Grange House

Shane Marsh Architects

Dining room featuring built in cabinetry and seating with storage. Great little reading nook. VJ panelling in Dulux Kimberley Tree

Timber-Lantern House

Mcmahon and Nerlich

View to double-height dining room

Weather House

Mihaly Slocombe

Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

Custom Home in Dallas (Midway Hollow), Dallas

Grade II Listed Georgian Townhouse - Dining Room

Emma Tutill Ltd

Masculine Minimalism

Sandra Britt Interiors

Essence of Japan, Ealing, London

Yoko Kloeden Design

Dashing Duplex | Full renovation in Kensington, London, W8

Jemimah Barnett

Wall colour: Grey Moss #234 by Little Greene | Chandelier is the large Rex pendant by Timothy Oulton | Joinery by Luxe Projects London

Custom Built In Cabinetry with Floating Shelves

Boyce Design + Build

A pair of brass swing arm wall sconces are mounted over custom built-in cabinets and stacked oak floating shelves. The texture and sheen of the square, hand-made, Zellige tile backsplash provides visual interest and design style while large windows offer spectacular views of the property creating an enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere for dining and entertaining.

Good Bones, New Vibe, Plano

Nicole Arnold Interiors

Room by room, we’re taking on this 1970’s home and bringing it into 2021’s aesthetic and functional desires. The homeowner’s started with the bar, lounge area, and dining room. Bright white paint sets the backdrop for these spaces and really brightens up what used to be light gold walls. We leveraged their beautiful backyard landscape by incorporating organic patterns and earthy botanical colors to play off the nature just beyond the huge sliding doors. Since the rooms are in one long galley orientation, the design flow was extremely important. Colors pop in the dining room chandelier (the showstopper that just makes this room “wow”) as well as in the artwork and pillows. The dining table, woven wood shades, and grasscloth offer multiple textures throughout the zones by adding depth, while the marble tops’ and tiles’ linear and geometric patterns give a balanced contrast to the other solids in the areas. The result? A beautiful and comfortable entertaining space!

Dry Bar at Dining Room

Pleasant Barn Road

Dry bar in dining room. Custom millwork design with integrated panel front wine refrigerator and antique mirror glass backsplash with rosettes.

Contemporary apartment by Whitespace

Whitespace

Sunny, airy and carefree, the dining room is the epitome of a breezy summer’s day. A large open display unit filled with handpicked curios stimulates visual interest while adding cheer to the decor scheme. “We perpetuated the living room aesthetic with a base palette of white, while cutting the monotony with bright yellows and blues. We were particular about maintaining a European sensibility by way of colour, material and texture. We used royal blues, whites, greys and wines to curate a colour spectrum reminiscent of Europe. We complemented these hues with muted fabrics and subtle patterns, and plenty of pine wood.

2733 Piazza

Micah & Co.

CALIFORNIA CASUAL MEETS COTSWOLD COTTAGE

RJ Smith Construction

Wingback chairs for plush seating

P&T Design Studio

The dining table has a brass base which was custom designed with a marble top. The chesterfield chairs have an interesting back detail with an old school door handle which were aesthetics and functional at the same time.

WOHUNG MITTE

Otto von Berlin

Dining Room Design Ideas with Panelled Walls and Brick Walls

A dining room can be used for casual dining, integrated into an open plan and connected to the living and kitchen areas; or as a formal space reserved solely for entertaining. While it may not be used frequently, it is a great focal point in the home, and requires little furnishings. Here's what you need to consider before you start planning a new dining room...

How will you use your dining room?

First, consider how frequently you will use the space. If you plan on using your dining room on a daily basis, a casual dining set-up with sturdy, long-lasting furniture is best. As for where you position it – well, any unused space in the home can be converted into a casual dining space, whether it be at the end of a kitchen island, or at the bottom of the stairs. A formal dining room, on the other hand, is more suited to a dedicated space, which is more common in heritage homes where space originally wasn’t at a premium. Perhaps you want your dining room to multi-task and accommodate everyday meals, homework sessions and grown-up dinner parties… If that’s the case, furniture is key. Look for versatile dining tables in either Australian or New Zealand hardwood or weathered timber for a more rustic look. These won’t show up sticky fingerprints as much and can be dressed up for guests.

What size and shape should your dining table be?

Your dining table should be able to seat all family members with some room for additional guests – each person should have at least 60 centimetres of space at the table. The right size, however, also depends on how much room you have. A general rule of thumb is to leave no less than 1 metre from the dining table to the wall or any additional furniture, so people have enough room to comfortably move around the space. Rectangular dining tables are versatile and can work in a variety of settings, while oval dining tables are more traditional and can turn any meal into an occasion. If you have a tight space to work in, a round dining table is best, and also a great option if you want to encourage conversation. A square dining table can be a dramatic addition to a dining room, but only if you have the space. It allows everyone at the table to see each other, but the bigger the table, the harder it will be able to hold a conversation with someone at the other end.

What type of dining chairs should you choose?

Once you’ve decided on a dining table, look for dining chairs that share a common design element. If your dining table legs are curved, for example, try to match them with dining chairs that have a similar curve, either in the legs or back. Next, consider the dimensions of the chair. The height of your dining chairs should allow at least 30 centimetres between the top of the seat and the top of the table. And to keep your tush happy, avoid dining chairs narrower than 45 centimetres.

How can you decorate your dining room?

Dining rooms are relatively minimal spaces, but that makes them a great place to splash a little colour through artwork, especially if yours is a formal dining room. If your dining room is lacking warmth, consider painting the walls a deep shade of red or blue, or go contemporary with black or grey. A cosy rug will make the space feel more intimate, while a sideboard or cabinet of curiosities will further personalise the space. Often overlooked, dining room lighting can also drastically alter the mood of a room, creating drama, spurring romance or encouraging conversation. Opt for soft lighting in the dining area with dimmer switches, and choose oversized pendants in large, open spaces or to make the dining area more of a focal point. Finally, add some table settings, such as a lace tablecloth for a whimsy feel, or a more basic table runner for a chic look. If you need some help designing your dining room, consider checking the Houzz directory of interior designers, home stylists, cabinet makers and more!