Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

Timber-Lantern House

Mcmahon and Nerlich

View to double-height dining room
Inspiration for a large contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround, grey floor, exposed beam and panelled walls.

Balcones

Soledad Builders, LLC

In lieu of a formal dining room, our clients kept the dining area casual. A painted built-in bench, with custom upholstery runs along the white washed cypress wall. Custom lights by interior designer Joel Mozersky.

Japandi Home

SDA Architects

After the second fallout of the Delta Variant amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in mid 2021, our team working from home, and our client in quarantine, SDA Architects conceived Japandi Home. The initial brief for the renovation of this pool house was for its interior to have an "immediate sense of serenity" that roused the feeling of being peaceful. Influenced by loneliness and angst during quarantine, SDA Architects explored themes of escapism and empathy which led to a “Japandi” style concept design – the nexus between “Scandinavian functionality” and “Japanese rustic minimalism” to invoke feelings of “art, nature and simplicity.” This merging of styles forms the perfect amalgamation of both function and form, centred on clean lines, bright spaces and light colours. Grounded by its emotional weight, poetic lyricism, and relaxed atmosphere; Japandi Home aesthetics focus on simplicity, natural elements, and comfort; minimalism that is both aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional. Japandi Home places special emphasis on sustainability through use of raw furnishings and a rejection of the one-time-use culture we have embraced for numerous decades. A plethora of natural materials, muted colours, clean lines and minimal, yet-well-curated furnishings have been employed to showcase beautiful craftsmanship – quality handmade pieces over quantitative throwaway items. A neutral colour palette compliments the soft and hard furnishings within, allowing the timeless pieces to breath and speak for themselves. These calming, tranquil and peaceful colours have been chosen so when accent colours are incorporated, they are done so in a meaningful yet subtle way. Japandi home isn’t sparse – it’s intentional. The integrated storage throughout – from the kitchen, to dining buffet, linen cupboard, window seat, entertainment unit, bed ensemble and walk-in wardrobe are key to reducing clutter and maintaining the zen-like sense of calm created by these clean lines and open spaces. The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” refers to the idea that ones home is your cosy sanctuary. Similarly, this ideology has been fused with the Japanese notion of “wabi-sabi”; the idea that there is beauty in imperfection. Hence, the marriage of these design styles is both founded on minimalism and comfort; easy-going yet sophisticated. Conversely, whilst Japanese styles can be considered “sleek” and Scandinavian, “rustic”, the richness of the Japanese neutral colour palette aids in preventing the stark, crisp palette of Scandinavian styles from feeling cold and clinical. Japandi Home’s introspective essence can ultimately be considered quite timely for the pandemic and was the quintessential lockdown project our team needed.

Cooks Hill

Zugai Strudwick Architects

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open plan dining in Newcastle - Maitland with brown walls, concrete floors, grey floor, exposed beam and decorative wall panelling.

Indian Moon

Parker Homes

This is an example of a mid-sized country kitchen/dining combo in Austin with brown walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, black floor, wood and wood walls.

Paris - Tiny House Wabi-sabi sur les toits de Paris

Projet Wabi-sabi

Projet de Tiny House sur les toits de Paris, avec 17m² pour 4 !
Small asian open plan dining in Paris with concrete floors, white floor, wood and wood walls.

Price Street Residence

Charles Maccora Design

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary kitchen/dining combo with black walls, concrete floors, grey floor and planked wall panelling.

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.

La Cabane du Lac

Studio Pépites

Vue banquette sur mesure en béton ciré. Projet La Cabane du Lac, Lacanau, par Studio Pépites. Photographies Lionel Moreau.
Photo of a mediterranean dining room in Bordeaux with concrete floors, white floor, wood and brick walls.

Midcentury Modern Loft Chinese Dining Room | Kimball Starr Interior Design

Kimball Starr Interior Design

After our redesign, we lightened the space by replacing a solid wall with retracting opaque ones. The guest bedroom wall now separates the open-plan dining space, featuring mid-century modern dining table and chairs in coordinating colors. A Chinese lamp matches the flavor of the shelving cutouts revealed by the sliding wall.

Modern Brick Ex Bachelor Pad

Kelsey Ann Rose

Interior Design by Materials + Methods Design.
This is an example of an industrial open plan dining in New York with concrete floors, grey floor, exposed beam, wood and brick walls.

Spring

User

Design ideas for a mid-sized industrial open plan dining in Other with multi-coloured walls, concrete floors, no fireplace, grey floor, exposed beam and brick walls.

Dining Area

Stratti Building Group

Here’s another shot of our Liechhardt project showing the formal dining space ! The space features beautiful distressed walls with 5 metre high steel windows and door frames with exposed roof trusses⠀ ⠀ Designed by Hare + Klein⠀ Built by Stratti Building Group Photo by Shannon Mcgrath

Interior Design - Luxemburg Gardens Townhouse

My-Studio Ltd

A table space to gather people together. The dining table is a Danish design and is extendable, set against a contemporary Nordic forest mural.
Inspiration for an expansive scandinavian kitchen/dining combo in London with concrete floors, grey floor, green walls, no fireplace and wallpaper.

Mid-Century Open Floor Plan Kitchen and Dining Room

DESIGN INTERVENTION

Mid-century Modern Home with Open Floor Plan Kitchen and Dining Room
Photo of a midcentury kitchen/dining combo in Perth with white walls, concrete floors, no fireplace, grey floor and wallpaper.

Silver Summit

Imbue Design

The dining room and kitchen spill out onto a roof top terrace to encourage summer barbeques and sunset dinner spectacles.
Design ideas for a modern open plan dining in Salt Lake City with concrete floors, grey floor, wood, brick walls and black walls.

Jimbell St Additions

steelehouse

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern kitchen/dining combo in Perth with white walls, concrete floors, grey floor, vaulted, panelled walls and no fireplace.

Maison mix&match sur l'Île Saint Denis

Projet Wabi-sabi

Une belle et grande maison de l’Île Saint Denis, en bord de Seine. Ce qui aura constitué l’un de mes plus gros défis ! Madame aime le pop, le rose, le batik, les 50’s-60’s-70’s, elle est tendre, romantique et tient à quelques références qui ont construit ses souvenirs de maman et d’amoureuse. Monsieur lui, aime le minimalisme, le minéral, l’art déco et les couleurs froides (et le rose aussi quand même!). Tous deux aiment les chats, les plantes, le rock, rire et voyager. Ils sont drôles, accueillants, généreux, (très) patients mais (super) perfectionnistes et parfois difficiles à mettre d’accord ? Et voilà le résultat : un mix and match de folie, loin de mes codes habituels et du Wabi-sabi pur et dur, mais dans lequel on retrouve l’essence absolue de cette démarche esthétique japonaise : donner leur chance aux objets du passé, respecter les vibrations, les émotions et l’intime conviction, ne pas chercher à copier ou à être « tendance » mais au contraire, ne jamais oublier que nous sommes des êtres uniques qui avons le droit de vivre dans un lieu unique. Que ce lieu est rare et inédit parce que nous l’avons façonné pièce par pièce, objet par objet, motif par motif, accord après accord, à notre image et selon notre cœur. Cette maison de bord de Seine peuplée de trouvailles vintage et d’icônes du design respire la bonne humeur et la complémentarité de ce couple de clients merveilleux qui resteront des amis. Des clients capables de franchir l’Atlantique pour aller chercher des miroirs que je leur ai proposés mais qui, le temps de passer de la conception à la réalisation, sont sold out en France. Des clients capables de passer la journée avec nous sur le chantier, mètre et niveau à la main, pour nous aider à traquer la perfection dans les finitions. Des clients avec qui refaire le monde, dans la quiétude du jardin, un verre à la main, est un pur moment de bonheur. Merci pour votre confiance, votre ténacité et votre ouverture d’esprit. ????

Blackbox

Strand Design

Photo of a modern dining room in Minneapolis with concrete floors, grey floor, wood and wood walls.

All Wall Treatments Dining Room Design Ideas with 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!