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.

Wood paneling, often associated with older homes, is increasingly being used in contemporary homes to protect walls and as a unique design feature.

Wood paneling does add to the cost of a room remodel. But it has many advantages that contribute to the home’s durability and resale value. Wood paneling is a soundproofing material. In dining rooms, paneling protects the lower half of the walls against chair bumps. Natural wood paneling that is stained or clear-coated gives rooms a soothing feeling. Wood paneling, too, can be painted for a more formal look.

Summary of Paneling Types and Terms

Wainscoting: Panels on the lower 1/2 or 1/3rd of a room, often in beadboard style.Beadboard: Vertically grooved panels that have a traditional style.Shiplap: Horizontal siding boards often used indoors as a design element.Tongue and Groove: A way of attaching two boards with a tongue inserted into a groove.Board and Batten: Battens are wide vertical molding pieces installed on larger boards.Raised Panels: Deeply beveled squares or rectangles in panels for a classic look.Flat Panels: Smooth panels that have a modern look.

A Detailed Look at Paneling Types

Wainscoting

Wainscoting is any style of wood paneling that is on the lower one-half to one-third of a wall, usually around the entire room perimeter. Wainscoting protects the wall from damage, especially in areas prone to impact, such as dining rooms or children’s rooms.

Wainscoting is commonly assembled from beadboard panels. Often, a thin strip of chair rail is run across the top of wainscoting as a visual cap and to receive the impact from chair backs.

Beadboard is a style of wood paneling characterized by long, continuous vertical grooves and raised beads spaced every inch or two.

Beadboard is found in individual boards, each about 32 to 48 inches long by 3 to 4 inches wide. Boards fit side-to-side. Alternatively, beadboard can be purchased in large panels as long as 8 linear feet that help expedite the installation process. The beads and grooves are molded into the board in the factory.