Decorate A Rectangular Dining Room

The dining room table should sit directly underneath a chandelier or other light fixture.

In many homes, a dining room is rarely used for its intended purpose. Instead of serving as the place where friends and family gather for intimate or special meals, it's a catchall room where kids drop off their backpacks, Dad deposits the mail and Mom puts down her coat and purse when she arrives home. If you've watched your dining room's long, slow decline over the years, you can start using it as it was meant to be used without much effort. Like other rooms in a home, the dining room tends to be rectangular. That shape is especially suitable for a dining room, because most tables are rectangular, as well.

Instructions

1. Position a large hutch or china cabinet on the dominant wall in the dining room. The dominant wall is the one that is most prominent. In a rectangular dining room, the dominant wall is most likely to be one of the two long walls.

2. Dress up the china cabinet, hutch or other piece on the dominant wall with attractive dishes, sculptures or other decor. This enhances the dining room focal point.

3. Place your dining room table in the most logical place, the center of the room. A dining room frequently has a chandelier or other prominent light fixture hanging from the center of the ceiling. Putting the table under the fixture make sense. If the room is very small and has no central light fixture, and if you rarely have company for dinner, placing a small dining table along a wall opposite the hutch or china cabinet is an option. This arrangement is best with just two chairs, one on each end. Dress up the table with table runners, place mats, quality linens and a centerpiece that works well with the scale of the room.

4. Walk around the dining room table if it's in the center of the room to ensure that all your guests can sit down and get up easily. Sit down at the table yourself to get a sense of your guests' comfort.

5. Place a rectangular rug under the table to anchor it in the room. Arrange other small pieces of furniture in the room. Place large plants in one or more corner, if you have the space. Hang complementary curtains, artwork and additional lighting, such as wall sconces next to a large painting.

Tags: dining room, dining room, dominant wall, china cabinet, dining room table