Dining rooms: forget formal—the new focus is on casual style

Sunset, Nov, 2004 by Mary Jo Bowling

A few years ago, the dining room was headed for extinction, as many people favored family rooms with eat-in kitchens over more formal spaces. But the popularity of at home entertaining has generated a renewed appreciation for the dining room, though in a different form.

Today's dining area opens to the living room, kitchen, or both. It has a more comfortable mix of furniture. Gone are matching dining sets; now you can mix and match tables and chairs. In place of elaborate china, you'll find more upscale casual place settings in nontraditional shapes and colors.

On the following pages, we give you fresh ideas to turn your dining room into a casually stylish place for family meals and entertaining.

Buying the right table

A table's style affects the look of a room as well as how many people you can host. Before you buy, here are some things to consider.

* Shape. As a general rule, many designers suggest buying a table that mimics the shape of your room. However, round and oval tables can be perfect for small dining areas because their rounded edges allow more people to sit and move around the table comfortably.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Size. While you used to be able to add leaves to a table to expand it for company, many modern tables lack them (although some furniture makers are now incorporating slideout leaves that are stored under the table). It's important to consider not just the size of your dining area but how many people--and how often--you entertain. Based on furniture makers' figures, you should budget 23 to 25 inches for each person. To seat eight people comfortably at a rectangular table, for example, it would need to be approximately 76 inches long.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Material. As formal tablecloths vanish, the tabletop needs to be attractive and durable. To achieve a less-formal look, try mixing materials like wood, upholstery, metal, and stone. You can also mix and match chairs, like the setting here, where the one red chair makes a dramatic impact.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Modern table settings

A more casual dining room calls for playful table decor. Here are some easy-to-assemble ideas to give your table a distinctive look.

* Coffee cup as vase (A). Deconstruct the traditional centerpiece by making mini arrangements in demitasse cups. Placed by each guest's plate, the pretty containers bring a cup of beauty.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Utensil pocket (B). Add a pattern or a splash of color to the table by cutting a rectangle of paper and folding it to form a pocket. Secure the edges with double-sided tape, then slip silverware into the pocket.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Votive as place card (C). Transfer letters, available from craft stores, are easy to rub on small glass candle cups. Use each guest's initial to indicate his or her seat.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Sake cup as place card (D). Place a plant in a small cup. Create a circle from paper with a 1-inch-diameter hole-punch, and stamp the initial of each guest's first name. Clip to the cup with a mini clothespin or small metal curtain clip.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Vertical napkin roll (E). Make a napkin into a temporary vase. Fold it in quarters, tightly roll edges together, and tie with a ribbon. Just before guests arrive, place a flower stem in the center of each roll.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Leaf as salad plate (F). Use a food-safe leaf, such as this Japanese aralia, for a small salad plate, or just for decoration. You can also use the leaf to serve a small appetizer or first course.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS J. STORY