dining
The dining furniture is sturdy but stylish, with a Scandinavian simplicity throughout. Set sociably beside the open kitchen, it was custom-designed by Clare Cousins Architects and built by Fido Projects. Wide, sliding glazed doors connect the space to an outdoor timber deck with bench seat, which was unchanged in the renovation. A slatted timber screen hides a garage and shed at the rear lane entrance to the house.
If space is limited around your dining table, then don’t wrestle with lots of chairs. This built-in U-shaped seating area increases the seating capacity and provides a relaxed dining space. And storage doesn’t have to be confined to front-facing drawers or lift-up seats. Here, it’s accessed through smart end panels to ensure a practical solution, while upholstered seat cushions complete the look.
Appreciate the view The lush greenery in the garden set the scene when the owners were designing this dining space. The large table is surrounded by different seating options – comfortable banquette seating and upholstered chairs. It’s a clever mix of formality and pure relaxation.
Add some flower power Bring life to transparent seating with colourful upholstery. This punchy fabric is an unexpected addition to these acrylic chairs and, thanks to the clear frame, the upholstery creates a focal point in an otherwise minimalist room.
Mix and match Mixing and matching is especially easy to do with see-through seating. Because the barely there material doesn’t overwhelm a space, it’s a perfect way for those shy of décor experimentation to get more adventurous with combining shapes, styles and even other materials for just a touch of the eclectic.
The unobtrusive style of these chairs provides a simple frame for unexpected soft furnishings that really cosy up an otherwise understated space. The sheepskin seat covers soften the feel of the room and lend texture to the chairs, as well as an interesting contrast.
A square-shaped table is a contemporary choice that can make the conversation easier, but it does have a few downsides. A square table tends to take up a vast amount of room – more than you think it will – and although it allows everyone seated at the table to see each other, the distance from one side of the table to the other means they may not be able to hear each other particularly well when there are numerous conversations going on at once. Also, unless you have a Lazy Susan in the middle, passing food from one side of the table to the other usually involves a dish having to circumnavigate the table for it to arrive at the desired location.
A round table is the best choice for those who want to encourage closeness and conversation among family and friends. Everyone can see and hear each other in this set-up and shared dishes are easy to reach. Compare this to a dinner party at a rectangular table where you’re stuck talking to the people on either side of you even when you’ve run out of things to talk about, and the mashed potato you want more of is right down the other end of the table. MAKE IT BETTER: If you want to fit more than four people at a round table, it will need to be at least 150 centimetres in diameter. If your space can only accommodate a table that’s about 120 centimetres (any smaller and things will start to feel cramped), consider a round table that can be extended to become an oval when you need it to.
In small spaces that must double as thoroughfares, the curved edges of an oval table can help the energy flow more gently than the harsh lines of a rectangle, and people are likely to use the area more freely than they will if they have to gingerly avoid sharp corners. MAKE IT BETTER: Simple stools can be a good choice for small spaces; they can be tucked away under tables of any shape when not in use. This will not only give those working in the kitchen some room to move, but also open the space up visually.
Placing a rectangular table alongside banquette seating is a space-saving technique that can make a dining space feel as inviting as your favourite cafe. MAKE IT BETTER: If you can position the table in a sunny or light-filled nook, your dining area will inevitably become the place people are also drawn to for cups of tea, reading the paper and working on the laptop. And there’s just something lovely about that.
Proportions
bespoke dining table, which is made from a quartz and marble composite for a hard-wearing surface with a luxurious feel
Filing cabinet
Stick to one style Mixing up your dining chairs does not have to produce a messy dining area. One way to avoid a chaotic look is to choose one model of chair, but buy it in various colours. This image shows how choosing four shades of one seat design produces a softly mismatched look that is still neat and stylish.
Keep it consistent Mix and match dining can look the epitome of modern sophistication if you keep the colour of the dining chairs the same. Restricting the palette to one shade ensures that the detail of each individual chair can be appreciated without distraction. This dining space has a modern, glamorous feel thanks to a mix of chairs in striking black.
Think white If you are unsure about mixing and matching, stick to a white palette. This cool, versatile shade will pull together even the most disparate pieces. Just pick different chairs that you adore, but ensure they are white. This will create a more visually stimulating result than a matching dining set, but is bright and easy to live with.
Build seating into a corner Make the most of a small dining space with built-in benches tucked into the corner of the room. A slim, rectangular table will allow several people to line up along it without it eating into too much floor space.
good use of bay window ..
A built-in banquette is your best option when using a bay window for dining. Be sure to choose a pedestal-style table, make sure the height is right and leave plenty of legroom underneath.
Banquettes can be great solutions for small spaces. Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, which designed this house, notes that you should allow a comfortable 2-foot width per person, but the more inches you can add, the better.
9. Try a big tray on the dining table. Create an inviting tableaux by loading up an oversize tray with a mix of dinnertime essentials (napkins, plates, a crock of utensils), fresh flowers, candles and something purely fun — like the cow sculpture shown here.
candle wall sconce
Best dining rooms This gorgeously green dining space in west London is one part of a full renovation project undertaken by design and build team Zulufish. Green has been a hugely popular colour on Houzz of late and it shines as a key hue here, thanks in part to the quality of light flooding into the space. “The combination of minimal structural glazing and internal Crittall walls flood light through the house,” the designers say.
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