Dining Space Design Project – Review

Posted on: June 24th, 2011 | 10 Comments

John and Matthew review the viewer-submitted plans for Slow Home Studio’s Dining Space Design Project.

  • Terri

    Matthew and John;
    Thanks again for another very informative commentary!
     I’m interested in your bulkhead lighting idea. Do you mean that the bulkhead continues from the kitchen as part of an existing bulkhead above cabinets? Or possibly if the kitchen ceiling is dropped the bulkhead continues at same height? Is the bulkhead about 12 inches down from ceiling as well as 12 inches out from wall?  I’m thinking of a future reno of my own kitchen/dining space, so these dimensions matter to me. ;)
    ps Happy Birthday, John!

  • http://slowhomestudio.com Matthew North

    Hello Terri! To answer your question about the bulkhead – yes – I had assumed it originated from the kitchen – I am posting an image from a recently completed project at housebrand that has this exact condition for you to see. I did not think the whole kitchen ceiling would drop as I assuming the space only has an 8 foot high ceiling. And yes, the bulkhead is about 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Thank you for submitting a great scheme this week! 

  • http://slowhomestudio.com Matthew North

    Hi Terri,

    Notice the drywall bullhead to the left of the kitchen in the photo I’ve uploaded.

  • Frances Grantferiancek

    Happy Birthday John •<;) Remember birthdays, like Christmas, are meant to be celebrated for at least a week! I will be marking a significant birthday (one ending in a zero) next week and I will be sure to raise a glass to you.
    Cheers

  • Terri

    Thanks, Matthew, for the photo and your comment! I don’t think my kitchen will ever look as sleek as that one. Nice.

  • Terri

    Frances GF, In case I don’t “see” you here next week, happy birthday wishes to you, too! I envy you summer-born people. My birthday is so close to Christmas that it’s overshadowed by that week you talk about. Fortunately, though, it’s before the big week-long bash, so really, it’s not so bad…but I do end up indulging extra (indulgence not being such at good thing anymore!).

  • Anonymous

    My plan keeps the kitchen in the center with a large dining table near the front windows and the living room at the back.  The wall between the kitchen and living could be perforated or not.  The sink island has cabinets facing the hall and the front door that are higher than counter height to contain the kitchen and provide book shelves and display behind glass doors so you don’t feel like you’re walking directly into the kitchen.  There could be a post where they intersect for more definition (and possibly to keep the second floor up).  If there’s a door in the living room the furniture would need to be re-thought.

  • Li-Na

     Matthew, how do you decide what colour to paint bulkheads (i.e. do you use the ceiling colour, wall colour, or some other colour)?

  • http://slowhomestudio.com Matthew North

    Hellol Li-Na…….believe it or not, there are rules for how to determine the paint color of a drywall bulkhead! It depends if the bulkhead is part of the ceiling or an object unto itself. In the case of this photo, the bulkhead wraps around the perimeter of the room and fold into the stairwell wall so it is not part of the ceiling – this is why it is painted in a different color. Make sense?

  • http://slowhomestudio.com Matthew North

    Theresa_NY – thanks for submitting a plan! I really like how you have subdivided the space. I think your furniture grouping with the sectional at the top of the plan and the two arm chairs at the bottom makes a lot of sense given the proportion of the room. You have also taken into account the circulation zone that exists between the two seating areas. I like your concept of the taller storage cabinets on the circulation side of the island as well – I can visualize how that would work and it makes sense to me.