Cheyenne Weaver's 1930's home in Austin, Texas is full of eclectic, handmade details and DIY projects, but none make her as proud as the dining table she constructed from an old barn door. I love how welcoming it looks sitting in front of those old wood-wrapped windows! More

How do I love thee, oh Jake Chair? Let me count the ways: your powder-coated steel frame comes in three fantastically punchy colors, plus black and white. Your wooden seats are lightweight yet sturdy. And my favorite element of all, you have one contrasting wooden leg, which makes you wonderfully off-kilter and visually interesting. I'd like to have six of you, in all colors, sitting around my dining room table, please. More

My two favorite flowers are peonies and tulips, so come Spring I can't help splurging a little when they finally show up at the farmer's market. The peonies I bought last week (in a dashing shade of crimson) are still bright and blooming almost seven days later. I'm a notorious black thumb, so while I'd love to have greenery in my apartment at all times of the year, the sad fact is that most greenery doesn't make it very long in my company. So cut flowers, in their fleeting beauty, are my perfect companion. Here are few lovely Spring bouquets to inspire your kitchen and dining table decor: More

I was sitting in my dining room the other day when it struck me just how boring the room is. It's furnished with a table. And chairs. And that's it. What if — I began to wonder — one was surrounded by shelves and shelves of books in the dining room? Here are some inspiring examples. More

We love a crisp, cool stone tabletop, especially in the heat of summer. The material seems able to cool a space during the hottest months (which are fast approaching!) but it's oh-so-expensive. Here's an alternative: concrete! More

Who: AR-TRE, Italian kitchen maker
What We Noticed: I saw a lot of kitchen furnishings at EuroCucina that seemed to flow or blend into other areas of the house. This was one particularly striking example: A sofa built in to the kitchen island/table. A very interesting concept for small spaces or kitchen-dining combos. What do you think? One more photo below... More

Who: VG newtrend, Italian lighting and kitchen accessories
What We Noticed: Here's another side of EuroCucina 2012: Bling. That's right — I am seeing crystals everywhere — in lighting, on backsplashes, even on cabinet surfaces. This glamorous lighting and tabletop collection was especially striking, although I couldn't quite picture any of it in my home! Click through for a pretty serious example of a chandelier in the kitchen... More

We like the casual look of mismatched dining room chairs, but if the mismatching gets carried away things can look a bit haphazard. Here's a great way to rein in the havoc while keeping a fun, loose vibe: Use the same chair in different colors. And make it even better by using Eames shell chairs! More

Round dining tables are communal, inviting, and friendly in their shape. So why not take it a step further and think about round dining rooms? Of course, the shape necessitates a circular table, but it also encompasses its occupants in a hug of sorts. Here are three examples of round dining rooms. More

In this modern farmhouse, the kitchen and dining room are combined in one room. With an eleven-foot-long table, one end of it can easily be dedicated to kitchen work on a typical day. And we love this idea for making it happen: More