With the arrival of summer, you might find yourself wanting to host a dinner party for your family and friends. But you need to renovate and redesign your dining room to make it suitable for hosting. It’s important to balance aesthetics with functionality to create a successful and comfortable space.
Durable Flooring
Before you can choose your furniture and décor, it’s important to make sure your dining room is fit for hosting groups of people.
You’ll want durable flooring that can withstand the active nature of a dining room. One that is strong enough to deal with furniture and people walking around. For a classic and elegant themed dining room, think about wood flooring. Solid wood offers you that timeless sense of sophistication and is incredibly durable, whereas engineered wood flooring offers the same and more; it provides you with resistance to warping with temperature fluctuations.
Alternatively, vinyl flooring offers the same benefits as the other two but for a fraction of the cost; beneficial for those looking for a budget-friendly alternative that can mimic natural materials all the same.
Foundational Aspects
Another key part of designing your dining room is understanding the space you have.
Knowing the dimensions of your room will allow you to avoid overcrowding your space. You’ll know what you have to work with, which can help you understand how many people you can host at a time. This is crucial information as it will help you choose furniture that fits in the room.
Care, Comfort and Convenience
Depending on your chosen flooring, you should use rugs or mats to help protect the floor. Stopping furniture from damaging it; think dents from heavy furniture or scratches from people pushing their chairs. Don’t forget to regularly clean and maintain your dining room either. Dusting the ceiling, vacuuming or mopping the floor, washing any covers or tablecloths, etc.
Whether your dining room is small or big, you’ll want to ensure the temperature is comfortable. You can incorporate fans, heaters or even portable air conditioners if needed.
It’s also important that your guests can move around easily. You can do this by ensuring there’s a clear path around the room; avoiding clutter is also beneficial.
Theme of Your Dining Room
Deciding on a theme for your dining room will lead you to choose a colour scheme along with the furniture and décor for your space. Themes can also allow you to create the right ambience as they set the tone for the space.
Modern Minimalism: This design uses neutral colours like white, grey and black. For your furniture, you want to go for sleek, simple pieces with clean lines. Think about glass or marble tables and minimalist chairs too. You should use very few decorations; perhaps a single piece of abstract art or a statement light fixture.
Rustic Farmhouse: If you’re interested in a cosier and more welcoming interior, the rustic farmhouse design uses warm, earthy tones like browns, creams and greens. It incorporates a lot of wood, often with a distressed or reclaimed look, so think about large wooden tables and chairs. Maybe with patterned cushions for comfort. Decorate with mason jars, wrought iron accents and vintage-inspired pieces.
Scandinavian: This style is like minimalism, but with an emphasis on cosiness and relaxation. With a light and airy colour palette of whites, light greys and soft pastels, the Scandinavian design is about simple, functional and stylish pieces of furniture. There’s an emphasis on natural materials too like wood. You should decorate with cosy textiles and lots of light; keeping a vague minimalist mindset as you go.
Traditional: Think about a rich, deep colour scheme with burgundy, navy and gold. This design incorporates a lot of ornate wooden furniture with intricate details that exude a timeless sense of sophistication. Decorate your dining room with elegant chandeliers, classic art pieces and heavy drapes.
Bohemian: If you’re after a more fun and vibrant dining room, the Bohemian interior design is perfect. With a mix of lively colours and earthy tones, this style incorporates an eclectic mix of pieces that are often vintage or handmade; pieces that tell a story. Layer with textiles, plants and art from distinct cultures to embody this maximalist design.
Eclectic: Along the same lines of Bohemian design, eclectic is all about breaking free of rules and trends. Incorporate pieces of furniture from various eras and in a variety of designs. Mix patterns and colours as you weave global influences into your decoration. Creating an exciting dining room that contributes to a lively environment.
Additional Elements
Don’t forget to decorate your dining table with a centrepiece. Think about fresh flowers, candles or even a decorative bowl to attract the eyes of your guests. You should invest in tablecloths and runners that complement your design theme. These are a practical addition that can protect your table.
For your cutlery, glassware and dinnerware, you should again focus on choosing ones that complement your interior design. Making sure they match and are practical. Remember to invest in napkins!
You could even set up a playlist to play background music; enhancing the experience of your dinner party. Just make sure it isn’t too loud – you want to encourage conversations after all!
