Some years ago, I wrote an article for the Sydney Morning Herald about restaurant chairs. I remember I had quite a job convincing my editor that even without dishes or recipes, the article would be a great read. And I think it was, though I would say that. It was fascinating to talk to well-known restaurateurs about how they selected their chairs (a juggle between style, comfort, functionality and cost if I remember correctly) and what each restaurateur felt chairs added to the diner’s experience. I guess it’s in my nature to enjoy a restaurant interior as much as the food on my plate, but I also believe (then as now) that a good chair and a good table are integral to dining pleasure – and that’s as true at home as it is of a fine-dining restaurant or neighbourhood café.

Featuring Aspen Six Seater Dining Table in Smoked Oak and Aspen Dining Chairs in Baxter Natural and Smoked Oak.

The evolution of home dining

Home dining spaces have had an interesting history. In the 1970s, when I grew up, the majority of homes had a separate dining room, that - like the tableware and glasses kept in the cupboard for ‘best’ – was rarely used. My own family squeezed around a small kitchen table at mealtimes, while the generous, mid-century dining table stood idle and empty, wearing nothing more than furniture polish and a bowl of ceramic fruit.

In more recent years, our predilection for open-plan living has seen an end to traditional dining rooms, but the dining ‘zone’ remains an important focus of contemporary floor plans, regardless of ever-increasing kitchen islands and fragmented family mealtimes. I remember Queenslanders Tess and Luke wowing us judges on the 2019 season of The Block with an elegant, formal dining room. I also remember us warning the Cairns couple that their bold design decision might cost them dearly at auction. Instead they won The Block.

To my mind, the dining space has always been the unsung hero of the home. Dining spaces don’t steal the limelight like kitchens, but so often daily life revolves around them. A well-positioned dining table and chairs bring a sense of connection and anticipation to a home and speak – to me at least - of generosity and shared experiences. Our dining table at our south coast home reminds us of the friends we will soon once again be able to welcome. It will be interesting to see how post-pandemic design incorporates dining zones, and whether they will need to earn their keep as multi-purpose spaces, but it’s my belief that in one form or another, the dining zone is a keeper.