Dining Room Decor

Decorating tips for multi-purpose, contemporary, and traditional dining rooms

An ideal is an image of perfection, but when it comes to dining room decorating, perfection can mean many different things to many different people. For some, it's formal and traditional. For others, it's casual and contemporary. Function also plays a role in dining room design; in some homes, the dining room must also be a home office, storage area, or crafts room. Whatever your dining room ideal may be, these decorating tips will help you make that dream a reality.

Single-purpose or Multi-purpose Most decorators would suggest starting with a color palette or a style for your dining table and dining chairs, but this might be a better place for you to begin. A multi-use dining room will not only require additional furnishings, but also a different use of space. This can be done artfully or awkwardly. For example, a sideboard would look right at home next to country dining chairs and would provide a lot of versatile storage space. If you have a contemporary dining room that houses a desktop computer, don't just keep it out in the open. Consider using an attractive computer armoire that hides the computer away when it's dining time. A bookcase can also provide versatile work-related storage. A cubed bookcase may look more at home than one with shelves, e.g., you could select random cubes and decorate them with flowers or "functional" kitchen-oriented accent items in a cottage style.

Seating suggestions for multi-purpose dining rooms:

• Counter height dining chairs are perfect for home bars or breakfast nooks
• Dining benches that include storage space make for a cozy, highly functional dining room
• To conserve space, use fewer dining chairs and a table with a fold-away leaf; an extra dining chair or two can be stored elsewhere when guests come

Contemporary or Traditional

Complement your contemporary dining room chairs with materials such as glass, metal, and stone. Avoid overcrowding: Contemporary is meant to appear spacious and spare. If your ceiling is high enough, consider going with a counter height dining chair set and table. White dining chairs are common in contemporary dining rooms, which tend to have neutral color schemes.

Traditional dining room chairs should be surrounded by classic furnishings such as area rugs, china cabinets, and sideboards. Avoid jarring colors. Wall colors are typically lighter than the interior. Floral themes and similarly homey or restful patterns are common. Wall sconces and/or chandeliers are best for lighting. Use a dining room chair set or matching wooden dining chairs rather than eclectic seating.