Dining at home should be an experience where wonderful memories are forged, chat ting with other members of the household and visiting guests, and enjoying homemade cuisine in a comfortable ambience. Open plan kitchens with dining areas have become hugely popular in recent years, and there are many advantages to this layout – an ob vious benefit being that it is more social. Having a separate dining area can cut-off the “chef” from the action and the conversations of others who are about to dine, including children (if you need to keep an eye on them), while you are slaving away concocting your gastronomic delicacies. Open kitchen/dining areas make the room feel airy and lighter, rather than an enclosed dining area surrounded by walls. However, enclosed dining areas do have their benefits too, as they hide the sounds and smells of the kitch en (and any catastrophes you may suffer whilst cooking!), so it all depends on your way of living. Ensuring that your dining table and chairs cater for the usual number of diners you en tertain is obviously a default position. Extendable dining tables are a great investment and ideal for space-saving, as well as benches, as you can always squeeze one more onto the table when push comes to shove. A table made from a durable material such as hardwood or with a stone or thick glass top will stand the test of time but it can rep resent a large investment – albeit a wise one. Mixing and matching dining chairs adds a playful look, making the overall aesthetic of your dining area more casual. Also, when unexpected guests come over, the extra chairs won’t look out of place. Have fun and choose wisely when considering redesigning this area of your home, and bon appétit!

Inspired by the hardened forewings of beetles, the refined Elitra XL dining table combines the elegance of marble and brass with a glass tabletop that reveals a hollow interior (www.lithosdesign.com) .

These high-back chairs from Co’tantic can be used in side the home or outside. The eye-catching design in black and white provides a striking and playful look around a din ing table. Co’tantic’s showroom is situated in Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro (www.cotantic.com) .

The Oak Arc dining table from Ethnicraft is a contem porary masterpiece by Alain Van Havre that comprises a ta pered black metal leg base. The corners of the oak top are slightly rounded to create an elegant aesthetic. It is shown here with their Oak Bok dining chair and Bronze wall mirror. Ethnicraft is available through Acoola in Pol. Ind. San Pedro de Alcántara (www.acoola.eu) and Siesta Interior Design in C. Plaza in Nueva Andalucía (www.siestainteriordesign.com) .

Modulnova’s linear and minimalist Skill range is refined and highly versatile. It can be utilised in so many different ways to enhance the dining area, providing a luxu rious, contemporary and long-lasting addition to any home that requires the highest quality materials. Modulnova is sit uated in Avenida Salamanca 12 in San Pedro de Alcántara (www.modulnovamarbella.com) .

Kenneth Cobonpue’s Sage dining chairs feature plush velvet fabric that drapes like a leaf. Inspired by Thumbelina, the design offers a magical and iconic furniture piece. They are shown here with their sculptural handmade Gobi dining table, which looks like a cactus with copper tones and a hammered finish (www.kennethcobonpue.com) .

The Betliar dining chair comprises a steel base and velvet upholstery. The backrest encircles the sitter, offering comfort and support whilst dining. Also shown here is the striking Brillon armchair. Both products offer a glamorous art deco look and are available through Nomad Studio One in Edif. Don Amaro II in Sabinillas (www.nomadstudioone.com) and directly from Escandi Design on the Mijas Road, or buy online at www.escandidesign.com .