With open-concept layouts dominating home design over the last decade, the formal dining room almost went the way of the dumbwaiter or in-house intercom system. The open-concept floor plan had good intentions — after all, fusing the most-used living areas creates a bigger space for families and friends to be together. If a house had a dedicated dining room, it often turned into a play area or office. But the post-pandemic perspective is different.
“People have a new appreciation for entertaining at home,” says designer Lindley Arthur, owner of Lindley Arthur Interiors. “They are investing in tablescapes and more entertaining pieces. The trend of tablescapes is huge right now. I think that is all driven by the pandemic and people appreciating being at home more. So there’s a demand and place for [the dining room].”
If you want a space to entertain or simply dine as a family — out of view of the dishes to be washed or the general stuff that accumulates in our living areas — read on for designer tips and inspiration. The dining room is back.
Use color, texture and pattern
With a space surrounded by walls, as opposed to an open layout, you can get a bit more creative with your design. “When you have a separate room, it allows you to wallpaper or paint it a different color,” says Arthur. “It’s a more defined room, so [you can incorporate bolder elements to] give your house a homey feel rather than a sterile feel.”
In her personal dining room, Arthur installed a hand-painted Gracie wallpaper. “The Gracie wallpaper was the very first thing I chose for the house,” notes Arthur, who then added complementary elements. “It’s a very traditional room, so I chose a Patterson Flynn patterned alpaca rug. It’s a little more casual and takes down the formality of the room a notch.” She added an antique table, Lillian August chairs and a vintage Murano chandelier from Italy. Together, it’s a stylish blend of color, pattern and texture.
“While we don’t sit in the dining room every day, I enjoy it every time I walk into my house,” Arthur says. “We always have our holidays in there, and when I host parties, we’ll set up our appetizers and charcuterie boards in there for people to mill around and grab food.” Laid-back families, take note: You can use your dining room for casual entertaining as well as formal dinner parties.
In a room designed by Mary Beth Wagner, who runs a namesake firm, paint and millwork make the biggest statement.
“The room was already paneled, but we changed the color and lacquered it,” she says. And there’s more to appreciate with the detail overhead. “You could create [this] look with plaster or with wood moldings. I think it’s a great way to add interest to a room.”
Wagner also chose a Jan Showers Murano glass chandelier to go along with custom chairs and the homeowner’s existing dining table.
Invest in a special piece
However you dine and entertain, a designated dining space can set the tone for the rest of the house, especially when it’s the first room guests see when they enter. “We can make a showstopping moment,” says designer Wagner. “It’s a great place to invest in a really special piece. People aren’t often redecorating their dining rooms, so you’ll have those pieces for a long time.” The special piece could be a chandelier, a buffet, the table and chairs — anything that speaks to your aesthetic. You can bring in trends with less substantial furnishings.
In this room, Wagner focused on the juxtaposition of the home’s contemporary architecture with timeless, traditional elements. The client’s already-purchased zebrawood table is the centerpiece, and to frame the room, Wagner chose an Elitis wall covering. “It’s so unique and beautiful and just unexpected, so we went with it,” she says. “The branch chandelier was a nice contemporary fixture that really highlighted the paper as well. The contemporary moments with the chinoiserie wall covering make it feel not so grand.”
Go with a design that fits your needs
If you’re looking for a cozier, more practical space, you can still go heavy on style. In this room, designer Elizabeth Ryan of Elizabeth Ryan Interiors mixed traditional and eclectic pieces for a livable dining space for a young family.
“The classic Visual Comfort chandelier was already a part of the home,” she says. “The burled wood on the sideboard and the abstract pattern of the drapery brought in the dynamic moments. The table was our neutral, both in color and design. It’s a style that would be at home in many settings.” She finished off the space with cleanable leather chairs that were perfect for the family’s lifestyle.
Arthur has also used performance materials for dining chairs. In the room at left, she chose an indoor-outdoor fabric. That’s because the clients often host dinner parties and wanted the fabric on the chairs to be durable, Arthur explains.
A dining table is another choice that should be practical and not just pretty. “A family knows how they entertain and how many need to be seated,” points out Ryan. “After getting the function established, we pivot to the aesthetics.”
For the home with the indoor-outdoor upholstered chairs, Arthur worked with SHM Architects to design the room with a round table in mind. “[The clients] wanted a round table because it tends to be better for conversation,” she shares.
‘Splash personality and interest’ in your dining space
While boldly designed powder baths have long held the crown as the jewel box of the home, the dining room is clearly becoming its own special star. “A dining room feels like a fixed art display,” says Ryan. “Furnishings aren’t dynamic and flexible like a living room, so we splash personality and interest with the wall coverings, lighting and art.”
In the room above, Ryan balanced the 1920s architecture of the home with the animated personality of the owner. “You will notice classic furniture is paired with those funky, sculptural chandeliers,” she says. “We adjusted the palette in the wall covering to be fresher, more modern combinations of color and added the vibrant textile to the outside back of the traditional dining chairs.”
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