Imagination is the key to a well-designed dining room and choosing a theme around which you can base your furniture and decorating ideas is a great way of doing this. You could be bold and brave and go for something that reflects your personality or create a glamorous luxurious look with dramatic colours and patterns.
Whatever theme you choose it’s important to get the basics right. You need a good quality dining table, comfortable dining room chairs and sideboard for storage purposes.
The Dining Table
The dining room table is the centrepiece of the room. It needs to be functional, look good and feel nice to the touch. Things to consider when choosing a dining table are what it is made from and the shape and the size of the table. Each of these factors will all affect the ambience in your dining room.
Solid wood dining tables are robust, simple in design, elegant and unique. Many people opt for wooden furniture, as it looks good and is extremely long lasting.
Dining tables can also be made from glass, which can work well in a small space, as they appear to take up less room.
Square and round dining tables are extremely popular as there are no traditional overhangs and head of the table area is eliminated. Opt for an extending table if you like to entertain but are a little short on space.
Dining Room Chairs
Whether you choose chairs according to a specific theme or not the most important consideration is that they should be comfortable enough to sit in for a number of hours.
For an eclectic dining room, mix and match your chairs at the table. Using chairs with similar shapes and materials can seamlessly bring together a coordinated look.
Leather dining chairs have also become increasingly popular. They can be cleaned easily and bring a luxurious feel to any home.
Dining Room Storage
You will also need to consider storage space in your dining room. You may be lucky enough to already have built in cupboards. If not, think about buying a solid wood dresser or freestanding cupboard unit for storing plates and glassware. Bookshelves can also work well in the dining room, and provide space for displaying decorative accessories, your music system and CD collection. If you are short of space, then it may be worth considering buying custom made dining room furniture, to make the best use of your alcove space.
Decorating your Dining Room Table
Adding decorations for your dining table will help to finish your chosen look. Try decorating your table around a colour theme – to match or contrast the other elements in the room. Colour can be added with candles, flowers, a table runner, placemats and glassware.
Or add a little romance to your room with a few basic elements. Soft lighting, long stemmed flowers in sensual warm colours and scented candles will all create a cosy, intimate ambience.
For lively dinners with a bunch of friends, accessorise your table with strong bright colours, such as red, orange and purple. These will help to stimulate conversation as well as appetites!
