Most homes move from the entryway to the living room, or possibly a great room space. This home, in contrast, sets the dining room as the center of the home, and it works well for entertaining and family time.

The stone floor runs throughout the first level of the home, providing an easy elegance to support the sturdy carved dining table and leather chairs. Rustic wood is prevalent in the space, which works well with the variegated stone.

Archways define the space while providing connections between the rooms. Color also plays an important role. Notice that the maroon stripes in the dining room area rug match the leather color on the chairs at the counter in the kitchen. Further connection comes from having those chairs in the same style as the ones in the dining room.

From an entertaining standpoint, it would be easy to use the two consoles in the dining room as buffet tables, providing plenty of space to sit in the dining room and kitchen. The open feeling and many arches encourage movement while still providing places for smaller gatherings of people.

The chandelier’s candle-like style provides the feeling of candles without any of the maintenance and wax-drip issues. This home could be dressed up for the holidays or provide a nice background for a simple family gathering. And with the dining room in the center of the home, it invites people to sit at the table and enjoy every event.