In the past, formal dining rooms have been a staple part of many homes, serving as a designated space for families and friends to gather for special occasions and intimate dinner parties. However, as our modern lifestyles have changed, so have the evolving trends in interior design. The trend towards modern open concept plans have led many homeowners to reevaluate the need for a formal dining room in their living spaces.
When it comes to redesigning a kitchen, meticulous preparation is paramount. At Speas Interior Design, we prioritize understanding our client’s unique home and lifestyle needs which serve as the foundation for our design process. Whether you’re a solo cook or a pair of culinary enthusiasts sharing your kitchen, we cater to your specific needs.
Designating efficient workspaces is an essential step in our planning process. The result? A well-structured kitchen with comfortable working zones, allowing simultaneous cooking or cleanup tasks, irrespective of the number of cooks or helpers in your home.
Upgraded Eat At Islands
Kitchen islands are popular multi-purpose spaces where all sorts of activities center themselves. From integrated sinks and stovetops to built-in storage solutions, there is nothing that the island can’t do.
One significant trend we have noticed is the transformation of the kitchen’s main island into a comfortable and spacious area for family dining. To make this space more suited for enjoying a meal with one’s family and feel less like a place to prep your ingredients, integrating a wood counter with your functional solid surface makes for a stunning and functional addition to any kitchen design. Wood surfaces are warm to the touch and can be customized to be larger and fit to the space and your seating needs, like bench seating or multiple countertop stools.
Plus, these spaces make for great multifunctional areas. For homeowners that work from home and do not have room or the need for a designated office space, these oversized islands do double duty as working surfaces or spaces for kids to complete homework without feeling shut off from the rest of the family.
Dedicated Eat at Islands
If one island is good—why not an archipelago? Many homeowners are choosing to forego the traditional dining room for a dedicated eat-at island that lives separate from the main kitchen island and serves as a gathering space for family and friends during meals and game nights.
In the image above, a large kitchen with its own working island also includes a second coordinating island with barstools for convenience. This extra space is perfect for entertaining, allowing the cook to focus on meal preparation without being disturbed. Our clients love this space for its conversational flow and have commented that, when entertaining, it is nice to have extra space just outside of the kitchen where their family or guests tend to gather.
Built In Banquet Dining Nooks
Making use of dining space near the kitchen and banquet-style dining is not a new trend—but good interior design always finds a way to make efficient use of every inch of space in a home. Many homeowners are enjoying built in banquet dining nooks as unique spaces that add a lot of seating in a limited space. Whether the children use it as a space to work on homework while mom and dad make dinner, or you enjoy a cup of coffee to get your morning going, this space is a unique take on a dining area.
This family remodeled their home and had a tight space between the bar and patio doors out to the deck. Adding a standalone table and chairs would never work here—it would have made this area into a traffic pinch point. We added a custom built-in bench seat and moved the table and dining chairs closer to the wall to free up that valuable bar access and walking space out to the deck for a high-end touch that feels bespoke to the blueprint of the home.
Contact Us to Schedule Your Design Consultation
Deciding whether a formal dining room is right for you ultimately boils down to personal preferences, your lifestyle, and the way you want to use your living space. For those who desire a dedicated dining area, we are happy to design a perfect formal dining room for you. However, if your priority is fostering a more casual, flexible, and multi-functional environment, exploring alternative dining solutions like eat-at islands or integrated dining nook banquets may better suit your needs.
Check out our portfolio to get some ideas from some of the spaces we’ve helped to create.
At Speas Interior Design, we take your family needs into account in every design. We make full use of your home to create timeless and innovative spaces that will make your life better with bespoke custom solutions.
Contact us online today for your consultation or give us a call at (719) 685-0144. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you design the perfect modern dining space for your home.