DINING ROOM ESSENTIALS

Dining rooms can be quite hard to get right. All those extra large supersized tables can look fab when a big group of friends are gathered round but feel overbearing  and a little cold when not. Even smaller tables can feel rather sad when left alone. Fear not however because I have some tricks to make dining rooms cool.Since the table takes up the largest amount of space in the room regardless of whether its small or large the trick is to distract the eye away from it. That way you get to create a stylish eaterie that is welcoming, cocooning and oh so cool!

Here’s how

1. Create other focal points. You’ll see from my dining area above that the eye wants to dart around not just to the table, but also to the oversized lamp, the brick wall the fab patchwork frame, everywhere!
2. Add personal touches like rugs, art; break up the expanse of table with flowers, t-lights a display of books even  stuff that is personal to you.
3. Mix and match. Although I tend to mix chair types I match them in pairs as it gives me more of a cohesive glam look I find. It’s totally personal you can go any which way but for me this nails it.
4. Create conflict. Note how my scruffy lion claw footed dining table hangs out next to  blue leather chairs and super sleek white ones?  It’s that fusion of scruff with luxe that creates magic. It jars, it causes friction and I love it!
5. I tend to opt for round tables as they are more convivial for yabbering but you absolutely don’t have to. If you don’t have a round one make sure you add curvy items like mirrors, art, vases to break up all the straight lines.
6. Hang the pendant or chandelier lower than you think you should.  Nothing worse than it skimming the ceiling.
7. Fancy adding an unexpected but super subtle twist? Then paint your ceiling out in a glossy hue in the exact same colour as the walls. It’s a subtle, ultra glam change that will look magical at night. You will need to have some sort of chandelier or pendant though to see the effect  oh and next time you’re in a pub look up,  lots of them have glossy ceilings.

Big no no’s for me are tables of the skirted variety. Does anyone actually use tablecloths anymore? I’m interested to know? What I love about dining rooms these days is that they are seldom just , a dining room . They double duty as part family room, office, hang out area so the more you mix up the decor the more intriguing the room feels and the more you want to hang out in it!

See you in a little bit.