Dining room inspo courtesy of our Image Interiors & Living designer

So often, the dining room is an area that gets neglected. Aside from special occasions (like the one coming up), a dining area can become a dumping ground of school books, broken bikes and general bits and pieces that don’t work anywhere else.

However, with the right design, a dining room has the potential to be a wonderful social space. When you think of it, everything happens around our dining table, from breakfast, lunch and dinner to homework, arts and crafts, baking. Here are some dining rooms from 2018 that I loved. They’re warm and inviting spaces that entice you to linger, no digestif necessary (though encouraged).

Bold colour with the otherwise minimalist design works all the better in contrast with features like the hidden door and birch plywood kitchen units of this dining area from our March/April issue. 

Photography Doreen Kilfeather Styling Kate O’Dowd

I love everything about this dining room from our May/June issue: the light streaming in through the period window, the rustic Dutchbone dining table and the modern Katatsumuri pendant. 

Photography Shantanu Starick

Texture, light and simplicity are key to the calmness of this dining room from our September/October issue. The large table was originally used at one of Berlin’s open-air markets. Hanging above the dining table is one of the owner’s favourite pieces: a woven pendant from Tunisia. 

Photography Greg Cox / Bureaux

The original star ceilings steal the show in this house in Puglia from our May/June house tour. The shabby chic benches and tables blend beautifully with bright fabrics. 

Photography Fabrizio Cicconi

Homely, rustic, without feeling dated, this gorgeous Devon cottage from our November/December issue was formerly an artist’s studio and has kept much of its character.

Photography Polly Wreford

The indoor/outdoor dining area, also from our November/December issue, is perfect for a pool party (not in Ireland) or long summer evenings with friends. The blue tiles bring to mind Crete and the Mediterranean sea

Photography Al Higgins Styling Roisin Lafferty

I’ll be rounding up the rest of my favourite kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and dining rooms over the holiday period so keep an eye out!