Blog

2020 Trends in Dining Room and Kitchen Furniture

With a new decade comes new and updated trends, especially in interior design and home furnishings. If you’re looking to spruce up your space, you may need a few inspired ideas for your home.

Dining and kitchen furniture are always evolving and becoming more stylish and functional to make a house feel more like home, while also reflecting your personal style.

Below are a few of our favorite trends for your kitchen and dining space this year that will remain in style even beyond 2020.

Large Statement Dining Tables

With homeowners putting much of their savings into building their dream home, this leaves them wanting to spend more time at home and less time spending money dining out. Family dinners and dinner parties with friends means that you need a great space for entertaining. Don’t skimp on a small table; large dining tables seating six or more people in a dining room are coming back in style for quality time at home.

Mismatched Chairs

Although this isn’t a new trend, it’s one that will never go out of style. Pick up different styles and colors of chairs in similar heights and sizes for your dining room seating. Not only does this give you more bang for the buck, it also makes your dining space pop with an eclectic and distinct space that is truly yours.

Bold Monochrome Rooms

Monochrome is really having its moment right now and can look great in your kitchen and dining spaces. Aligning the colors of your walls, artwork, tables and chairs within the room can make this space stand out in a way that is not only beautiful, but also photographable. Instead of gray on gray or tons of tan like we’ve seen in the past, the newer monochrome trend tends towards bolder colors. Think cobalt blue, mustard yellow or hunter green.

Combine the Old With the New

Who says that you can only entirely decorate with antiques or all new furniture store-bought styles? Mixing old pieces from local shops with newly purchased pieces helps to showcase your individual style with statement pieces. Try finding an antique sideboard to pair with your dining room table, chairs and bench for a modern farmhouse feel.

Bring the Outdoors Indoors

Hanging plants, living walls and other big potted plants belong in your common spaces, especially in kitchens and dining areas. Some of our favorite beautiful and low-maintenance indoor plants are Ficus trees, the Spider Plant, Pothos plant, Philodendron, and of course the easiest of all if you live in a dry climate, cacti and succulents. Plus, studies show that feeling more connected to nature and greenery sparks more creativity, so get those plants in your kitchen and start creating new recipes in your kitchen!

Kitchen is the Heart of the Home

We all know that the kitchen is the heart of the home. The necessity for nourishment is complemented by our desire for companionship with family and friends as we eat. Victorian era home design reflected the greater formality of that age. The rooms in houses were smaller, often more numerous and were used for specific limited purposes. The kitchen was a distinctly separate part of the house as was the formal dining area. After World War II, designers began to favor the open kitchen concept for houses. Open designs permitted interaction and flow between the kitchen, dining area and living spaces. The “island,” with its informal seating for smaller groups or family has become a mainstay feature. Dining areas have also become less formal with many opening up to both the kitchen and living areas.

Celebration

When family and friends come together, we tend to celebrate with our favorite and most elaborate cuisine. This tradition has its roots deep in the past, when community feasts often signified deliverance from times of scarcity. Feasts and harvest festivals announced and symbolized survival and prosperity. In ancient days, dining rooms of castles were often huge and far away from the kitchen due to the danger of kitchen fires. But many working-class people had no dining rooms at all. In Victorian times, formal dining areas became the norm for the well-to-do. This involved elaborate and beautiful dining furniture and dining ware, which was often left on display. Some people still enjoy this formality, while others tend toward the more casual, but still elegant, dining areas and furniture of modern design.

Family Activities

Many homes now feature bars or islands off an open kitchen, where smaller groups of the family can gather for comfortable, informal meals. These areas also offer barstools for additional seating capacity when special occasions arise. Islands have become favorite places for children and teenagers to study or play games. Before the coming of the mobile phone, these islands (and bars or peninsulas) were often the communication hub of the home, with access to kitchen and living areas and a phone strategically placed. In this way, whoever was busy preparing food could cook and socialize or supervise children at the same time. Before the open concept became fashionable, the cook was often isolated from family, friends, and entertainment.

Dining Furniture Trends

Along with the open concept, various dining furniture trends have appeared. To mention a few: Smaller, less formal, dinette sets are often used for breakfast nooks. Partial bench seating has become a useful dining room alternative to chairs. Dining decor has become less stuffy and more playful for many. Bolder colors and designs are more common. Mixed chairs and other combinations of modern, rustic and traditional dining furniture are being explored, although the traditional and formal are still viable choices. Whatever changes in dining and kitchen furniture design may lie ahead, however, it’s a very safe bet that the kitchen will always remain the heart of the home.

Dining Furniture Design Tips for Entertaining This Holiday Season

With the holiday season upon us, now is the perfect time to upgrade your dining room furniture. Shopping for dining furniture is more exciting than ever, too, with a host of new trends that will give your entertaining space a punch of excitement and vibrancy.

The best dining furniture is functional, comfortable, durable and aesthetically pleasing. Today’s dining furniture shoppers can find everything from timeless classics to the latest trends in furniture and decor. We’ve rounded up four of the trendiest dining room looks for 2019 and 2020, so you can get ready for a season of entertaining in style and comfort.

Dark wood to bring elegance and drama

Your dining room table is a focal point. Make a bold statement with dark wood but mix it up a bit with contrasting table legs or lighter shades for upholstery on the chairs. Dark wood such as oxidized oak, espresso brown and painted black adds warmth to a room and works well as a backdrop for bright whites and light creams in dinnerware, artwork, chairs and other pieces.

This look works well because the rich look of dark wood evokes older, more formal furniture styles but the contrast also fits well in modern design.

Mixed-up seating to add depth and variety

There are no rules with dining room chairs and no better example than how manufacturers have embraced offering different seating options for tables. Mixing blonde wood chairs with dramatic grey or black stained pieces can turn a simple table into a work of art.

In addition to different materials and contrasting tables with chairs, individual seats can also vary in a set. One fun and exciting way to make any dining room look fresh and inviting is to mix chairs with long benches. As a bonus, the benches can offer greater flexibility, letting more guests enjoy your entertaining.

Combining wood with metal

When it comes to mixing and matching materials, don’t forget that there are countless options for dining room furniture materials. A metal table can mix and match with wood or resin chairs and vice versa. Glass tables can include wood or metal framing, and your chairs can match or contrast for a modern yet classic vibe.

Keep in mind that the metal and wood mashup doesn’t have to stop at your dining room table. You can incorporate a combination of industrial and farmhouse styles with accent pieces and artwork, too.

Step away from modern and make an antique statement

After years of modern, mid-century style furniture filling showrooms and homes, the trend is to soften this look with a throwback to the past. Antique furniture can add a vivid touch to your dining room, but you don’t have to scour through antique shops, pay a fortune or risk wobbly chairs. Today, you can find pieces that evoke the design trends of the past but are constructed with modern materials and techniques.

For some more design inspiration that follows the latest furniture trends, check out castoolsbarsdinettes.com. We have everything to make your holiday entertaining, and everyday living, more vibrant and comfortable.

Home Bar Design Ideas for Game Day

Building a home bar can be a dream project for many homeowners, especially for gathering friends and family on big game days. Whether you want a full bar in the media and game room or just a standing bar near the kitchen, it all starts with a plan.

Work the Angles

Consider using a bar layout that is more than just a straight line. A favorite can be a 45-degree angle at two corners that gives some extra space for standing or sitting. If you have enough room for an L-shaped bar then you have enough room for this style.

Choose a Durable Bar Surface


You don’t want to skimp on the bar surface since it’s the most hardworking and visible part of your bar. Marble and granite are great choices to give your bar a top-tier appearance and will last forever. Beautifully dark grained wood can give you a warmer look and is more in line with the traditional pub atmosphere.

Match Bar Stools to the Bar Top

The typical bar top stands about 31 to 43 inches from the floor. This means that bar stools need to be about 29 to 32 inches in order to accommodate most people. If the bar is taller, then the bar stools also need to be taller. It helps to have bar stools that have a back for some support. With so many styles at California Stools Bars Dinettes, you’re sure to find ones that work for your bar. If you’re having a difficult time deciding on a style, then selecting classic wood bar stools are always a good option as they complement any type of décor.

Use Pub Tables


To create a bar with little space and still have a great place to enjoy the game, consider using pub tables. Pub tables are generally taller than most dining tables but usually take up less space than a dining or kitchen set.

Use Pendant Lighting with Recessed Lights


Pendant lighting hanging from the ceiling is a traditional way to light up the bar. A home bar looks good with a cluster of pendant lights, but you may want to consider recessed lighting. The drink prep area will need good lighting. Under cabinet lighting can also work well in many bar areas.

Use Your Walls

Take a look at the space where you plan to put the bar and see if the walls nearby can become a part of the bar. It’s not just about the design because you can use the walls as part of the overall theme. Install shelves to hold bottles or a rack for your favorite glasses. Another option is to build open cabinets to store and display bottles.

Add a Mirror


Many public bars also have mirrors on the wall behind the bar — adding a mirror can be a good way to reflect light and expand the space. The right mirror becomes an important design element.

Consider an Outdoor Bar


If the weather is nice enough most of the year then an outdoor bar can be a unique choice. Outdoor bars should be built close to the home for easier access to amenities and you’ll want to make sure the bar gets plenty of shade.

Fall into a New Dining Room Set in Time for the Holidays

Whether you’re renovating a home or buying a new one, shopping for new furniture can be exciting. Arguably, the most essential furniture you’ll need, particularly during the holiday season, is the dining room set. Follow this step-by-step guide on how to purchase the perfect dining room set to entertain family and friends this fall.

Deciding on shape and size

When buying your dining room set, the first thing you should consider is the table because it serves as the focal point of your space. Begin your search by narrowing in on the most suitable shape and size depending on the space where you intend to set it up. Oval and rectangular dining tables are appropriate for narrow or long rooms. A round dining table is best suited for square-shaped room as it helps to maximize the space and allow movement around the dining set. Square tables are also suitable for small spaces as most of them are designed to seat four people.

Your dining table’s size will depend on the dimensions of the space and how many people you’d like it to accommodate. The space between your dining set and the nearby walls should be at least 40 inches. This allows guests to comfortably get to their seats even while some chairs are pulled out.

How tall should my dining table be?

There are two basic dining table heights: counter and standard. Counter height dining tables are normally 36 inches high and require chairs between 24 to 26 inches high. These pub-type tables are ideal for small spaces to create an open, informal look and feel.  Standard-height dining tables are the more conventional option. They measure about 30 inches tall and are usually paired with 18 to 23-inch chairs. You can also mix and match them with stools and benches. These tables create a formal look and work perfectly for families and larger gatherings.

Choosing dining room chairs

Your dining chairs should complement the table in terms of shape and dimension. You need to ensure that the dining room chairs are the right width to accommodate guests seated next to one another comfortably. Make sure the chairs are also an appropriate height so that you don’t feel like you’re sandwiched between the tabletop and the chair.

Factors to consider when choosing your dining room set

Apart from the size and shape of your dining set, there two more essentials you need to consider when shopping for your dining room set. These include:

  • Material – If you’re going for a wooden table, consider hardwood such as walnut, teak, maple, mahogany or oak rather than composite woods such as plywood. This will enable you to enjoy your dining room set for years on end.
  • Veneer – A thick veneer tends to lift away from your table over time. You can identify a thick veneer as it has obvious “seams” at the corners. It also feels like plastic.

Your dining room is where you make lifelong memories with family and friends and your dining room set is the centerpiece of the space – and should be a true reflection of your personal style and lifestyle.

Take Your Indoor Furniture Outdoors for the Perfect Summer Patio

Summer is the time for easy living. With the warm days and nights, much of your time will be spent outdoors. When setting up your patio, you should consider purchasing furniture that can be used both inside and outside your home. Bar stools and pub tables are perfect choices to enliven your indoor space and can set the perfect tone for your patio. The beauty of using indoor furniture in your outdoor world is that you can save money by buying less furniture and you know your patio furniture is well-built, fashionable and durable. This act makes your patio an extension of your home instead of a separate space.

Bar Stools: Move Seamlessly from Indoors to Outside

Quality bar stools make great outdoor furniture. They are easily moved from your breakfast nook to the outdoors. They don’t take up much room and are easy to move around your patio for everything from a jamming party to an intimate conversation. Bar stools don’t take up a lot of space if your patio is small or you if you have a lot of friends. When winter comes, bar stools can be moved back into the house for everyday use or stored safely out of the elements. In the event of a storm, bar stools can easily be moved inside, unlike cumbersome chaise lounges and outdoor sectionals.

Pub Tables: Casual yet Refined

Pub tables pair well with bar stools as they are generally higher than a traditional table. This creates a unified style, whether they are used inside or outside the home. Like bar stools, pub tables are not singularly inside or outside type of furniture. They can be used in both environments for a classy yet casual appearance. They are perfect for informal meals, drinks with friends or as a relaxed workspace.

Dinettes: Go Big and Stay Home

If bar stools and pub tables don’t provide the upscale look you desire for your patio, or if you’re looking for a larger setup, you should consider a dinette set. Dinette sets offer fluid, artistic lines and styles and won’t bust your wallet. They also provide a sense of permanency, while still offering the portability of stools and pub tables. Dinettes are available in a wide range of styles, materials of construction and sizes to accommodate family dinners, cocktail hour with friends, a platform for staging buffet items or a casual get together. Look for dinettes constructed from metals and glass for the best outdoor reliability. Dinettes constructed of durable wood like oak, maple and teak will also provide a long lifespan but will require occasional oiling or varnish to stay in optimal condition.

There is no reason to focus on outdoor furniture when designing your external living space. Indoor furniture, whether in pieces or sets, can make the transition to multi-settings. By doing so, you will save money, create a classy environment and be able to truly relish your summer lifestyle.

Mid-Century Modern Furniture: Popular Then and Now

Sleek lines. Throw-back angles. Nostalgic feelings. These are just a few words to describe the ever-popular, mid-century modern style. Since its inception and rise to fame during the 40s to 60s, its popularity has never wavered.

What is Mid-Century Modern Furniture?

Mid-century modern design got its roots in Germany and expanded to America after World War II when designers migrated to the U.S. The war inspired change both in economics and technology and the demand for simplistic, quickly built, attainable designs emerged. New materials for building were a result of technological advances, and designers started exploring with things other than wood, such as malleable materials like plastic, fiberglass, foam and aluminum. These new materials opened the door to trying new techniques, new colors and new styles.

You can see these designs all over to this day, including in our two retail locations. Classic characteristics of mid-century furniture include:

  • Simple, easy, minimal design with the lack of excess decorative features.
  • The use of different and contrasting materials to create a unique piece.
  • Melding the past with the future while still allowing for the piece to be functional.

What Makes it so Popular?

One of the biggest reasons mid-century modern has remained so popular is because it serves us in the same way it did back then. It’s still functional, comfortable, appealing and affordable. There are designs left to be imagined using the same techniques, making it a timeless furniture style.  It takes us back and allows us to reminisce while still allowing us to dream of the future.

Another reason it is so popular is that it is readily available and fits well in smaller spaces, making it a popular choice for those newly starting out in their own place.

Adding Mid-Century Modern Decor to Your Home

One of the easiest places to start decorating your home in a mid-century modern style is in your dining room. This is especially true when you have a smaller dining room or a kitchen/dining combo. For example, tables often look sleek enough to be dining room furniture while functional enough to be a kitchen table for daily use. You can play down the design with plastic or wood chairs or spice it up with fabric chairs. With its minimal design profile, mid-century modern dining room sets won’t take up much room, which will allow you more space for entertaining. Adding a few decor items in this style is as easy as choosing a chandelier or bar cart.

No matter what furniture you decide to decorate your home with, the mid-century modern look is sure to appeal to your visitors as well as provide lasting comfort for you.

 

Pub Tables Take Dining to New Heights

If you’re looking for a dining set that is non-traditional or if you have limited dining space in your home or apartment, then you need to consider using pub table sets. There are many reasons why you may opt to go for a pub table set for your dining room. In addition to the extra counter space you get, pub tables take dining to new heights and also act as room dividers in an open space. Our two locations in the Bay area have the best pub table sets in terms of quality and affordability.

These dining sets, which have originally been used for pubs and more public places, have become very popular in homes today. The pub table sets bring a very unique and beautiful aesthetic element to your home and they take up very little space in the kitchen, dining room or great room.

What makes the pub table sets unique?

These table sets are usually taller than the average dining room furniture. They are convenient for watching television from the living or dining room area while enjoying dinner or entertaining guests. The set typically consists of two to four bar stools and a table at bar height (42 inches) or at counter height (36 inches). They make dining seem more casual, giving you the feeling of “eating out” in the luxury of your own home.

In case you are having a game night or any other recreation activity at home, these table sets come in handy. They are perfect for casual dining and can also be used on the patio or near the pool for entertaining guests. They also serve as perfect furniture for home bars too.

Depending on your style of preference, you can mix and match our pub tables with pub stools to get that look you want for your home. We feature a variety of pub table sets in different sizes, shapes, styles and materials, from traditional to contemporary and iron to wood. In addition, we have glass-topped pub tables and chairs with upholstered seats. We also offer table sets depending on your family size from two to four people.

Our pub table are perfectly suited for the dining room, kitchen, great room or game room depending on your needs.

The Life and Times of Bistro Furniture

Gone are the days when pub and bistro tables were confined to restaurants and recreational areas. If you are keen on home remodeling projects, you may have come across such furniture set up on a well-manicured lawn or patio. Pub and bistro tables are also a favorite among people who live in smaller homes and apartments. Modern bistro furniture is not only available in multiple types of materials, but also in a variety of colors to light up the space where you’re using them. They’ve come a long way from their meager beginnings across the pond.

What is bistro furniture?

This type of furniture first came about in the 19th Century and was meant to be used in a bistro, a small and intimate café or restaurant. Bistro tables and chairs could typically seat two or three people, reflecting the smaller size of the café. Materials such as wood, aluminum, wrought iron and plastic have been used to make bistro tables and chairs over the years. Today, some bistro table tops are even made of mosaic tiles or colored glass to complement their surroundings.

Pub and bistro tables come in varying heights. Pub tables are taller, usually from 36-42 inches, and reserved for drinks and a small-sized appetizer dish. Bistro furniture, on the other hand, is suitable for everyday use as its height is equivalent to that of a dining table.

History of pub and bistro tables

While some think that the name ‘bistro’ was coined from Russian soldiers who shouted ‘bystra’ or “bring my food quickly” during the Napoleonic war, others contend it was derived from ‘bistreau’, an ancient French word referring to an innkeeper.

The origin of the bistro can be traced back to the early 1800s when they began to spring up in France as families and small taverns sought to supplement their income by providing food and wine to strangers. Apart from supplementing their income, bistros were ideal as the small tables and chairs situated on sidewalks outside the café could easily be folded away, thereby sparing café owners from having to pay for a fixed terrace.

Bistro furniture was quite common in Europe but only made it over to America after the Civil War. Some of the first bistros were introduced in New York due to the significant presence of European settlers and visitors. Bistro tables were crafted in such a way that the people could easily cross their legs beneath them. They had no lip, and their diameter was about 30 inches. The tables were often accompanied by mesh chairs and a five-foot umbrella for protection from the elements. Over time, the size and use of bistro furniture have evolved. It’s not uncommon to see pub or bistro tables used as the primary dining furniture, decorative corner furniture, or even as a work desk. As they are truly meant to live outdoors, people today often use them on their decks and porches for entertaining.

Choose the Right Dinette Set for Your Space

This could be the greatest time in history to shop for a new dinette. If only you knew what a dinette set was. Isn’t a dinette set the same as a dining room set? There isn’t really a difference between a dining room and a dinette, or is there?

As a matter of fact, there is a difference between the two. The dining room is the larger space in which you almost expect a butler to walk through the door with a towel draped over his arm announcing, “Dinner is served.” The room a dinette set occupies can also be called a “breakfast nook”, and that is what it is. It’s a small space set aside for less formal meals.

The room for the dinette set is either small–usually located adjacent to the kitchen–or even at one end of a kitchen. The dinette is for less formal dining and the possibilities of styles and colors are nearly endless. You can have tables with glass tops or solid wood. You can have chairs that emphasize metal, or chairs that feature wood. You can have upholstered chairs, or even opt for a pub table with barstools.

When choosing the right dinette set for your needs there are a few things to consider. You need to know how many people will be eating at the dinette set on a regular basis. If the norm will be a setting of two, pick out a dinette table and chairs accordingly. If you have several children, we have dinette sets to match those needs too.

You will also need to choose a table and chairs to match your practical needs. If counter space in the kitchen is in short supply, you can find tables that are hardy and able to withstand food prep and still look great when it’s time to eat. If the people eating with you are young you can choose chairs that are simple to wipe off after a meal. If they’re older, chairs covered with fabric might be both comfortable and offer a feeling of warmth—not to mention the different color possibilities to match the room.

The next step is to decide what will match your décor. If you have warm, solid wood cabinets in your kitchen, you might want a wooden table with matching chairs. If you have a modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, you might consider metal framed chairs and a metal framed table with a glass top. People in the San Francisco area can visit our two locations and discover that we have a variety of styles to meet different tastes. From modern to country. For couples or large families. We can help you pick the perfect dinette set for your needs.

Whether you knew what a dinette was or not, this is a great place to share a more intimate dining experience. Whether with a spouse or with your children, we have dinette sets to help create pleasant meal-time memories.