How to Decorate a Dining Room Like a Professional

You might think of your living room as the de facto center of your house in Athens, Georgia. But in reality, the true heart of your home is probably the dining room: where friends and family gather to eat delicious meals, swap fun stories, and spend time together without the distraction of television.

Of course, it’s always necessary to have a stylish dining room table and comfortable chairs for your family and future guests. But overall, dining room décor matters, too. Today, let’s break down how to decorate a dining room you’ll love for years to come.

1. Design and decorate the dining room table for delight

Your dining room table is undoubtedly the main attraction of the room. After all, it’s where everyone will gather after you or your spouse prepare a tasty feast for everyone to enjoy. Instead of starting from the walls and working in, start your dining room décor with the table by choosing a theme.

Rustic-themed tables, for example, are great for fans of simpler aesthetics and old-fashioned furniture. Or you can shop around for a reclaimed table and dining room chairs, which could be perfect if you love vintage looks. Or go all out with an elegant, ornate dining room table.

The key advice is this: pick your dining room table and accessory furniture, then move outward and design and decorate the rest of your dining room to match.

Choose a centerpiece that speaks to the dining room theme

The most critical element of your dining room table décor is the centerpiece. The right centerpiece can tie the entire dining room together. Pick a centerpiece that goes well with your theme, like a crystal display for a fancier setup or a classic flower arrangement in a wooden bowl for a more rustic or reclaimed decorative design. There’s no wrong answer here, so get creative!

2. Pick new wall paneling for ambiance and mood

Eventually, you should move on from decorating your dining table and take a look at the walls of your room. New, properly painted paneling with the right color palette can set the mood and ambiance you seek in your dining space.

Color’s a big thing to consider here. For example, choose dark-colored wood paneling if you want to make your dining room feel warmer, closer, and cozier, especially when combined with candlelight and old-fashioned wooden furniture.

Brighter wall paneling, on the other hand, is better if you want to decorate your dining room to be a fun, vibrant, and energetic gathering place for the whole family.

3. Hang art pieces you love

You already hang up decorations and photographs in other major rooms of the house, and your dining room should be no different.

But your dining room is also a good place to show off your taste in art if you are so inclined. When guests come over to your home in Athens, it might be fun to have stylish, artistic pieces hanging on the walls to discuss. Choose a few large pieces that you love for their colors, subjects, or any other reason.

Remember, your dining room should be a reflection of your home décor sensibilities, so having art in your dining room could be a great way to do that. Don't worry too much about whether a piece of art is "good," especially since everyone has different tastes!

4. Illuminate the dining room with new light fixtures

All that effort put into finding the right colors and dining room art pieces will go to waste if your dining room starts to feel more like a cavern instead of a well-lit gathering spot. If your current light bulbs are weak or too basic, think about replacing them with new light fixtures.

Again, you can tie your new light fixture choices into your overall theme and dining room table décor. As a few examples:

• Choose new, energy-efficient bulbs if you prefer a modern, clean dining room theme with lots of straight lines and minimalist furniture.
• Opt for industrial, hanging yellow lights for a more rustic or industrial dining room setting – these might go perfectly with a more industrial-style kitchen in certain metropolitan brick apartments.
• Or think about installing a fancy, sparkling chandelier with integrated lights. Just make sure the rest of your dining room decor is suitably fancy to match.

You can make the most of whatever new light fixtures you install by hanging a wide mirror on one of the walls of your dining room. Pick a mirror with a frame that matches your theme or aesthetic, and it’ll reflect the light from your new bulbs in dazzling ways.

5. Install new replacement windows that let in natural light

Your dining room doesn't have to be illuminated by electric lights. A new set of energy-efficient, insulated windows could let you bring in more natural light, plus let you look outdoors at pleasant views of your front or backyard.

New picture windows are spacious additions to any dining room and let in lots of natural light, plus boost your Athens home’s curb appeal for higher resale value in the future. Or you might be interested in bay or bow windows for your dining room, both of which add extra decorative space in the form of extended window sills.

In any case, new dining room windows are sure to be major improvements to your dining area and overall house. Properly installed windows can save you money on your energy bill by preventing conditioned or heated air from escaping and inspiring you to use fewer electric lights during the day.

Dress up the new dining room windows

Those new windows, however, will need to be dressed up to fit the rest of your dining room’s decorative style. There are lots of great options to pick from for dining room window treatments, including:

• Roman shades – versatile and slightly formal, ideal for fancier or upscale dining room setups. At the same time, these window dressings also work in more casual, laid-back spaces.
• New hanging curtains – give you total control over how much light comes into the room and how often people can see into your home from the street.
• Dining room shutters – could be fitting for more rustic setups or dining room windows near sliding or hinged patio doors. Use the same style of shutters on both the patio doors and windows to create stylistic unity between both openings.

6. Play with plants and greenery in the dining room

Some of the best dining room décor setups don't highlight furnishings or artwork but instead use greenery. A few indoor plants can liven up dining rooms and bring a bit of nature to the table, elevating simpler themes and matching perfectly with more rustic decorations.

For easy additions, think about setting up some tall indoor plants in the corners of your dining room. Or, for a little more pizzazz, why not hang a plant over your dining room table? It's a fun replacement for a traditional chandelier if illumination is already taken care of by lights elsewhere or candles on the table itself.

Just be sure to research plant species before buying – the best picks for your dining room will grow well indoors and won’t require any outdoor time in the sun. Also, consider a replacement garden window to help bring the outside in as you think about ways to include more greenery in your dining room decorating plans!

In the end, only you can decide how best to decorate your dining room. Some of these ideas might be better than others based on budget, home renovation plans, and your dining room’s layout. But if you’re holding back on the dining room of your dreams because of expertise, don’t.

Instead, contact knowledgeable experts who can help you bring your vision to life. Window World’s Athens location is just the place to visit if you need new dining room windows installed or advice with stellar window dressings. Contact us today or stop by for a visit!