Time for dinner
You might think we’re all obsessed with eating. We buy cookbooks by even the most obscure celebrity chef, we can’t miss an episode of Bake Off, make our own bread, whip up a salad dressing and buy interesting artisan ingredients, which we then leave in the fridge to rot. Despite this, most of us still eat in our kitchens or in front of the TV, with the dining room reserved for Christmas and other special events throughout the year. We half-convince ourselves that we’ll host convivial gatherings of friends for lunch or dinner. We resolve to have family meals that involve talking to each other but, for most of the time, the dining room gets relegated to an underused space where we can set up the laptop, do homework or play.
Despite having huge potential for interior decoration, dining rooms are rarely lavished with attention. We put a table and chairs, stick up a painting or two and gather a curious collection of stuff in the sideboard then close the door until the next time we need to do some serious cooking.
More than any other space, the dining room lends itself to a huge range of interior influences. Cool Nordic minimalism, classic country house style, rustic farmhouse looks, the hot colours of Morocco or even something quirkily extravagant all work in eating spaces. Even relatively inexpensive buys like new crockery or glassware and a lick of paint can transform your dining room from a neglected space into the heart of the home. It’s time to show your dining room some love…