Dining Rooms Are Back! Here’s How to Create One You Love

Written by Jaymi Naciri Posted On Sunday, 02 April 2023 00:00

For a while there, dining rooms had fallen out of favor with Americans. Homeowners weren’t motivated to decorate or even use their formal dining rooms. Homebuyers were even advising their real estate agents to not bother showing them a home that had a formal dining room! 

But that may be changing. “The American dining room has lost its footing over the years to expanded kitchen eateries and admonished for its lack of use, but the formal dining room is making a strong comeback,” said BCC Builders.

Use these tips to make your dining room pop.

Pick the right table

Scale matters. A table that is too big—or too small—can throw the whole room off. “When choosing a dining table shape, consider your room's dimensions, how many people you'll typically want to seat, and your entertaining style,” said Wayfair. “Don’t forget, removable leaves allow you to adjust a table depending on the size of your dinner party.”

Show your true colors

The dining room is the perfect place to show some personality. Don’t be afraid to drench those walls in a deep, rich, bright, vibrant, or saturated color. Or, put up some dramatic wallpaper.  The wallpaper trend has been. going strong for some time now, and the dining room makes a great foundation for a pretty pattern.

Have some fun

“Today’s dining rooms still have a touch of stuffiness, but it is subdued by integrating eclectic furniture and lighting to make the room feel more fun and quirky,” said BCC Builders.

Light the way

Go all out with a chandelier. If not in the dining room, then where?! But that’s just the starting point. 

“Ideally, you should choose bulbs and fixtures that produce between 200 and 400 watts, but the real key is layering: make sure to use a mix of lighting sources including floor lamps, wall fixtures, candles and windows (Yes, natural lighting counts too!),” said Pottery Barn. “The shape of your light fixture is also important. Choose a shape that complements your dining table. For example, hang a rounded fixture above a round table and choose an oval or linear fixture to hang above longer and rectangular tables. Finally, consider the size of your space. If you have a large dining room, go big and bold with an extravagant chandelier. If your space is smaller, smaller hanging pendants will achieve a similar effect without taking up too much space.”

Add the right seating

Go for a combination of comfort and class. And don’t forget about the seat fabric. It’s another opportunity to show some flair. 

But, the type of fabric you use is also important. If you have young kids, you might want to consider the porosity of the fabric. “You can expect a lot of spills…during the life of your dining chair,” said Brosa. “Try as you might, you won’t be able to prevent these mishaps. But you can, at least, choose a fabric that won’t hold onto a stain. Thankfully, there are a few of them out there.”

Leather and microfiber are top choices. Busy patterns can also work well because they won’t show the inevitable stains. 

Add a rug

“Round out your dining room design with vibrant area rugs,” said Better Homes and Gardens. “Anchor your dining set with a colorful area rug that harmonizes with your palette and decorating style. Area rugs should extend at least 2 feet beyond a table's sides to accommodate occupied chairs. An 8x10-foot area rug is a good fit for most dining sets. Introduce kicky slipcovers, graceful draperies, fabric lampshades, eye-catching artworks, framed mirrors, and cool collections that counterbalance your furniture's heavy forms and hard edges.”

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