The dining room is a central and very friendly space in the house. It is indeed the place that brings people together, that of sharing meals, aperitifs and certain events with family or friends. It therefore deserves to be fitted out properly and with care. How to make this room pleasant, warm and friendly? How to give it back importance in your daily life? Discover the 7 rules to follow for a successful layout.
Rule n°1: make your dining room a real living space
To be convivial and invite sharing, the dining room must be a dynamic and full of life room. Avoid making it a too smooth space that you won’t dare to disturb and that will ultimately remain unoccupied most of the time. Bring it to life in your daily occupations. If you have a dining area in your kitchen, don’t forget your dining room. Do not hesitate to use it for your activities, games and leisure, alone or with others and arrange it accordingly. The idea is not to neglect it in order to take advantage of it almost every day to fully restore its place in the heart of the house.
Rule n°2: delimit it from other spaces
It is not uncommon for the living room and the dining room, or even the kitchen, to share the same room. If this can be practical, nothing prevents you from clearly distinguishing the spaces, even if the room is small! To do this, play with the colors of the walls or furniture, separate them with a console table or your sofa, or install rugs… there are plenty of ideas! However, on a daily basis, prefer to install your dining room near your kitchen rather than the living room in order to facilitate your movements during meals.
Rule n°3: choose suitable furniture
To make you want to rediscover your dining room and make it pleasant to use, opt for suitable, functional and comfortable furniture. Adapt it to the room and not the other way around. You must be able to circulate and wander in the space without being hindered. So choose light furniture of the appropriate size so as not to disturb your meals and your moments at the table. Prefer a small table with one or more extensions for your daily life if your room is small, or furnish it on the contrary with a beautiful imposing table if the space is too large. Think comfort above all and avoid buying furniture that is certainly beautiful, but uncomfortable, because you will not enjoy installing it. Do not hesitate to dress your walls and adapt your furniture so that the necessary for your use and your comfort is nearby.
Rule n°4: highlight your table
Place your dining table in the heart of your room, because it is the center of it. Choose it according to your space and harmonize it with your decoration or, on the contrary, display it as a strong contrast. Round, square, rectangular, oval, in wood, metal, glass, mixed styles… all the choices are possible provided you opt for a quality table on which you will enjoy eating and around which you will take pleasure in share good times with family or friends.
If your room is large, you can dress it up with an elegant, large and imposing table. If it is small, prefer a beautiful modular table that is more functional on a daily basis and that you can easily enlarge when you receive your guests.
Rule n°5: make your dining room a friendly, warm and welcoming room
The dining room is not as cozy as the living room, but it deserves to be treated as a showpiece. Intended to accommodate your meals or your daily activities and your receptions with family or friends, it must be fitted out to provide warmth and conviviality. Bet on warm and welcoming colors, but not aggressive. Dress your windows with elegant curtains, install rugs and opt for welcoming and comfortable furniture. Also think about your lighting by opting for warm tones and installing several plants to bring a pleasant touch of nature.
Rule n°6: bet on suitable storage
For your dining room to be comfortable and functional, you will need to install storage furniture. This will save you from constantly going back and forth to the kitchen or other rooms. However, do not overload your dining room unnecessarily, because it will seem too overloaded. Prefer a well-designed low cabinet that you can decorate with a large mirror to visually enlarge the space. A tall piece of furniture, on the other hand, should be reserved for large rooms, as it reduces the field of vision.
Rule n°7: opt for appropriate lighting
To ensure that your room is practical, comfortable, functional and user-friendly at all times, bet on several appropriate lighting sources. A large lighting fixed to the ceiling above the table is very practical for your meals and your activities. Complement it with indirect light sources such as a lamp placed on the low sideboard, a floor lamp placed in a corner, discreet wall lights, large hanging bulbs, etc. These will be appreciated when you feel the need for more privacy and warmth.
Always choose bulbs in a warm and inviting color such as yellow or warm white. Avoid too white, which makes the room look too cold. Also think of candles, which are naturally warm.