When we set out to decorate our dining rooms, we’re concerned with getting the right dining table and chairs. Should we go for the round table or the traditional rectangle? Should the chairs have cushions? Should we go with a wood or glass top? We ask ourselves a million and one questions about the table and chairs, and that’s about it. We ignore the placemats, cutlery and dishware until we’re not far from hosting a dinner party or holiday dinner. We’re then driven into a panic mode because we don’t have a decorative centerpiece and our walls are bare and boring.
Don’t wait until the last minute to get your dining room looking good and feeling cozy. The holidays are only a few short months away, and if you’ve offered to be the host, now is as good a time as ever to make sure you dining room design is on point.
Dining Room Design Tricks
What type of fixtures does a dining room really need anyway? you might be asking. Like a lot of other people, you might think that all that’s necessary to have is a table and chairs. If you want the dining room to be really fancy, maybe you have a china cabinet sitting in the corner. This may have worked for grandmother, but it doesn’t work now. The design of your dining room has unlimited possibilities, and it can make or break a dinner you’ve spent hours preparing.
Photo by H3K Design – Discover midcentury dining room design inspiration
Here are five items you should have in the dining room to really make your mark.
Centerpieces
A bare dining room table offers no pizazz for festivities, and, truth be told, looks a little sad. Decorating your table with an elegant vase or ornamented bouquet of flowers will give the dining space a feel of comfort and fullness; note that this is exactly how you’ll want your guests to feel after they’ve eaten the delicious meal you slaved away making for them.
Photo by Baxt Ingui Architects PC – Look for transitional dining room pictures
Lighting
No room is finished without lighting. Your dining room lighting should provide a lovely overhead light for your guests, warming up the space and making it more quaint. Chandeliers and pendant lights are best for dining rooms as they can be hung directly over the dining table, shrouding your guests in wonderfully warm soft light. Be sure to install a lighting fixture that gives you the option of dimming or brightening the light. In using a dimmer you can adjust the lighting to your guests’ recommendations, helping everyone to feel at home and comfortable.
Photo by Masterwork – Look for traditional dining room design inspiration
Linens
Table runners and placemats add a heightened sense of grandiosity and status to the dining room table. If you’re eating your meal on top of fancy-looking linen, you’re going to feel fancy, and somehow the dinner is going to taste even better. Help your guests feel cool and important by using decorated mats and table linens to dress up the dining room table.
Photo by rigby & mac – More Scandinavian dining room photos
Stemware
I don’t know what it is about glasses, but I myself get really excited every time I see a complete set at an antique store or an unveiling in a showroom. The Huffington Post suggests showing off your stemware 24/7 in the dining room. You can do this by displaying your stemware on a shelf behind the dining table or on a retro-styled cocktail trolley. Soon your friends will be greeting you as Mr. Draper.
Photo by Marrokal Design & Remodeling – Search rustic dining room design ideas
Mirror
Really, a mirror looks great in every room. A mirror opens up the space and brightens the room. A mirror in the dining room will make the space feel larger and reflect the happiness of your dinner-party guests and the decadence of the meal!
Photo by Stacy Vazquez-Abrams: Photographer – Search transitional dining room pictures
Who says you can’t throw a good party!? Keep the above five pieces in mind and you’ll have yourself an intimate-feeling dining room.