This dining room features bright walls, a round table, table lighting and a storage hutch.
A dining room should be a place for families and friends to gather to enjoy a meal and engage in conversation. The space should be uncluttered and inviting to accommodate your guests comfortably. You want to open up the space as much as possible so guests will want to be there. Design approaches that address the room's size, storage and lighting can help to overcome these obstacles, but the design should always reflect your preferences.
Paint
One of the first obstacles to overcome in dining room design is deciding on the right paint color. The paint color sets the tone for the rest of the decor and contributes to the room's atmosphere. You can create the illusion of a large dining room by using light colors in small spaces. Keep the walls white, beige, gray or yellow to make the room seem bright and open. Shades of red, orange and yellow help to stimulate the appetite, which explains why these colors are so common in restaurants. If you have a small room, but would like to have some color, infuse the room with artwork or accent pieces in bright colors. You could try wallpaper instead; wallpaper comes in a wide range of colors, and some are textured.
Table
The size and type of table you use can make the space seem more open and reflect a bit of your own personality. If you have a small dining room that you rarely use, downsize your large formal table for a small table with a leaf insert. A round table, without the sharp edges of square tables, provides easier flow around the table. Choose a round table with a pedestal base so you can squeeze more guests around the table without them bumping their knees on the table legs. Before purchasing a table, ask the salesperson if they have a floor model so you can test it out. A pub table may look beautiful in the store, but you may determine it is too high for some of your family members.
Storage
The dining room presents several opportunities for clever and functional storage. Among the solutions are china cabinets, sideboards and buffet tables. You can store your best dishes and stemware and create a pleasing focal point at the same time. If you have a large wine collection, opt for a buffet with a built-in wine rack. The lower cabinets of these pieces can be used for dining storage as well as storage for anything from family games to scrapbooking supplies. If your lower cabinetry is open, you can conceal your stored wares by hanging a piece of fabric that coordinates with your decor. Simply cut the fabric to fit the open space, sew an open hem on top and mount the curtain with a retractable curtain rod.
Lighting
The right lighting in the dining room is key to setting the tone for your dining occasion. Put the focus on the meal by choosing a light fixture, such as a chandelier or pendant light, to hang over the table. Chandeliers are a classic option, while pendant lights contribute to a more contemporary decor. As a general rule, a chandelier should be one half to two thirds the width of the dining table. The suspension height of the chandelier or light fixture should range between 30 and 36 inches from the top of the table to the bottom of the fixture. If you choose small pendant lights, try using several spaced apart to accent the length of the table. A few dim lamps or candles increases the ambiance. Add a mirror to make the room appear larger and reflect the light.
Tags: dining room, round table, around table, have small, light fixture, make room, open space