Dining rooms have changed.
They're no longer spaces reserved for Sunday dinner or special occasions. Today's dining area might host breakfast in the morning, homework in the afternoon, dinner with the family and drinks with friends later that evening.
Choosing the right furniture can turn it into one of the most-used spaces in your home.
Find the right dining table
Your dining table is the centrepiece, so start by thinking about the space available and how many people you regularly need to seat.
Rectangular tables are a timeless choice and work particularly well in longer rooms, while round tables can make smaller spaces feel more sociable and intimate.
If you regularly have friends and family over, an extending dining table gives you the flexibility of additional space without needing a huge table every day.
Don't overlook your dining chairs
Dining chairs can completely change the character of a table.
Upholstered chairs introduce softness and comfort, while more contemporary designs can give your dining area a cleaner, modern feel.
You don't necessarily have to choose the exact matching set either. Pairing a statement chair with a simpler table – or introducing different chairs at the ends – can create a more individual look.
Give yourself somewhere to store – and display
A sideboard is one of the most useful additions to a dining space.
As well as providing storage for dinnerware, glasses and all those things you don't necessarily want on display, it gives you another surface to style.
Add a lamp, mirror, artwork or a few carefully chosen accessories and your sideboard can become a feature in its own right.
Create the right atmosphere
Lighting makes a huge difference around the dining table.
A pendant or statement light positioned above the table helps define the dining area, particularly in an open-plan room. For evenings, softer lighting from lamps and candles can instantly make the space feel warmer and more inviting.
The aim isn't to create a showroom. It's to create somewhere people actually want to sit, eat, talk and stay a little longer.
At The Designer Rooms, our Dining collection brings together dining tables, chairs, sideboards and more to help you create a space for everyday dinners and everything in between.
Discover our Dining collection and make more of mealtimes.