Photo of a contemporary kitchen/dining combo in Minneapolis with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, beige floor, exposed beam and vaulted.

Staging Woodland Hills

Haenen Design Studios

Original art and a contrasting rug shows this room's lovely features.
Mid-sized modern open plan dining in Los Angeles with white walls, laminate floors, a two-sided fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, black floor and vaulted.

Chalet Fern, Private Residence

F3 Architects

Country open plan dining in Other with a two-sided fireplace, exposed beam, vaulted, wood, white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Emerald Lakeside

JSTL Construction

Photo of a large contemporary open plan dining in Other with white walls, concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, grey floor and vaulted.

Texas Refined Rustic in Waller County, TX

J.W. Neathery Custom Home Craftsman

This open concept craftsman style home features a two-sided fireplace with limestone hearth and cedar beam mantel. The vaulted ceilings with exposed cedar beams and trusses compliment the focal point and tie together the kitchen, dining, and living areas.

Vistas desde el comedor

Sincro

Design ideas for a large industrial open plan dining in Other with white walls, porcelain floors, grey floor, vaulted, brick walls, a two-sided fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Ravine View Home Dining Room

Douglas Design Studio

Dining room featuring a double sided fireplace, grand stone table and Lalique chandelier.
Design ideas for a large contemporary separate dining room in Toronto with white walls, carpet, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, white floor, vaulted and wallpaper.

Brick Veneer

Zebra Stone Artisans. LLC

Brick veneer wall. Imagine what the original wall looked like before installing brick veneer over it. On this project, the homeowner wanted something more appealing than just a regular drywall. When she contacted us, we scheduled a meeting where we presented her with multiple options. However, when we look into the fact that she wanted something light weight to go over the dry wall, we thought an antique brick wall would be her best choice. However, most antique bricks are plain red and not the color she had envisioned for beautiful living room. Luckily, we found this 200year old salvaged handmade bricks. Which turned out to be the perfect color for her living room. These bricks came in full size and weighed quite a bit. So, in order to install them on drywall, we had to reduce the thickness by cutting them to half an inch. And in the cause cutting them, many did break. Since imperfection is core to the beauty in this kind of work, we were able to use all the broken bricks. Hench that stunningly beautiful wall. Lastly, it’s important to note that, this rustic look would not have been possible without the right color of mortar. Had these bricks been on the original plantation house, they would have had that creamy lime look. However since you can’t find pure lime in the market, we had to fake the color of mortar to depick the original look.

Sugartown

Foley Hillestad Architecture

This was a complete interior and exterior renovation of a 6,500sf 1980's single story ranch. The original home had an interior pool that was removed and replace with a widely spacious and highly functioning kitchen. Stunning results with ample amounts of natural light and wide views the surrounding landscape. A lovely place to live.

MCM Gem

Dunn Development, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury dining room in Nashville with medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace and vaulted.

West Ocean City Residence

David D. Quillin Architecture

The sitting area and eating area beyond
This is an example of a mid-sized beach style dining room in Other with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, beige floor and vaulted.

Sugartown

Foley Hillestad Architecture

Дом-баня в стиле Американская классика

Larissa Sladkova

Photo of a large transitional kitchen/dining combo in Moscow with grey walls, ceramic floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, grey floor and vaulted.

Color Block Red

McCabe By Design LLC

A sleek free standing propane fireplace replaced an oversized gas fireplace that was situated on a wide brick hearth that was very good and tripping people. By removing the hearth the dining area became more spacious and better capable of seating large groups. Photo by A Kitchen That Works

Hampton's Naturalist - Water Mill, NY

Burrow & Nest

The casual dining area off the kitchen leads to the backyard pool area, boasting soaring ceilings and windows. In order to add bedrooms upstairs, the previous owner had left the house with an awkward roofline between the kitchen and dining area. Two large beaded chandeliers were the solution, adding much needed light and drawing the eye down, The dining table was sourced with leaves to accommodate company. Another washable rug here, allows for worry free dining. Mantels were sourced to coordinate with the ones in the living room, carrying the rustic aesthetic throughout the house.

Creekside Bungalow

Vereco Smart Green Homes Ltd

black pendant light over dining table at the centre of the home, adjacent to the front entry, the hallway to the bedrooms, the basement stairs, kitchen, and living room. One sided sloped ceiling and two-sided stone fireplace.

Aspen Line Shacks #1 + #2

Willis Pember Architects

view from dining room into living room fireplace
This is an example of a mid-sized modern separate dining room in Denver with medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, beige floor and vaulted.

MCM Gem

Dunn Development, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury dining room in Nashville with medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace and vaulted.

Luxurious Summer Home

Amber Golob Interiors

Large beach style open plan dining in Milwaukee with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and vaulted.

Modern Farmhouse

Sky House Company

This dining space leads out to the covered deck and is warmed by the double sided fireplace leading into the primary bedroom.
Large country kitchen/dining combo in Charlotte with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, brown floor and vaulted.

Dining Room Design Ideas with a Two-sided Fireplace and Vaulted

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!