How to Use Modern and Classic Furniture Together

Modern cafes draw the eye with their clean cut lines and sleek polished finishes. Classic choices make things feel comfortable and familiar. So how do you design a cafe interior that blends modern appeal with warm classics?

We’d be the first to say that balancing two very different ends of the spectrum is challenging. Modern cafe design can often appear cold and uncomfortable, even harsh. Classic furniture suggests stuffy, sophisticated, and sometimes dated and old. Finding the perfect balance between these two looks is achieved when you blend modern and classic cafe furniture in a space that feels warm, inviting, and relevant.

Bentwood does Industrial

Carry out a search on the internet for cafe interiors and you’ll see amongst the hundreds of results, several examples of where the designer has got it bang on. Some may say the industrial look has been overdone but it still remains one of our firm favourites. However, to give this modern style with its exposed brick work and ducting, metallic pendant lights, and stainless steel equipment a more classic look, why not combine it with some dark bentwood chairs. The gorgeous curves of bentwood soften the hard lines of industrialist and combine to create a medley of modern and classic elements with functionality and interest.

Metal with a wooden twist

Modern cafes often feature plenty of light wood, pale walls, and reflective flooring to give them a feeling of spaciousness. Using modern glossy chairs or bar stools with their straight lines can be an overkill of modernity and creates a space which looks and feels more like a showroom than a place to feel relaxed and comfortable. Instead, why not use chairs such as our Bow chairs which have a classic style and a warm, padded seat for comfort. The rub is that these chairs are actually made from metal (the modern part) with a deep or light wood finish. Another style that would work well and has a modern twist, is our No. 18 bentwood cabaret chair. You don’t get more classic than this iconic chair but it’s been given a modern flavour thanks to it being manufactured from steel and given a powder coated finish in a variety of gorgeous colourful hues.

Things aren’t always what they seem

Finally, if you’ve gone all out to create an interior that is dark, moody, and dramatic then modern chairs will feel instantly out of place. Or will they? Our Guitar chair boasts comfortable, simplistic styling with its high slatted back and robust timber legs but it’s the contrast of black with light timber which adds that modern element. Oh…. and we almost forgot to tell you that the back and seat are actually fashioned from black polypropylene for an unusual twist that no-one would expect.

So hopefully we’ve helped you better understand how to balance the different style and materials that make up the eclectic mix of cafe furniture available. Why not browse our online store and get inspired. If you’ve any questions relating to our products then we’re always here for you and happy to help in any way. Just give us a call on (02) 8379 7737.

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