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Simple steps to spice up your dining room
Is your dining room in need of a facelift? Whether
your dining room is formal or informal, here are some
decorating tips to help make it special.
- Before purchasing new dining furniture, measure
the room to keep you from buying a table that is
too large. Ideally you would want at least 36-42" of
clearance around the table, measured from the edge
of the table to the wall. This will give diners enough
room to pass behind the chairs.
- Before purchasing a new chandelier, again, take
note of the measurements of the room and of the table.
A good rule of thumb is to look for a chandelier
that is 1/2 the width of the dining table. If your
room has eight-foot ceilings, install the chandelier
so that the bottom is approximately 30 inches above
the tabletop. Add three inches for every additional
foot of ceiling height.
- Install dimmer switches on all of the light fixtures.
This will allow you to create just the right mood
for the occasion.
- Warm colors are wonderful in dining rooms. Reds,
oranges, and yellows stimulate the appetite while
exuding a friendly, welcoming feel. Select rich,
muted colors rather than bright, pure colors for
a subdued, elegant feel. Examples are: terracotta
or cinnamon rather than orange; burgundy or rose
rather than red; creamy yellow or gold, rather than
pure yellow.
- If you prefer cool colors, warm up the dining room
with small accents of a warm color. For example,
in a taupe dining room, use touches of red. You might
use red in a floral arrangement, in a piece of art,
in your dishware or in the chair fabric.
- If your living room and dining room are open to
each other, make sure to use the same colors in both
rooms to tie them together. If you have a burgundy
sofa, for example, cover your dining chairs in a
patterned fabric that has burgundy in it.
- Create a custom floral arrangement with the colors
in your color scheme to use as a centerpiece.
- For window treatments, vary the style of the treatment.
For example, hang gorgeous drapery panels in the
dining room, and swags in the living room. Using
the same or coordinating fabrics in both rooms will
tie them together.
- When displaying china in the china cabinet, resist
the urge to overfill the cabinet. Display what looks
aesthetically pleasing, and store the rest elsewhere.
- When arranging your china cabinet, use plate stands
for your dinner plates to create backdrops for your
crystal.
- Use a table runner instead of a tablecloth to show
off the beautiful wood table. Scarves and throw blankets
can also be used as runners.
- Don't hang artwork too high. Hang art at eye-level
while seated.
- Candles are right at home in a dining room. Group
a collection of silver candlesticks on a tray for
a simple centerpiece. Tuck in a few sprigs of real
or silk ivy.
This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper
Group papers on June 25, 2005.
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back to the list of decorating columns.
All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna
Jacoby.
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