1. Casual is hot. Many of today’s dining room trends take a more casual approach to dining like the Winchester table and chairs shown below. Finishes that show distressing or lower sheen reflect a more casual, relaxed nature.
Casual Winchester Dining Table & Chairs from Nichols & Stone
2. Still, you can chose a more formal finish with a high gloss and show a somewhat more delicate look.
3. Some different themes that are popular this season and continue to dominate the marketplace are: Rustic Chic (think industrial distressed wood with hammered iron legs), Urban Classic (minimalistic straight, clean lines), Vintage (flea market look with re-painted finishes), Mid-century Modern (revamp of 50s and 60s era furniture) and Neoclassic (return of the refined classic European style).
4. There is a new surge of European traditional and Parisian-inspired looks that will have a softer sleeker role than in past years. The lighter gray and white finishes that have been in the marketplace for dining tables and chairs continue to play a role, but you can also expect to see darker finishes, particularly in the Italian and other European traditional-inspired designs.
New European traditional from the Paris Acquisitions collection by Henredon.
5. Manufacturers are paying attention to function in their development process. Storage, scale, and style are some of the key elements that consumers are wanting to incorporate.
6. With exposure to websites such as Pinterest and Houzz, many furniture shoppers are quite sophisticated in their understanding of decor, developing a fashion forward sense of design. Among the current trends in design are: bold patterns from the 70’s and 80’s eras, such as exaggerated prints and toiles.
Saxton Side Chairs in vermillion red with Armourdale Table by Designmaster
7. Popular finishes have recently been silver and bronze, but now brass is on the rise, too. Blues will remain very strong, with cobalt, lapis, robin’s egg, navy and indigo. Reds will have multiple shades. Manufacturers won’t stick to just one. Reds ranging from coral and pinks to a more intense garnet and vermillion will emerge as preferred hues.
8. New to us this year is an ingenious idea – “The Gathering Island”, shown below by Stickley. It sits behind the sofa, like a sofa table, but has a bar height table that allows extra storage space for stools. You can create another seating area to enjoy food and drink, but still be part of the crowd in the family room. This is perfect for those who enjoy watching sports on TV together.
Fingerlakes Gathering Island by Stickley
9. The casual concept is not only one of the fantastic dining room trends this season, it’s perfect for flowing floor plans. For many of us, dining areas are now a much more casual place to entertain.
With the open floor plan, colors and fabrics should flow from one area to another, and it can be challenging for you to mix and match different fabric groupings that work together. However, our designers at Toms Price specialize in coordinating colors, patterns and area rugs that mix harmoniously.
In fact, for a beautiful dining area as well as your entire living space: think Toms-Price Design Services. Our designers can provide in-home design consultations for $250, but this is refunded back to you if your order is $2500 or more. Our design programs help take the pressure off you alone, in picking the right piece for the right place.
10. Last but not least, glamour is big! Opulent Hollywood style prevails in fashionable looks incorporating crystal, metallics and shimmering fabric and leather. Century shows their Omni table, below, in a glam setting with a large standing mirror and a 3-tiered chandelier.
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Omni table with lots of glam.
To sum up, dining is meant to be an experience. More of it now is casual—as opposed to being seated and served in a formal dining room. When all is said and done, family and friends gather in the kitchen, and when the kitchen opens to a family room, then that is where the party will continue!
Let’s get together soon. I’ll bring a lot to your table!
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Henredon’s Marsailles dining group captures a new French spirit
I love the “gathering island” option! It’s a great solution for an ongoing oroblrm – hosting groups in a limited space. Thanks.
Thank you so much, Margo. The gathering island is the answer for many people!
Kathleen
There is alot of great info here.
Thank you!
I agree. The “Gathering Island” is a great, functional piece. Only thing is it is hard to find sofa’s with a low back to tie together. I don’t care for the loose pillow back that the Chicago sofa has. Any other recommendations. Will the Carson sofa work?
Hi Lynn,
The carson sofa is a perfect choice. I think you would find it comfortable too. Please come out to our showroom and check it out. I’d be happy to assist you.
Kathleen