7 Chic But Practical Decorative Ideas for a Well-Appointed Dining Room

Because of the amount of time we spend in them, dining rooms should be stylish, functional, and able to provide a comfortable atmosphere for meals and intimate gatherings alike. This is even more true in smaller homes where dining spaces often double as living rooms, study nooks, and workspaces.

Making a functional and stylish dining space is often a matter of choosing the right interior design practices and investing in long-lasting fixtures and furniture pieces. In this article, we’ll look at some seriously chic ideas to fit out a well-appointed and practical dining area.

1. Invest in the Best Table and Chairs You Can Afford

If you want your dining space to be as stylish as it is functional, your dining table and dining chairs have to be chosen deliberately. They should not only help you maximize the space you have but they should also reflect your personal aesthetic and help elevate the room that they’re in. What’s more, these furniture pieces should be able to withstand the rigors of everyday use — especially if you work at the dining table or have children at home.

While you do want to get the best dining furniture that you can afford, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t furnish your dining room on a budget. Virtual marketplaces that let you buy and sell online like LookingFour are perfect for sourcing preloved high-quality dining sets and for selling off pieces that no longer fit your lifestyle. These online marketplaces not only offer excellent value but they’re also a great way to find rare pieces that will ramp up your dining room’s chic factor.

2. Consider an Area Rug

Putting your dining furniture on an area rug can add texture, color, and definition to your dining space. If your dining space is within a larger multipurpose room, as it is with many Filipino homes, having a rug can serve to strongly delineate the dining area from other living spaces. Additionally, if you like being barefoot at home, having a nicely textured rug underfoot can make mealtimes more relaxing.

Rugs are not for every home, though. If you hate vacuuming, wear tsinelas at home, or have pets or small children, you may be better off without a rug under the dining table. Also, while a nice natural rug will be more chic and on-trend, you probably want a synthetic fiber area rug for this purpose, as these are tougher and easier to clean.

3. Look for Stylish Table Linens

While not everyone likes the hassle of using these, the right table linens can add elegance and personality to your dining room. A stylish tablecloth paired with durable placemats and trivets that complement the style of the room can bring everything together and complete the look of your dining room. If you have a more traditional sense of style, you can also include matching napkins and coasters. As a bonus, these items can help increase the longevity of your tabletops by shielding them from spills, scuffs, and heat from tableware, pots, and serving platters.

4. Invest in Decorative Dining Room Accessories

While you don’t always need a fancy teacart and buffet table, most dining rooms can, at least, use a serving tray to hold condiments as well as fruit bowls and salt shakers. Though you won’t find a shortage of perfectly functional dining room accessories in every supermarket, you may want to consider skipping these in favor of alternatives that offer a bit more visual interest and pizzaz. Decorative versions of these dining room essentials can be used to make your space look more put-together or show off a bit of your personality at every meal.

5. Consider Buying or Creating Quality Dining Room Artwork

While not present in all dining spaces, wall art can serve as an effective visual anchor that can tie seemingly disconnected elements in a room together. The wall art adorning chic dining spaces tends to be unique and meaningful — and not necessarily all that expensive. This is especially true when you buy preloved artwork from online marketplaces or commission them from people you’re close to. If you’ve got a creative streak or simply want to try making art, you can also make one-of-a-kind pieces to enhance your dining experience.

6. Use Warm, Sufficiently Bright Lights

There are many ways to approach lighting in dining rooms. However, in most cases, you want to have access to natural light as well as artificial lights that mimic the warm and yellow hues of sunlight. This not only tends to make your food look better but it also makes for great food photos and better pictures with loved ones around the dining room table. To take your dining room lighting to the next level, you can consider using lamps with dimmer switches as well as decorative fixtures that mesh well with the furniture and other elements of your space.

7. Bring Out the Plantita or Plantito In You

If you can take care of them, plants can create a natural vibe and a relaxing atmosphere in your dining area. If you do choose to have plants in your dining space, make sure to study their specific requirements, particularly the amount of sunlight they need. If your dining room does not have access to a lot of natural sunlight, choose snake plants, philodendrons, or other plant species that thrive in low-light conditions.

Incorporating a few of these chic yet practical ideas into your dining room will not only make it a more pleasant place to dine, but it will also have your guests talking for all the right reasons. The great thing is, whether it’s plants, artwork, light fixtures, furniture, or anything else, you’re bound to find plenty of great options in online marketplaces like LookingFour. With a little patience, you too can have the dining room you’ve always wanted, within a budget that you’re comfortable with.