With the rise in open plan residing and a extra informal strategy to meal occasions, it is usually mentioned that eating rooms have misplaced their attraction. However, with the rising value of residing and a necessity to attach in an more and more busy world , the query is being requested, “are eating rooms again in trend?”
We’re all for having one other room to renovate or adorn, however what do business consultants and inside designers say? Is the eating room having a resurgence in recognition, or ought to we abandon our eating room concepts and put the house to raised use as a substitute?
In spite of everything, whereas decor tendencies could come and go, turning a room into one thing aside from what it was designed for is a a lot larger activity – and never a choice to be taken evenly.
Are eating rooms again in trend?
Spoiler alert. In the event you had been pondering of abandoning the thought of together with a eating room in your self construct, you would possibly need to assume once more. The tables are turning, eating rooms are again in trend, and there is multiple cause why.
“Lately, Scandinavian types with laid-back, open format rooms have taken centre stage in residence design as we embrace relaxed internet hosting. However, lately the formal eating room has made a return,” says Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, lighting skilled and co-founder of Dowsing & Reynolds.
And, she wasn’t the one skilled to inform us the identical factor. Now not are we eschewing the thought of a eating room as being old style, as a substitute we’re starting to understand the worth of a devoted house for consuming, household and centered consideration.
Why are eating rooms again in trend?
There is no doubt that lately, we turned a nation of householders who opted for putting in a kitchen island as a eating room substitute.
Because of busy lives, and choices for consuming out or meals supply in abundance, eating rooms slowly misplaced their attraction. And, it is honest to say that the pandemic additionally performed an element on this downward development, with many eating rooms changed into residence workplaces or lecture rooms – and in lots of circumstances each on the identical time.
Throw into the combination the truth that when the pandemic ended, we ate out and socialised extra, it is no surprise eating rooms had been resigned to the again of our minds.
Nevertheless, lately, the rising value of residing has modified many home-owner’s relationships with their residence. Now not ready to have the ability to afford to eat out as usually, consuming and entertaining at house is now again in vogue, as is the drive for a life that is rather less reliant on tech.
“The eating room is an intentional house, devoted to dialog and socialising,” says Shannon Taylor, advertising and marketing supervisor at Lakeland Furnishings. “We’ve seen this shift in direction of eating rooms rise according to a rising want to separate eating and leisure from the kitchen, as we glance to convey folks collectively with out screens and distraction.”
“After years of every little thing occurring across the kitchen island, individuals are craving a slower, extra intentional manner of gathering,” says Shannon. “A eating room offers that sense of event – it’s an area the place folks sit down and join. From a design perspective, it additionally permits for bolder fashion selections or softer lighting that wouldn’t work in a kitchen.”
As advertising and marketing supervisor at Lakeland Furnishings, a household run furnishings firm, Shannon’s management and imaginative and prescient are very important to connecting high quality furnishings with the fitting clients
Store for eating room gadgets
Subsequent
Multi Vibrant Freya 6 Mild Linear Pendant Ceiling Mild
Dangle this glass colored pendant gentle above your eating room desk for a smooth and delicate atmosphere
Nightfall
Hattie Panel Spherical 4-6 Seater Pedestal Eating Desk
Create a comfy eating expertise with this on development white and wood eating desk
Dunelm
Herringbone Washable Rug
A sensible washable rug will soften the texture underfoot in a eating room
What are the advantages of eating rooms?
In fact, in addition to the choice to discover totally different design concepts in your eating room, reminiscent of color capping, there are a selection of sensible advantages to having a separate house.
If you do not have the house for a again kitchen to cover meal prep, a eating room means you possibly can eat in visible peace, with out having to take a look at the mess you’ve got made. Plus, no matter how good your kitchen air flow is, the smells of cooking can linger for some time on gadgets reminiscent of cloth bar stools or eating chairs. In a eating room, this downside does not exist. Every little thing is untainted by odour or smells.
As talked about, lighting may also be tailor-made, and chances are you’ll even really feel completely happy to decide on a softer ground masking reminiscent of carpet in a eating room – an possibility that is by no means actually advisable because the greatest flooring for kitchens.
And, above all else, it is also an opportunity for connection in a world which may really feel more and more disconnected.
“In a world the place we’re continually multitasking, the straightforward act of sitting down collectively to share a meal and dialog can really feel really particular,” provides Kate Palmer, artistic director of the The Painted Furnishings Firm. “This sort of high quality time is invaluable and helps to bolster household bonds and construct cherished traditions.”
It will possibly additionally improve seasonal occasions notes Debbie Leigh, design supervisor at ILIV. “With Christmas festivities quick approaching, many householders are revisiting this often-overlooked room and appreciating its potential. A devoted eating room could be a stunning room to flee from the muddle and noise of busy, trendy life and take time to decelerate and luxuriate in a meal with household and mates.”
Learn how to take advantage of your eating room
In fact, the success of any room will come all the way down to how nicely you design the house. From contemplating room sizes via to eating room lighting, designing a eating room is not nearly creating an area that is large enough to seat a sure variety of folks. As an alternative it wants the identical quantity of consideration as some other room.
“Give attention to consolation, construct high quality and a number of the extra finite particulars reminiscent of how your eating room chairs will maintain as much as every day life,” says Shannon Taylor. “Select supplies which are simple to scrub and finishes that tie in with the remainder of the house renovation or self construct – whether or not that’s oak flooring, painted wall panelling, or a contemporary extension with glazed partitions.”
“Guarantee it really works for informal weeknight meals in addition to these larger, dinner events,” notes Amanda Huber, artistic director on the Eating Chair Firm. “Take into consideration the way you’ll use the house on a day-to-day foundation as nicely on particular events. In the event you usually host giant teams, choosing a generously sized rectangular desk in supplies like wooden, marble or glass will create a focus and assist to stability a bigger room’s proportions.
“For smaller or multifunctional areas, an extending spherical or sq. desk may be higher suited,” she suggests, “permitting you to make use of it every day and adapt it for when you could seat extra folks.
And, in case your eating room does nonetheless have to have a contemporary twist and give you a multi-purpose house, remember to contemplate this from the ceiling down, says James Kendall, operations director at KES Lighting & Dwelling.
“When designing a eating room, take into account how the house can be used past mealtimes. If it doubles as a workspace or homework space throughout the day, adjustable lighting is essential. Monitor lighting or directional spotlights can present centered activity gentle when wanted, whereas pendant lights set the temper for night eating.
“Investing in sensible lighting methods means that you can program for various events,” suggests James, “switching effortlessly from vibrant and useful to smooth and intimate with a single faucet.”

From dazzling crystal chandeliers and assertion wall lights to designer lamps and stylish drop pendants, James and his educated staff are at all times readily available to assist clients discover the proper lighting for his or her particular person challenge
Whereas including a eating room to your self construct plans will be completed early on within the design stage, what if you happen to’ve already renovated and realised it is best to have allowed house for a eating room in any case?
There are a number of much less everlasting methods of dividing a damaged plan scheme, reminiscent of ground to ceiling storage. Or, if you wish to make it a extra fastened characteristic, there’s at all times the choice of constructing a stud will with a door.
Or lastly, when you’ve got an integral storage then even a storage conversion might give you the devoted eating room you did not realise you wanted – till now.

