Whether you use your dining room to eat in only occasionally or as a multipurpose space for all the family, updating its decor with inexpensive changes adds to everyone's enjoyment of their time there. Make changes to the walls, the windows and the furniture for a coordinated look, or add just one large accessory for dramatic effect.
Wall
Decorate the walls of your dining room to add some drama. Cover one wall with framed artwork and photos. Use different frames as contrast but paint them all the same color to unify the display. Black frames have a modern, streamlined feel, and white frames complement a more casual, cottage style. Choose a satin metallic paint for a more industrial look. Alternatively, stencil a design on one wall using acrylic paint. Select one large design or choose a word or phrase, such as "love" or "bon appetit." Combine both these ideas by hanging your artwork unframed and paint "frames" on the wall around them.
Window Treatments
People spend time sitting and talking at the dining table and so have time to notice your window treatments. Surprise them by using inexpensive blinds in a neutral color along with richly textured drapes or a valance. The drapes can be as simple as a panel of fabric hung from a rod. Rich colors and texture add an opulent touch, while neutral-colored fabric lends an air of sophistication. As an alternative, use the blinds themselves to add the texture by hanging bamboo or woven grass blinds, with a sheer fabric for the drapes.
Furniture
Mix and match your chairs in the dining room for interest. If you already have matching chairs, consider sewing slipcovers in a variety of colors. If you have old chairs, sand them down and paint them with latex paint. If the chairs match, paint them different colors; if the chairs do not match, paint them all the same color to unify them. Match the color of the chairs to the color of the frames on your wall display to tie them together visually.
One Dramatic Piece
Look to your favorite restaurant for inspiration and add just one large, dramatic piece to your dining room. Install a sparkling chandelier above the dining table. Choose an inexpensive chandelier with plastic rather than glass or crystal beads. Cover one wall of the room in elaborate wallpaper, perhaps a damask or brocade print. As an alternative, purchase a sample piece of the wallpaper and frame it as art for your wall. Find a large vase for the center of the table and use sculptural branches and seed pods for a contemporary arrangement.
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