Upgrade Your Dining Room to Include Luxury and Style

When our homes don’t feel right to us it can stop us from opening our doors to friends and family. This can be especially true if you’re not feeling great about your dining room. It can feel embarrassing to invite people to spend hours in a room you don’t love. 

Dining rooms don’t offer a whole lot of options when it comes to decorating or making a statement. There are so few pieces of furniture and we tend to keep the decor relatively simple in that room. That means that everything in this space has to be well thought out and working together cohesively. It’s often the sum that makes a dining room work as opposed to its individual elements.

And while we usually want to keep our main living areas fairly neutral, the dining room is a space that screams out for a bit of sophistication and yes, even some drama. 

There are a few designer tricks I can recommend that will help you achieve a luxury dining experience. And the best part is they don’t have to be expensive additions.

Although wallpaper is having a huge moment right now, it’s not for everyone. If that’s you, have you considered a simple grasscloth? It’s the most elegant and luxurious finish and it has so much texture that it’ll make your walls look like artwork.

If you’re a bit more daring there’s an endless world of possibilities. Regardless of what your idea of luxury looks like, you’ll find a complimentary wallpaper to help you create the look. You can create a dark and moody English library or you can keep it contemporary with geometric prints. There’s something for everyone so whether you prefer a lot of colour or a lot of pattern, it exists in a wallpaper. The problem will be narrowing down the options!

From off-the-shelf to custom drapery, we can add instant luxury to our dining room with beautiful shades or curtains. If light control and privacy is important then you definitely need them. Even if that’s not the case, you can add simple panels to the side of your window just simply for the texture. Use linen for a light and airy look or add a lined velvet for more of a statement.

There really isn’t anything you can add to a room that will add as much luxury as curtains. And if it’s in your budget, I definitely encourage you to splurge on custom drapery. They have an unparalleled sophistication that screams luxury. And don’t forget to plan for the hardware to accompany your drapery. This is the jewel on the crown.

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One simple oversized piece of art can make the biggest impression anywhere in your home but particularly in your dining room. Unless your style is eclectic I would avoid having multiple smaller pieces or a gallery wall. Luxury is often understated and the best way to achieve that is through scale. Go for something large that speaks to the style of the room.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to achieve that luxurious look in your dining room. You can look to big box stores for oversized prints or you can order custom artwork to match your sizing preferences from sites like Etsy. You may have to send the digital files to a printer and then have it framed but that will still amount to a fraction of the price of an entirely custom piece of oversized art.

Another great (and inexpensive) option is to visit art fairs throughout the warmer months. It’s a great way to support a local artist and who knows, maybe someday it’ll be a collector’s item.

If you have space in your dining room you can include a large potted plant in one of the corners of the room. Greenery always adds visual interest and the vertical height adds texture in spaces that are usually overlooked. Look for plants that grow quite tall like the popular fiddle leaf fig plant or an easy to care for dragon plant. If your space doesn’t get enough light to keep a plant alive consider a faux. I know that’s sometimes frowned upon but visit your local garden centre and you might just be surprised at what you find. The faux florals and plants have come a long way in the last few years.

Now that you’ve got your corner feeling good you can add in your flowers. And don’t think of flowers only for special occasions. You can treat yourself to a regular arrangement that will help create the feeling of luxury everyday.

The last and maybe most important aspect of your dining room feeling luxurious is what you dress your table with. Look for gold or black flatware and serving utensils to create instant drama on your table. Beautiful stemware like cut crystal instantly upgrades your table setting. And of course your dish ware should always feel luxurious. None of this has to be expensive to look luxurious. There are inexpensive options at most big box stores or if you’re interested in thrifting you can buy the most beautiful discarded flatware, glassware and silverware for next to nothing.