Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW The homeowner and his wife had lived in this beautiful townhome in Oak Brook overlooking a small lake for over 13 years. The home is open and airy with vaulted ceilings and full of mementos from world adventures through the years, including to Cambodia, home of their much-adored sponsored daughter. The home, full of love and memories was host to a growing extended family of children and grandchildren. This was THE place. When the homeowner’s wife passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, he became determined to create a space that would continue to welcome and host his family and the many wonderful family memories that lay ahead but with an eye towards functionality. We started out by evaluating how the space would be used. Cooking and watching sports were key factors. So, we shuffled the current dining table into a rarely used living room whereby enlarging the kitchen. The kitchen now houses two large islands – one for prep and the other for seating and buffet space. We removed the wall between kitchen and family room to encourage interaction during family gatherings and of course a clear view to the game on TV. We also removed a dropped ceiling in the kitchen, and wow, what a difference. Next, we added some drama with a large arch between kitchen and dining room creating a stunning architectural feature between those two spaces. This arch echoes the shape of the large arch at the front door of the townhome, providing drama and significance to the space. The kitchen itself is large but does not have much wall space, which is a common challenge when removing walls. We added a bit more by resizing the double French doors to a balcony at the side of the house which is now just a single door. This gave more breathing room to the range wall and large stone hood but still provides access and light. We chose a neutral pallet of black, white, and white oak, with punches of blue at the counter stools in the kitchen. The cabinetry features a white shaker door at the perimeter for a crisp outline. Countertops and custom hood are black Caesarstone, and the islands are a soft white oak adding contrast and warmth. Two large built ins between the kitchen and dining room function as pantry space as well as area to display flowers or seasonal decorations. We repeated the blue in the dining room where we added a fresh coat of paint to the existing built ins, along with painted wainscot paneling. Above the wainscot is a neutral grass cloth wallpaper which provides a lovely backdrop for a wall of important mementos and artifacts. The dining room table and chairs were refinished and re-upholstered, and a new rug and window treatments complete the space. The room now feels ready to host more formal gatherings or can function as a quiet spot to enjoy a cup of morning coffee.

Lantern House on the River

Cannarsa Structure and Design

グランドラピッズにあるトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニング (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、茶色い床、朝食スペース、塗装板張りの天井、壁紙) の写真

Country Club full house Renovation

Restor Homes

Traditional Dining room
ミネアポリスにある高級な中くらいなトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、折り上げ天井、パネル壁) の写真

Norton Commons: 8903 Featherbell Blvd

Bentley Construction LLC

ルイビルにあるトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、茶色い床、格子天井、パネル壁) の写真

West End Maximalism | Design and Build

Nistenhaus Design LLC

セントルイスにある高級な広いエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、タイルの暖炉まわり、茶色い床、格子天井、壁紙) の写真

Copse Project

Casia Home

Farmhouse dining room with a warm/cool balanced palette incorporating hygge and comfort into a more formal space.
他の地域にある低価格の中くらいなカントリー風のおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、格子天井) の写真

Formal Dining Room

Chesler Construction, Inc.

Traditional formal dining, moldings, fireplace, marble surround gas fireplace, dark hardwood floors
サンフランシスコにある広いトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなLDK (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、茶色い床、格子天井) の写真

Kensington Family Home

Simply Home Decorating

The kitchen may be the heart of a home, but the dining room is where the family gathers to enjoy special occasions, create and pass on traditions, and savour each other’s company free from distractions. The family behind this particular dining room enjoys doing just that. When they are not traveling the world, Matthew and Anna (names changed) love to cook meals at home with their teenage daughter, entertain family and friends, and live amongst their cherished travel souvenirs and heirlooms. Their dining room, however, was far from the perfect backdrop for these experiences. Before: Dining Room: When Matthew and Anna contacted us, they imagined a space that would comfortably seat 8 to 10 people and incorporate their beautiful inherited dining table and sideboard in a fresh, modern way. Above all, they wanted a dining room that they would feel proud to share. They worked with us to design, lightly renovate, and furnish their dining room and adjacent living space. Now, the room is nothing short of inviting and elevated. Classic Yet Contemporary Dining Room: Viewed from the living area, the dining room is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Matthew and Anna wanted dark blue for the walls, and we couldn’t have been happier to find the perfect shade for them. By leaning darker, this rich blue creates the perception of depth, making the room feel enticing, comfortable and secluded. The previous built-ins were underwhelming and lacked function, so we designed wider, taller, double sided cabinets that integrated the existing bulk-head, and then accessorized the shelves with the family’s travel finds, books, and decor. Topping these units with brass art lights not only blends contemporary and traditional styles, it also draws attention to the dining table’s modern show-stopping chandelier. You can’t miss it. Inside the dining room, the effect is equally impressive: enveloping yet spacious, warm yet cool, classic yet contemporary. We incorporated their heirloom pieces seamlessly into the design thanks to the 1:2 ratio. For every traditional piece, we introduced two more modern or contemporary pieces — clean lines, subtle curves, and lustrous brass hardware. The result is a collected yet updated look. In any room with dark walls, lighting is of the utmost importance. We placed a mirror adjacent to the window to reflect natural light throughout the room, and we kept the trim and ceiling white for brightness. To provide maximum versatility, we provided multiple light sources that can be adjusted to create different levels of light to suit any mood or occasion. These include: pot lights and a chandelier on dimmers, a sculptural trilight lamp on the sideboard, and art lights on the bookcases and above important art pieces. The built-ins have another surprise waiting inside this special dining room: Double-sided built-ins: dining room shelving and living room shelving. Rather than keep them white like we did in the living room, we painted the back wall of the book cases the same dark blue as the walls in the rest of the room. This reduces the contrast with the surrounding walls and emphasizes the white outline of the cabinets. We also love the dark blue walls’ role as a beautiful backdrop for this family’s treasures. The brass accessories and hand-painted vases and bowls feel like part of the experience. Of course, what is beauty without function? It may not look like it, but the base storage is only accessible from the dining room side. The units include deep cabinets for storing serving ware, as well as another delightful surprise: silverware drawers lined in luxurious navy velvet! Lastly, we designed this beautiful nook for their heirloom sideboard. From afar, the wall looks as if it has texture and perhaps a touch of shine. Up close, you will notice that it is actually navy blue wallpaper with tiny golden dots. This unique touch accentuates the brass in the room touches throughout the space.. The room feels curated, contemporary, and full of character. Words of Praise: Anna and Matthew were thrilled with their new dining room and with the design process itself, which is always the highest compliment. They said: “Working with Lori and her team at Simply Home Decorating was a great experience. The design they came up with was both beautiful and practical for our family. Renovations can be stressful but working with Simply Home made the process much more pleasant. “Simply Home's project management and their longstanding relationships with reliable trades meant we could relax, knowing that everything was taken care of. If an issue arose, the entire Simply Home team was quick to address it. They were excellent at communicating with us—we never felt like we didn't know what was going on. We would highly recommend working with Simply Home Decorating.” Thank you, Matthew and Anna! We are honoured to have been part of your journey and wish your family many happy memories in these new spaces. Now, is it your turn? Are you ready to uncover the hidden potential in your home? If so, contact us here to start the conversation or download my guide Uncovering the Hidden Potential in Your Home below to learn more about what we can do for you.

Dining Room

Ten Oaks Homes

ボルチモアにあるトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、三角天井、羽目板の壁) の写真

Generational summer retreat

Interior Changes home design & consulting

The distinctive dining space can grow from 8-12 without any effort. The leaded glass doors on the built in server were re-purposed from the original cottage. This space is open concept but ceiling and column details help give each area meaning and purpose.

Lake Boone Trail

Cambridge Classic Homes

ローリーにある高級な広いトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、格子天井、羽目板の壁) の写真

Hancock Bungalow

Jeanne Schultz Design Studio

Farrow and Ball Hague Blue walls, trim, and ceiling. Versace Home bird wallpaper complements Farrow and Ball Hague blue accents and pink and red furniture. Grand wood beaded chandelier plays on traditional baroque design in a modern way. Old painted windows match the trim, wainscoting and walls. Existing round dining table surrounded by spray painted Carnival red dining room chairs which match the custom curtain rods in living room. Plastered ram sculpture as playful object on floor balances scale and interesting interactive piece for the child of the house.

Monterey Project

M&P Design Group

Dining room
ニューヨークにある高級な広いエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれなダイニング (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、茶色い床、クロスの天井、パネル壁) の写真

Квартира в старом фонде Москвы "Вершина"

Ната Волкова

モスクワにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニング (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、茶色い床、折り上げ天井) の写真

Period home, Nr Petersfield, Hampshire

Vaughan Design and Development

We did a refurbishment and the interior design of this dining room in this lovely country home in Hamshire.
ハンプシャーにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなカントリー風のおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、暖炉なし、茶色い床、表し梁、レンガ壁) の写真

Lake Boone Trail

Cambridge Classic Homes

Mountain Lakes Historical Home - Dining Room

Grayscale Homes Designs

ニューヨークにある高級な中くらいなトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなLDK (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、格子天井、パネル壁) の写真

Kitchen and Master Bathroom Remodel, Seattle

Armada Design & Build

シアトルにあるトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなLDK (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、レンガの暖炉まわり、茶色い床、塗装板張りの天井、三角天井) の写真

Parker Rd Whole Home

Studio Steidley

Open and airy dining room Photographer: Costa Christ Media
ダラスにある広いトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、茶色い床、折り上げ天井、壁紙) の写真

Bold Sophisticated Chic

Lina Norell Designs LLC

アトランタにある高級な中くらいなコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、格子天井、壁紙) の写真

ダイニング (全タイプの天井の仕上げ、濃色無垢フローリング、無垢フローリング、青い壁) の写真

ダイニングは家族がそろって向き合うスペース。食卓を囲んで会話がはずめば、食事もいっそうおいしく感じられることでしょう。日本の家庭では、リビングダイニングとしてまとめられている間取りも多いですが、食事をいただく場所ですので、いつも片付いていて清潔に保たれているようにしたいですね。特に、朝食・ランチ・ディナーすべてをダイニングでとるという方は、いっそうインテリアに力を入れたい場所です。ダイニングの多くがキッチンの隣に設置されている場合、デザインに統一感を持たせると空間がすっきりとした印象になります。

ダイニングのインテリアは“シンプル”が正解

ダイニングの主役は、ダイニングテーブルに乗る食事です。食事をおいしく食べる場所という役割が明確なダイニングのインテリアは実に悩ましいところです。例えば、レストランではフレンチ、イタリアン、和食、中華とジャンルごとにインテリアも食事に合わせてコーディネートしますが、一般の家庭では今日はイタリアン、今日は和食、とそのときどきによってメニューが変わるのでそうはいきません。なので、どんなものにも合わせやすい、シンプルめなダイニングインテリアで統一するのが正解。その代わり、ランチョンマットを食事によって変えたり、テーブルに季節の花などを飾ったりして、その料理を引き立たせ、かつ、ダイニングルームにアクセントを与えましょう。

ダイニングの照明の選び方

ダイニングでは照明も重要なポイント。食材をおいしそうに見せ、家族の“おいしい”顔をはっきり映す照明の選び方を知りましょう。ダイニングの照明は、発色をきれいに見せてくれる白熱球がおすすすめです。ダイニングは照明の使用時間も長いので、導入費用はかかれど寿命が長いLEDのタイプが人気です。特に、食欲をかき立てる“赤色”が鮮やかに見えます。また、陰影がはっきりするので立体感が出て、お料理をいっそう美しく、おいしそうに見せます。さらに、ダイニングにペンダントライトを設置する際には、その高さもポイント。高すぎるとまぶしさを感じ、低すぎるとテーブルの端まで光が当たらず、影ができてしまい、せっかくの料理も引き立ちません。シェード（傘）とテーブルまでの距離は、60〜80cm程度はなれているのが理想です。また、バランスのよいシェードの大きさ（直径）はテーブルのサイズの1/3程度とされています。ダイニングの照明は、実際に設置やシミュレーションをしてみないと、明るさや光の届く範囲がなかなか想定できません。ダイニングの広さや間取り、自然光の入る窓の位置などを把握したうえで、照明の専門家に相談するのがおすすめです。