REVAMP YOUR TABLE LINENS
Think about more creative ways to lay your dinner party table. A stylish tablecloth will update a tired table in minutes, covering up scratches and watermarks alike. Keep to a natural plain linen design for a less formal look, or use a runner if you’re worried a cloth might seem too fussy.
Use napkins and placemats as accents that pick up on colours used elsewhere in the room, which creates a cohesive look. Here, blue references the lighting and crockery, yellow the paint at the top of the wall.
Paint a feature arch
If you have a small dining room or a space that lacks architectural detail, you can fake it with a simple paint trick. Use a dark paint that contrasts with your main wall colour so that at a glance it looks like a niche or alcove.
To draw a neat arc, cut a length of string measuring the diameter of the circle and attach it to a tack or pin. Tie a pencil or chalk to the other end. Then, holding the tack in place, draw out the arc. Use an angled detail brush to paint a neat edge, then fill the rest with a larger brush or roller.
‘THIS IDEA WOULD WORK JUST AS WELL WITH A ROLL OF LEFTOVER WALLPAPER. SIMPLY DRAW THE SHAPE ABOVE AND AFFIX YOUR PAPER WITHIN THE SPACE’
Create a mini art gallery
This grey dining room showcases an instant decorating win that will double up as a talking point at dinner parties. As a general rule, pictures should be hung at eye level, with the centre around 145cm from the floor. However, the viewpoint will mostly be lower in a dining room as you’ll be seated, so try hanging the artwork a little lower in this space.
Other feature wall ideas that can be achieved easily and affordably – and seem fitting for a dining room – include hanging collections of vintage or colourful plates in different sizes, or painting a chalkboard for dinner menus and illustrations.
‘A LINKED THEME PULLS THIS SCHEME TOGETHER BY TEAMING A FOLIAGE PATTERN BLIND, BOTANICAL PRINTS AND AN ABUNDANCE OF HOUSEPLANTS’
12 Make a long-lasting display
Add instant wow-factor with some handcrafted dining table decoration ideas. Right now, it’s hard to scroll through Instagram without spotting dried or preserved flowers and grasses. The trend for textural stems like fluffy pampas or a bunch of bunny tails not only brings subtle colour and movement, but they are a practical choice, too. They are pretty much maintenance free and will last and last (especially if spritzed with hairspray), making the cost per use minimal. Add the stems to a sculptural vase for even more impact.