An appetite for dining spaces

Food has become a great equaliser. Naturally, the dining space, although used quite less, is a social corner where families bond inside a home. The most essential aspect when it comes to the dining space is choosing the right furniture.

The dining table and the chair should suit the whole colour scheme of your room, including the paint and the setting. Always choose a table bigger than your family’s requirement, as surprise visits by guests are quite common in most of our houses.

Another requirement to be taken care of in every house’s dining space is the lighting. The reason behind the existence of a dining area is eating food, and nobody likes to eat or sit in a dimly lit area. 
Fill your dining area with ceiling lamps and lights. “To give it an exotic look, you can use pretty candle stands and t-light holders with scented candles which will brighten up the moods as well,” advises Vandana Khosla, Creative Director, Elvy Lifestyle.

Monica Gupta, Co-founder, Craftsvilla.com adds, “Classy chairs are being used now instead of mere old chairs. Furnishing has seen lot of modifications. Lighting in the dining space should be apt to match the ambience.”

Sophisticated and intelligent design takes utmost precedence for any dining room design. Says Nayan Seth, General Manager, Taj Wellington Mews, “The perfect blend of contemporary design and traditional elements is the way to enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of your dining area while maintaining its functionality. A chic dining room is no longer defined by an opulent crystal chandelier, but paired with furniture to match its overall tone.”

Design mattersToday, dining tables are not just used as eating spaces, but also as work zones during the day; so, it is important to choose the right size for the table, depending on the space available in the dining area. Mix and match colours for chair and tables is really in these days.

People are moving away from typically wooden colours to brighter ones like reds and blues. While the legs could be woody, the tabletop could be a turquoise blue with matching chairs and funky cushion prints.

The lighting also plays an important role in lending the right mood to the dining space. Traditional chandeliers are paving way for industrial-style lighting, or fabric lighting in interesting colours and prints,” says Namita Agrawal, Founder, Sunshine Boulevard. “This is where you spend the least time, but it is often the most stimulating. This is where you can let your creativity go wild.” 

Do not be afraid to have fun and give your dining space a bold personality. Today, customers buy tableware by occasion, more like they do in the West. “Stylish fine bone china for formal dining, elegant whites for daily dining, stoneware and studio pottery for casual entertaining like alfresco brunches,” advices Beenu Bawa, Director, Goodearth. These are spaces where people come together. 

“In contemporary homes, we have seen the concept of open kitchens and dining areas coming together with no barriers in between. This benefits interaction with the guest or the family members while the home maker is cooking,” says B S Harikrishna, Vice President, ZED Communities.

Creative nooksThe best way to make the dining space look bigger is to combine it with an open kitchen. This gives the area more space to play around and a sense of continuity.

Lighting the space with the right kind of fixtures is very important to get that perfect ambience. “Having soft lighting is good for a romantic dinner. Placing the table near a window will give a perfect morning experience. Having experimental light fixtures around the table will get that party started while entertaining friends,” says Yogeshwar Kulkarni, Principal Designer, Samruddhi Realty Limited, Bangalore.

“Décor items like large-sized mirror, lamps, decorative spoon holders, artistic candle stands and artwork can give an elegant yet stylish look. An interesting option would be the use of a chandelier,” says Amrit Borkakoty, Proprietor, Serenity Blissful Living. Use a conversation piece to be the highlight of your dining space.

“Don’t limit it to an exquisite set, make it interesting with stand-alone pieces like an old traditional pram that can be converted into a mini bar, an old boat shelf from Kerala that can be used to showcase fine crockery, a mini boat to display your wine collection, intricately carved marble centre pieces to place fruits or mother of pearl platters to serve desserts or sushi or a quirky chest of drawers to keep your knick knacks,” advises Vivek Gupta, Owner, The Big Door.

The recent trend is for larger mirrors and wall art, which add an extra oomph to any dining room. Oversize décor makes a bold and stylish statement.Adds Rajat Singhi, Founder and Creative Director, Address Home, “Traditional and antique pieces, like these Pasha Arm chair, can feel intimidating when grouped together. But the room maintains a fresh face with various neutrals on walls (whites, creams and sage green), sprinkled with colours throughout the space and accented with a single bit of hanging bling.”

In fashionThe newest trend in dining spaces is that it be less formal and multipurpose. There is more emphasis on comfort than being typically formal. Dining rooms are evolving to keep pace with changing lifestyles. The current trend that can only gain in momentum is the return to scaled-back, simplified living.

The demand for small-scale furniture is growing, driven by younger consumers as well as baby boomers and second homeowners. Comfort is the primary motivation behind the move towards greater simplicity. People are leaning towards basic styles with cleaner lines. This direction lends itself perfectly to an eclectic combination of contemporary, traditional and even country designs.

“People living in flats, second homes, and apartments tend to have less formal dining spaces. Fortunately, casual dining pieces are available in smaller sizes or with features that make better use of these limited spaces,” says Suchita Talwar, Director of Business Development, Nolte Home Studio.

Spacious kitchen islands, banquettes, better technology and integrated dining facilities within the kitchen itself give families space to hang out, work and dine in one central space.Fostering a sense of peacefulness and closeness, the layout and design of dining spaces and kitchens are now aimed at making them the heart of the home.

“Trends like island counters and built-in appliances are ensuring that cooking and entertaining goes hand in hand. A mixture of traditional materials such as wood, granite and ceramics, alongside new products such as Corian, engineered stone, composite, laminates and glass in their varying forms are getting popular in kitchens,” says Sanjeev Wadhwa, Country Head, Fisher & Paykel.

It’s time to bond over the dining table.