The dining room is the room in the apartment that is used purely functionally for eating. Inevitably, however, the dining room is also perceived as a place of conviviality and togetherness. Not all apartments have a separate room that serves as a dining room. Dining areas are often integrated into more or less spacious (living) kitchens and occasionally into the living room.
Tips for furnishing and designing dining rooms and dining areas in the apartment
When it comes to furnishing and designing dining rooms or dining areas, you should first deal with the following questions: How often do you have guests? – Rather frequently or rather rarely? Do you prefer small parties or do you prefer to gather many of your relatives and friends around your table? Do you need to warm your dining area with underfloor heating such as the ones from warp systems during winter?
Once you have found the answers to these questions, you can choose the dining table in your dining room that optimally suits your requirements and ideas, taking into account the space or the room layout (cut, size, etc.). If you choose a round table, everyone sits opposite each other at the table, which is ideal for lively conversations throughout the group. If you opt for a rectangular table, you can accommodate more people at the table. At a rectangular dining table, there are often very interesting conversations between direct table neighbors. In order to make perfect use of the space at the rectangular table, to accommodate as many people as possible, and to ensure special coziness, it is advisable to replace the chairs with benches, at least on the long sides of the table.
If your apartment is rather small or narrow, a folding table can be the perfect solution for you. Especially if you rarely have guests visiting.
For maximum flexibility and cost-effective furnishings, you can also opt for a modular table with table trestles and an overlying table top. With table tops in different sizes, which you can easily exchange as needed, you are well prepared for all eventualities.
With a fairly small dining area or dining room and varying numbers of guests, the purchase of an extendable table is worthwhile. At such a dining table, either four or six chairs or people can be accommodated in the undressed or not extended table. Keep in mind that if the table is extended or extended, you will need a correspondingly higher number of chairs to place your guests, which you may have to store or store in other rooms in the meantime. Very practical for occasional use in this context are folding chairs, which can be stowed away in a space-saving manner when they are not needed. Stackable chairs also take up less storage space and are a good alternative to folding chairs.
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Separation of the dining area and the living room
When planning, furnishing, and designing a dining area in the living room, you should definitely make sure that there is a uniform room concept that is taken up and implemented in both the dining and living areas of the room. Pay attention to a harmonious selection and composition of all furniture and accessories and take a little more time so that you can really fully enjoy your combined living/dining room afterward.
To visually separate both functional areas from each other, you can, for example, vary the floor coverings and use different carpets. You can also tile, laminate, or parquet the dining area and carpet the living area. An optical separation can also be achieved by room-dividing shelves, curtains, or screens. If you place the sofa or living area with the back to the dining area, a visual demarcation of the two functional areas in the room can also be made.
More furniture in the dining room / in the dining area
Basically, it makes sense to place the dishes in the dining room or near the dining area. If the area or room is large enough, a sideboard or dining room cabinet is ideal for this. If your dining area or dining room is not large enough for a sideboard or closet, you can consider whether a side table can be easily accommodated. On the side table, you can then “park” dishes before covering or bowls and other things until you need them.
More lighting in the dining area / in the dining room
The light in the dining room or in the dining area should be well dosed. Too bright illumination, which may even dazzle under certain circumstances, is just as out of place as too dim, weak light, which leaves no way to accurately identify the food. With a low-hanging lamp or pendant lamp, the focus of the light can be placed on the table. At the same time, the design of the lamp can complement and underline the desired style in the room. In addition, table lamps and candles are available as further indirect light sources in the dining area or in the dining room. They create a soft, cozy atmosphere. When selecting and placing candlesticks, make sure that they are not directly in the field of view and can thus possibly impair the conversation. As a rule, therefore, lower candles are usually better suited than high candles.