With summer on it’s way nothing beats a good old Spring clean, and with long lazy sun-drenched lunches being one of our personal highlights of the brighter season, what better place to start than the dining room.
We’re continuing our blogger styling series with Deborah Gordon, the brilliant blogger behind leading lifestyle blog Ollie & Seb’s Haus. With Scandi charm in abundance and an eye for finding the most beautiful of accessories to really bring a look to life, we asked Deborah to work her magic on our Clayton table and bench set. The solid oak legs, and oak veneer table top bring instant elegance and a neutral balance to the room and - taking our lead from Deborah - adding indulgent sheepskin and cool grey hues creates a stunning and super on-trend Scandinavian feel. Teamed with brilliant white walls and a washed wooden floor, this look is sure to stand the test of time.
We chat to Deborah about her influences and interior style…
Talk us through your dining style
My dining style is very relaxed and I like to keep things simple. When I am cooking everyday we tend to just use our dinning table very simply. But when I am entertaining I like to dress it up a little, but still keeping it simple. I like to use my ceramic dishes to sit in the middle of the table, for people to help their shelves. I also introduce candles for soft light and a bunch of flowers, preferable a lot of green foliage on the table.
What is the key to a usable yet beautiful dining space?
The main key is having a big enough table that will fit your family and also fit if you have guest over. I don’t like the space to feel cluttered; there is nothing worse than people trying to squeeze into their chairs. Maybe a sideboard to keep your best dishes in, or a drinks cabinet.
What does a standard mealtime look like in the Ollie & Seb’s Haus-hold?
I would be lying if I said it was relaxed, it’s usually a little crazy with the kids. They usually get feed first as my husband comes home a little later and I tend to eat with him but they will be hanging around and we cant really chat as they want to tell their dad about their day. During the week it is so busy that I like to make sure the weekend is more relaxed and slower. We make the effort to all sit down for breakfast and dinner and chat what we would like to do for the day.
Your home must be a treasure trove of inspiration and design. What is your favourite item?
My favourite item in my home is a big drinks cabinet that I inherited; it holds a lot of memories for me.
How would you sum up your interiors style in 3 words?
Nordic, clean, Modern vintage (hopefully the look I am going for in our new home) mix between old and new.
What can we expect from O&SH in 2016?
We have recently just purchased our first home so we have a lot of work to do in making it our own. A lot of decisions have to be made and a lot of patience (from me) but I am hoping to document through my blog and also show different ideas I have, and maybe my readers can help me along the way.
Choose from one of our Clayton dining set combinations and add your own stamp to recreate Deborah’s look at home.
Be sure to share your dining room styles with us on Instagram - @outandoutorignal
Happy styling!