Design an inviting space that tells a story.
A one-of-a-kind dining room should provoke intrigue and lead to conversation among guests. Whether it’s through striking artwork, colors, or furnishings, it’s important to craft a unique space that reflects the personality and lifestyle of the homeowner, while also ensuring the space is well designed. We spoke with 11 designers, who strike a balance between creative design and functional use when devising these unique dining rooms. Read on to hear their advice.
DETERMINE THE FUNCTION OF THE ROOM
Before designing a space, it’s important to understand the function that it will serve. Will the space be used for formal dinner parties or casual gatherings? How much seating is required? Should the space promote intimate conversations or large group conversations? Does the space need to serve or store formal dinnerware? “Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start space planning and selecting the materials and pieces.
“Small round tables are optimal for conversation and flexibility in number of guests. “Long, narrow rectangular tables maximize the number of guests along the perimeter but create a very different conversation pattern. Consider the type of environment you’d like to create.”
ENSURE A PRIVATE & INTIMATE SETTING
During a social gathering, much of a guest’s time is spent in the dining room. A well-designed dining room should encourage conversation among guests, which means the space shouldn’t be too noisy or in sight of many distractions. Particularly in an open-concept home, it can be challenging to ensure a private and intimate setting without sacrificing style.
Here, the team at Chimera Interiors creatively uses large floating screens to separate the dining room from the rest of the house. “The screens separate and frame views of open areas surrounding the dining area, like the library and the living room,” says designer Marina Mizruh of Chimera Interiors.
