Modern Dining Room Design: Create the Perfect Place to Eat
The ideal dining room setup looks different to different people, as it truly depends on what you want from it. This might be a cozy place for your family to share meals or a formal space to entertain guests. Whatever its purpose, there are a few key things to keep in mind when setting up your modern dining room.
1. Start with the dining room table.
Because the dining table is the centerpiece, it is the natural place to start when setting up your dining area. The most basic decision is whether you want a rectangular dining table or a round dining table. For a small dining room, a round dining table like the Nelson Swag Leg Table is a great option. This piece enables you to share a comfortable meal with three or four others while efficiently using the available dining space. For a rectangular dining room table option, the Nelson X-Leg Table can be styled based on your needs, providing a larger place to gather for any occasion. If you’re looking for a table that can cut a striking figure for formal entertaining, the Doubleframe Table with Carrara marble top is an enduring mix of form and function.
When deciding where to place your dining table, the biggest consideration should be the space around it. There should be enough room with all the other furniture present to comfortably move around the table and reach every seat. There must also be enough space to pull each chair out a reasonable distance so that everyone sitting at the table can easily stand up, sit down, and move about the room.
2. Find the perfect dining room chairs.
Once you’ve figured out where your dining room table is going to go, the next step is to find the right chairs to help set the overall tone of the room. While dining tables tend to be more simplistic in design, dining chairs can range from casual and trendy to formal and traditional. For a chair with a minimalist shape in a range of colors and finishes, the Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair is an excellent choice. Similarly, the Eames Molded Plywood Chair is a modern silhouette in a wider seat, and offered in different upholsteries and base options, this piece can perfectly complement other dining room furniture.
For homes with a counter or bar in the kitchen or dining room, dining stools are a simple way to refine the space. Typically, at least six inches taller than dining chairs, dining room stools provide a comfortable place for people to enjoy a meal or hang out. For example, the Comma Stool is an elegant, modern, and supportive dining stool that is both beautiful and useful.
Once you’ve selected your dining chairs, it’s important to arrange them in a way that complements your dining room design while providing an appropriate amount of seating. This means making sure each seat has enough space on either side of it so everyone can comfortably move around without bothering their neighbor.
3. Light up your dining room.
While it is ultimately up to you to decide how you want to light your dining room, it’s nice to make it one of the better lit rooms in the house. This gives the room a brighter, more joyful atmosphere while ensuring everyone can see what’s on their plate. The most popular form of dining room lighting is pendant lighting, primarily because of its decorative effect when hanging directly over the dining room table. Whether you choose one or more pendant lights, pieces like the Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant or the Nelson Ball Bubble Pendant bring a sculptural element to a functional space.
After you’ve discovered the perfect light fixture to hang over your dining table, you can accent other parts of the room or add to the general atmosphere using floor lamps, table lamps, and sconces. While the ideal lighting scheme for your dining room will be specific to the space, it’s a good idea to highlight points of interest around the room. Whether that means using an IC Sconce to highlight wall art or a Matin Table Lamp to illuminate a wine bar, the right lighting can enhance your dining room design.
4. Add beautiful dining room storage.
While the dining room isn’t typically the place where you need the most storage, there are some things to account for when designing the perfect space. Keeping tablecloths, candles, and other decor nearby is key to entertaining effortlessly, but you don’t want your dining room to look cluttered. Pieces like the Morrison Credenza lend a refined aesthetic while offering a great amount of space to stash whatever you might need.
Another storage consideration is a place to store and display wine or other bar essentials. Stunning pieces like the Line Wine Bar and the Edel Wine Bar provide such a space, with room to store bottles and glassware so that you have easy access and never miss a moment.