In a recent survey, 14% of people told HomeGoods that their furniture makes them feel gloomy and stressed. Another 9% haven?t updated their home decor in more than a decade, and nearly half hadn?t done it in the last five years. And even if the respondents didn?t feel actually stressed by their furniture, only one out of five was actually happy with their home decor.
Does any of this describe you? Does your dining room make you happy, or stress you out? What about your guests? Your dining room furniture could be saying ?come in and eat,? but it might be saying ?come in and be eaten!? If you haven?t redone your home in a while, you might need to work on a number of different areas: but here are three tips for getting the best and most inviting dining room look that you can:
- Choose the Right Dining Room Furniture
This is pretty important, but it?s something you might not pay as much attention to as bedroom furniture or living room furniture. The wrong dining room furniture, though, can be subconsciously keeping you from enjoying the room.
Start with the table. The first question is how many people you want it to seat comfortably. It should be at least 36 inches wide or you?ll have trouble fitting plates on it; but you?ll also need to measure that there?s enough space to walk around it comfortably. If you?ve got very limited space for your dining room furniture, choose a round table without corners to knock knees on.
Your chairs are important, too. They need to be comfortable enough that you and your guests want to sit in them for more than 15 or 20 minutes, but they also need to be small enough that you can fit them around the table with room to avoid elbows. Transparent chairs can make a room seem bigger, while chairs with armrests in a larger space are generally more comfortable.
- Consider Your Flooring
After your dining room furniture, the flooring is probably the most essential element. There?s a lot to choose from here. Do you want carpeting or laminate floors? Tile or vinyl floors? What about ceramic tile or hardwood? Hardwood or tile are preferred by 90% of homeowners for their kitchens, and one big reason for that is spills and cleanup. Those can be an issue for your dining room, too.
However, you might want a cozier and softer look, or if you?ve got a bit of room you might want a bit of the sound dampening that comes with carpet. If you need to save on costs, the right laminate flooring can still look nice while also being much lower in cost than a hardwood floor. If you want the best of both worlds, get a hardwood or laminate floor and put an area rug under the dining room furniture.
- Look to Your Surroundings
Whatever is surrounding you in the dining room will influence your mood and how much you enjoy the meal and your family or guests. This includes your lighting choices and the look of your walls.
For lighting, make sure the lights match the rest of the room. You don?t want a tiny card table with a giant chandelier above it. You also want enough light to see, but not so much light that things look stark. Consider light that sparkles a bit and choose bulbs that give a warm light.
For the walls, you want something that will set a mood but not distract from the food. Mirrors give an impression of more space and allow the room to shine. If you go with wallpaper, do something classy rather than shocking. With paint, consider an accent wall of one color with the rest a neutral color. This allows you to show some style or highlight your favorite hue without overwhelming the whole room.
Your dining room says a lot about who you are and has the power to enhance or detract from the dining experience. Take a look at yours: if it?s not doing and saying what you want, it might be time for an update!
