A dining room is a gathering place for friends and family.
Creating a welcoming dining room space is about more than setting a table or planning a menu. Whether you are having a weeknight meal with the family, a romantic dinner for two or a large holiday feast, the dining room can be the center for fun and food. To create an atmosphere that is warm and inviting for any meal, there are some simple design rules you should keep in mind.
Instructions
1. Choose a room decor theme. Your dining room should coordinate with the rest of your home's aesthetic to ensure flow from room to room. Once you have settled on a design scheme or at least a color palette, it will be easier to buy furniture and accessories to fill your space.
2. Create your desired level of formality in the room. If you want a more casual environment, you may want to choose a more contemporary or eclectic design scheme. If you want the room to be especially formal, choose traditional furnishings and design.
3. Make the table and chairs the focal point of the room. The dining room should be centered on food and gathering around the table. Avoid cluttering the space with furniture that will take away from this important focal point.
4. Accent the dining room table with linens. To soften the table and add color and texture, linens are essential. Even if you do not want to cover the table in a tablecloth, you can still use fabric in the form of a table runner or place mats. Depending on how formal you want the room to be, you can even choose to use cloth napkins.
5. Use lighting to create an ambiance for the room. Create an inviting atmosphere, make use of natural light. A dramatic chandelier hanging over the table will also cast a big presence. To set a romantic dining room atmosphere, try using candles in centerpieces or candelabras.
6. Change the table setting to coordinate with the meal. For example, change out your centerpieces and linens to match with seasonal colors. You could even coordinate fabrics and dishware to match the food itself. For example, Mexican cuisine looks authentic and classic on colorful Fiesta cookware.
Tags: dining room, , design scheme, dining room should, focal point