FORMAL dining areas are no longer a priority when space is at a premium. In the recent past we aspired to dinner parties and kitchen separation where we could show off our prowess as hosts without revealing the cooking chaos and mayhem in the wake of such an occasion.

The dedicated dining room usually housed little more than a large extendable table and chairs, and a whisker of space circumnavigating the edge to walk around.

Nowadays, we can't afford a redundant formal dining space; such a room must earn its keep and with a myriad of uses, such as home office, breakfast room, playroom and television snug.

The trend towards inclusion replaces the old regime of segregation, and you really can't move into a place nowadays without removing at least one wall to join cooking and eating areas together.

The room pictured forms a close relationship between the front and back of this quaint Clifton quarry house. The rear was a dark, basic 1990s kitchen full of overcrowded, dated units, with no room for dining. The front room was a very tiny space with no storage.

The design challenge was to unite the two rooms, create storage and add a dining area. We started from scratch so everything you see has been designed to look the part.

We created cottage charm and character by knocking through and designing joinery items such as the red dresser to lengthen and deepen the space. The panelling between both rooms creates an appropriate opening so that, while the room appears to be one, there is a distinction between kitchen/diner and sitting room.

Since joinery details are one of Goodchild Interiors' areas of expertise, we made up the mouldings, joinery, kitchen units and oak dining table to be in keeping with the newly developed feel of a character cottage.

The built-in bench not only saves on space but it anchors the long table to that side of the room. Made from the same oak as the floor boards, the working man's turn-of- last-century design is unfussy and practical for seating six-to-eight for dinner.

Vintage Bentwood chairs from local architectural salvage yards can be shuffled about to suit company on the other side. The bench is kept warm by a hidden built-in radiator and the open space below allows for hidden basket storage.

Strong unit and wall colours in grey (Dulux Greyfriar) and deep red (Dulux African Adventure) add to the cosy period flavour.

The three opaque glass pendants hung from iron flex in a designed formation over the table create a soft ambient light.

The striking portrait adds the final flourish and the finished result is a classic, elegant and exceptionally practical dining space.

Top Tips: To create a similar look at home, create a wider architectural space by joining cramped areas together. Use period or contemporary joinery detail to create storage and replace structure in a room – in this case the built-in bench and panelled opening. Use bold colours to define eating areas and built-in cupboards so that they stand out proudly from the wall.

Goodchild Interiors offer two- hour on-the-spot design sessions as well as the full services of an architectural design practice. Based in Clifton, projects span both large and small, Grade II to contemporary and everything in-between. Contact Paul or Gill on 0117 927 9475, email gill@goodchildinteriors.net, or see www.goodchildinteriors.net