Contemporary dining room in Wollongong.

Brunswick Parlour transforms a Victorian cottage into a hard-working, personalised home for a family of four. Our clients loved the character of their Brunswick terrace home, but not its inefficient floor plan and poor year-round thermal control. They didn't need more space, they just needed their space to work harder. The front bedrooms remain largely untouched, retaining their Victorian features and only introducing new cabinetry. Meanwhile, the main bedroom’s previously pokey en suite and wardrobe have been expanded, adorned with custom cabinetry and illuminated via a generous skylight. At the rear of the house, we reimagined the floor plan to establish shared spaces suited to the family’s lifestyle. Flanked by the dining and living rooms, the kitchen has been reoriented into a more efficient layout and features custom cabinetry that uses every available inch. In the dining room, the Swiss Army Knife of utility cabinets unfolds to reveal a laundry, more custom cabinetry, and a craft station with a retractable desk. Beautiful materiality throughout infuses the home with warmth and personality, featuring Blackbutt timber flooring and cabinetry, and selective pops of green and pink tones. The house now works hard in a thermal sense too. Insulation and glazing were updated to best practice standard, and we’ve introduced several temperature control tools. Hydronic heating installed throughout the house is complemented by an evaporative cooling system and operable skylight. The result is a lush, tactile home that increases the effectiveness of every existing inch to enhance daily life for our clients, proving that good design doesn’t need to add space to add value.

Weerona House

Demardi.

Photo of a modern open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and exposed beam.

Templestowe

LBB Projects

Contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and exposed beam.

River of Life - Curl Curl NSW

Sandbox Studio®

Kitchen & Dining Room
Inspiration for a contemporary dining room in Sydney.

Bay Pearl

Kirsten Johnstone Architecture

Inspiration for a large modern dining room in Melbourne with grey walls, porcelain floors, grey floor, wood and wood walls.

Toowoomba Residence

Oliver Mark Interiors

Inspiration for a traditional dining room in Other.

Bronte Blues

ANNA CARIN Design

Design ideas for a transitional dining room in Sydney.

Dining

Look Design Group

Inspiration for a contemporary dining room in Sydney with white walls, plywood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

The Classic Modern Residence

Meraki Home Design

Design ideas for a contemporary dining room in Brisbane.

Bayside residence

Gary Hamer Interior Design

I worked alongside Base Architecture on this contemporary new home in the Brisbane bayside suburb of Manly for a young family. I assisted with the selection of finishes, colours and materials such as kitchen design, flooring and tiles. I also furnished the home in a contemporary and relaxed style. The clients incorporated some of their mid century modern pieces. The result was a home with casual elegance that is unpretentious, comfortable and inviting.

Riverstone

Tim Ditchfield Architects

Photo of a modern dining room in Sunshine Coast.

Bundarra Penthouse

Marylou Sobel Interior Design

Inspiration for a modern dining room in Sydney.

Camera Street House

Collins Pennington Architects

Respecting the street’s heritage, the charming gabled façade was retained. But beneath, behind and above, the four-bedroom residence is confidently contemporary. Chiselled out of sandstone, the subterranean strata has a garage, cellar, rumpus and laundry. While the mid-level hosts the bay-windowed master suite and expansive living areas oriented north toward a Jamie Durie-designed rear courtyard.

Paddington Residence

Alena Smith Interior Design

Design ideas for a modern dining room in Sydney with grey walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

South Yarra House

Melanie Beynon Architecture & Design

This is an example of a contemporary dining room in Melbourne.

Central Residence

Dylan Barber Building Design

Large contemporary open plan dining in Geelong with concrete floors.

Morning Star - Dover Shores

Matt White Custom Homes

Dining Room with wallpaper, custom shelving and cabinetry. Painting brick wall and barnwood barn door.
Inspiration for an eclectic dining room in Orange County.

California Modern

GONTERMAN CUSTOM HOMES

Inspiration for a mediterranean open plan dining in Orange County with white walls, light hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Projet Poissonnière

Transition Interior Design

Design ideas for a transitional dining room in Paris.

Brown Dining Room Design Ideas

A dining room can be used for casual dining, integrated into an open plan and connected to the living and kitchen areas; or as a formal space reserved solely for entertaining. While it may not be used frequently, it is a great focal point in the home, and requires little furnishings. Here's what you need to consider before you start planning a new dining room...

How will you use your dining room?

First, consider how frequently you will use the space. If you plan on using your dining room on a daily basis, a casual dining set-up with sturdy, long-lasting furniture is best. As for where you position it – well, any unused space in the home can be converted into a casual dining space, whether it be at the end of a kitchen island, or at the bottom of the stairs. A formal dining room, on the other hand, is more suited to a dedicated space, which is more common in heritage homes where space originally wasn’t at a premium. Perhaps you want your dining room to multi-task and accommodate everyday meals, homework sessions and grown-up dinner parties… If that’s the case, furniture is key. Look for versatile dining tables in either Australian or New Zealand hardwood or weathered timber for a more rustic look. These won’t show up sticky fingerprints as much and can be dressed up for guests.

What size and shape should your dining table be?

Your dining table should be able to seat all family members with some room for additional guests – each person should have at least 60 centimetres of space at the table. The right size, however, also depends on how much room you have. A general rule of thumb is to leave no less than 1 metre from the dining table to the wall or any additional furniture, so people have enough room to comfortably move around the space. Rectangular dining tables are versatile and can work in a variety of settings, while oval dining tables are more traditional and can turn any meal into an occasion. If you have a tight space to work in, a round dining table is best, and also a great option if you want to encourage conversation. A square dining table can be a dramatic addition to a dining room, but only if you have the space. It allows everyone at the table to see each other, but the bigger the table, the harder it will be able to hold a conversation with someone at the other end.

What type of dining chairs should you choose?

Once you’ve decided on a dining table, look for dining chairs that share a common design element. If your dining table legs are curved, for example, try to match them with dining chairs that have a similar curve, either in the legs or back. Next, consider the dimensions of the chair. The height of your dining chairs should allow at least 30 centimetres between the top of the seat and the top of the table. And to keep your tush happy, avoid dining chairs narrower than 45 centimetres.

How can you decorate your dining room?

Dining rooms are relatively minimal spaces, but that makes them a great place to splash a little colour through artwork, especially if yours is a formal dining room. If your dining room is lacking warmth, consider painting the walls a deep shade of red or blue, or go contemporary with black or grey. A cosy rug will make the space feel more intimate, while a sideboard or cabinet of curiosities will further personalise the space. Often overlooked, dining room lighting can also drastically alter the mood of a room, creating drama, spurring romance or encouraging conversation. Opt for soft lighting in the dining area with dimmer switches, and choose oversized pendants in large, open spaces or to make the dining area more of a focal point. Finally, add some table settings, such as a lace tablecloth for a whimsy feel, or a more basic table runner for a chic look. If you need some help designing your dining room, consider checking the Houzz directory of interior designers, home stylists, cabinet makers and more!