Dining rooms are the social, dining and entertainment hub of your household. Creating a beautifully styled and homely space for entertaining, dining or doing work in isn’t the easiest task in the world. You’ll need to put some real thought into the room that you’re dealing with before you start collecting any pieces, this will avoid any layout disasters or buyer’s regret down the line. Begin by thinking about the formality of your home and the overall vibe you want to create…
Formal Dining Room
A formal dining room usually favours a more traditional, classic style to channel the graceful elegance that the room carries. To properly furnish a formal dining spot, you should begin with a big, bold, eye-catching dining table. A rectangle or oval-shaped table will work perfectly – opt for oval if you often have large groups over for entertaining, the smooth corners allow for more cramming. Choose a matching set of dining room furniture to create a cohesive and stylish atmosphere that will bring some serious harmony to the space. Go for some additional pieces such as a buffet, display cabinet or bookcase to take advantage of the extra space that you have. A few great style themes for a formal space are classic, Hamptons, modern or French Provincial. These are clean, calm and still full of personality.
Informal Dining Room
An informal dining room is a designated space that has more of a cosy, day to day feel to it. A family with an informal dining room will most likely be using the space to eat their meals, do homework, have coffee, read or even work from home. You’ll probably have guests over enjoying your dining room from time to time, however, the room’s primary use is for you and your family. To get the right vibe here, opt for a rustic timber dining table in a rectangle. A darker wood will pair perfectly with lighter-toned upholstery or pale wooden chairs, this will bring a gorgeous contrast and create a striking look, incredibly easily. Add a Persian or hessian rug for comfort factor and embellish the room with plenty of candles and greenery.
Split Living Space
A split, combined or open plan living space is pretty relaxed and communicative by nature, so lean into the sociable tone of the room and use warm, inviting dining furniture. A square or round shaped dining table will work perfectly here, look for a light wood or a clean painted white so as not to overpower the split room. Be sure to establish the dining area with a subtle, neutral-toned rug – just make sure that it fits all of your furniture with a few inches room on each edge so as not to make the area look smaller than it actually is. Four dining chairs with a few bar stools on hand will mean that you have enough seating when visitors drop in. Look for comforting tablecloths in gingham or patterned print, collect rustic dining chairs and use plush seat cushions. These will all add to the fun and friendly atmosphere that open plan living allows for!
Dining rooms don’t have to be stuffy and boring, there are so many ways to get creative with your décor and furniture! The key is to understand the room that you’re styling, by decorating according to the pre-existing feel, you’ll be constructing a home that feels and looks completely correct. A few carefully curated accessories will only enhance the general atmosphere of your home, so collect these slowly as you begin to furnish that empty dining space of yours!
