Home interiors: How to design a delicious dining room

Jennifer Sheahan whets our appetites for designing a dream space for eating in

Jennifer Sheahan uses diffused wall lighting to highlight artwork in the dining area of her Rathmines home. Picture: Moya Nolan

Fewer rooms have had such an evolution as the dining room in the past century. The move away from stiff formalities, the rise of apartment living, and the invention of TV dinners have all resulted in a much more casual dining style than our grandparents may have been used to.

Open-plan living, which became so popular in the 1970s, largely did away with separate dining rooms in most homes. With the shift in working patterns over the past four years, many dining areas have further evolved into part-time home offices. Wherever and however you choose to dine, here are my top design considerations that will help you create a space that is both functional and reflects your personal style.