You can’t throw a fantastic dinner party without having a luxurious dining room in which to host it. True, all the best parties eventually spread out to the living room and even the kitchen, but it will be the dining room where most of the frivolities take place. In order to create the perfect dining room for entertaining, you need to choose a theme which best suits your home and the style of dinner parties you intend to throw. The following should provide plenty of inspiration.
Baroque
Drape your dining room in luxury with a classic baroque style. Ideal for high class occasions, creating such an environment doesn’t come cheap. Spectacular chandeliers, wooden dining chairs with slightly curved front legs, detailed ornamentation on table edges, feet and of course the sideboard all add to the effect.
It’s not just the main light that needs to be impressive, add a range of ornate lamps on the sideboard to finish off the effect and illuminate your fine china. If you’re on a budget begin by scouring the local charity shops and you might stumble across some such items on the cheap.
Farmhouse
Create a cosy farmhouse/cottage feel in your dining room. Far less formal, it’s not as showy but better suits those who need a functional family dining room through the day that can also be used to entertain friends in the evening. Dark oak furniture provides a rustic touch and conveys stability, while cotton and linen coverings add to the natural feel.
For the true farmhouse look, opt for a wooden bench rather than chairs down two sides and install a couple of hanging baskets filled with fresh vegetables and flowers. Not only will it look the part but it will smell it too.
Nightlife
Bring the feeling of a modern bar into your home with a dining room inspired by such places. Think a high top table with tall bar stools and chairs, though ensure they’re comfortable if you and your guests will be sat eating on them for long periods of time. Artwork and lighting are important to form the desired atmosphere, so install a few modern paintings and a dimmer switch. This can then be used to create a brighter environment when eating and changed to a more atmospheric tone as the night draws on.
Contemporary
The contemporary dining room is all about how the table and chairs which form the main focus fit in with their surroundings. Most contemporary designs are fairly minimalist and use mixtures of plain colours to great effect. Unlike traditional options, they’re not afraid to include unusual features and design elements, such as adding a water feature or some funky shaped chairs. Natural light is often big in contemporary designs, so where possible install skylights or large pane glass windows to let as much in as possible. Otherwise, contemporary is all about something that’s unexpected and breaks from tradition.
Hopefully these four styles have given you some kind of inspiration to spruce up your dining room in one way or another.
