A stylish pine range

This is an attractive range of pine furniture from Lancashire-based suppliers PD Global. It is sold under the range name Ogee (which relates to the double curve style of the feet) but Right Price Furniture offers it at lower than usual prices under the name Camber.

It is able to do this by getting the furniture from PD Global in bare untreated wood form and then adding a wax or lacquer finish to customer specification in its own workshops - saving up to 30% on the retail compared to the pre-finished items.

Getting contemporary with pine

It's very easy when trying to create a genuinely contemporary look to get sidetracked into something that's a little less avante garde than originally envisaged. This is a shame because some contemporary pine ranges can work really well in the right setting.

Choose very plain walls and floors - a simple white or off-white for the walls and a fairly plain laminate floor perhaps. Then choose hard shiny surfaces for accessories - glass and chrome for example. This creates a modern minimalist feel but by itself can be very cold and lifeless.

Adding pine furniture introduces a natural element into the mix and the swirls and grain patterns provide a contrast to the smooth lines and uniformity of the glass and chrome. A few 'ethnic' accessories and you've got a fantastic contemporary pine interior.

Pine furniture in Larkrise to Candleford

I cannot be alone in enjoying the TV series 'Larkrise to Candleford' on Sunday evenings. It is based on the semi-autobiographical books by Flora Thompson about life in a small Oxfordshire village in Victorian times.

Having some knowledge of agriculture, I am a little disappointed by the technical inaccuracies in the latest series, but it is interesting to see the pine furniture in the households of the good folk of Larkrise. In this Sunday's episode, the elderly Queenie illicitly sold the easy chair of her husband Twister to raise funds for the winter. She justified her action by saying that her chair was worth nothing. It would appear that Twister's chair was an upholstered easy chair - probably made of oak or another hardwood - whereas Queenie has a simple pine Windsor chair.

The styles of table, chair and other simple furniture used in the series are still in production today. The Sussex-based manufacturer CPW for example, still produces various similar items without any brand name but called simply 'traditional chairs' or 'traditional tables.' These items are great quality, great value and just perfect for anyone trying to create a period looking interior.

Modern and Traditional pine styles

One of the effects of modern media such as the internet is that it is now far easier for people to find others who share the same views - and tastes - as them. In the furniture world this diversification has made it far easier than ever before to choose a style because you like it and not be dictated to by those who decide what is fashionable.

The upside is that if you want rough sawn natural looking furniture, reproduction furniture, painted shabby chic, Indian-inspired or the very latest style then there is someone, somewhere, who can supply it. The downside for those who don't spend all their days thinking about furniture(!) is that the breadth of choice can become confusing. Here are a few pointers on using pine furniture:

Victorian/Period style
For the period home look, pine would generally be found 'below stairs' in the kitchens and servants' quarters of grander houses or in workers cottages. The exception might be the famous Welsh dressers (of Wales!) as these were found in the homes of relatively humble folk but were almost always made out of local Welsh oak.

In the 60s and 70s stripped pine became the fashion, with Victorian pieces that were dark with age and grime being stripped back to the lighter-coloured bare wood underneath. In the 80s and 90s this spawned the production of much traditional style furniture that was spoiled only by some very nasty (but removable) stained varnish finishes. Today there are a number of companies that produce traditional-style pine furniture but usually offered in a choice of much more suitable wax or lacquer finishes. See CPW or Devonshire Pine.

Contemporary/natural
Pine is also popular with those seeking a modern, environmentally-aware, look. Pine furniture is made with timber from sustainably managed forests and, unlike some tropical woods, does not have to be shipped half way around the world to reach UK markets. Some of the more contemporary styles - particularly for example, some of the rough sawn styles - work really well when contrasted with chrome, steel, glass or plastic. Styling should be very simple, with clean lines and no fancy decoration or fittings. Light, natural finishes complete the look.

Pine Furniture Buying Tips

When buying furniture the big things to look for are the words solid or 100% solid wood.

Pine is a relatively cheap wood so unless your shopping right down at the bottom end of the market say at Ikea Furniture, you should in the case of Pine furniture be looking at solid pine only.

The more detailed the photos the better if a company is only showing you a remote shot then you have to ask yourself why?

Ideally furniture companies should be displaying close in pictures of the furniture and interal pictures.

If they don't show this level of detail then don't buy!

Mirror, mirror

Here's a quick and easy way to add some style and sparkle to a room - add a wall mirror. At this time of year everything can look a bit dull and flat, especially after Christmas when the decorations come down, but a wall mirror placed for example behind a side table adds a definite feeling of lightness and depth to a room. Perfect for brightening up a hallway or giving volume to a living room.

Size is important(!)and its a good idea to get as big a mirror as possible. I've bought mirrors in the past thinking they looked huge in the shop but when you get them home you realise you could have used one 6ins to a foot (that's 150mm to 300mm) bigger. So if in doubt, go for the bigger one. As to the style of mirror, you will find mirrors offered as part of many ranges of furniture so they match the materials and style of the rest of the furniture. Right Price Furniture offer a good selection and their wall mirrors have thoughtfully been listed all in one place.

Alternatively, you can use the mirror to add something more to the room. For example, if you'd really like oak furniture but your budget says no, then get a mirror with a nice oak frame. If you're trying to create more a rustic feel then choose a rustic mirror, for shabby chic a distressed painted mirror and so on. If you want to add a bit of sparkle go for a gold or silver frame. Whatever you choose, have fun!