If it’s lack of space preventing you from having a self-contained dining room, think again, says Jane Drew. Even the tiniest box room can be converted for sophisticated dining
All too often in Hong Kong, constrained by our small-size apartments, we take the obvious route and opt for an open-plan living-cum-dining room, in which the dining table is slotted somewhere behind the sofa and — let’s face it — family mealtimes translate into TV-dinners. But this isn’t the only way to go.
“If you have a self-contained room reserved solely for the purpose of dining you have a golden opportunity to create a cosy, dramatic setting, which enhances the quality of food and stimulates relaxed conversation,” notes Hong Kong-based decorator Harry Mills. “And if you stick to the bare minimum of statement-making furnishings, you can set up a formal dining area in the smallest of rooms. Consider converting a helper’s room, a screened-in balcony, or even a little-used storeroom.”
Mills advises that to furnish a dining room, all you really need is a table and chairs, task-specific lighting, an area rug, a large-scale mirror or artwork and attractive window treatments. Space for a sideboard or buffet to hold serving dishes and tableware is a bonus.
Dining rooms are traditionally painted red or green, not least because these hues are said to induce hunger. As a general rule, the darker the hue the more formal the feel; don’t be afraid to choose a bold paint colour or wallpaper, even if you restrict its use to just one wall. In a self-contained dining space, which doesn’t directly adjoin other rooms, you can go to town with colour.
For a coordinated look, it’s important to follow through with the soft furnishings. “The predominant wall colour should feature in the patterns chosen for drapes and seat covers,” explains Mills.
If you have a wood or tile floor, set a decorative carpet square beneath the table to create a cosy feel and add further colour. Make sure that when the chairs are pulled back to accommodate seated guests, there is space for the entire chair to rest on the rug.
While wooden tables are still the most readily available, tables in more unusual materials are increasingly popular — and can really set the tone for a dramatic dining space. In many cases the base is different from the tabletop, for instance a slab of marble or sheet glass set on a wooden pedestal.
“As a general rule, the chairs should match the base,” notes Mills. “But the trick is to start with a great table and then find the chairs that accentuate it.”
The contours of the room, as much as personal taste, will dictate the table’s shape. “Avoid blocking traffic lanes,” says Mills. “And note that diners will need plenty of space to push their chairs back and relax at the end of the meal.”
Freshly furnished with comfort as well as elegance in mind, this type of dining room is already a treat for the senses. To add to the ambience, hang a beautifully framed mirror near the table where it will reflect the candlelight (and make a small room appear larger). This is also a good spot to display favourite paintings, since you and your guests will be able to admire them at leisure.
In this kind of atmospheric hideout, you don’t need a general level of background lighting. Use a rise-and-fall pendant to concentrate all light on to the table. “When you are giving a candlelit dinner the pendant can be lifted up out of sight,” says Mills. “When you bring it low, remember to position it at a level that doesn’t obstruct the eye contact of your guests but is not so high that it exposes the glare of the bulb.”
The degree of light is also important: too bright and the reflections from cutlery and glassware will be off-putting, too low and the diners’ faces will recede into the gloom.
Mills advocates the use of tungsten and tungsten halogen sources in the dining room because of the excellence of the colour rendering. “If a tomato and avocado salad takes on a uniform muddy tone, it looks unreal and unappetising,” he says. “The appearance of food is just as important as the taste whether the occasion is a quiet family supper or a formal dinner with business associates.”
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