Colour trends may come and go, but a bright white backdrop will serve this dining area well for years and years to come. It goes with virtually everything, gives older furniture a fresh feel, and won't need to be updated if your style preferences change over time.

Mixing and matching is an excellent way to bring that lived-in, country feeling into your home. Small groups of different plates, bowls and glasses are all housed together in this dining area's cabinet, with scalloped edges, embossed patterns and neutral colours as the golden thread throughout. Together, they give the impression of a collection gathered over many years.

The next addition is a dining table with plenty of charm, thanks to its turned leg and other little details that give you a glimpse of a different era. Its petite and round shape is smart for this small room, with a hidden extra leaf for seating up to six people when the occasion calls for it.

Chairs are the last missing puzzle piece of this dining area's country look – and adding two different styles reaffirms the idea that modern and traditional styles can be best of friends. Alongside two chairs that you might find in a farmhouse kitchen, are two more contemporary counterparts. Dinner is ready to be served!