Four Easy Upgrades for Your Dining Room

Have you noticed that people spend more time in the kitchen and dining room than they do almost anywhere else in the house? If you have to choose one room to makeover, make it the kitchen or dining room. Unlike some of the other rooms in your house, you can perform an incredible transformation on your dining room by changing just a few things. Here are a few examples of how a small change in dining room drapes, lighting, sideboard, or area rug can have a huge effect.

• Dining room drapes.

Take a good luck at your dining room window treatments. Do they fade into the background? Are they getting a little tattered? In any room, drapes are a good place to start when you need a quick fix. If you want a 1970s inspired atmosphere, choose dining room drapes in colors like deep green, gold, and reddish orange. These colors will stand out nicely against the more subdued colors of the rest of the dining room, and can serve as as a primary color inspiration for accessories.

• Dining room lighting.

A quick tip, steer clear of dining room ceiling lights that are embedded, evenly spaced, or feature bare bulbs. Around the dining room you should try to choose unique lighting options that might illuminate the walls or the ceiling more than they do the floor. However, try to have a focal light over the center of the dining room table so you can be sure to see what you are eating. A remodel is a great opportunity to get a chandelier or central light fixture that has a lot of character and pulls the style of the room together.

• Dining room sideboard.

Whatever style of furniture you have, enhance it with what is on the sideboard. If you have a lot of bright yellows and greens, or a country style kitchen, keep fresh flowers in a vase on your sideboard. A checkerboard table runner, small wicker basket, or even cleanly stacked plates can make your sideboard more than a dust collector. If you have a modern style of furniture, put candles, cloth-wrapped silverware, or an ornamental mirror on the sideboard.

• Dining room area rug.

Rugs in the dining room are always a risk, so consider that stuff might be dropped on them. You may want to opt for area rugs that are darker in color if you think there is an exceptionally high risk of a spill. Floral patterns are generally out of style, but as with the sideboard, try to choose a rug that matches the overarching theme. If you are truly stymied for inspiration, then simply match the carpet to the window treatment.

If your dining room is looking a little drab, try changing things up around the dining room window, your lighting, your sideboard, or with the rug. Discount home furnishings and discount dining room sets are also an option to breathe new life into a dining room that needs a makeover. Experiment with new colors and styles and you will eventually find a look that works for your home.