Decorating Guides
10 Ways to Spice Up Your Dining Room
Get this gathering spot ready for guests with a few ambience-enhancing tweaks
With the holidays coming, you might be starting to think about hosting a gathering or two. If so, make sure your dining room is company-ready by making a few tweaks ahead of time. From simple additions (a throw on every chair) to bigger changes (new lighting), here are 10 ways to make your dining room the place to be.
Add cushions or throws to chairs. In the winter, we crave extra softness and comfort. Make your guests want to linger at the table with the addition of soft throws or seat cushions. Try faux sheepskins, plaid blankets, or felt or velvet cushions.
Get a right-size area rug. At least 24 inches on each side of the table is what you should aim for. Anything less and chairs can catch when pulled out and the space will look smaller. A properly sized rug can bring warmth and comfort to a dining room like nothing else. A flat-weave rug, like the kilim shown here, will be easier to keep clean than one with a thick pile.
11 Area Rug Rules and How to Break Them
11 Area Rug Rules and How to Break Them
Paint the walls a rich color. Since you probably spend less time in the dining room than in, say, the kitchen or living room, it makes sense to go a little bolder here. Look for a color that’s strong but not overpowering, like deep green, mocha or espresso. A more subtle hue can feel rich too — for a less-is-more look, try cappuccino or warm white.
Browse the Houzz color guides
Boost ambiance with extra lighting. A single overhead fixture isn’t enough to create well-balanced light. To take your dining room lighting from good to amazing, put the overhead fixture on a dimmer switch and add sconce lighting or table lamps on a buffet.
Browse the Houzz color guides
Boost ambiance with extra lighting. A single overhead fixture isn’t enough to create well-balanced light. To take your dining room lighting from good to amazing, put the overhead fixture on a dimmer switch and add sconce lighting or table lamps on a buffet.
Put up a chalkboard. Whether it’s schoolhouse green or classic black, framed or painted directly on the wall, you really can’t miss with a chalkboard in the dining room. Use it to post the dinner menu for a party, customize it with inspiring quotes and poems, or let the little ones go to town with chalk when they finish their meal.
DIY: Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint
DIY: Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint
Create a black-and-white photo wall. A neat grid of photos always looks good, and it’s even better in black and white. For the most impact, choose frames with a generous white mat and hang them on a wall with a rich color. Precision does matter here, so get a friend to help you, and use a level to be sure you’re getting the grid straight.
How to hang a gallery wall
How to hang a gallery wall
Layer artwork on a shelf. Not ready to commit to a permanent art display? An art shelf is casual and easily changed, making it perfect for tweaking a collection with the seasons. Start with a few larger pieces in the back row, layer in medium-size frames, and finish by tucking in a few small frames at the front. To focus attention on the art, hang gallery lighting on the wall above the shelf.
Tell us: If you could wave a magic wand and change anything about your current dining room, what would it be?
Find kitchen and dining furniture and accessories in the Shop section
Tell us: If you could wave a magic wand and change anything about your current dining room, what would it be?
Find kitchen and dining furniture and accessories in the Shop section
Add a big potted plant. Fresh greenery is a wonderful way to revive the dining room. A large potted plant like a ficus, split-leaf philodendron, rubber plant or fiddle leaf fig cleans the air, adds height and drama and can make your space feel bigger to boot.
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