5 Guest-Ready Dining Rooms

Rustic Retreat

Walls: Blue Gray No.91 in Estate Eggshell; Ceiling and Woodwork: Off-White No.3 in Estate Eggshell

This cladded dining room presents a wonderfully versatile entertaining space. In the summer, shutters thrown open, it could be a breezy Scandinavian holiday home. Add a roaring fire, dark wood furniture and your favourite festive table settings, and it feels as if it were made just for warming winter get-togethers. In brighter shades, the blue walls and white ceiling might look too new in this traditional space, but the choice of aged Blue Gray and Off-White makes the room look as if it’s been this way forever.

Shared Space

Walls: Ammonite No.274 in Modern Emulsion; Skirting: Worsted No.284 in Modern Eggshell; Shelf and Cabinetry: Stiffkey Blue No.281 in Modern Eggshell | Image from Recipes for Decorating

Open-plan spaces often include a kitchen-diner setup like this. To get around the dilemma of whether to keep the palette the same, clever tricks keep the cooking and dining areas visually separate, but still cohesive. Pale grey Ammonite on walls and ceilings paired with deeper grey Worsted skirting boards, but the different pops of colour on the yellow dining table compared to the Stiffkey Blue cabinetry make both areas feel distinct.

Mellow Yellow

This shared living and dining space ticks all the boxes for an informal get-together. While this Danish home has a separate formal dining room, we see ourselves whiling away a long afternoon in this welcoming India Yellow space, with its rich, warm palette, comfy chairs, and abundance of natural light. The use of Down Pipe in the room beyond also creates an effortless flow between entertaining spaces.

Dark & Dreamy

Walls, Ceiling and Trim: Off-Black No.57 in Estate Emulsion and Estate Eggshell | Image from Recipes for Decorating

We love the combination of drama and intimacy that this all-over Off-Black look brings, eliminating any hint of stuffiness to create a snug, inviting space. Like many of our darker tones, Off-Black is at its best in flickering firelight, so be prepared to throw on a log, light the tapers, and get cosy.

Heart of the Home

Whatever the festivities, guests always gather in the kitchen, and this country-style space is as welcoming as they come. Its soothing neutral palette, pairing Lime White walls and ceilings with smart Off-Black trim, serves as a blank canvas for your favourite decorations and table settings, making this a versatile spot for everything from quiet breakfasts to pull-out-the-stops parties.