The central focus of dining rooms is usually the furniture--a large cherry wood table, antique chairs, an ornate chandelier or an heirloom china cabinet. These focal points can be complemented and dressed up further by the right accent pieces. Read on for some tips on pick decorative accessories for the dining room, and unify your entertaining space.
Instructions
1. Use a notepad and pencil to write down all the measurements and information you need, and bring the pad with you when you shop.
2. First, consider all the existing finishes in the room. Do you have a lot of wood or metal finishes? Are all of the metal pieces black iron or shiny brass?
3. Consider the style of the room. Is it a formal or casual space? Is the furniture modern, traditional or eclectic?
4. Make note of the colors, of the walls, flooring, fabrics and any existing accessories. Don't forget about the table linens you use for entertaining--you don't want a new centerpiece to look great with the wood table top but clash with the tablecloth. If you think you might have difficulty matching the fabrics or other colors, try to bring samples with you to the store to assist you when making selections.
5. Consider the scale of the room. Do you have high ceilings and long bare walls? Is it a smaller space with very little room behind the dining chairs? Small accessories in a large room can look sad or ridiculous, and too large accessories can overpower a space or get in the guests' way.
6. Start with wall art. Be sure to measure the wall space before you shop. Large stores can often deceive the eye and make the art pieces look tiny. It's very easy to accidentally come home with paintings or prints that take up the whole room. Bring the tape measure to the store, as not all art is labeled with measurements. Make sure the frames on pictures complement your room's existing finishes. It's especially important to choose something that matches the style of your room. Art can stand on its own and doesn't have to match exactly, but avoid extremes. If you have a traditional, formal dining room with dark wood finishes, a pop art piece in a black metal frame will look jarring and out of place.
7. Choose pieces that are pleasant to look at. You and your guests will be eating in this room, so you want to choose photos, paintings or sculptures that are warm, soothing and appetizing. You'll often find special sections in home stores for kitchen and dining room art, with pictures that focus on food, flowers, or beautiful scenery. It's not necessary to choose food-themed art, but avoid anything too provocative, dark, or distracting. Mirrors can be a beautiful accent that can also make a room look larger, but not everyone wants to watch themselves eat. Consider hanging the piece higher on the wall, or using several small mirrored pieces rather than one large one.
8. The right centerpiece can enhance the beauty of your table and warm up the room. Consider the size of the table and the distance between the table surface and the chandelier. You don't want to select something too tall that will bump into your lighting. If you want to have the centerpiece on the table during meals, make sure it is not too tall to obscure guests' views of one another, or so wide that it interferes with the place settings.
9. A centerpiece can also be made up of a cluster of items. Stagger the pieces slightly and use objects of different heights. You can group a vase of fresh flowers, for example, with a slightly shorter sculpture and then a china or glass bowl.
10. Use unusual objects. A centerpiece doesn't have to be traditional. In a modern dining room, a glass sculpture can look beautiful. Formal, traditional dining rooms can have a cluster of antiques on the table--ceramic pieces, small wooden chests, even a birdcage. Take objects from around your house and try grouping them on the table, even if they don't match, just to see what sorts of styles and sizes of accessories look the most attractive.
11. Candles always make a beautiful statement in a dining room. A large hurricane candle holder can make a beautiful centerpiece, as well as pedestal candles grouped on a mirror to reflect the light. Traditional candelabras or pillar candles can also be spaced out along the center of the table, or placed on buffets or sideboard pieces. Once again, keep in mind the style of your room and choose neutral candle colors or match to your linens and decor.
12. If you have additional furniture pieces in the room, china and serving dishes make for beautiful display objects. You can buy stands to display plates upright and show off the elegant patterns. Delicate china cups and saucers, elegant soup tureens, glass pitchers and silver serving sets also make for attractive accessories and suit the theme of the room.
13. A can also be a great place to display collections. Inside the china cabinet, or on narrow shelves on the wall, you can exhibit your china figurines, clay sculptures, or fine crystal. Fine or unusual pieces can be admired by guests and be a great conversation starter. Like with wall art, consider the style of the room and the appropriateness of the pieces for dining room display.
14. Buy pieces together. Decorative accessories can be collected over time, but a nice way to unify the space and be sure that items work together is to buy them at the same time. If the store carries furniture as well, try your centerpiece displays out on an available table to see how the size, scale and color work together.
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