When you’re finally ready to make over a room in your house, it can be difficult to really know where to start. But with the holidays coming up, there is no time to waste coming up with a plan. So today, I’m going to share some tips and tricks (and DIY ideas) for making over the most used room of the house during the holiday season: the dining room.
Move it out. The focal point of any dining room is the table. So why do you need a ton of extra stuff in there taking up space? Choose a few key pieces of furniture to keep in the room (examples here and here) and move out the rest.
Color transformation. Painting the walls of any space is the easiest way to make a room feel new again, and painting really isn’t as tough as it looks. If you really don’t like painting, you can always hire a professional.
Play it up. If you want your dining room to feel warm and inviting, don’t be afraid to bring in bright colors or even a playful wallpaper pattern to liven up the space.
Add texture. Another option, in leu of, or in addition to, paint would be adding a chair rail or something more bold, like horizontal wood planks.
Switch it up. If you are stuck with a hand-me-down table or one that you’ve outgrown style wise, but need to keep (for budgetary reasons, etc), spruce it up with a colorful table runner and some great chairs. Switching chairs out, or giving old ones a makeover, is a great way to change the vibe of a room.
Make sure it’s comfy. Choose dining room chairs that will be comfortable for guests and family to sit in for hours. Most likely you won’t be sitting at every meal for that long, of course, but when the holidays roll around, and you have a big family meal, you’ll be glad you went with something comfortable.
Take it further. When you’re ready to take your DIY skills to the next level, why not make your own dining room table? There are lots of great tutorials out there, like this one.
Skip the clutter. In small spaces, this tip is especially important. There is no rule that says that everything you would ever use at the dining room table needs to be in that very same room. So if you have a lot of table settings, linens, plates, etc that don’t fit in the storage areas you’ve designated in the space, like a buffet or credenza for example, simply move it elsewhere. The kitchen cabinets and pantry are just as good a place as any for these things.
Light it up. Make a style statement with cool overhead lighting, like a unique pendant light or hanging chandelier.
Don’t forget the details. Add decorative wall art, like paintings, prints, and photographs, to finish the room. Note: If artwork is not your thing, a decorative mirror or two is a nice alternative and will help make the room feel bigger.
Have your own makeover tips and tricks to share? Leave ’em in the comments below.
