Designs on dining

Fix the fittings

When planning a lighting scheme, include one or more dimmable pendant fittings above the table for atmosphere and to create a sense of separation from the rest of the room.

Henley cabinets in Constable Green, from £14,000, Arundel dining table in three sizes plus extendable option, from £2,250 for a L1,840xW900xH740mm eight-seater, oak bench in three sizes, from £595 for a L1,500xW360xH420mm two-seater, Neptune (neptune.com)

Configure the cabinets

Arranging all your units and appliances along one long wall or in an L-shaped layout may provide space for a table in front of them.

Apartment redesign by Interior Fox (interiorfox.co.uk). Resin marble-based terrazzo worksurface and splashback, around £3,500, Love Terrazzo (loveterrazzo.com). Acupanel timber wall panels, from £77.99, The Wood Veneer Hub (thewoodveneerhub.co.uk)

Fit in more

Banquettes and benches take up less space per person seated than individual chairs. Dual-purpose built-in designs can also have storage beneath the seat.

Custom-made banquette upholstered in tan leather and tweed with four drawers painted in Cornforth White, from £15,000, Hux (hux-london.co.uk)

Take to the bar

In a galley kitchen, a slimline countertop at the end of a parallel or single run of units can provide enough room to sit. An overhang of 250-400mm allows for legroom.

Arcos kitchen with melamine high-density particle board fronts and worksurfaces in Vintage Oak and White 3D, from £10,000, Schmidt (home-design-schmidt.uk)

Extend a tabletop

A built-in tabletop set at right angles to an island bridges the gap between breakfast bar and separate table.

Pure Kitchen painted in Marina Blue and Dove White with Artemistone Calacatta Oro worksurfaces, from £35,000, John Lewis of Hungerford (john-lewis.co.uk)

An important measurement

Leave at least 850mm space around the table to enable everyone to pull their chairs out fully and move around easily.

Crathorne kitchen in Regents Green, from £15,000, Second Nature