Having a dining room that you don’t use to host some epic dinners, game nights, and family time is like having treasure and burying it. When we moved into our home, our dining room table was dated (and broken). I had an idea of what I wanted the space to look like, but finding exactly what would work in our budget was the challenge.
One thing that might be deterring you from using your dining room may be the aesthetic. Thankfully, there is a fix for that. I will share some renovations we made on our home dining space too!
If your setup is feeling a bit dull or dated, the excitement of a new set of dining chairs or the perfect dining table can help you rediscover how amazing it is to break bread there. Find dining tables that will bring out the ambience you seek. This might mean that you need a reclaimed wood farmhouse table, a sleek modern one, or an extendable one for added flexibility in your space.
Round it out with appealing lighting and seating you can count on.
Adding character and warmth with a fresh coat of paint, accessories, or an attention-commanding centerpiece is key. Here’s how to give your eating space a whole new vibe. With a few thoughtful updates — even just the perfect dining table and chairs — your eating area will be more inviting and lovelier than ever.
Guide to Your Complete Dining Room Makeover
Define Your Vision
Picture your dream dining room before you get started. Do you lean toward more modern, contemporary, and clean styles with straight lines and neutral finishes? Or do you imagine yourself in a more comfortable and inviting farmhouse dining room with more distressed wood touches for warmth and comfort.
Perhaps you’d prefer a look that’s truly decadent — a traditional and classic dining room with lots of luxe details and elevated lighting choices.
Determining your preferred style will dictate everything, from the dining room table and chairs to the dining room lighting options, paint colors, and decorative touches. Establish some dining room ideas and inspiration for how you want the room to come together, and you’re
bound to wind up with a space that speaks to who you are while also serving every purpose.
Choose the Right Dining Table
Whatever dream dining room idea you have developing in your head, it’s the dining room table that will help shape and bring it to life. Because the table will be your jumping-off point, you’ll need to think about size, shape, and material, all of which will help you land on the right one for your space.
Choose a rectangular dining room table when you have a large room or frequent large dinner parties because the ability to fit more people is just the start of the benefits. Round tables feel much more intimate, which can help bring your loved ones even closer. Wood tables are not only some of the best dining tables to incorporate if you want to embrace that rustic feel, but they also feel just right in a classic or super casual space.
Glass finishes offer a more contemporary look that you might prefer in places like more modern dining rooms. Pieces from stores that offer quality finds like Serena & Lily have the style and durability benefits that make them hard to resist.
I built our new dining table from reclaimed items we already had. The top was an island topper from our old house. The legs were from another renovation project we completed that you can view here.
It turned out exactly as I wanted it to look. I was going for a farmhouse, early American feel. The new chairs that I bought from a discount online store make the look feel finished. We already had decor that was my inspiration. So, it all came together with a little creativity.
View some of our other renovations to our 50-year old brick ranch here.
Play with Seating Options
Forget everything you think you know about matchy dining sets and opt for complementary chairs that can add tons of depth, style, and even extra seating. This eating space favorite is quickly becoming a popular dining room idea.
Mix and match styles, shapes, colors, and even finishes, or consider something as whimsical as a modern bench that can finish off the look of your new favorite space. Upholstered chairs make dining more comfortable and add a touch of elegance, whether the meal lasts five minutes or two hours.
Wooden or metal chairs give off a modern, uncluttered look and feel. Name a seat texture and design, and you can create a space that’s stylish and warm, fitting your personal style and the room’s unique vibe.
Lighting Matters
Well-lit spaces invite ambiance and resort feelings, providing the most comfort and style. Lighted decor could be created with a fancy chandelier overhead, modern pendant lighting, or an abstract floor lamp.
We had our eyes on the matching pair of chandeliers we wanted to add to our dining and kitchen spaces. We needed to save up to afford them, but when they arrived and we put them up, it was totally worth the wait! They really cap off our large open-concept dining room and kitchen. I love being in these rooms.
Different sources of light add plenty of warmth to natural light, especially if it’s a fancy chandelier, and dimmers allow you to control the overall mood and ambience for the kind of event you’re hosting in your dining room.
Whether you’re hosting a family dinner in your kitchen nook or have a fancy seven-course meal with friends and family members, it’s important to have a functional style supporting the lifestyle in your dining room.
Color and Texture: Elevate the Mood
The colors of your walls set the tone and vibe for where you eat. From good food to beautiful decorations, your room should reflect as such, and your aesthetic should always be present throughout your space.
Neutral colors create a cooling appearance at your dining table, such as white and grey tones, as well as sophisticated and elegant dining room decor of any size. And on the other end of the spectrum, tones like black, gray, and deep woods create a warm glow and comfortable experience that is anything but satisfying for your dining guests. To explore stylish ways to enhance your walls and express your personal taste, check out Wallism for modern and customizable wall décor options.
Storage Solutions
A beautifully crafted sideboard or buffet serves as more than a stunning focal point — it provides storage for tabletop essentials. Your dinnerware, flatware, linens, and more are stored behind one seamless piece of furniture, reducing the chaos and clutter of a used table. The key is that your dining room storage pulls double duty in form and function.
Finally, you’ll want to consider floating shelves or cabinets for another storage and aesthetics solution. These help declutter your space, opening a place to house decorative items and overflow. The key, again, is that your dining room decor should contribute to the finished look.
Flooring and Rugs
We are still deciding what to do about flooring in our home. While wood floors are a classic for dining rooms, you may also consider a rug. A dining room rug adds dimension, texture, and color to any space when chosen wisely. With young kids, you may want to opt for an outdoor rug so it is easy to hose off outside when it needs to be cleaned.
You will want to make sure your rug fits comfortably under the dining table and chairs for added visual interest. When you add a rug to a dining room, you’re likely to end up in a zone of heavy foot traffic, so it’s of the utmost importance to choose a rug that can withstand it. A high-quality material in an easy-to-clean option is perfect, offering both form and function.
Final Touches for a Cohesive Look
Finally, as you look to finish your room, pay attention to matching metal finishes on chandeliers and other hardware. These finishes make a huge difference in how polished your dining space looks.
Enjoy Your New Dining Space
When all of the work is done — aka the dreaming, the planning, the saving and budgeting, — all that is left is to savor all the gorgeous work you have done! So, plan that epic mystery dinner you have always wanted to plan. Spend more time with the family at the dining table with a family game night! And after using all the tips in this guide, you will have no other choice but to enjoy your gorgeous dining room!
