The Dining room – 12 months of home renovations

The dining room is a communal space and is usually used for two occasions; every day, which if you are like my family, spending each night together eating dinner, talking about our day and sharing any exciting news. The other is for occasions, such as hosting a dinner party for your family or friends.

It’s important to know the use you want to put this space to before you start styling or restyling. If you have a big family and are on the social side, hosting plenty of dinner parties, you want to ensure you create a space that leaves your guest feeling cosy and comfortable, even at a full table. Between all the siblings, cousins and kids it can all get a bit overwhelming and there’s nothing worse than eating next to someone who’s waving their elbows in your face as they devour their dinner.

If the majority of your guests are small children, then it’s a smart idea to choose a table that can sustain a lot of wear and tear. Stay away from anything too delicate, that’ll make you nervous anytime someone puts their glass down! I would also recommend chairs created with a fabric that can be easily wiped down at the end of each night. We all know kids will wipe their grubby little fingers on the closest piece of material they can see! Also, who loves this Chevron flooring in colour coffee, just beautiful.

Tip: A popular style I recommend is the Eames Plastic chair, there are also plenty of cheaper alternatives on the market that are similar or identically designed so you don’t have to break the bank.

A table can be more than something to just put your plate on, it can also be a showpiece adorning your dining space. When choosing a table, think about the space available. Rectangle tables are the go-to table shape for most dining rooms as they’re practical and fit easily in a room. If your space allows it, oval tables are a great option as well. They’re a more unique shape and can contour this space elegantly.

Tip: Large round tables give off a much more luxury feel as they are even more unique and you usually need a large space to centre it. If you have the space, find a table big enough to fit all your guests and leave them with the comfort to keep their wine glasses full at all times. They also create a more intimate space with equal distance between each guest, meaning no one will feel left out of the conversation.

I recommend choosing your table and chair before moving onto your accent pieces such as the buffet or artwork. Take your time when choosing these pieces, guests eyes spend a lot of time wandering around while eating. You’re pieces might becoming the main topic of the meal! You want these pieces to complement each other but have their own individuality. Changing the texture by choosing separate materials for separate pieces, will help create a more interesting space that keeps the eyes moving around.

Tip: Have a wine holder in this space, this will create subtle patterns that will keep this room interesting, without having to add any bold colours.

A rug is a great way to anchor the room. The dining space tends to be quite neutral, so the rug can act as a focus point.

Tip: If you don’t have any patterns on the wall then select a rug with texture, or minimal patterns that resemble texture.

The last touches can be the most important. Implementing the use of cushions and throws are one of the most desirable ways to tie together your lounge space. It’s essential you stay loyal to your colour theme, keeping this space feeling organised and welcoming at all times. With these only being small objects, it’s easy to change it up every now and then to stay relevant to the trend or season you want to base your colour theme on.

Tip: If you don’t want to change the cushions then consider just changing the inners. Nothing sadder than a floppy cushion that serves no purpose at all. Feather inners are the best, once you have feather inners you will never go back!

A key takeaway is having hardwearing yet beautiful flooring as a great design option for those high traffic spaces.
If you are looking to update your flooring, we have a wide range of hard flooring styles, there's something for everyone!

Happy styling,

Anita xx