Design Trends, Dining Room, Helpful Tips

Go Beyond The Table: Accessories Every Dining Room Needs

Although a beautiful dining room table is the centerpiece of a shared meal, it’s not the only element to a truly stunning dining room. These accessories can enhance your home and make it so your guests won’t want to leave… sorry about that! AN AREA RUG Give your dining room definition and a warm, inviting feel with an area rug. The rug should extend two feet past the legs of the dining room table on all sides so that your dinner guests won’t have to sit on wobbly chairs that are half-on and half-off of the rug. The area rug is a perfect way to incorporate texture and pattern to your dining room, and you can have fun with colors too! We suggest looking for a rug with a lot of neutrals and only a splash of accent color because it will take up such a large portion of your dining room. WALLPAPER OR PAINT The walls are another perfect canvas for color and pattern! For a clean and airy feel, opt for light neutrals like taupe, gray, or off-white. But don’t be afraid to go bold too! Rich jewel tones like sapphire blue or ruby red can be the perfect complement to a modern dining room set. Forest green and mauve are wonderful earthy tones that work well with natural wood finishes and hardwood floors. You can even incorporate wallpaper on an accent wall to create a dramatic statement – if you dare! PLANTS AND FLOWERS There’s no better way to celebrate the changing seasons than to bring some natural beauty into your home! A bouquet of flowers or ornamental grasses is a traditional staple for the dining room for good reason… it shows that you put thought into the presentation of your table because you care about your guests and want to make the occasion special. You can also use low-maintenance ferns or artificial trees to spruce up the dining room! Even the simple touches can make a big impact. ADDITIONAL SEATING OPTIONS Don’t send some of your guests to the living room to eat on TV trays! Have bench seating or additional chairs available to bring in for larger crowds. A matching bench or upholstered dining bench is a comfortable way to add more seating, just ask a furniture expert at Star Furniture to help you find the perfect fit! And if you think this will be a common occurrence, we suggest a dining room table with an extendable option and additional leaf. This will enable you to invite the entire guest list so no one is left out! STATEMENT LIGHTING Nothing sets the tone for a meal like mood lighting. And a beautiful chandelier or intentional wall sconces can achieve the perfect setting in addition to being beautiful accessories in their own right! Avoid harsh lights and try to incorporate multiple sources of light so that your guests will be able to see comfortably without there being any unseemly shadows.