put in it. Sofas, coffee tables, and loveseats make a living room, beds make a bedroom, and dining furniture makes a dining room

• More often than not dining room furniture will consist of a table, chairs, and a buffet or sideboard. Depending on the size of the room there can be more pieces, but very rarely is there less

• Buying the right dining room furniture is a big part of getting the look that you want and the functionality that you need. And a big part of your dining room set is going to be getting the right buffet or sideboard

Dining room furniture is often available in sets, and if you choose to purchase one, you won't have to worry about the sizes not relating to each other. However, if you prefer a more eclectic look, you'll want to be sure that the pieces work together in scale, if not in style.

• Think about what you'll be putting away and displaying in the area you have now, and consider the space you have to work with.

• Small Collection - if you are building your dining room a little at a time with the basic essentials, a Sideboard Or Buffet Table is all you need.

• Large Collection - if you have a big collection of dinnerware, a full-size China Cabinet will better suit your needs.

• Widths and depths of dining room buffets will vary, but make sure that it balances with everything else in the room. A huge table accompanied by a small buffet will look a bit disjointed, as will a small table with a very large buffet.

• The most important thing to do when choosing dining room furniture, whether it's a sideboard, display cabinet, or something else is to make sure that it's functional for your household and serves your needs.

OPEN VS. CLOSED STORAGE

If you are on the formal side when it comes to dining room furniture, it might be a better idea to go with closed storage (meaning a piece with solid doors). Closed storage is also easier because you don't have to worry about displaying the items within nicely. You can leave it a mess and close the doors.

A sideboard or buffet that consists of open shelving is airier and has a lighter feeling than a heavy, closed piece, but should you choose to use one keep in mind that you'll have to keep the things stored on the shelves looking nice. Given that people's formal china and linens are often very nice, this isn't necessarily a tough thing to do, but keep it in mind when shopping.

If you're having a tough time deciding between the two you might want to consider a piece with glass doors. They're not as visually heavy as solid doors, and they still cover some of the items inside, so you get the best of both worlds.

STYLES

Wondering which trendsetter you are? We’ve compiled a list of the most trending styles in home furnishings! What’s your OWN Style?

Contemporay/Modern
Shiny glass or metal pieces and geometric prints are some of the hallmarks of contemporary design. Contemporary and modern styles are similar (sleek, clean-lined, minimalistic), but contemporary furniture typically has more of a rounded silhouette and a generally more comfortable feel. Neutral color palettes are often paired with abstract art and bold accessories.

Features:

• Geometric prints
• Acrylics/ Lucite accents

Transitional
A Transitional style that is the ideal mix of conventional and contemporary accents. Minimalist design, modern look paired with wood classics.

Can’t decide between the elegant formality of a traditional style and the more casual vibe of contemporary design? Consider transitional style, which blends the two. The furniture features simple curves and straight lines; to give the room character, blend a variety of textures in a largely neutral color palette.

Features:

• Oversize patterns and medallions
• Simple, streamlined silhouettes
• Soft neutral palette (cream, beige, brown, gray)

Traditional
Ageless. Exquisite. Classic. Timeless pieces that grow with you in the present and future. Structured designs, neutral tones, and classic silhouettes will make you feel right at home.

Traditional style is, as its name suggests, the foundation from which other styles have evolved. Old World craftsmanship (elaborate hand-carved details, delicate nail-head trim) is paired with hardwoods and luxe fabrics like velvet and silk. Queen Anne, Regency, and Rococo are examples of traditional style.

Features:

• Dark woods, often with carved detailing (spindles, medallions, barley twists)
• Rich colors (red, brown, cream, blue, green)
• Curved silhouettes
• Linen, silk, and velvet upholstery
• Skirted, tailored, and wingback styles
• Contrast welts, piping, and tufting
• Delicate nail-head trim
• Floral prints and patterns

Rustic
A rustic style combines the rugged, earthy feel of wood and stone with the warmth and comfort of fireplaces and upholstered furniture pieces. Rustic elements are warm and cozy (nubby fabrics and wool throws).

Features:

• Stone accents and details
• Relaxed linen and leather
• Color palette that’s warm and earthy (reds, oranges, browns)
• Unfinished iron details
• Unfinished or weathered woods
• Storage baskets

When it comes to Rustic furniture, it’s all in the details. Picture materials that only get better with age, like wood and rich leather. For an authentic feel, go with pieces in neutral tones. With plenty of furniture options, it’s easy to add a touch of rustic style to every room.

Industrial Modern
One of the more urban styles, industrial modern is inspired by the look of old factories, emphasizing architectural details and materials normally hidden from view. Exposed pipes, old brick and concrete floors. Furniture elements include steel, iron, weathered wood, and visible bolts and screwheads. Clean lines lend a utilitarian yet edgy feel. An industrial modern design approach is particularly well suited to an open concept or loft living.

Features:

• Chrome, steel, iron accents
• Hardware details
• Unfinished or weathered wood
• Tailored silhouettes
• Rustic nail-head trim
• Open shelving

Farmhouse
The Farmhouse style is light and bright and more open. Often viewed as “breezy” in style. (White shiplap, pale linen and cotton, gingham and faded floral prints).

Features:

• Raw, white-washed, and painted woods
• Relaxed linen and cotton
• Simple, unadorned silhouettes
• Natural materials
• Pale, nature-inspired palette (white, cream, robin’s-egg blue, pink, soft green)
• Delicate florals, gingham, and ticking stripes

Mid-Century Modern
A mid-century modern look is defined by super-clean lines and overall minimalism. The style utilizes many materials that were not traditionally used for furniture, including metal and molded plastic, which results in a sleek, functional aesthetic that still feels current and relevant today. Many of the most iconic furniture pieces in the world are of mid-century design, including Eames chairs and Saarinen tables.

Features:

• Simplistic silhouettes, largely straight lines with minimal curves
• Turned or straight “peg” leg
• Metal, glass, vinyl, fiberglass, plexiglass, and Lucite
• Muted earthy tones mixed with bold pops of primary color
• Shallow tufting
• Geometric patterns

European Heritage
A subset of the Traditional style, European Heritage is feminine yet stately, elegant yet inviting. Louis-style chairs, sunburst mirrors and toile prints are some of the most common elements. Other accents: cabriole legs and exposed wood frames with carved details, whitewashed finishes, pale upholstery, woven rush seats and grain-sack pillows.

Features:

• Exposed carved-wood frames
• Feminine silhouettes
• Louis-style chairs, settees and sofas
• Crystal and gilded accents
• Antiqued mirrors
• Pastel color palette
• Linen, ticking, velvet and grain-sack fabrics 

Chances are, any new piece of furniture you buy will have to do quite a bit of traveling through your home to get to its intended location. Will it fit? Is there enough clearance to get through all the doors and hallways? Here are the measuring guidelines you need to know to make furniture-moving day go smoothly.

To make sure it will fit through various areas of your home, you need to know the piece of furniture’s exact dimensions. Follow this guide for the measuring how-to's.

Doorways

• Measure from the floor to the top of the doorway (height).
• Measure between the narrowest parts of the doorway’s width (inside the doorjambs).
• Measure the amount of room from the doorway to the nearest opposite wall in the hallway.

Stairways

• Measure from the lowest ceiling area to the site directly under this point.
• Measure between the narrowest positions of the stairway (probably from the handrail to handrail or handrail to wall).

Door Clearance/Hallways

Pay special attention to door clearance, and make sure you consider a hallway’s tight corners. In some cases, a door opens into a hall that immediately turns left or right —you need to measure that area to make sure your furniture can clear that corner.

Stairway Landings

• Measure from the landing’s floor to the ceiling (height).
• Measure between the two narrowest portions of the landing’s width.
• Measure between the two narrowest portions of the landing’s depth.

Remove Obstacles
If you don’t remove unnecessary items (kids’ toys, pet gear and toys, knick-knacks) from the route ahead of time, the installation process can become cumbersome. Also, take special care around pictures on walls or ceiling light fixtures to avoid bumping or jostling them.

Helpful Considerations

Corners can be visually deceiving, so you may have to get creative (“We can hold this dresser vertically for a few moments, right?”) or consider disassembling the piece to get the job done.

Check Elevator Size & Space
Live in an apartment or other building with multiple floors? Don’t forget to measure the size of your elevator! It’s another part of measuring that entire path from the front door to the final place. Plan on measuring both the doorway and the interior of the elevator.

Measure Twice, Move Once
Checking dimensions a second time is the best way to avoid making a mistake. Make sure you mark the dimensions clearly to keep track of which is which (width, depth, and height).