For our latest lookbook, we’ve found ten projects in the Dezeen archive where kitchens and dining rooms have been combined into one practical and sociable space.

Most homes around the world traditionally had separate areas for preparing and eating food but over the last few decades, the popularity of combined kitchen dining rooms has soared.

These are more informal spaces capable of hosting a variety of activities including entertaining, home-working as well as cooking and eating.

Kitchen dining rooms can also save space in smaller homes.

The ten examples below show some of the best examples from Dezeen’s archive and feature a variety of kitchen layouts including kitchens with islands, peninsula kitchens and kitchens with breakfast bars.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related roundups include compact kitchens and terrazzo kitchens.

Lover’s House, Spain, by Isla Architects

Local studio Isla Architects adapted and improved this holiday home on the Spanish island of Mallorca, using a minimalist material and colour palette to “reveal the simple geometry of the building”.

In the kitchen and dining space, matte white cabinets and countertops complement the off-white walls.

A tiled floor picks up the warm terracotta hue of the house’s exterior while utilities such as the sink and hob have clean, unadorned designs that contrast against the rustic wooden dining table and chairs.

Find out more about Lover’s House ›

The Cedars, US, by Michael Yarinsky

The Cedars on Long Island, New York, has a light, open kitchen and dining area with a kitchen corner that features a tiled back wall to demarcate it from the rest of the room.

As well as the larger dining table, the kitchen nook has a breakfast bar for more informal eating that has been painted in a dark petroleum blue to match the cabinetry.

Danish furniture brand Hay’s black J1110 chairs add an eyecatching graphic touch to the room, while a playful light by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio hangs above the table.

Find out more about The Cedars ›

Marine, Australia, by David Barr Architects

Wood runs through this kitchen and dining space in an extension to a home in Perth, Australia, designed by David Barr Architects.

Wooden cabinets and a wood kitchen island covered with grey stone countertops sit next to a wood-clad wall that hides the oven and various storage spaces.

Above the sink and work areas, open shelves hold a collection of decorative ceramics, while a matching ceramic jug and bowl sit on the wooden dining table. One side of the kitchen island functions as a breakfast bar, complete with ash chairs by Mattiazzi.

Find out more about Marine ›

House for a Sea Dog, Italy, by Dodi Moss

This loft apartment inside a 300-year-old building in Genoa, Italy, was designed to feel as open and spacious as possible. In the kitchen and dining room, a one-wall kitchen in a soothing dark-grey hue sits against a red brick wall.

This leaves space for a dining table and a selection of bentwood chairs with rattan seats. The oven and fridge are hidden away in white cupboards that blend into the wall.

Find out more about House for a Sea Dog ›

Three Chimney House, US, by T W Ryan Architecture

A large kitchen island with a marble countertop sits in the middle of this kitchen and dining room in Three Chimney House in rural Virginia.

With a design that was informed by both modernism and Southern colonial style, the room has been given a striking material palette. A stone floor matches the stone splashback that runs along the kitchen workspaces, while a tiled wall sits below the angled white ceiling.

Mid-century modern Stick Back chairs by Thomas Harlev underline the sparse geometric design while Lindsey Adelman’s 15 Bulb Drop System chandelier, which hangs above the table, gives the room a sacral feel.

Find out more about Three Chimney House ›

Cabin Son, Norway, by Jon Danielsen Aarhus

The rectangular kitchen in this spruce-clad holiday home in Norway has a small dining area and a sofa for lounging.

The multiuse space features a long single-wall kitchen that holds an oven and sink as well as multiple cabinets.

Colourful shelving above the countertops adds additional storage space and a vibrant touch against the pale-wood walls. A wooden table and black chairs by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen give the kitchen an elegant, modern feel.

Find out more about Cabin Son ›

Casa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua

A built-in kitchen clad in a decorative veiny marble, complete with a matching breakfast island, sits in one corner of Casa Meco’s enormous main room.

Wooden cupboards on either side of the kitchen hide the kitchen facilities. A long table made from pale wood with contrasting black chairs and a black bench can be used for large dinners, while a breakfast bar adds more seating options.

Find out more about Casa Meco ›

House-within-a-House, UK, by Alma-nac

Alma-nac’s joyful design for House-within-a-House in south London includes an extension that holds the kitchen and dining area. Here, simple white cabinetry and a jet-black kitchen island sit on one side and offer plenty of space for food preparation and cooking.

Opposite, a dining table is completed with vintage-style apple-green plastic chairs. Their bright colour picks up the yellow hue of a sofa in the raised lounge area next to the dining space.

Find out more about House-within-a-House ›

Mài Apartment, Vietnam, by Whale Design Lab

Graphic terrazzo surfaces decorate the kitchen area in this Vietnamese apartment by Whale Design Lab, which has a design informed by American architect Louis Kahn.

The splashback, countertop, breakfast island and floor were all crafted from the material. The organic, curved shapes of the kitchen island and workspaces are mirrored in the grey dining table that sits underneath a small indoor tree.

Bright red Dragonfly chairs by Einrichten Design add a splash of colour to the room.

Find out more about Mài Apartment ›

Quarter Glass House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw

Proctor & Shaw’s design Quarter Glass House is an extension to a London house that holds the kitchen and dining space and was designed to have as much height and light as possible.

The studio lowered the floor to create more space, and combined exposed timber with duck-egg cabinetry and shiny copper surfaces to fulfill a request for warm and textural materials. A kitchen island with a breakfast bar has practical shelving on one side, and long floating wall shelves add storage space.

A simple white table with rattan chairs can seat six people and overlooks the garden outside the extension.

Find out more about Quarter Glass House ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, wallpapered interiors and colourful kitchens.