

Modern design fits perfectly with a dining room, according to writer Sarah Zlotnick. This is why we find ourselves favoring more modern, effortless designs when it comes to dining rooms lately. They're meant to be used-for entertaining neighbors, dining with friends, and welcoming family. Unlike the kitchen counter, which tends to get crowded with, well, stuff, or the living room that needs constant vacuuming touch-ups, the dining room gets to exist in an idyllic in-between state-plates set, tapers standing at the ready, surfaces clear.Īs nice as it is to catch a glimpse of a more glamorous, pulled-together version of your home, that's not really what dining rooms are for. Go for white ones for an effortless safe choice, but if you want something with a real wow-factor, be daring with a colourful design.If you're lucky enough to have one on your floor plan, the dining room can be the crown jewel of the home. Whether you have a simple wooden table, or a space-age contemporary design, adding modern chairs can give your dining space a whole new look. Soften the look with different textures and don’t be afraid to add a little twist here and there with strong shapes or vivid patterns. You can modernize a traditional dining room by being a little more daring with dramatic materials, such as darker woods and matt metallics. How do you make a traditional dining room look more modern? With so many modern styles to choose from, you should have no trouble in finding a perfect match for your home. Go for white ones for an effortless safe choice, but if you want something with a real wow-factor, be daring with a colourful design. Design shops, furniture specialists and department stores all offer a great deal of choice and, with the formal dining room falling out of fashion, antique and second-hand retro pieces are readily available and very affordable too. A central pedestal on a round table ensures no one gets stuck straddling a leg. Round tables can be more convivial if you are seating up to 8, beyond that, a long rectangle offers more accessible space. The available space, as well as the numbers you tend to cater for will all inform your choice but do think about how the size and shape of the table will sit in the space too – it needs to be in proportion.Įxtending tables are the versatile option. There is a vast choice of dining tables available, in all styles and to suit all budgets. It’s also a good idea to include a separate utility room where white goods can be stowed away from sight. A dining table is best placed near patio doors and, if space allows, you might consider an informal seating area, perhaps centered around a wood-burning stove. Placement is another important factor to consider. Address the issues of acoustics and cooking odours too – rugs and soft furnishings will help absorb noise. Try combining a mixture of contemporary and rustic furniture, such as modern dining chairs with a farmhouse table, and unify the look by using just one or two colors throughout the room. A generous sized rug, on which dining table and chairs sit, is a great way to do this, while the addition of large pendant lights hanging overhead further defines the zone. In a large enough room, this works just as well for formal dining as informal. Open-plan dining is a popular choice, with many contemporary schemes now eschewing the traditional dining room for a more informal area that blends neatly with kitchen and living space. But it’s still possible to create a dining space with wow factor that works as a successful zone within an overall scheme. Other more compact spaces don’t have the square footage for a designated dining area. With a more relaxed approach to living, many homes have done away with the traditional dining room in favour of an open-plan scheme. This banquette was designed by LA-based interior designer Stefani Stein who is well known for her practical but elegant schemes. Perfect in a small modern dining room and in kitchen diner ideas, banquettes, particularly when upholstered, look incredibly smart and can lift the look of an open-plan kitchen diner and bring an element of comfort to the space too.
