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.

Los Gatos Remodel

Vivian Soliemani Design

This open concept dining room not only is open to the kitchen and living room but also flows out to sprawling decks overlooking Silicon Valley. The weathered wood table and custom veneer millwork are juxtaposed against the sleek nature of the polished concrete floors and metal detailing on the custom fireplace.

Mountain Modern

Pearson Design Group

Design ideas for an expansive contemporary dining room in Other with beige walls, concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

My Houzz: The Thorns

Lucy Call

Photo: Lucy Call © 2014 Houzz Design: Imbue Design
This is an example of a contemporary dining room in Salt Lake City with concrete floors, a metal fireplace surround and a ribbon fireplace.

Number 16- Living Area

Jess Hunter Interior Design

Number 16 Project. Linking Heritage Georgian architecture to modern. Inside it's all about robust interior finishes softened with layers of texture and materials. This is the open plan living, kitchen and dining area. FLowing to the outdoor alfresco.

Boulderback Project

Danielle Rios Design Studio

Design ideas for a large contemporary open plan dining in Las Vegas with beige floor, white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Mid Century Interior Renovation

KOSS design+build, pllc

View of great room from dining area. Rick Brazil Photography
This is an example of a midcentury kitchen/dining combo in Phoenix with concrete floors, a tile fireplace surround, grey floor, white walls and a two-sided fireplace.

Gallatin Valley Ranch

Penny Lane Home Builders, LLC

Metal pipe furniture and metal dining chairs Photography by Lynn Donaldson
Photo of a large industrial open plan dining in Other with grey walls, concrete floors and a stone fireplace surround.

Kitchen

by SHnordic

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary separate dining room in Buckinghamshire with white walls, concrete floors, a wood stove, a metal fireplace surround and grey floor.

Tongass Ledge

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

The main space is a single, expansive flow outward toward the sound. There is plenty of room for a dining table and seating area in addition to the kitchen. Photography: Andrew Pogue Photography.

Not Your Grandfather's Barn! A Modern Pole Barn House in Lauderdale Lake Area

Stebnitz Builders, Inc.

This 2,500 square-foot home, combines the an industrial-meets-contemporary gives its owners the perfect place to enjoy their rustic 30- acre property. Its multi-level rectangular shape is covered with corrugated red, black, and gray metal, which is low-maintenance and adds to the industrial feel. Encased in the metal exterior, are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and an aging-in-place suite that is made for the in-laws. This home also boasts two garage doors that open up to a sunroom that brings our clients close nature in the comfort of their own home. The flooring is polished concrete and the fireplaces are metal. Still, a warm aesthetic abounds with mixed textures of hand-scraped woodwork and quartz and spectacular granite counters. Clean, straight lines, rows of windows, soaring ceilings, and sleek design elements form a one-of-a-kind, 2,500 square-foot home

Superview Residence

Daniel Boardman Residential Design

Photo of a contemporary open plan dining in Austin with white walls, concrete floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and grey floor.

Garden Fresh

Moderne Builders

Peak Photog
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury dining room in Los Angeles with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

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.

Hewn House

Matt Fajkus Architecture

The cabin typology redux came out of the owner’s desire to have a house that is warm and familiar, but also “feels like you are on vacation.” The basis of the “Hewn House” design starts with a cabin’s simple form and materiality: a gable roof, a wood-clad body, a prominent fireplace that acts as the hearth, and integrated indoor-outdoor spaces. However, rather than a rustic style, the scheme proposes a clean-lined and “hewned” form, sculpted, to best fit on its urban infill lot. The plan and elevation geometries are responsive to the unique site conditions. Existing prominent trees determined the faceted shape of the main house, while providing shade that projecting eaves of a traditional log cabin would otherwise offer. Deferring to the trees also allows the house to more readily tuck into its leafy East Austin neighborhood, and is therefore more quiet and secluded. Natural light and coziness are key inside the home. Both the common zone and the private quarters extend to sheltered outdoor spaces of varying scales: the front porch, the private patios, and the back porch which acts as a transition to the backyard. Similar to the front of the house, a large cedar elm was preserved in the center of the yard. Sliding glass doors open up the interior living zone to the backyard life while clerestory windows bring in additional ambient light and tree canopy views. The wood ceiling adds warmth and connection to the exterior knotted cedar tongue & groove. The iron spot bricks with an earthy, reddish tone around the fireplace cast a new material interest both inside and outside. The gable roof is clad with standing seam to reinforced the clean-lined and faceted form. Furthermore, a dark gray shade of stucco contrasts and complements the warmth of the cedar with its coolness. A freestanding guest house both separates from and connects to the main house through a small, private patio with a tall steel planter bed. Photo by Charles Davis Smith

Open Plan Dining

Green Sheep Collective

Smart home is a joyful renovation project in Seddon for a family teeming with curiosity. The design included adding an open plan living, dining and kitchen to an existing heritage home. It seeks to make smart, effective use of very tight spaces. A mezzanine over the pantry and study nook utilises the volume created by the cathedral ceiling, while large openable skylights increase the perception of light and space, and double as 'thermal chimneys' to assist natural ventilation processes in summer.

Brays Island Modern

Choate + Hertlein Architects

The palette of materials is intentionally reductive, limited to concrete, wood, and zinc. The use of concrete, wood, and dull metal is straightforward in its honest expression of material, as well as, practical in its durability. Phillip Spears Photographer

The Wolf House

Wolf Architects

Wolf House is a contemporary home designed for flexible, easy living for a young family of 5. The spaces have multi use and the large home has a connection through its void space allowing all family members to be in touch with each other. The home boasts excellent energy efficiency and a clear view of the sky from every single room in the house.

Umbau einer Bauerkate

Heike Schröder Fotografie

Esszimmer in ehemaliger Bauerkate modern renoviert mit sichtbaren Stahlträgern. Blick auf den alten Kamin
Design ideas for a large country open plan dining in Hamburg with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, grey floor and vaulted.

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.

All Fireplace Surrounds 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!