Photography by Richard Mandelkorn
Photo of a traditional kitchen/dining combo in Boston with white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

1902 Historic Kitchen & Pantry Alamo Heights Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

This 1902 San Antonio home was beautiful both inside and out, except for the kitchen, which was dark and dated. The original kitchen layout consisted of a breakfast room and a small kitchen separated by a wall. There was also a very small screened in porch off of the kitchen. The homeowners dreamed of a light and bright new kitchen and that would accommodate a 48" gas range, built in refrigerator, an island and a walk in pantry. At first, it seemed almost impossible, but with a little imagination, we were able to give them every item on their wish list. We took down the wall separating the breakfast and kitchen areas, recessed the new Subzero refrigerator under the stairs, and turned the tiny screened porch into a walk in pantry with a gorgeous blue and white tile floor. The french doors in the breakfast area were replaced with a single transom door to mirror the door to the pantry. The new transoms make quite a statement on either side of the 48" Wolf range set against a marble tile wall. A lovely banquette area was created where the old breakfast table once was and is now graced by a lovely beaded chandelier. Pillows in shades of blue and white and a custom walnut table complete the cozy nook. The soapstone island with a walnut butcher block seating area adds warmth and character to the space. The navy barstools with chrome nailhead trim echo the design of the transoms and repeat the navy and chrome detailing on the custom range hood. A 42" Shaws farmhouse sink completes the kitchen work triangle. Off of the kitchen, the small hallway to the dining room got a facelift, as well. We added a decorative china cabinet and mirrored doors to the homeowner's storage closet to provide light and character to the passageway. After the project was completed, the homeowners told us that "this kitchen was the one that our historic house was always meant to have." There is no greater reward for what we do than that.

Georgian Family House

Imperfect Interiors

Chris Snook
Photo of a traditional kitchen/dining combo in London with white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Green Meadow

Camens Architectural Group, LLC

This is an example of a traditional kitchen/dining combo in Charleston with medium hardwood floors.

Urban Townhome Breakfast Room

Lorraine G Vale, ASID Allied

This lovely breakfast room, overlooking the garden, is an inviting place to start your day lingering over Sunday morning coffee. I had the walls painted in a soft coral, contrasting with various wood tones in the armoire, table and shades. It is all tied together by keeping the chair covers and rug light in color. The crystal chandelier is an unexpected element in a breakfast room, yet, your not compelled to pull out the china and silver.

Malvern Kitchen Remodel

Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen/dining combo in Philadelphia with porcelain floors, no fireplace and grey floor.

Sea Cliff Classic

Cucina di Cannelora

This majestic home was brought back to life with a full gut and remodel. We captured the original characteristics while integrating the modern features. The client wanted to create a space where family and friends can gather and partake in what this wonderful old home has to offer.

Navy Kitchen

Alison Kandler Interior Design

David Tsay for HGTV Magazine
Inspiration for a large traditional kitchen/dining combo in Los Angeles with light hardwood floors.

SW Greenleaf

Nifelle Design - Fine Interiors

David Papazian
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional kitchen/dining combo in Portland with green walls, medium hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Naples Dining Room

User

From Plain to Fabulous A great thing about building a new home is that you are starting fresh. Being a Florida decorator, many of our clients are moving from the Northern or Mid-West states. We advise them to leave their often dark, large pieces of traditional furniture behind and just bring pieces that have value to them whether sentimental or monetary. This dining room was a pleasure because it was a clean slate with large windows letting in the morning sun. The floors are hand-scraped engineered wood in Brazilian walnut which give the entire home a warm feel to counteract the stark white walls. The home owners have a large art collection and specifically chose the white paint so that the paintings can be seen at their best and moved around the home easily. The owners host many dinner parties throughout the year and wanted a table that was virtually indestructible, and that visitors didn’t have to be careful with. This long Mango wood trestle table comfortably seats between eight and ten and has an antique grey, distressed look that is similar to driftwood. We alternated turquoise and light blue dining chairs for some contrast. An outstanding centerpiece for the room is a dazzling grey chandelier with an outstanding display of brilliant graphite crystals. Hundreds of faceted crystals are suspended from ten fluted glass arms. Wall sconces in chrome with grey linen shades were added and all the lighting is on dimmers for a choice of bright or mood lighting depending on the required ambience. To control the harsh Florida sunlight that can leech color out of furnishings within weeks, we installed light grey Silhouette window shades which keep approximately 97% of harmful UV rays out but still let in light even when fully closed. Traversing draperies were installed floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall providing a spectacular color wall of cream, green, purple and turquoise. The hardware is hidden behind the crown moulding for a clean, modern look. The best part of this design story lies in the large-scale artwork. The home owner had been given the painting years ago when she lived in Philadelphia but the colors didn’t suit her Northern palette. The painting was hidden in the attic but during the move was crated and sent to Florida. After not seeing it for sixteen years she had forgotten what it looked like and when she saw the crate about to be off-loaded asked the removal crew to take it away. At the last minute she decided to look in the crate and was surprised and delighted to find the perfect artwork for her dining room! Lastly, hand-torn wallpaper was installed in a custom color in the tray ceiling. As this room is used for dinner parties, games and even casual dining we decided not to install a rug for ease of use and movement around the table. Photographer: Rolando Diaz

Sherman Oaks Cape Cod Remodel

Milano Granite

This is an example of a small traditional kitchen/dining combo in Los Angeles with grey walls and medium hardwood floors.

Classical Estate Design and Build

Haleh Design Inc.

The dining room features a full on embrace of pink, the homeowner’s favorite hue, orchestrated in a multitude of notes from a frothy milky tone to raspberry, salmon, and coral. The plaster wall treatment accented in gold leaf emphasizes the dramatic projections of the mouldings which echo in the gilded table base. The candelabra is Saint Louis; the place settings are custom by Herend. Furnishings from Colombo Mobili. Haritage chandelier, Lalique abundance bowl, Tabriz Persian rug.

San Francisco Mediterranean

Lorin Hill, Architect

John Bedell Photography, Interiors by Angela Free Design
Design ideas for a small traditional kitchen/dining combo in San Francisco with beige walls and dark hardwood floors.

Peacock Banquette

Catherine Nguyen Photography

Custom peacock-bue banquette with gorgeous coordinating roman shades. Interior design by Kress Jack at Home Catherine Nguyen Photography
Traditional kitchen/dining combo in San Francisco.

Early American Metal and Wood Chandelier

We Got Lites

The combination of wood and iron is a historic pairing of materials inspired by the early days of colonial America. Solid wood is either turned or milled to provide an understated hand-made character. The colonial maple finish compliments the vintage rust metalwork while the wheat linen shades cast a warm glow of light.

White Banquet

User

Angled built in banquet. Hinged seats for access to storage. Alder with white lacquer finish.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional kitchen/dining combo in Los Angeles with beige walls, dark hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Berkeley Brown Shingle

AND Interior Design Studio

Peter Lyons
Photo of a mid-sized traditional kitchen/dining combo in San Francisco with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Maryland Green Show House

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID NKBA

Dining Area in the Kitchen of the Maryland Green Designer Show House is very comfy with the dining Settee at the Blue and white Tiled Table. Designed by Gina Fitzsimmons ASID. Photo- Derek Jones

Traditional Dining Room

Photo of a large traditional kitchen/dining combo in Portland with blue walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Chatham Hills - Country French

Old Town Design Group

The kitchen table has a perfect view of the golf course and great exposed wooden beams in the ceiling. Photo Credit: Tom Graham
Photo of a large traditional kitchen/dining combo in Indianapolis with brown floor, beige walls, dark hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Traditional Kitchen/Dining Combo Design Ideas

A traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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!