Tricia Shay Photography
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open plan dining in Milwaukee with a two-sided fireplace, white walls, concrete floors and brown floor.

Mazama Ranchero

CAST architecture

CAST architecture
Design ideas for a small contemporary open plan dining in Seattle with concrete floors.

Hotchkiss Residence

Scott Edwards Architecture

Design ideas for a contemporary dining room in Portland with concrete floors and grey floor.

Southwest Dining

Design Directives, LLC

Contemporary Southwest design at its finest! We made sure to merge all of the classic elements such as organic textures and materials as well as our client's gorgeous art collection and unique custom lighting. Project designed by Susie Hersker’s Scottsdale interior design firm Design Directives. Design Directives is active in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sedona, and beyond. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/

House in Santa Lucia Preserve

Cathy Schwabe Architecture

Dining area adjacent to kitchen with built in upholstered banquette. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely.
Contemporary dining room in San Francisco with concrete floors.

Bishops House

Santamaria Design

Photo of a large contemporary separate dining room in Sydney with white walls, concrete floors and grey floor.

Colorful Mid-Century Modern Kitchen & Dining

Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Midcentury kitchen design with a modern twist. Image: Agnes Art & Photo
Large midcentury kitchen/dining combo in Phoenix with white walls, concrete floors, no fireplace and grey floor.

Alma Residence

Frits de Vries Architect Ltd.

This is an example of a small contemporary open plan dining in Vancouver with white walls, concrete floors, grey floor and wood.

Silver Lake Loft

Black Lacquer Design

Design ideas for a small contemporary dining room in Los Angeles with concrete floors, grey floor, white walls and no fireplace.

Home 6 - Millworks Co-housing Community

Aiki Homes

Dining room nook with custom bench seats, maple cabinetry, and window frames MIllworks is an 8 home co-housing sustainable community in Bellingham, WA. Each home within Millworks was custom designed and crafted to meet the needs and desires of the homeowners with a focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, utilizing passive solar gain, and minimizing impact.

Kagamihara Dining

Slab Art studio

A black walnut dining table, suspended on a steel cantilever base, which is mounted directly into the cement floor. We'd like to thank Yumi Kagamihara, interior designer, who invited us to collaborate on this stunning home project. Slab Art Studios designed the walnut table top; the homeowner designed the base. We're delighted to see the final piece in its beautiful home setting. This black walnut slab holds a more organic statement than most. Unlike most dining-table slabs, we did not flatten it completely to accommodate traditional dining. Rather, we left some of the subtle curves and undulations garnered from three years of air- and kiln-drying. Then we smoothed it out just enough to provide an inviting, usable surface. 9' x 44" x 3" Photo: Yum Kagamihara

Lake Edge

Rehkamp Larson Architects, Inc.

Andrea Rugg Photography
Contemporary dining room in Minneapolis with white walls and concrete floors.

Zeen & Cosy

MAGAZINE MAISONS DE CAMPAGNE

Design ideas for a large country kitchen/dining combo in Paris with white walls, concrete floors and no fireplace.

Living & Dining

ODS Architecture

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Aloha from Oahu

Western Window Systems

Architect Paul Noborikawa, principal at Noborikawa & Associates in Hawaii, seamlessly blends environment and design in this luxury residence on the island of Oahu. The main attraction of the modern home is a great room that opens to the yard courtesy of 75 feet of Series 600 Multi-Slide Doors from Western Window Systems. Other features include an energy-efficient design, modern materials such as polished concrete floors, granite counters, and storage for kayaks and surfboards.

Russet

splyce design

Photo of a modern dining room in Vancouver with concrete floors.

Vashon Island 1,750 sq ft FabCab

FabCab

Location: Vashon Island, WA. Photography by Dale Lang
Large country open plan dining in Seattle with brown walls, concrete floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Cammeray Residence

Woods & Warner

Woods & Warner worked closely with Clare Carter Contemporary Architecture to bring this beloved family home to life. Extensive renovations with customised finishes, second storey, updated floorpan & progressive design intent truly reflects the clients initial brief. Industrial & contemporary influences are injected widely into the home without being over executed. There is strong emphasis on natural materials of marble & timber however they are contrasted perfectly with the grunt of brass, steel and concrete – the stunning combination to direct a comfortable & extraordinary entertaining family home. Furniture, soft furnishings & artwork were weaved into the scheme to create zones & spaces that ensured they felt inviting & tactile. This home is a true example of how the postive synergy between client, architect, builder & designer ensures a house is turned into a bespoke & timeless home.

Family Loft

ZeroEnergy Design

Modern family loft includes an open dining area with a custom walnut table and unique lighting fixture. Photos by Eric Roth. Construction by Ralph S. Osmond Company. Green architecture by ZeroEnergy Design. http://www.zeroenergy.com

Northcote Street Open Plan Living

BuildHer Collective

Build Beirin Projects Project BuildHer Collective Photo Cheyne Toomey Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a hanging fireplace and grey floor.

Dining Room Design Ideas with Bamboo Floors and Concrete Floors

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!