A dining room can be a puzzler. Some families use them as regularly as any classic TV show. In other homes, the seated meal around a well-appointed table only happens once in a while, usually during the holidays. Neither is right or wrong. But holding onto a style that isn’t right for your family does your square footage a real disservice.
And who wants to spend time in a cold, unadventurous dining room?
Three things to think about when rethinking your dining room are … whether you use it today or would like to use it, how you use it, and if you'd spend more time there if it were entirely different.
If the table is covered with a sewing machine, bills, and a laptop computer, you obviously use the space. You just use it differently from it’s traditional purpose, and that’s ok. If you set the table every evening, maybe your dining room just needs a little boost.
Every family's lifestyle is different, so the key to updating your dining room is to find something that works for you, rather than fight against your nature. Here are a few ideas that might help spark some creativity in your own home.
Kid-Friendly Elegance is Possible
Accidents are bound to happen. But if you think a more formal dining room isn’t possible with young children in the house, think again. This beautiful room has a lot of easy-care perks going for it, and your kids don’t have to fret through every meal.
The floor is a hard surface, which makes cleaning simpler than carpet. You don’t have to worry about rugs either, if they're made from fibers that don’t require special care. Leave sisal and wool rugs for a room where food isn’t a hazard.
Upholstered chairs can take a real beating from accidental spills when little hands meet cups and plates. But with washable chair covers like these, cleanup is simple — just throw them in the laundry. A spritz of stain guard on the fabric before their first use helps release ketchup and other stains. The table is easy-care too, as long as it’s well sealed with urethane or another protective finish.
Make Dining an Experience
If your home has a more artistic flair, or if you long for it, what about a dining room that’s equal parts art and function?
This beautiful space brings in natural elements with the wooden table, a mix of both painted bamboo and metal seating, and oversize mirror frames that mimic stone. The deep charcoal color scheme used here is strong, and could have been overpowering. But the vivid green and purple living elements and paler seat cushions keep the room from feeling like a cavern.
In a dining room like this, the room itself is a conversation piece, and sitting down to dinner could hardly be boring.
Combine Spaces to Make One Amazing Dining Room
If your dining room is already multipurpose, but the decor makes it seem cluttered instead of functional, there might be a better and more attractive way to use the space.
With a smaller, cozy dining table and soft chairs to sink into, evening meals are comfortable and inviting. You don’t need to surround the room with a library, although that’s a dream come true for some people. What about work stations such as a small home office, craft station, and anything else that suits your fancy?
Built-ins let you house whatever you want in a room like this dining room. If the cabinetry is faced with doors, you can even close them when they're not in use.
Lifestyles evolve. The Colonial table with perfectly matched seating and china cabinet might not work for you. The good thing is that it doesn’t have to. Your room, and in fact your home, can look any way you want.
Have you transformed your dining room?
We’d love to hear and see what you’ve done!
Visit Pinterest for more dining room ideas.
Leave a Reply