In this way, you can turn the dining room into a place of well-being and the focus of your home
Sure, a dining room needs a table and chairs. So far so good. But what actually makes a dining room a place of well-being and the focus of our apartment? We asked around for you and asked furniture experts, customers, and colleagues. The result is seven ultimate tricks you can use to create the perfect dining room!
Table of Contents
1. Know your own requirements
Purpose-oriented furnishing and comfort are not mutually exclusive
Before setting up a new dining room, you have to think about the use of the space and your own requirements.
Think about what you really use the space for and how much space you want to give to the individual activities. A harmonious overall picture has a lot to do with the right proportions: A “dining room” with a small table can quickly look cold and uncomfortable, while a small room with a large dining area looks cramped and overcrowded.
2. Make the dining table the focus
This is where all the threads come together
The dining table is the functional focus and aesthetic heart of every dining room! Whether made of wood for an automatically cozy atmosphere or in a clean design made of metal and glass: With a huge selection of different styles and materials, your favorite is guaranteed to be there.
Measure out your dining room and determine how big the table and chairs can be before you decide. After all, everyone wants to be able to walk comfortably around the dining table and open doors and drawers.
When choosing the dining table, consider how many people should be seated here every day or at the next family celebration. More people fit at a rectangular dining table and it can be easily combined with a bench. In addition, rectangular or oval tables are ideal for large and/or long-cut rooms.
Round or square tables are great in small spaces and encourage socializing. Expand your options with practical extension panels or a functional pull-out table with integrated butterfly folding inserts.
3. Choose comfortable dining room chairs
Take a seat and define your style
A perfect dining set includes beautiful and, above all, comfortable chairs! Choose seating that resembles the style of the table or frame your new dining table with an eclectic mix of completely different chairs. “It stays harmonious if either materials, colors, or shapes are repeated in the chair mix,” advises our furniture expert.
No matter which style you choose, the main thing is that the chairs are comfortable! To do this, the table and seat height must match: To ensure that everyone has enough legroom, a distance of 30 cm from the seat to the edge of the table is recommended.
A bench is a great alternative for all those for whom spontaneous visits are not uncommon. When everyone moves together, everyone can still find a place. In addition, benches are a stylish option for those who want to save space. They give every room visual lightness and can sometimes be stowed under the table.
4. Create storage space with box furniture
Door closed or prominently displayed: you decide
If your dining room is big enough, furniture that offers storage, display space, and counter space all rolled into one is perfect. “It’s so much more practical when you have plates, glasses, serviettes, and so on right away and don’t have to run into the kitchen again and again,” says Günther. “I love our sideboard:
I use the surface for our fruit bowl and a bit of decorative stuff. We have enough space below for dishes and bowls. When visitors come, we turn the chest of drawers into a buffet! ”Says Rieke enthusiastically.
A sideboard, highboard, or display cabinet harmoniously round off the entire furnishing concept. Choose pieces of furniture that correspond to your design vision: solid and strikingly grained pieces go well with a rustic furnishing style. White lacquered fronts in a cassette look for a country house style. Straightforward combinations of metal and glass reflect contemporary trends.
5. Put the dining room in the right light
Spot on!
Set highlights with light! Whether as a stylish chandelier or modern pendant lamp – with a great lamp you make a statement in your dining room! “Dimmable lamps are particularly beautiful. You can easily set the amount of light you need and always create the right ambiance from breakfast to dinner party, ”recommends our furniture expert. Indirect light in the form of showcase lighting, floor lamps, or wall lights is particularly suitable. Candles are a must for even more comfort on special occasions and in the cold season!
So that nobody bumps their head, the lamp is hung at least 60 cm above the tabletop. If the lamp is also 15 cm away from the edges of the table, the danger is over. If you also use your dining room as a home office, there should be suitable work lighting here.
6. Design with carpets and curtains
From A for Acoustics to Z for Zone: Textiles are all-round talents
Complete your dining room furnishings with eye-catching carpets and unusual textiles! A large room or an eat-in kitchen can be divided into smaller zones with the help of carpets. Your dining set is anchored in the room with a rug. That makes a large room much cozier and inviting! If the carpet is at least 70 cm longer than the tabletop, chairs can still fit on it and can be pushed away. However, if your dining room armchairs are more expansive, calculate a few more inches as a precaution. When buying a dining room rug, look for easy-care material. Something goes wrong here in particular.
7. Add personality to the dining room with decoration
For decoration fans and minimalists
Decoration gives every dining room a personal touch, everyone agrees! vases, candlesticks, napkins, table runners, and much more can set accents to match the occasion, the season, or whatever the mood. “But don’t clog your dining room with unnecessary decoration. Too much decoration quickly becomes confusing and untidy. The clean, yet cozy Scandi look is ideal for smaller rooms! ”Recommends the furniture expert.
Murals divide large rooms into different areas. Wallboards are perfect for everyone who wants to quickly redecorate. There is alternating space for framed prints, canvases, or picture frames. Green plants and fresh flowers not only make the dining room particularly cozy, they also ensure a pleasant room climate.