Meet the Team: Studio & Events Manager Allie Boalch on dining room inspiration

dining room inspiration
Debenham, Suffolk
dining room inspiration
Debenham, Suffolk
dining room inspiration
Archway Studios, Dartford Street, London SE17
dining room inspiration
Archway Studios, Dartford Street, London SE17
dining room inspiration
The Shed, Tokavaig, Isle of Skye
dining room inspiration
Peasmarsh, East Sussex
dining room inspiration
Crowan, Cornwall
Allie Boalch
Allie at our London office

Our ‘Meet the Team’ series introduces The Modern House staff with a chat about some of their favourite homes. Here, we’ve asked Studio & Events Manager Allie Boalch to select some dining room inspiration.

After studying Art History at the University of Nottingham, Allie worked as a picture researcher for Thames & Hudson and Mr Porter. She joined The Modern House in 2018, working to enrich the social environment and cultural impact of the company.

“I love hosting,” says Allie, “and once invited 23 people for a sit-down Christmas dinner at my old flat in Homerton.” As to who does the cooking, “that’s split between me and my fiancé. He does most of the cooking, and I’m more of a baker – that’s how our team works.”

Debenham, Suffolk
“I think this is stunning and quite dramatic thanks to all that glazing at the end of the barn, which pours a huge amount of light into the space. I also love the brick floor, which is laid in a herringbone pattern.

“This room definitely feels like the focal point of the house. I like how there’s a great connection to the outside and how the space would work well in all seasons: the woodburning stove going in the winter, and those doors flung open in summer. Plus, there’s a piano – the dream!”

Archway Studios, Dartford Street, London SE17
“The amount of natural light that is fed into this dramatic space is beautiful. It’s quite unusual spatially, but I really like how open it is. I enjoy being able to cook in the kitchen while talking to guests at the dining table, because it means that I’m not hidden away while everyone else is having fun.”

The Shed, Tokavaig, Isle of Skye
“I’m a real sucker for a good view! I would want a seat that faces out towards the view, and I think it’s probably better to have lunch in than dinner – I can’t imagine that there are many twinkling lights out there at night.”

Peasmarsh, East Sussex
“Really cosy dinners in here would be lovely. The grounds are beautiful and even include a greenhouse. The dream would be to go out and pick something I’ve grown to cook with, which would be very rewarding.”

Crowan, Cornwall
“I couldn’t leave this one out! It’s like a big banqueting hall. I love the grandeur that comes from the double-height ceiling and I can imagine having a big candle-lit feast, which would be very atmospheric. A good one for a New Year’s Eve dinner, I think.”

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