Modern farmhouse tables

Le Pain Quotidien    Photo via Tasted by Two

While in New York last week we stepped into a bakery / restaurant to get out of the heat and have something cold to drink. From the moment we walked into Le Pain Quotidien, which means, the daily bread, it was a lovely experience. The menu was delightful and organic (we shared a blueberry & corn scone with fresh ricotta and wild blueberry jam) but it was the decor that really caught my attention. The tables were long communal tables (all made out of reclaimed wood) with overhead industrial lighting. It was simple yet welcoming. 

It turns out it is a chain of restaurants, Belgium by origin, and it just so happens that there is one near where I live as well.  I love their philosophy:

Friends and strangers alike come together around our communal table to break bread and linger for a  while. Like all of our furniture, the communal table is made from reclaimed wood, which means no trees were sacrificed for us to sit and unwind. Take a seat next to a neighbor, and be reminded that, even in the big city, we are a community.

I love the idea of communal dining (so very French) although we opted to sit in a corner by ourselves sandwiched between two window air conditioners (have I mentioned it was VERY hot while we were there?).

{via you're so martha}

Besides helping my sister show my niece New York city, I was hoping my trip would offer me a little rest from the long hours I have been working and give me some new inspiration. It did both.

I have always liked the idea of a casual farmhouse table. But what I am really enjoying now is the unexpected pairing of an old wood table with modern chairs.

Vincente Wolf {via}

Bella Mancini Design {via}

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Nuevo-estilo

My dream house has a dining room large enough to have my own communal style table. And enough chairs for whoever wants to drop by. Preferably modern chairs ... and of course white.