Outdoor Dining at Night By night, this outdoor dining space transforms into a warm and inviting retreat. Soft lighting and carefully designed ambiance highlight the elegant setting, creating the perfect environment for evening meals, entertaining, or relaxing under the stars.

Step into an inviting backyard experience featuring a custom designed in-ground swimming pool with vivid blue water and a raised stone façade waterfall that spills gracefully into the pool. Unwind in the cozy small seating area with a fire pit, then enjoy evenings on the raised deck with a dining setup made for memorable meals. Catch your favorite moments on the outdoor TV, all beautifully set on stone pavers surrounded by lush artificial turf for a clean, polished look. Warm lighting and a glowing ambiance complete the perfect atmosphere for relaxing or entertaining.

In the dining room, a solid wood Furniture Row table anchors the space, surrounded by comfortable chairs that make lingering over dinner feel easy. Art, family photos, and collected pieces on the walls and sideboard tell the story of Amy’s family, turning the room into a backdrop for birthdays, weeknight meals, and long conversations that stretch late into the evening.

Connected to the great room, the open kitchen boasts a dining-style island, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Asko appliances, handsome granite or quartz countertops and even an adjacent dining nook for a casual space to enjoy meals at.

When we met this family of 5 (months from being a family of 6!), their first floor felt outdated and disconnected. They dreamed of a space that felt light and airy, yet infused with rich, earthy materials to create warmth and add bold character. More than just a refresh, they needed a functional layout that worked for everyday life—cooking, laundry, entertaining friends, and even unwinding with a cocktail at the end of the day. Extending the kitchen into the morning room seating area enhanced both flow and functionality, while a spacious island became the heart of the home—ideal for casual family meals, meal prep, and hosting friends. A dedicated beverage station with a sink, refrigeration, and an awning window for indoor-outdoor entertaining allows for an effortless transition from morning routines to afternoon snacks on the patio. The laundry room was designed with designated storage for all four kids, creating an organized and functional space. It also serves as a practical landing zone when entering the home, seamlessly extending the light and airy theme with thoughtful design details and playful touches.

The elegant and classic Grand Veranda Bloom 13 pc Dining Set is designed with timeless quality in mind. Including our largest outdoor table, the Grand Veranda, and our Bloom dining chairs, this set will become the center of any family gathering from holiday meals to evening parties. The contrast of powder coated aluminum and teak wood in the chairs provides a refreshing twist to the traditional style of the table.

This modern farmhouse kitchen features traditional cabinetry with a dry bar and extra counter space for entertaining. The open shelving creates the perfect display for farmhouse-style kitchen decor. Copper accents pop against the white tile backsplash and faux greenery.

The Squaw Valley Retreat is a rebuild of one of the original Olympic cabins from 1960. Our client is an incredibly fun person who enjoys the outdoors and wanted to take full advantage of the view and the indoor / outdoor possibilities of the property. As it happens, this property has one of the best views towards the Resort with the Master Suite taking full advantage with large picture windows in each space. The house is full of nooks to enjoy during the winter and broad vistas to enjoy while cooking a gourmet meal in the summer.

Banquette dining + kitchen (open to Great Room) Photography: Garett + Carrie Buell of Studiobuell/ studiobuell.com
Inspiration for a transitional dark wood floor great room remodel in Nashville with white walls

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   One of my favorite things to work on is older homes with a bit of history because I find it an interesting challenge to marry the historical architectural features of a home with modern design elements that work well for my client’s current lifestyle. This home was particularly fun because it was the second kitchen we had done for this family and was quite a departure from the style of the first kitchen. The before shot of the kitchen shows a view from the family room. See the dropped ceiling? We were curious, was this just part of the design or was the dropped ceiling there to hide mechanicals? Well we soon found out that it was mostly decorative (yay!), and with the exception of a little bit of work to some plumbing from an upstairs bathroom and rerouting of the ventilation system within the original floor joists, we were in the clear, phew! The shot of the completed kitchen from roughly the same vantage point shows how much taller the ceilings are. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space. Dark and gloomy turned fresh and light! Another serious consideration was what do we do with the skinny transom window above the refrigerator. After much back and forth, we decided to eliminate it and do some open shelving instead. This ended up being one of the nicest areas in the room. I am calling it the “fun zone” because it houses all the barware, wine cubbies and a bar fridge — the perfect little buffet spot for entertaining. It is flanked on either side by pull out pantries that I’m sure will get a ton of use. Since the neighboring room has literally three walls of almost full height windows, the kitchen gets plenty of light. The gold shelving brackets, large pendant fixtures over the island and the tile mural behind the range all pay subtle homage to the home’s prairie style architecture and bring a bit of sparkle to the room. Even though the room is quite large, the work triangle is very tight with the large Subzero fridge, sink and range all nearby for easy maneuvering during meal prep. There is seating for four at the island, and work aisles are generous. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Located in Santa Barbara’s Bel Air Knolls this home is ideally located close to beaches, shopping and all of Santa Barbara’s best activities. After entering the home you will step into the great room, which serves as the heart of the homes entertaining area. The clean lines and open space seamlessly blend the kitchen, dining and living areas together. This space is light filled by large windows and French doors to the rear patio. All of the bedrooms are comfortable, bright and well appointed with finishes that compliment the home’s style. In addition to its three bedrooms, this home offers a spacious en suite master. The master boasts his and her closets, sliders to the rear patio and a beautifully appointed bath. The master bath offers new vanities, chic tile floors and an elegant step down shower. Cooking in the brand new kitchen is a pleasure both by design and function. Large workspaces, intuitive cabinets and brand new top of the line Bosch appliances will provide all the tools you need for a simple weeknight meal or a large gathering. Complimenting the kitchens function is its beautiful design. High gloss white cabinets wrapped with white quartz counters make a dramatic statement against the wide planked hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances. After preparing the perfect meal you can simply dine in on the large bar counter or enjoy your meal al fresco on the homes patio. The grounds of the home have been updated and now offer unique steel planters, patios and water wise landscaping that serve as the perfect compliment to the homes lines.

One of the biggest differences between formal and functional dining rooms is where the room is located within your home. Formal dining rooms tend to be a completely separate room, often with pocket doors, French doors or ornate double doors, to further sequester them from the rest of the house. Casual dining rooms often share space with the kitchen or living room and are wide open. Even separate casual dining rooms tend to have open doorways, instead of closable doors. The purpose of a formal dining room is for elegant dinners, classy social gatherings and meals almost ceremonial in nature with proper etiquette and fine embellishments. A functional dining room isn't even always used for eating situations. They often serve dual purposes that make them even more utilitarian, such as a homework area for the kids or gaming table for family night.

Photo: Jason Snyder © 2014 Houzz
Dining room - traditional dining room idea

As a practical trend, formal dining spaces have largely become obsolete in favor of great, dynamic kitchens; however, bucking the movement, my young, but highly traditional client wanted to enjoy evening meals as a routine close to the family’s scattered and hectic days. Ceilings are christened a whisper of a blush to inspire relaxed conversation under the halo of a warm glow. The traditional table and chairs are the yield of a highly juried online treasure hunt. Each piece is meticulously refinished in an updated stain more reflective of the young homeowners. Performance fabric is used on the chairs to ensure ease of cleanability to combat daily use by children and young adults. Walls are clad in a cut velvet and metallic animal print wallpaper to add subtle nostalgia from eras gone by. Millwork is freshly painted in a semi-gloss alabaster to offer relief from the wallpaper and ceiling. The opulent, antique-inspired chandelier is the dazzling focal point with draped crystal beading. Linen drapery panels seamlessly silhouette the cozy window seat. Cleanable yet regal velvet fabric upholstered cushions, ornamented with a braided trim add a final pop of elegance.

This project provides the perfect mix of lights and darks. Our mason team did an outstanding job at blending the stonework of the patio and bar, with the stonework of the house! The lounge area is made up of Arizona Flagstone, paired with a Carmel buff wood-plank border in order to add character as well as accentuate the different areas. Topped off with a trendy natural gas firepit done in Champlain Grey, this space creates a warm and inviting feel for those chilly evenings! Sleek and simple, the main patio area is a wonderful place to enjoy a meal with family and friends. Finished off with a pergola-covered bar and grill, this project is ready for hosting!

One of the biggest differences between formal and functional dining rooms is where the room is located within your home. Formal dining rooms tend to be a completely separate room, often with pocket doors, French doors or ornate double doors, to further sequester them from the rest of the house. Casual dining rooms often share space with the kitchen or living room and are wide open. Even separate casual dining rooms tend to have open doorways, instead of closable doors. The purpose of a formal dining room is for elegant dinners, classy social gatherings and meals almost ceremonial in nature with proper etiquette and fine embellishments. A functional dining room isn't even always used for eating situations. They often serve dual purposes that make them even more utilitarian, such as a homework area for the kids or gaming table for family night.

The sleek design allows you to move around the kitchen without protruding catching handles. The doors and drawers incorporate state of the art technology allowing for simple tap or push on the surface for the cabinetry to open. This is especially useful when your hands have food on them when you’re cooking as you are able to use your knee or thigh to activate doors to open. Even refrigerator and freezer have a fully integrated hidden custom pull handle that looks like a vertical reveal – this allows for good grip to pull the heavy doors with suction, and the white acrylic panels are very easy to keep clean. Positions of two sinks on the island were specifically placed in the locations to facilitate the steps in food preparation - having them both on a single working surface makes it easier to work between them without dropping food or dripping water on the floors while preparing for cooking. Island incorporates a tall counter to sit at for a quick bite or just to stand around with you friends as you are preparing a meal. . This island truly is the heart of the kitchen and the heart of this home. Photography: Craig Denis

One of the biggest differences between formal and functional dining rooms is where the room is located within your home. Formal dining rooms tend to be a completely separate room, often with pocket doors, French doors or ornate double doors, to further sequester them from the rest of the house. Casual dining rooms often share space with the kitchen or living room and are wide open. Even separate casual dining rooms tend to have open doorways, instead of closable doors. The purpose of a formal dining room is for elegant dinners, classy social gatherings and meals almost ceremonial in nature with proper etiquette and fine embellishments. A functional dining room isn't even always used for eating situations. They often serve dual purposes that make them even more utilitarian, such as a homework area for the kids or gaming table for family night.

One of the biggest differences between formal and functional dining rooms is where the room is located within your home. Formal dining rooms tend to be a completely separate room, often with pocket doors, French doors or ornate double doors, to further sequester them from the rest of the house. Casual dining rooms often share space with the kitchen or living room and are wide open. Even separate casual dining rooms tend to have open doorways, instead of closable doors. The purpose of a formal dining room is for elegant dinners, classy social gatherings and meals almost ceremonial in nature with proper etiquette and fine embellishments. A functional dining room isn't even always used for eating situations. They often serve dual purposes that make them even more utilitarian, such as a homework area for the kids or gaming table for family night.