You don’t have to leave the house to experience fine dining. A few décor changes to your dining area could make it feel like your own private restaurant. No matter how big or small your dining area is, here are a few ideas that are sure to spice it up.
Upgrade your table
A designer dining table is the perfect way to make an impact. If you can’t go big, consider a material that will look dramatic. This could be something reflective or expensive-looking such as mahogany or granite. For those on a budget, there are cheap substitutes to these materials such ipe and artificial granite that look the part. Try to co-ordinate the table with the period of the property. In an old house, you may want something more wooden and rustic, whilst a modern home may benefit more from something metal or stone.
Upgrade your chairs
Your chairs need to be cosy too. Instead of stiff wooden chairs, consider softer fabrics that will make you feel more comfortable as you dine. Linen and silk are two common luxury choices. However, they are difficult to clean. For easy treatment of stains, consider nylon or leather. Make sure that the chairs match the table – you don’t want to place funky modern chairs around a Victorian dining table.
Let there be light
Light is essential for luxury. Consider a big overhead light that’s able to brighten up the entire room. Experiment with how low you hang the light as well as the size of the shade – get it wrong and the lampshade could cast a shadow over all the diners faces. You can also make use of bright colours and reflective surfaces to brighten up the room. A polished table and polished wooden/tiled floor will reflect more light. For a dining space with few windows, you could also consider hanging mirrors opposite these windows to let in more natural light. Meanwhile, for a more intimate meal consider candles and mood lighting.
Get arty
The dining room can be the perfect place to hang some art. This can make a great focal feature to compliment the dining table. Consider something lively that is likely to stimulate social interaction. Choose something too calming and it may have the opposite effect on guests. You can also place sculptures in the middle of the table, but these should ideally be small so that they don’t stop diners from talking across the table.
Choose warm colours
Warm colours are also good at providing energy into a room making them excellent in a dining area where conversation is likely to be happening. These warm colours include reds, yellows and oranges. Blues and greens are cooler colours better suited to rooms like bedrooms and bathrooms where you may want to encourage a calmer mood. You can also use tablecloths and chair fabrics to add pops of warm colours.