What to Think About When Designing a Dining Room and a New Rug

I have spent some time working on our dining room and it didn’t happen over night (you can see it in some tours here, here and here). I have slowly collected pieces that are special, restored or repurposed furniture and changed things around until it felt “right”.  That is the key word, till it felt “right” (for our family). I am not a designer and I love to share things with you that I have learned along the way.  But most importantly, I hope that I leave the encouragement that it should be your home and feel like home to you.

So here are the key points I think are valuable when designing a dining space…

• COMFORTABLE SEATING – this helps guests want to stay longer and enjoy the time around those warm cooked meals that you have spent time making (or buying at a favorite local take out restaurant ;)).

• AND LOTS OF IT… having additional seating allows guests to spread out and feel welcome.  It can be as simple as extra cushions to sit at on the floor or a settee as seen here.

• LIGHTING – Overhead lighting is key and an extra bonus if you can invest in a dimmer. This gives you the chance to control the ambiance. (Information on our chandelier (here).

• LIGHTING IN ALL SHAPES AND FORMS – not only overhead lighting, but lamps are a great addition to a dining room.  It gives off soft light and again, adds to the overall feeling of the room.

• PLACES FOR HOLDING GREENERY OR FLORALS – these jars have become a great way to display seasonal greenery and flowers.  It can be simple and just a single vessel will do the trick!

• TABLETOPS FOR EATING AND DECORATING – obviously your table will serve its biggest purpose for dining, but is a wonderful place to display settings or a simple basket of flowers.

• PILLOWS AND THROWS – pillows and throws add texture/comfort to any space. Long conversations are made more comfortable with a pillow for back support.

• A SPOT FOR EVERYONE – every part of the family should feel welcome and have a place to enjoy while all the visiting is going on.

• A RUG – rugs are another wonderful way to add texture or color to your dining room.  As you may notice, we have a new rug (called the Maui Jute Braided Rug) from Rugs USA. Like I mentioned earlier, the texture is lofty, the woven pieces add interest to our floors and the colors blend perfectly with our rattan chairs.  It is a neutral palette with earthy tones.  Comfort is key and it truly is comfortable to walk on (not scratchy – something I always pay close attention to).

• ONE THAT FITS APPROPRIATELY IS NICE TOO – this suggestion is a new one for us here.  We had a rug previously, but since changing tables and end chairs the rug was too small. Over time our chairs wore down the edges and they were fraying badly – in fact the glue was crumbling and it wasn’t good to keep the rug any longer.  So as you can imagine this rug from Rugs USA was an exciting addition for many reasons.  Not only was it in tact, it was the right size.  Now our chairs can be moved in and out without worry of ruining the rug.

I would happily recommend this rug!

In closing, while I did not have these things all at once, they were fun to develop in time (you can read about how we have collected items for our home here).  This room has seen many stages and lots of love, I intend for it to see many more.  What it looks like or what sits in there doesn’t make those memories.  It is the joy of meals, company and lots of laughter that make our dining spaces.

Enjoy what makes your home yours and I hope this helps when thinking about dining rooms generally! Thanks so much for stopping by friends!

(Even though I was compensated with product by Rugs USA, all opinions are truly my own).