Well it's been very busy at my end for the past few months - at work, moving onto a new role! So, I have finally managed to write LVB's readers' choice - about styling your dining rooms and how to go about purchasing an ideal dining table to suit your needs.
Thank you so much to all of you who are so keen on reading my blog and for following me! This section has been a success and continues to grow with your requests!
So today, I will be sharing some of the latest trends and tips on how to plan your dining area or space and make it look elegant and shabby chic at the same time!
THE IDEAL TABLE
So the very first entity in your dining room is of course the dining table! The current trend being a rustic farmhouse or French dining table that can let you set a beautiful table scape, especially during the holiday season. These rustic dining tables blend easily in a home even when there is little or no separation between the living, kitchen and dining space. Infact, they create their own niche and can be used to define areas. Rustic dining tables are easy to decorate and work well with both formal and casual settings.
This is one of the reasons why I prefer huge rustic dining tables that personifies character and a rustic farmhouse feel to it. They are by far the easiest to decorate and are visually remarkable. To make a rustic table work in your dining space, just decide whether you want a casual or elegant look, and then choose your chairs accordingly. The dining chairs also make a huge difference to how casual or refined the dining room looks.
LVB Tip- Stick to a rectangular dining table, provides a lot more area for the tablescape and provides ample space for chairs to move around. They also prove to be more definitive when defining areas within your home.
A round table looks really good if you are constrained for space or don't have a designated dining area. However, my choice would be a rectangular one.
CHAIRS WITH CHARM
So that brings me to the very next addition – the dining room chairs that surround the dining table. There is a trick to choosing the right chairs for your table. I wouldn’t suggest buying an entire set where the chairs match the table! The current trend being mixing and matching, by having different sets of chairs. I'd prefer handpicking my chairs that are distinct in their style and would place them around a farmhouse dining table. It brings so much more uniqueness and style.
A cute bench or a pretty settee or some chairs surrounding a dining table work well together. Having a couch or bench make the dining area charming and elegant. My personal favourite being upholstered chairs that are comfortable, however might not be ideal if you have small children running around. You can always buy cushions for simple wooden chairs and they work perfectly well together!
LVB Tip – Make sure you choose chairs that look good together around your table so it draws you in to your dining area.
Another thing to pay attention to, is the seat height of your dining chairs. There’s actually quite a bit of variation in seat heights so you want to make sure that you’re choosing chairs with a height that's comfortable for your table.
DISTINCTIVE LIGHTING
The only other accessory you need in your dining area is lighting that’s unique and acts as a focal point. I would love to have a chandelier placed above my dining table, they work really well with the French style table or then choose a pendant light that can add to your theme. The trend now a days is to choose oversized lights that make a style statement and provide the much necessary lighting as well. If you don’t want to hang an opulent light fixture then I would suggest keeping a simple ceiling light and adding a table lamp on a side table nearby.
LVB Tip- Remember the scale of your area. Sometimes an oversized pendant might not work if your dining space is too small or if your table is small. So make sure you remember to scale your accessories. Keep it simple and not too overbearing.
I prefer a more traditional setting when it comes to decorating my dining space but with a twist of mix and match, something that has my signature touch. Currently, I have a simple Ikea Dining table and chair along with a bench. I haven’t traded it as yet for my French country style table, still searching for the perfect one!
Image Credits - House of Turquoise, Home Bunch, Ikea, Domayne, Lavender Hills Interiors
I hope these tips and trend will help you design your own perfect dining space! Do share some of your ideas with me. Will post my dining space pictures once I find my dining table.
xoxo
Shirin@LVB
