5 Dining Room Design Ideas

Tell the truth – you thought that table and chair set you picked up twenty years ago and plopped into that little alcove that’s adjacent to your kitchen was all you needed to have a “dining room”, right? Well, it does constitute a good start on a Dining Room Design, but there are few more elements that can take it to whole new level!

In an era gone-by, a dining room was regarded as a place where you served family meals and entertained guests for dinner. Now-a-days, with the changes in home design and the family structure, you’d be hard-pressed to find a house that even has a separate room for dining. Dining Rooms almost seem to have faded into the background with the “Ozzie and Harriet”, or the “Leave It To Beaver” generation.5 Dining Room Design Ideas

Dine and Enjoy!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to bring the family back to a center point in your home? Creating a Dining Room designed around your home and family would provide such a place, as well as giving you a chance to bring friends and relatives together for dinner parties and other social events that mark your life. Wouldn’t it be even better if the room resonated with such style and personality that you actually enjoyed being in there?

Although that is where you’ll serve meals, don’t let the dining room become just a focal point for eating. There is so much more to be considered! You’ll want to create an ambiance that indulges all of your senses, not just your taste buds. With a few clever, creative ideas, you can accomplish a room that you will be proud to show off, whether there is food on the table or not.

Dining Room Ideas and Tips

  1. Know Your Interior Design: Your dining room should be an extension of the interior design you’ve already established in your home; whether it be an Eclectic Interior Design style that shows off your individual personality, or more precise decor such as Art Nouveu. By pulling the designing elements from your other rooms, you will blend everything from tableware to accessories to color so as to allow conformity with the rest of your home.
  2. Set the Stage: Setting a table in a dining room is a lot of like accessorizing other parts of your home. Whether you adorn your table with the finest china or the K-Mart blue light special, your tableware IS an accessory. Learn proper tableware placement and combine it with other home decor accessories to bring the most to your room. Don’t forget the centerpiece.
  3. Lighting: Your Lighting Design will be something you’ll want to give a lot of thought too. An overhead light fixture is prominent in a dining room, and usually a good focal point. No matter which decor style you prefer … they make a chandelier for that! The use of a dimmer switch will be beneficial to set the mood, as well as candles or wall scones.
  4. Additional Accessories: Most dining rooms are fairly small. To offset that fact, use a large mirror on a main wall to help expand the room’s dimensions. If using artwork, think quality, not quantity. One or two large prints on a focal wall will do the trick. A dining room really isn’t the place for personal items such as family photographs or awards. Keep those for the family room or den.
  5. The Main Feature: Your dining table does not have to be brand spanking new. A hand-me-down from Grandma, or an antique piece you picked up at the estate sale will work just as beautifully. Be sure to re-upholster fabrics to blend with your decor, as well as choosing a complimentary style of finish. If your seating is comfortable, and you have the accessories properly arranged, you will succeed in having the right table.

Create Your Dining Room Design

A Dining Room Design should be as individual as you are and reflect your interior design tastes and styles – it can be as formal or as casual as your preferences dictate. Whether you want an intimate seating for two, or to seat all the grand kids, there is a dining room lurking in your house. When in doubt, consulting with an Interior Designer will afford you choices and ideas that you may not have otherwise considered.

For more information on decorating your home, visit our Interior Design Ideas and Photos page – where you can be inspired with designing options you may have never thought of before. Your next plunge might be to take a look at our interior designer directory – recommended design firms that will take the guess work out of designing your home, office or business.