Have Fun with the Space

Include bold colors, install that wild printed wallpaper, play with patterns. A dining room is generally used for entertaining– let it entertain you! Read on for tips on where to save, where to splurge, and how to get creative with your dining room design:

 

Draw the Eye Up with a Gorgeous Ceiling

Create a gorgeous ceiling: Paint or wallpaper, include custom millwork and finish off with a stunning chandelier! This is a great place to invest to give the space some architectural detail.

Create a Beautiful Tablescape

With the winter holidays coming up, you’ll likely be using that formal dinning room to entertain family and friends more than usual and most of your guests attention will be geared towards what is ON the table, rather than around it, but it doesn’t have to cost a ton!  

Get the right Sized Table for the Space

Flow in any room in important, especially a space that is supposed to seat so many people. You don’t want to go with the largest table you can find necessarily, you need to be sure you leave ideally about 45 inches, give or take a few inches, around the perimeter of the room as a walkway so everyone is comfortable. If your space is small, but you require more seating, consider a table with extendable leaves.

Statement Lighting & Layers

We’re fans of a gorgeous chandelier and it’s usually the centerpiece of a great dining room. Put on a dimmer for transitional, moody, controllable lighting. You’ll also want to include some lamps on a lower level to create layers. Lamps are, of course, functional as light sources, as well as beautiful sculptural objects.

Mirrors to Bounce Light

Include mirrors on the walls or reflective surfaces like metallic case goods or a glass table to bounce the light around the space.

Invest in Forever Frames

Although the dining room might be one of the least-frequented rooms in your home, it can also be one of the most expensive to design because they tend to be formal, and you need 6 or 8 or 10 or 12 chairs. You’ll want to invest in some great chairs that you can always recover or cover with slipcovers when you want to redesign and change up styles.

Create Some Cozy

In a formal dining room, it’s easy to fall into the trap of creating a sterile, off-putting space that you don’t necessarily want to spend time in. Avoid making the space too cold by adding some cozy textiles and colors: Invest in a great area rug in a fun print or warm colors.

Showcase a Collection

Have a gorgeous dishware collection that gets used once a year (if at all)? Or ample wine bottles in need of storage? Or some fabulous art? A dining room can be a great mini-museum! Find some great showcase storage like bookshelves or use the existing wall space.

Fill It With Life

Plants, flowers: Including natural elements always makes a space more inviting. Not only do they make the space feel more lived in, they also help to purify the air.