| ONE: aged oak dining table | TWO: recycled blown glass pendant | THREE: bouchon backless stool | FOUR: backless stool in steel |
We'll admit it: sometimes, we feel a bit lacking in the inspiration department. We love Pinterest, and Tumblr, and we're based in one of the most beautiful, inspirational, interesting cities in the world – but we still find ourselves searching for interior inspiration. Something that hasn't been pinned to Pinterest 500 times. Something that hasn't made the rounds on Tumblr, or Facebook, or any other social property. When it comes to designing rooms in our home, there's no harm in paging through the popular shelter mags, or searching the internet for looks you like. But it also can't hurt to go outside your comfort zone, and to look for inspiration elsewhere. It can come from the most unlikely places!
One of the sources of inspiration we've been looking to lately? Restaurant design. While serving a very different purpose than the average home (unless, that is, your dining room seats 100-200 people, and if that's the case, more power to you!), restaurants can offer a different kind of inspiration – but a kind that's just as applicable in your home. For the look above, we were inspired by the simple but homey spot of Kerbisher & Malt, a fish and chips restaurant in London. Displaying stylish, industrial restaurant design at its best, Kerbisher & Malt is known for its modern take on the classic British dish. And while we love a good fish & chip lunch, we're more concerned with the look of the restaurant, which is all about industrial design. Comfortable, slightly rustic, and totally chic, Kerbisher & Malt's restaurant design style is on that easily translates to the home.
The space makes use of wall to wall subway tiles, dark grout, and overlayed lettering on the walls. Add to that the clean lines of hightop industrial tables, and a true design classic, the Tolix style stool, and you've got a space that pops. Industrial sconces on the walls, ketchup and HP sauce on the tables, and voila – a chic industrial dining space that can easily be translated to your own kitchen. If backless stools feel like too much of a risk for everyday life, go for the classic Tolix cafe chair (with a back!) instead.
Tell us: where do YOU find inspiration?