Whether formal or casual, single focused or multipurpose, a well-used dining area is all about sharing and merriment. As these rooms are readied for the holidays, we turned to the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory and winners of the Remodelista Considered Design Awards 2013 for inspiration. Here, a roundup of their standout designs. Actual dining room not required.
Above: MNA (Michael Neumann Architecture) created this atelier-style open living/dining/kitchen area by mixing warm and rustic textures. Winner of the Remodelista Considered Design Award 2013, Best Professionally Designed Dining Space, it features a round table surrounded by French Tolix chairs and a monumental arrangement of pussy willow branches.
Above: A mix of rustic (stone walls and floors) and modern (Saarinen office chairs) defines a dining room in a house in Croatia designed by Rees Roberts + Partners of New York. Francesca also swears by Saarinen office chairs in her dining room; she says they're the reason her family lingers at their dining table for hours every night. Photo by Scott Frances.
Above: Located in a former printing house in lower Manhattan, this loft designed by Specht Harpman belongs to a young family. The metal chairs are classic Emeco Navy Chairs, originally made in 1944 for use on US Navy submarines. Photo by Michael Moran.
Above: Anabelle Seldorff of Selldorf Architects anchors the dining space in this loft with a pair of George Nelson Ball Pendant Lamps. Photo via Selldorf Architects.
Above: The UFO that came to dinner: this oversized black hanging pendant in a dining room by Kriste Michelini Interiors has a sculptural quality that unites the space—and makes it interesting. Photo via Kriste Michelini Interiors.
Above: Buttrick Wong Architects integrated a built-in side board into a wall of storage cupboards in this Berkeley dining room with an updated Mission-style table and chairs. Photo by J. D. Peterson.
Above: Brooklyn-based Workstead created an intimate dining area in this Prospect Park project; the geometric cabinetry and the mismatched Wishbone chairs add visual interest to the space.
Above: In their Renovation of a Mid-Century Modern House in San Francisco, Klopf Architecture use a reflective gray wall to mark the dining area while enhancing the feeling of space. Photograph by Mariko Reed.
Above: This West Chelsea dining room by Deborah Berke & Partners Architects features an antique ensemble set off by black walls, white paneling, and a collection of shimmery mercury glass pendants.
Above: Own Entity of New York created this cozy dining nook; banquette seating that ensures there's always room to squeeze in one more guest.
For more dining spaces, visit the Dining Room Gallery on the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory.
Getting ready for the holidays? See our catalogue of Napkins, Glasses, and Plates for all your entertaining needs. Alexa's post 5 Quick Fixes: Elevating the Napkin, Thanksgiving Edition has easy ideas for setting the table with panache.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 20, 2011.