Dining Rooms To Die For

If your dining room has been doubling up as a home office/school room/craft table/zoom call centre/jigsaw mat, maybe its time to give it a bit of love and make it into a proper room again? OK I know it might not be possible right now, but we can dream can't we? I did a dining rooms feature for Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms magazine recently and it looked so nice, it inspired me, so I thought I would do my own version on here. I hope you love these looks as much as I do and it gives you some ideas for your own dining rooms, all super up to date too.

Oooh yes! We have been seeing a lot of curves in the interiors world recently and that has included dining furniture too. A round table is the best style for being sociable, you can see everyone equally and don't have to awkwardly look around someone to speak to a guest on the other side, or shout up the table like a fishwife. But the downside is, unless you are King Arthur and have a castle and a lot of Knights to worry about, you can't fit a lot of people around them. Hey-ho you can't have everything. The other good thing about round tables on a base like this is no legs! so no-one gets the a bit of wood to negotiate, have you ever sat with a table leg wearing a long skirt? Mayhem. Anyway I think this looks wonderful - from the brass structure on the rounded chairs, the honeycomb design, that fabulous punchy teal velvet, all complemented by the dark wood table with a matching brass trim. The round shape is also echoed on the floor lamp and the handles on the sideboard. Brewster 4/ 6 seat black dining table from £599.99, Alveare dining chairs in Brass and Peacock, £339.99 My Furniture

Benches are everywhere at the moment, and are great for informal seating, and good for lots of people because you can always squeeze someone else on. They are also space saving as you can push them under the table and out of the way, or they can double up as a seat in a hallway, or anywhere else in the house for that matter. The best combination is to have benches and chairs, for older family members and, let's face it, not everyone wants to sit on a bench. So, if you are going for benches choose something with a bit of design flair, like this Vienna bench, from £979 and table, £1799 from Heal's with the interesting detail on the legs, and maybe add cushions for a bit of extra comfort.

I always seem to be going on about murals recently, but they are such a great way of adding pizzazz! And they make the perfect backdrop to this dining space. Continue the 'space' theme with a planet-shaped pendant light and a glass and chrome table, then add curved dining chairs in chrome and electric blue velvet. Love the big blue glass bowl and the robot! Nice touch.

Kosset Belford Tweed Twist carpet in Amethyst, £24.99 Carpetright. Galaxy is a similar mural from Photowall

This is a shot I styled for @womanandhome when I was there, a contemporary but classic style using mid-century style furniture from Ercol. I love the marbled effect of the curtains, Marmo Ivory from Clarke & Clarke, which picks up the shine in the wallpaper from Prestigious Fabrics, Oxide Granite is similar. The Dunelm wall art adds a glamorous touch, then choose metallic, mineral and concrete-effect accessories to continue the theme.

Image: Tim Young courtesy of womanandhome.com

Statement lighting was made for above a dining table, and this one is a stunner from interior designer, Jonathan Adler. Not only that but he has added an updated Convex mirror with brass wall lights on either side as a focal point beyond. Then fantastically-shaped dining chairs in on-trend boucle fabric. The geo pattern monochrome curtains frame the shot beautifully.

Trocadero table from £2950, Vera boucle chairs £495, Milano Kinetic chandelier, Puzzle sconces.

A new image for SS21 and this is called Retreat from Amara. It's easy to see why, it looks so calming. With natural wood furniture - aren't those &Tradition wooden chairs a fantastic shape? with a taupe linen curtain in the background, a pastel blue linen runner on the table and simple rustic tableware, it's all about soft colours and natural textures to create a peaceful environment. Earth stoneware, Textured ceramic jug.

I just love this table, its so different in its colour and shape. Its big enough to seat four/six and looks great placed in a corner with a huge palm and a striking artwork to anchor the space. If you are thinking of new furniture why not go for a coloured table? Its more a piece of art than a mere table.

Miniforms Barry dining table £3700, Lola chairs all Go Modern.

And talking of colour, why not have different coloured dining chairs and pendant lights? A white and marble Saarinen table is a classic choice, then add Eames-style DSW chairs in different shades and pick out the colours in glass pendant shades. Its a great way of adding a pop of colour to a neutral room.

Lisboa glass pendant shades, from £103 each, Pooky. You can find copy Eames chairs at Stone Butterfly

Another of my styled shots from @womanandhome days, again using Ercol furniture - see the theme here? And yet when we had Ercol furniture growing up, I thought it was so old-fashioned! And now I've got it.... The lovely fresh Spring fabric is Angel Ferns from Sanderson Design Group (now discontinued). But Woodland Ferns is similar.

Image: Tim Young. courtesy of womanandhome.com

And finally another showstopper from Jonathan Adler, just look at that statement table base! And I love how he has bench seating made to fit the corner filled with cushions in lots of vibrant blues and different patterns. Its a real hit of colour. Nixon dining table from £1700, cushions from £98