The dining area in your home can sometimes be difficult to decorate correctly. You’d definitely want to ensure that you’re optimising the most out of your dining space, though.
For those who own condo units and studio apartments in particular, it’s often as much about functionality, as it is about the design.
Do you have an appetite for some helpful tips and tricks? Let’s dive in and explore that all-important balance in dining space design!
The Importance Of Your Dining Area
We don’t really think we need to explain the importance of a dining area to a Malaysian audience. Makan is in our soul, and you want ensure you have the best experience possible!
Having a place to sit down and share food is also an extremely beneficial thing for families. Want to get scientific? Let’s do it!
Research has shown that sharing a family meal around a dinner table supports literacy development in key skills, such as vocabulary, in children.
Since everyone loves a good meal, there’s loads of research to back up how important it is.
A study in New Zealand showed that shared family meals actually led to improved feeling of well-being in adolescents. That proper family meal you’ve got planned? It’s going to make your kid happier!
Studies also link family meals to improved nutrition and better quality of diet. That kitchen table has more power than you might think!
Bad news too, people… research reveals that using your phone at the dining table has been shown to reduce the enjoyment of a meal. Put the phone away, and focus on the tasty food before you!
Whether you’re on your own, living as a couple, or blessed with a big family, a focal point for your mealtimes with a dining table in your dining room is really rather great.
Decorating A Nicer Place To Dine
The most important thing about decorating a dining area: finding that unique style and decor that offers a positive place for you to enjoy eating.
Functionality is also a major consideration, especially in those smaller apartments we mentioned.
Clever planning to ensure enough space to cook, and store your cooking equipment, can help declutter an area and boost that positive dining vibe.
A cluttered kitchen-diner makes for a hassled and hectic meal experience. The same is true if you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated dining room — leaving space for the all-important food is critical.
Dark colours make a room feel smaller, so if you’re limited by having less of a dining room and more of a dining-kitchen, use light and airy colours for the walls that open up the space.
Remember that kitchens can also quickly turn into messy places, so you might want to consider the balance, especially around the hobs and cooker.
When decorating your dining area, you should consider if you need specialist paint. They can be particularly exposed to heat and steam from the kitchen, and may require paint designed to tolerate these.
If you feel your dining area won’t need this kind of specialist paint, then a good matte emulsion could be the answer.
A quality matte emulsion paint should offer a tough paint layer that’s easily wiped clean, in case you accidentally slip with that bowl of rendang!
Those of you blessed with large dining rooms are less restricted, thanks to the flexibility of the space.
That means less need to focus on specific paints, more room to play around with furniture, and a whole lot more space to fill a table with food!
Style And Furnishing Ideas For Your Dining Area
Once again, the question of interior design is often a matter of personal preference. There’s no ‘right’ answer to the question of how to furnish your dining area.
You can explore a range of popular choices and design styles online, but here are just 5 of our favourites:
1) Minimalistic modern
Keep things chic and stylish with a minimalistic and modern dining aesthetic. Clean and decluttered decor, often using the sharp contrasts of primary colours to give it those defined angles and exquisite look of a minimalistic design.
A square or rectangular white dining table with contrasting black dining chairs is the sort of idea that can really stand out.
2) Scandinavian chic
That feeling of simplicity again, this time with a warmer touch, and a Scandinavian twist of design.
Think big and bright, with neutral colours for the walls, classic Scandinavian-style furniture in the form of a wooden table, and those iconic Eames-inspired (pictured above) chairs.
This aesthetic is all about relaxing with comfort, in a clean and stylish environment.
3) Industrial design
Industrial design style is undergoing a bit of a popularity boost, thanks to the rapidly growing number of trendy coffee shops and cafes adopting this style.
Imagine having plenty of wood and copper on display, exposed brick effect, solid wooden benches and dining tables, and brushed metal decor!
4) Asian-inspired
Go for that classic Asian style look, with lattice wooden screens in dark wood, a dark rosewood table, and intricately carved wooden dining chairs.
This stylish and vintage Asian look offers a beautiful look for your dining area, like the dining scene in the Crazy Rich Asians movie!
5) Rustic European
Embrace the English country farmhouse into your Malaysian lifestyle, with a rustic European approach to your dining area experience.
All you’d need is a long pine table, rustic shabby chic sideboards, and comfortingly relaxed furniture with simple colours.
Lighting And Fixtures In Your Dining Area
Getting the right ambience in your dining area often requires a flexible approach. It’s important to remember you, your family, and guests will want appropriate light to be able to eat in peace.
A central downlight above the table can be a great way to deliver this, providing a focal point design feature that also offers the functionality you need.
Dimmer lights are another option you could consider. This means you can switch from the necessary lighting for a family meal, to a more relaxed low-light ambience for more intimate or relaxed nights with your partner/friends.
Floor lamps are another possibility to provide that flexibility when it comes to ambience. Standalone lighting can be a great way to really accentuate that aesthetic you’ve chosen.
They make for amazing design features, with the likes of tripod floor lights fitting in well with overall industrial or Scandinavian-style aesthetics.
If you want to try and amplify the natural light, then strategically placed mirrors can be a great way to go.
This is something perhaps overlooked when it comes to lighting, but placing a mirror at a point with good natural lighting can spread that benefit throughout the room.
Bonus points for the fact it helps you spot that sambal you’ve dropped on your chin too.
Tricks And Tips: The Psychology Of Food!
Yes, food actually has a psychology! Well, in reality, it’s more that there’s some really interesting tips and tricks when it comes to how we approach food.
Studies show that we respond to stimuli in our environment, and how we react to a meal experience. That’s another great way beyond simple decor to whet the appetite in the kitchen.
Did you know, for example, that heavier cutlery often leads to a better (more enhanced) dining experience? It sounds crazy, but it’s true!
Food psychology is more than a little weird! Next up, is the shape and colour of the plate. Using a round WHITE plate tends to make people feel that desserts are sweeter, when compared to a square or angular plate.
Music is also a major influence when it comes to food choices. Loud music has actually been linked to overindulgence when it comes to food.
So, keep a nice ambience in the room with classical jazz, rather than pumping up the tunes to feast until you drop!
Ultimately, your dining area design is all about making a great place to eat. You want to enjoy the meal with friends and family, and that means creating a warm and welcoming space that you can all appreciate.
The tips and tricks offer a great guide on where to start. So it’s time to tuck into the food, and get ready for the tasty journey ahead!
Got food on your mind? Take it to the next room! Explore our guide on What Are Wet Kitchens And Dry Kitchens?
Disclaimer: The information is provided for general information only. PropertyGuru International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd makes no representations or warranties in relation to the information, including but not limited to any representation or warranty as to the fitness for any particular purpose of the information to the fullest extent permitted by law. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in this article is accurate, reliable, and complete as of the time of writing, the information provided in this article should not be relied upon to make any financial, investment, real estate or legal decisions. Additionally, the information should not substitute advice from a trained professional who can take into account your personal facts and circumstances, and we accept no liability if you use the information to form decisions.