Canada’s sesquicentennial is shaping up to be a big deal and there are tons of cities across the country planning big celebrations this Canada Day. From Charlottetown to Vancouver, Lonely Planet has the scoop on all the great parties planned across the country, but plenty will be staying right where they are or just going up to the cottage to celebrate the country’s 150^th birthday. If you plan on having the whole family over for a barbecue or hosting them at the cottage, it’s good to be prepared for a big family event. Is the dining table sizeable enough to fit the whole family when you have them over for dinner? Have you got enough beds to sleep everyone when they’re all gathered at your place by the lake?

If not, Woodcraft has you covered – there’s still time to get ready for Canada Day and a long summer of big dinner parties, holidays, and family visits. We make custom wood furniture that looks great, fits any space (because we cut it to match the dimensions of your rooms), and lasts for decades. Check out our dining tables, bedroom sets, wardrobes, coffee tables, and buffet hutches to make sure you’re all set for the summer.

Bedroom Furniture

As your family grows, it may be time to convert some of the space in your home or cottage into a guest bedroom. Finish the basement and set aside room for guests with king, queen, double, or single guests. As your children get older and start having kids of their own, you might have to start getting creative with space. You can save space with beds like our Prince Charles Bed with drawers, which utilizes under-the-bed space for storage without compromising the elegant solid wood look.

Dining Table

Dining tables are our specialty at Woodcraft and we take pride in delivering handcrafted quality to stylish contemporary and traditional designs. You’ll be taken away by the many designs we have on offer for custom dining tables, not to mention all of the options available to you in terms of material and stain. Not only do we offer a wide range of colours, including white stain, grey, driftwood, hazelnut, antique brown, golden oak, San Miguel, red cherry, Brazilian cherry, brown cherry, black cherry, coffee bean, gunstock walnut, brown mahogany, New York black, and ebony, but we also offer custom colours to fit the dining room. The only thing you need to worry about when we build your dining table is what you’re going to put on it to celebrate Canada Day with your family.

One of the great things about buying custom wood furniture is that it won’t fall apart on you. Replacing furniture every ten or fifteen years adds up, and in the long run, investing in solid wood furniture can save you money. Woodcraft bedroom sets, dining tables, and more are all custom made so that you know you’re getting a timeless piece of furniture you will still be proud to own decades later. We’ve been doing this for over 40 years and you can trust us to make long-lasting, quality wood furniture for your house, cottage, or condo.

Vintage cherry wood has long been a material coveted by customers of solid wood furniture. It offers a rich, reddish brown colour that’s deep and distinguished, not to mention impossible to fake. Cherry heartwood is best known for its darkening properties; when it’s exposed to light, it darkens with age, creating a richer colour. It’s easy to work with, producing a smooth finish, and the grain is remarkably straight and uniform. It’s easy to see why it’s a popular material; we love to work with it and our customers love its stability and depth of colour. Vintage cherry is an investment, even if you take advantage of our 5 percent off vintage cherry promotion, so you want to be able to care for it appropriately, to keep it looking its best.

When you first bring home a new table, there are a few rules to follow while the wood finishes curing so that it does not dry out or become too moist, swelling, cracking, or warping. If you’re bringing the piece home during the winter, dry air from heating can cause the wood to contract too much. Woodcraft furniture is made with the knowledge that it will shrink, but it’s important that the wood does so according to specifications, so use a humidifier and keep humidity around 40 to 45 percent for the best results.

Other tips to make sure the wood cures properly is opening up any drawers for an hour every day so that the insides cure properly. It’s also important that you not use any solvents or water in the first 30 days, and avoid placing any hot or cold objects (warm plates, cold drinks) on it. Long-term, it’s a good idea to keep the table in a part of your home where it will avoid direct sunlight, which can cause the wood to fade or change over time.

After this 30 day period, furniture experts disagree on how to clean a solid wood table. Some suggest using oil soap or wax, but if you have a Woodcraft cherry dining table, we do not recommend using these products. All you need to do is dust frequently and wipe down the table with a damp cloth, followed by a dry one that you should use to buff the wood along the grain.

Hiding scratches can be accomplished with iodine, which will colour in the scratch, although other DIY measures include using coffee grounds, teabags, or even the meat of a walnut or pecan. It can take some work to get the colours to match; for example, if you apply a teabag, you may need to apply more to get the right darkness. You can use these tips to get by day-to-day, because scratches are an inevitable part of life, but to truly restore your vintage cherry table, have it refinished by Woodcraft. Not only are we experts with wood, we do everything by hand, stripping the damaged and scratched surface and applying a new finish that will give your dining table a new life. Just give us a call if you have any questions about caring for or refinishing your vintage cherry dining table.

Cottage Country is your getaway, your weekly vacation, your little piece of paradise-on-earth – but it can all too easily become your lakeside storage unit, too. How many times have been here: you bought a new bed frame or a dresser and instead of getting rid of the old one you simply take it to the cottage. Anytime one of your adult children moves with extra furniture (the same stuff you lent them when they first moved out), it’s back to the cottage with it. It’s convenient, but it can leave your summer home looking a little improvised, and eclecticism isn’t always the answer.

Just imagine, though, what it would be like if your cottage country home were furnished to reflect the peace and quiet of the lake, the natural tranquility of the woods, or the rustic country setting. Your surroundings play a big part in your mood and mental well-being, and interior design is no exception. Colours, furniture, and layout all affect your state of mind and when you come up to the cottage for a weekend to escape the chaos of the city and unwind, it’s important that you’ve created a relaxing atmosphere for yourself. Here are just a few decorating ideas from the Woodcraft team that use solid wood furniture to establish a calm and relaxing atmosphere up north.

#1 Wood Chic

Wood doesn’t have to evoke farmhouse traditionalism or rustic country living, it can also be used for a stylish contemporary look, especially with a salvaged wood dining table like our Industrial Leg Live Edge Table. Paired with Edison bulbs and bar-style stools, it makes a great kitchen island for pancake brunches and morning coffee with a book. You can also check out our Lakefield Dining Table at any Woodcraft showroom, a unique piece that combines old and new in the form of re-purposed barn beam wood.

#2 Rustic Traditions

For some, cottage country is all about simplicity and pastoral comforts, so they opt for rustic wood furniture. There are plenty of great treasures at antique stores and used furniture shops throughout cottage country, but if you find the perfect piece that’s just a little too chipped and worn, or in the wrong colour, you can always bring it into Woodcraft to be professionally refinished. Besides offering a wide range of stains and custom colours blended to match, we also strip everything by hand instead of soaking pieces, which is a process which degrades glue and loosens joints.

#3 Elegance in the Bedroom

An all-wood bedroom set including the bed, side table, and wardrobe is a great way to create a warm and uniform aesthetic where you lay your head. We recommend using red or brown colours to create intimate and relaxing atmospheres and matching the bed with the night table, dresser, and footboard. When you shop with us, you can get the dimensions and combinations that you want in your bed set, as well as white glove delivery, even to cottage country.

Focus on the furniture you want and let us handle the rest. Visit any one of our showrooms in the GTA, in Markham, Mississauga, and Whitby and we’ll help you furnish your cottage paradise.

Easter is coming up faster than you think and if you’re planning on hosting dinner, it’s never too soon to start planning. The weather will be getting warmer, university-aged children will be wrapping up finals and coming home for the summer, and summer vacation plans are in the mix. For many, Easter is the last chance to get the family together until Thanksgiving as busy summer plans take over. Any holiday where you invite your friends and family to share your home can be hectic and stressful, which is why the Woodcraft team has put together a quick guide that we hope will make hosting dinner easy.

#1 Dinner

There are two classic Easter dinners, glazed ham and roast lamb, but there are dozens of spin-offs and ideas you can use to freshen things up. There are plenty of great alternatives for those sick of the usual Easter ham, including Cornish game hens, roast pork recipes, pork shoulders, or even braciole, an Italian-style flank steak Easter dinner. Make sure you plan out the ingredients early and get your shopping done well ahead of time, and give yourself enough time to actually cook on the day of.

#2 Easter Egg Hunt

If you have younger children, or you’re inviting family or friends over who do have small kids, why not plan an Easter egg hunt? If the weather is nice enough, you can use your backyard to hide treats, rather than risk the kids tearing apart your home, but if you’re not worried about a couple overturned sofa cushions, the living room is fine, too. Just make sure you write down all the hiding places – you don’t want to forget about any missed pieces.

#3 Table & Centerpiece

Easter is a chance to get creative with your table centerpiece, whether you want flowers, candles, eggs, or even chocolates to form the major motif. If you have a long guest list, you can also use place settings to keep things orderly when it’s time for dinner – not to mention easing over any tensions that might exist between different guests. Check out some great centerpiece ideas for the holiday and decide whether you want to focus on spring flowers, painted eggs, or other spring-themed decorative ideas.

Not enough room at the dining table for the guest list you’ve put together? You’re not just investing in a new dining table for Easter dinner; if you’re always hosting the holidays, an elegant, custom wood dining table that will fit a growing family is essential to opening up your home to friends and family alike. A bigger dining table is a must for couples who love hosting dinner parties and making their home the center of the action during the holidays. A custom wood dining table from Woodcraft will help you open up your home and bring your dreams of big family holidays to life.

You can also complete your kitchen with solid wood furniture like sideboards and buffet hutches as well in a wide variety of woods and stains. You can take a look at our full list of dining tables and other kitchen and dining room furniture, all of which we can deliver and assemble right in your home. If you want your home to be full and busy with the warmth of family and friends through all of the holidays, invest in a Woodcraft table that can host them all comfortably. There’s nothing more precious than seeing your loved ones throughout the year.

The first hints of spring came early to Ontario this year, and if you’re at all like us, the promise of warm weather ahead has you dreaming about opening up the cottage. If spring continues like this, a lot of families will be planning Easter in cottage country, filled with hot cross buns and glazed hams. Others will want to wait until the back country roads are clear of snow and mud, or for the water to really warm up before heading back up to Muskoka, the Kawarthas, Haliburton, or the Rideau Lakes. And with the warm weather comes more long weekends and plans to invite guests up to your summer paradise.

Entertaining can certainly put your cottage in a new light; are the guest rooms as comfortable as you thought they were or are they drab and in need of redecorating? Do you suddenly spot all of the dents and scratches in your dining table when your loved ones are seated all around it, or do you quickly realize that you’ve cramped the seats a little too close together and that there really isn’t enough room to entertain so many people at once? Instead of trying to navigate the forest of wine glasses and fit more plates onto your table, it may be the season to upgrade your cottage dining table.

Fortunately, there’s still time to take advantage of the Woodcraft Winter Sales Event and save on new furniture, including 20% off dining tables, 25% off vintage cherry dining tables, as well as 20% off of dining room chairs. From Windsor Bent Arrow to slat back chairs, we have plenty of wood dining chairs that will fit any cottage environment perfectly, while we take pride in offering a wide range of tables from modern to rustic. For cottages, you may want to consider the natural look of wood and use materials like vintage cherry or wormy maple, with an emphasis on natural patterns. The Woodcraft 40^th Anniversary Table is a great example of a Canadiana Harvest table, with its rough sawn, rough cut style.

Entertaining at the cottage doesn’t have to be stressful or embarrassing, especially not if you have all the room you need to host. Get ready for summer hosting in cottage country with some great barbecue recipes like these chili-espresso ribs and sides like roast cabbage with bacon that will truly impress your guests.

There are plenty more tips on hosting at your cottage country home online, but it all starts with making sure you have the furniture to accommodate. Get started with a custom wood dining table at Woodcraft; we also deliver across Ontario and internationally, even to cottage country. All of our deliveries are insured and guaranteed; besides white glove delivery and assembly, you can also save by having it delivered curbside or picking it up yourself at one of your warehouses. You have plenty of options when it comes to custom wood furniture and delivery when you shop with us. We can make the dining table you want.

As the snow melts and the spring buds appear on trees that have lain dormant for months, you’d be forgiven for itching to redecorate. Spring is a time of renewed energy and creativity, and many people focus their excitement for change on their homes. Whether it’s a kitchen renovation, a major landscaping project, or buying new furniture, the impulse to change something about your home is undeniable when the warm weather stirs up new ideas.

If you’ve caught the redecorating bug, let Woodcraft help you furnish your home with custom made, solid wood furniture. Not only do we have a wide range of designs that include coffee tables, dining tables, beds, bedroom sets, desks, cabinets, wardrobes, and more, we also offer insured and guaranteed delivery worldwide. When you buy furniture from Woodcraft, you also get to choose between oak, cherry, maple, and pine, as well as from our extensive variety of stains. If there’s one thing you can be certain of, it’s that when you shop from us, you get exactly what you’re looking for, something that can’t always be said of big box stores. Below are just some redecorating ideas we can help you with.

Coffee Table Nook – With the spring weather comes longer and brighter days and you can make the most of the natural light in your living room by setting up a coffee table nook by a window, especially a bay window that creates a little extra space in your living room. A cozy armchair and a custom wood coffee table can create a miniature sanctuary in your living room, a perfect place to relax with a book and a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning.

Refinish Your Dining Table – If you’re already in possession of a solid wood dining table, possibly one that’s been in the family for generations, consider refinishing it rather than replacing it. If it’s looking a little worn or out-of-date, or if it clashes with the new colour of your walls, get it refinished at Woodcraft. We can minimize the scratches and dents that inevitably form over time and repair loose joints in addition to refinishing by hand, stripping the wood and giving it a brand new look. We also can go from dark to light with a stain like “Butternut,” which can brighten up a previously darker stain.

Update Your Bedroom – Don’t restrict your redecorating to public rooms, your bedroom deserves a face lift, too. Your bedroom environment plays a big role in how well you sleep and relax when you turn in for the night, as well as your frame of mind when you wake up in the morning. A new wardrobe can also help you keep your bedroom better organized, reducing the kind of clutter that can inadvertently keep you up at night.

Farmhouse-Style Wood Cabinets – Add a rustic touch to your bedroom or office with wood filing cabinets or bookcases; we have a great pine country filing cabinet that brings style and warmth to your office. The farmhouse style is in and it all starts with the right custom wood furniture, so check out our designs or ask about custom furniture before you redecorate.

If you’re hosting Easter Sunday dinner for the first time this year, you may be wondering just what you’ve gotten yourself into and how you’re going to manage to pull it off. You have a meal to prepare, wine to buy, seating arrangements to plan – not to mention invitations to send out and centrepieces to create. It can seem a little overwhelming, but you can make things easier by staying focused and giving yourself time to manage the little things. Outsource side dishes and dessert, plan in advance, and give yourself time to get ready in the morning.

Here’s a quick list of little things you can do to make sure that your Easter dinner goes off without a hitch while welcoming everyone and encouraging them to enjoy themselves:

• Greet them at the door; as hectic as things may be in the kitchen, always open the door for your guests yourself, rather than sending your kid to handle it for you.
• Always remember to offer a drink once they’ve had a seat, whether it’s wine, sparkling water, or pop, and keep a variety.
• Decorating your table for Easter with some painted eggs, candles, or Easter flowers (like the Easter lily, tulips, or daffodils) will add a festive but tasteful atmosphere to your dinner.
• Warm up the plates and bread; a few minutes in an oven set to 150 degrees will give buns and bread a freshness and warmth, while warmed up plates keep food from going cold on the table.
• You can create place cards to assign seating, an especially useful way to ease seating stress just before the meal, which also makes your guests feel invited and as though their presence has been well-planned.
• Don’t forget about the temperature in the room; keep it comfortably warm, especially if you live somewhere where Easter still means slush on the sidewalks, but don’t be afraid to crack open a window or lower the thermostat if the kitchen starts to make things feel stifling. Otherwise, people might start to doze off once they’ve had their fill of lamb and potatoes.

But at the heart of any successful Easter Sunday dinner is the right dining table and your home should have a work of craftsmanship that lives up to the role of the table as a place where families gather and make new memories.

A dining table can become a lasting family heirloom, a familiar piece of comfort for everyone in the family, and a constant source of reassurance in your home. That’s why we at Woodcraft put all of our energy into making durable, beautiful tables for our customers, made to order with their tastes in mind. You choose the wood: pine, oak, maple, wormy maple (rich with patterns), or vintage cherry (with a warm, deep reddish brown colour), as well as the finish.

With white glove delivery, we at Woodcraft can make sure you get your brand-new dining table just in time for Easter dinner, without you having to worry or add additional stress to your life. Just check out our website or visit a Woodcraft showroom (we have three across the GTA: in Markham, Mississauga, and Whitby) and find the one that’s right for you. Don’t be shy, we’re happy to accommodate all kinds of custom requests.