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.

Rosanna Property Presentation

Larkspur Lane Design

Adding custom storage was a big part of the renovation of this 1950s home, including creating spaces to show off some quirky vintage accessories such as transistor radios, old cameras, homemade treasures and travel souvenirs (such as these little wooden camels from Morocco and London Black Cab).

A Mid-Century Modern Apartment Makeover

Décor Aid

New Yorkers are always on the prowl for innovative ways to make the most of the space they have. An upper east side couple, challenged with a slightly narrow L shaped apartment sought out Decor Aid’s help to make the most of their Manhattan condo. Paired with one of our senior designer, Kimberly P., we learned that the clients wanted a space that looked beautiful, comfortable and also packed with functionality for everyday living. “Immediately upon seeing the space, I knew that we needed to create a narrative that allowed the design to control how you moved through the space,” reports Kimberly, senior interior designer. After surveying each room and learning a bit more about their personal style, we started with the living room remodel. It was clear that the couple wanted to infuse mid-century modern into the design plan. Sourcing the Room & Board Jasper Sofa with its narrow arms and tapered legs, it offered the mid-century look, with the modern comfort the clients are used to. Velvet accent pillows from West Elm and Crate & Barrel add pops of colors but also a subtle touch of luxury, while framed pictures from the couple’s honeymoon personalize the space. Moving to the dining room next, Kimberly decided to add a blue accent wall to emphasize the Horchow two piece Percussion framed art that was to be the focal point of the dining area. The Seno sideboard from Article perfectly accentuated the mid-century style the clients loved while providing much-needed storage space. The palette used throughout both rooms were very New York style, grays, blues, beiges, and whites, to add depth, Kimberly sourced decorative pieces in a mixture of different metals. “The artwork above their bureau in the bedroom is photographs that her father took,” Moving into the bedroom renovation, our designer made sure to continue to stick to the client’s style preference while once again creating a personalized, warm and comforting space by including the photographs taken by the client’s father. The Avery bed added texture and complimented the other colors in the room, while a hidden drawer at the foot pulls out for attached storage, which thrilled the clients. A deco-inspired Faceted mirror from West Elm was a perfect addition to the bedroom due to the illusion of space it provides. The result was a bedroom that was full of mid-century design, personality, and area so they can freely move around. The project resulted in the form of a layered mid-century modern design with touches of luxury but a space that can not only be lived in but serves as an extension of the people who live there. Our designer was able to take a very narrowly shaped Manhattan apartment and revamp it into a spacious home that is great for sophisticated entertaining or comfortably lazy nights in.

Austin Victorian

Chango

Austin Victorian by Chango & Co. Architectural Advisement & Interior Design by Chango & Co. Architecture by William Hablinski Construction by J Pinnelli Co. Photography by Sarah Elliott

Rustic Remodel

New Rosslyn Construction

Inspiration for a small country open plan dining in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Dining Nook

Nine Dot Design

Photo of a small beach style kitchen/dining combo in Los Angeles with grey walls, light hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Lombardy Lane, Laguna Beach

Clark Collins - Collins Design & Development

Photo by Grey Crawford
Design ideas for a small traditional kitchen/dining combo in Orange County with white walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Custom Build Transitional Farmhouse

Red Leaf Interiors, LLC

Photo of a small transitional open plan dining in Nashville with beige walls, no fireplace, grey floor and limestone floors.

La pointe de l’optimisation, 22m2 à Paris

Ameo Concept

Pour la rénovation complète de ce studio, le brief des propriétaires était clair : que la surface accueille tous les équipements d’un grand appartement. La répartition des espaces était néanmoins contrainte par l’emplacement de deux fenêtres en L, et celui des évacuations de plomberie positionnées à l’entrée, ne laissant pas une grande liberté d’action. Pari tenu pour l’équipe d’Ameo Concept : une cuisine offrant deux plans de travail avec tout l’électroménager nécessaire (lave linge, four, lave vaisselle, plaque de cuisson), une salle d’eau harmonieuse tout en courbes, une alcôve nuit indépendante et intime où des rideaux délimitent l’espace. Enfin, une pièce à vivre fonctionnelle et chaleureuse, comportant un espace dînatoire avec banquette coffre, sans oublier le salon offrant deux couchages complémentaires. Une rénovation clé en main, où les moindres détails ont été pensés pour valoriser le bien.

PROJET PELLEGRINI

Pamela Cases

Au cœur de la place Pellegrini, niché au dernier étage d'un immeuble des années 60, cet appartement traversant conjugue lumière et texture dans un décor aux teintes douces et intemporelles. Les différentes pièces de l'appartement sont desservies par un petit couloir. Une grande salle de douche a été habillée de pierre grise et pourvue d'une confortable douche à l'italienne. Le plan vasque en bois chaud s'harmonise avec la robinetterie noire, vecteur de modernité. Bien que contraignante, l'étroitesse de la chambre permet toutefois de placer le couchage face à la baie vitrée. L'orientation nord-ouest sur cour garantit aux occupants silence et intimité.

Living area

Oakwrights

This is an example of a small country dining room in West Midlands.

Essence of Japan, Ealing, London

Yoko Kloeden Design

Small asian open plan dining in London with light hardwood floors and panelled walls.

Boho Glam

Jamie Schachtel Design Group

This is an example of a small contemporary dining room in Chicago with white walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

'Big Bang' White Oak Extendable Butterfly Leaf Dining Table

Casa Dega Design

The Big Bang dining table is based on our classic Vega table, but with a surprising new twist. Big Bang is extendable to accommodate more guests, with center storage for two fold-out butterfly table leaves, tucked out of sight. Collapsed, Big Bang measures 50”x50” to accommodate daily life in our client’s small dining nook, but expands to either 72” or 94” when needed. Big Bang was originally commissioned in white oak, but is available in all of our solid wood materials. Several coats of hand-applied clear finish accentuate Big Bangs natural wood surface & add a layer of extra protection. The Big Bang is a physical theory that describes how the universe… and this table, expanded. Material: White Oak Collapsed Dimensions: 50”L x 50”W x 30”H Extendable Dimensions: (1) 72" or (2) 94" Tabletop thickness: 1.5” Finish: Natural clear coat Build & Interior design by SD Design Studio, Furnishings by Casa Fox Studio, captured by Nader Essa Photography.

Azul Breakfast Nook

Jennifer Fischer Interiors

This is an example of a small contemporary dining room in San Francisco with white walls.

Bouldin Creek Home

Cameron Getter Design

This dining area called for a round table and we sourced this textural one made of plaster, contrasted with black wood and woven leather seat dining chairs. The basket light fixture chandelier brought in both the black and beige color elements, adding texture and interest.

Urban Paradise

Ashley Campbell Interior Design

Inspiration for a small contemporary kitchen/dining combo in Denver with white walls, light hardwood floors, beige floor and exposed beam.

Logan Square: Dickens

Lugbill Designs

Design ideas for a small transitional dining room in Chicago with white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Organic + Rustic

Leigh + Co Interiors

Small country kitchen/dining combo in Grand Rapids with white walls, vinyl floors, brown floor and vaulted.

Patchwork

Atelier OCTA Architecture-Architecture intérieure

Small contemporary open plan dining in Lyon.

Small 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!