Whether your home has a dedicated dining room or you need kitchen and dining room ideas for an open plan layout, read on for interior inspiration.
Combined kitchen dining room ideas
Open plan layouts in our homes put the kitchen at the heart of family life. Thanks to our innovative new kitchen visualiser, available in our customer experience suites, you can design your new kitchen virtually. Read more about our kitchen visualiser and the top kitchen trends.
One of the most enduring combined kitchen dining room design ideas is to zone the space into functional areas. This can be achieved by adding an island or peninsular unit to physically separate the cooking area from the dining area while also providing practical additional seating and workspace, as seen in the four-bedroom Windsor show home at Temple Woods in Strood below.
Likewise pendant lighting above your breakfast bar or dining table can visually create distinct zones by focusing the eye on specific areas. Read more in our lighting trends guide here. Rugs can also be used to divide individual spaces. Try a sisal rug in the family area or beneath the dining area to soften spaces with hard floors.
“Create a sense of harmony by using tonal colours so that your dining area feels like part of the spaces it’s connected to and the rest of the home too,” Helen suggested. The four-bedroom Richmond has a “broken plan” layout with a partial wall between the kitchen and dining room at one end and another partial wall to distinguish the family area from the kitchen.
In the Richmond show home at Hamlet Park in Rainham the layout lends itself perfectly to zoned areas, feature paint has been applied to create a sense of flow and connection between the spaces.
Homes with combined kitchen, dining and family areas, like the four-bedroom Ledsham show home at Ash Gardens in Waterlooville, maximise the potential of the space. Here we have zoned the areas using furniture in tonal colours to create a sense of continuity and flow whilst differentiating the areas by functionality.
For more ideas of how to zone open plan spaces read our article on how to maximise space at home.
Dedicated dining room ideas
In our larger homes, such as the Sandringham, Blenheim and Highgrove we’ve included a dedicated dining room. These are ideal for more formal entertaining but can still be given a relaxed feel.
Moody tones have returned as a prominent interior design trend and can be used to create an understated yet elegant ambience to your dining room, as seen in our Blenheim show home at The Nook in Derby. we have layered deep lead grey against marble and ceramic furniture for an executive feel.
“If you have a separate dining room, think about the overall colour scheme of your home and how your dining room décor will complement your interior styling,” Helen said. Restorative dark tones are on trending for 2024 and work well to create ambiance in a dining area.
Having a dedicated dining room to entertain in is a luxury and understated luxury is a key trend this year. Think softer glamour with the high end feel of a boutique restaurant and consider ribbed or matte glass and ceramics.
“Even though it’s a formal setting, it can still feel cosy and welcoming,” Helen added. “Use tactile fabrics, furniture and brushed brass and dulled down metals to help create an enveloping comforting space.”
5 tips for choosing outdoor dining furniture
Whether it’s a simple salad, a barbecue or picnic, dining alfresco is a summer staple.
- When it comes to outdoor dining furniture, Helen’s top tip is to replicate your indoor seating outside. “If you have six chairs at your dining table inside, have the same number of chairs – or more outside. This will create the ultimate entertaining space whatever the weather,” she said.
- Outdoor dining furniture needs to be able to withstand the weather or be easily packed away. Options include wooden tables and chairs that can be painted and treated or rattan options with chairs that can be stored under the table. You can use covers to protect furniture from the elements rather than having to find space to store them.
- An outdoor sofa around a rectangular table offers more relaxed outdoor dining. Consider investing in a storage box to stow away cushions, throws and accessories.
- Treat your outdoor area as you would with your home and experiment with layouts, give consideration to what you will be using the outdoor areas for, dining, relaxing? Let this direct the style of outdoor furniture you choose.
- Don’t limit your garden use to the daylight hours, create cosy zones such as a seating nook with Outdoor heaters, chimeneas or fire pits ensure you can enjoy your outside space for longer or on cooler evenings. Layer up with solar lights such as floor lanterns and festoon lights to create a relaxing outdoor space.
For more ideas read our about garden space ideas.
Decorating ideas for the dining room
French doors help make the garden an extension of the home and if you’re looking for decorating ideas for the dining room this can help inspire your décor.
“Bring the outside inside by replicating colours and patterns from nature in your dining room,” Helen said. In the four-bedroom Henley at Oakleigh Fields in Rochester the dining area has been painted a natural deep brown, reminiscent of a soothing woodland walk.
“Blur the lines between inside and outside by using the same materials and fabrics, for example use sisal rugs to zone both dining areas creating a cohesive feel throughout” Helen suggested.
“Biophilia is still a massive trend for 2024 and will help spaces feel grounded and connected to the outside world,” Helen said. Placing plants or floral arrangements on the table is an easy way to embrace the trend, layer with floor plants in the corner of your dining room to further embrace this trend. Succulents require little water or attention, making them an ideal choice.
Adding a mirror opposite the French doors, like in our four-bedroom Richmond show home at Daresbury Garden Village in Cheshire, will help make the most of the natural light while also reflecting the natural colours from your garden.
For more interiors inspiration, read our guide to spring and summer interior design trends.
