Author: Shannon Small, Eclipse Team Leader
Nestled in picturesque Whiteshill, just outside of Stroud, The Star Inn offers a blend of traditional charm and modern comfort. A treasured feature of the Cotswold village, the 18th Century pub and B&B was taken over by George and Grace Ross in April 2024.
With stunning views of the Gloucestershire countryside, and to make the most of the spring and summer seasons, George and Grace made it their priority to renovate the garden area of the venue - a real draw for locals and visitors alike.
The Project
Despite having the outdoor area in order, the interior of the inn still needed some TLC. The pub furniture that George and Grace had inherited when they bought the Star Inn was worn, outdated and a mishmash of styles.
So once the summer season was over, thoughts turned to making the most of the inside space. Pretty much everything needed replacing – from the dining furniture in the beautiful conservatory, to the smaller tables and chairs in the main pub, and even the bar stools at the high tables and next to the bar, which invited visitors to sit, drink and chat.
The Challenges & Requirements
The team at the Star Inn knew that they wanted stylish new pub furniture, but didn’t really know where to start. The interior of the inn had a traditional feel with dark flagstone floors, wooden beams, exposed stonework, and woodwork painted in quintessential sage green. The existing bar and high table were a warm oak colour, and the few chairs that were being kept were upholstered in a dark, vintage red, so any new furniture would have to coordinate with these pieces.
George and Grace knew that anything too contemporary or minimal would look out of place but also wanted commercial chairs and tables that added a hint of modernity, along with rich colour and texture. Fixed banquette-style seating was also something that was also being considered, so finding a company that could do all of that was the ideal solution.
As someone who doesn’t enjoy online shopping, George searched for local commercial furniture suppliers and was delighted to find that Eclipse Furniture was just down the road from The Star Inn and had a showroom he could visit to view the furniture ‘in real life’.
“We really enjoyed working with George and Grace and being a local business to us made it even more special. The decision to go for self-levelling table bases really shows that they want to give their guests the best dining experience possible.”
Shannon Small, Eclipse Team Leader
The Products
After visiting the Eclipse Furniture showroom and chatting to account manager Shannon, George and Grace were drawn to the Thiery Armchair and Malibu Bar Stool - the stunning deep red faux leather upholstery was a perfect match for their existing dining chairs, and they felt the bold, vintage styling would hold its own in their traditional pub interior.
The couple were also pleased to discover that Eclipse Furniture could offer a fixed seating service, which after a site visit by the expert team, was designed, manufactured and installed. Even better, the same high-quality vintage red faux leather as the chairs and stools could be used, making it a perfect match. A long bench was fitted in the conservatory dining area, and two smaller window seats were installed, creating cosy nooks for the pub guests.
Thiery Armchair in Vintage Red, Malibu Stool in Vintage Red, Fixed Banquette Seating in Vintage Red, Natural Solid Oak Table Tops, Auto Adjust KX22 Dining Table Base, Auto Adjust KT22 Dining Table Base
The warm oak of the existing bar was mirrored with new beautifully crafted, yet highly durable solid oak table tops with a natural lacquer, in both round and rectangular shapes. The contact table tops were matched with classic black Auto Adjust table bases. The FLAT technology belies the simple styling of the table bases; the ground-breaking self-stabilising mechanic is designed to eliminate wobbly tables and to align multiples, which was particularly important in The Star Inn’s conservatory dining area, where tables stretched the entire length of the room in a long line and differing heights would look messy and unprofessional.
The Result
The Star Inn now looks smart and up to date both inside and out. The use of the Lascari vintage red faux leather throughout the interior adds rich colour and warmth and an element of continuity through the different areas of the pub. The chairs and stools have a strong vintage influence but feel right at home in the traditional surroundings.
The Ross’s are delighted with the inn’s new look and even more impressed with the customer service which was second-to-none. The updated pub furniture has received positive feedback from guests, and George and Grace are keen to capitalise on their stylish new seating areas, and their talented chef, by opening the pub during the day as a café.
“We found being able to visit the showroom really useful and were really impressed with the customer service. We’d definitely recommend Eclipse Furniture to other businesses.”
George Ross at The Star Inn
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Get In Touch...
We thrive on helping pubs and bars make the most of their spaces, both inside and out. If you’re interested in finding out more about our contemporary commercial pub furniture and would like a free consultation, or to book a visit to come and view our showroom, please don’t hesitate to call one of our customer success team on 01452 336 520 or email sales@eclipsefurniture.co.uk.
About the author: With 8 years of experience at Eclipse Furniture and now heading up the SME-focussed sales team, Shannon has extensive industry knowledge and an understanding of customer needs and pain points. Always positive and proactive, Shannon excels in project management and making sure that the result is even better than the customer was expecting.
