For many homeowners, formal dining rooms are one of the least-used rooms in the home, being reserved for formal occasions or guests, and the design reflects that level of formality.
But there’s no reason a dining room should only be used for special occasions. It can be a great place to gather with friends and family on a day-to-day basis, and a few design upgrades can make the space feel more inviting.
A recent article from realtor.com outlined ways to refresh a formal dining room to make it a more cozy and usable space, including:
- Small, round tables. Formal dining rooms often feature large tables that feel more corporate than cozy. Swapping out a formal table for a more intimate, round table will instantly make the space feel more inviting and homey.
- Using a dresser as a sidebar. While there’s nothing wrong with traditional sidebars, if you want your dining room to feel cozier, consider swapping out the sidebar for a dresser. Incorporating a dresser into your dining room adds visual interest, and going with a more weathered or antique piece of furniture can also make the space feel more cozy.
- Wallpaper on the ceiling. Ceilings are often an afterthought in the design process. But adding wallpaper to the dining room ceiling (aka the “fifth wall”) is a great way to add color and texture to the space. Consider a watercolor pattern in colors that complement the walls and decor to add visual interest without being too overwhelming.