How to Style a Rectangular Dining Room with a Table and Chairs
If you haven’t given your dining room much thought, you’re not alone. Most people carefully style their living rooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms, but pay little attention to their dining spaces.
Whether your dining room is small or large, you deserve to enjoy your mouth-watering meals in a well-appointed, functional, and stylish space.
You’ve already made the right choice with a rectangular dining table. It fits more people, and the straight lines of the table are consistent with the straight lines of the room, making it aesthetically appealing.
Now, here are some stunning ideas to ensure every moment spent in your dining room is extra memorable.
Table of Contents
- Tip 1: Getting the Right Dining Table
- Tip 2: Choosing Your Chairs
- Tip 3: Don’t Forget an Area Rug
- Tip 4: Light Up the Space
- Tip 5: Add a Little More Oomph
- Add a Natural Touch
- Make a Statement With Vessels
- Create an Attractive Focal Point with a Dining Vignette
- Give Your Dining Room Some Decor Love
- FAQS
Tip 1: Getting the Right Dining Table
One of the worst mistakes you could make is getting a dining table that’s too big for your space. It would mean a lack of adequate room to pull out the chairs comfortably or walk around the table while diners are seated at it.
Here are two things that’ll determine the right dining table size:
- The number of seats you want to accommodate around the table.
- The room’s proportions.
Ideally, you want to have a minimum of 92 cm (about 36 inches) from the edge of the table to the wall or any other furniture around the table. If you have a large rectangular room, you can allow a generous walkway behind the diners of up to 137 cm.
As for the number of chairs, you want to give each seat about 61 cm of table edge. For instance, a table that’s 92 cm by 184 cm can accommodate a maximum of eight people.
Alternatively, choose an expandable dining table. It provides the flexibility of seating more people when the need arises, and when it’s just a few people on the table, there’s more space for everyone.
Take this Paul Extendable Dining Table, for instance. It can take in four people, or extend from 118 cm to 158 cm to accommodate six people. Pretty convenient, right?
Paul Extendable Dining Table With 6 Chairs - Large - White
Tip 2: Choosing Your Chairs
If you’re not buying a dining table set, get creative with the chairs you choose.
There are no hard rules. The colour and design of the chairs don’t need to match the table, but they should look good together.
An industrial-themed table, for instance, won’t look good with Hollywood-glam design chairs.
Create a better pairing by having a common element between the chairs and the table.
You can contrast the table’s shape by choosing chairs that have soft curves but go with a similar colour tone, such as these beautiful white Paul Stackable Chairs paired with a white rectangular table.
Paul Stackable Dining Chairs - Set Of 2 - White
Don’t take our word for it, though. See what our customers have to say about these chairs.
It’s also important to consider the comfort of the dining chairs.
You want your family and guests to enjoy the food and conversations, not squirm on their seats within a few seconds of sitting down.
The most vital factor is the distance between the top of the chair’s seat and the bottom of the tabletop. Or if the dining table has an apron, the distance between the base of the apron and the top of the seat.
Most people find a space between 30 cm and 31 cm the most comfortable. It allows for easy leg movement.
Tip 3: Don’t Forget an Area Rug
We know what’s on your mind: The dining space already has a carpet, what more is needed?
Or: A lot of spilling goes on in the dining area, a bare floor is the best option.
But hear us out.
A rug does more than provide a soft texture underfoot or hide a damaged floor. It complements the dining table and chairs and adds visual appeal.
A rug also adds warmth to the space—literally and figuratively.
If you have a wooden floor and a wood dining table, an area rug creates a separation between the two wooden surfaces. It adds a bit of texture to the setting and keeps it from feeling stark.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing a rug:
Pick the Right Rug Size
The rug should be big enough to accommodate the table, the table’s extension leaves, and the dining chairs. When the chairs are pulled back, the back legs should remain on the rug.
If it’s possible, the rug shouldn’t cover too much of the floor. It should end before it touches any other furniture in the dining room.
Check the Colour and Pattern of the Rug
The colour of the rug should harmonize with the palette in your dining space. It doesn’t have to be an exact match to the colour of the furniture, just similar hues.
The pattern should also match the theme of the dining table and chairs. If, for instance, your furniture is traditional, you can choose Persian, Turkish, and Oriental rugs.
Here are a few other pointers:
- Multi-coloured and patterned rugs are helpful if you want to disguise spills.
- Although a medallion print exudes elegance, the medallion is likely to be hidden under the table.
- You can go with a striped rug if you want the dining room to appear wider or longer.
The Shape of the Rug
The shape of the rug should complement the dining room furniture. If your rectangular dining room table is long and narrow, a narrow rectangle rug is an excellent choice.
Tip 4: Light Up the Space
Lighting is a vital aspect of styling any room. A well-lit space creates a warm, inviting, and functional atmosphere.
Get lighting that blends with the aesthetic of the dining room and is a good fit for the size of the table.
A style statement lighting is always an exquisite option. You can work with:
- One large pendant light at the centre of the table.
- A trio of pendants.
- A crystal-draped chandelier that sits proudly over the dining table.
For statement lighting, you want to go with a light fixture that’s about 15 cm narrower than the smallest width of the dining table. The bottom edge of the lighting should be about 76 cm from the tabletop. This will cast a bright light across the table.
You could also try using artful wall sconces and downlights. They’re easy to dim when you need to create an intimate atmosphere at a dinner party.
Tip 5: Add a Little More Oomph
Anya Glass Dining Table Set - 6 Seater - Black
When the table isn’t in use, it’s a chance to show off some style. The best part is that you can experiment with one idea one day, and switch it up the next day.
Here are a few ideas:
Add a Natural Touch
Inject some colour and life to the dining table with a vase of fresh flowers and a bowl of fruits. Use fruits with vibrant colours like oranges and grapes, and add dimension with fruits like pomegranates and pears.
Rotate the flowers and fruits according to season. It will ensure that you always have a fresh batch on display.
You could also take advantage of the table’s long lines by adding a runner and placing a pot with green, leafy branches in the middle.
If you’re worried about the high maintenance of fresh flowers and plants, use artificial versions.
Make a Statement With Vessels
Grouping vessels of different shapes and heights at the centre of the tabletop is also a simple but effective way to style your dining table.
You can add some colour by putting greenery or flowers in one vessel and leaving the rest empty.
Whether you go with glass, ceramic, metal, or wood vessels, arrange them in an odd number. A trio of vessels will be more appealing to the eye than a pair.
Create an Attractive Focal Point With a Dining Vignette
A dining vignette is a group of accessories that you can attractively place on the dining tabletop.
Instead of constantly clearing décor pieces from the dinner table every time you need to use it, group essentials like dinner plates, salt and pepper shakers, and napkins in a dining vignette. It’ll make your life a tad easier
Tastefully arrange them at the centre of the table and add a personal touch, such as a bud vase with a tiny blossom.
Choose what you add to the vignette beautifully, and you’ll have an exquisite display that’ll add character to your dining space.
Play around with different heights, and add lots of texture. Incorporate different prints and hues, such as gold, bronze, and rose gold cutlery, coloured tablecloths, and linens.
Give Your Dining Room Some Decor Love
The dining room carries a lot of stylistic capabilities.
A few strategic chic touches could turn it from a place of meals to the focal point of your home.
But it all begins with the dining table and chairs you choose. You need to get the right size in a tasteful style.
Choose one of our elegant, sturdy, yet affordable dining sets, or get a separate table and mix and match the chairs. Then work your decor magic.
FAQs
What do you put on a dining table when not in use?
When your dining table is not in use, you can give it some personality and add some warmth to the dining room.
There’re a few things you can put on your dining table:
- A trio of stylish vases or vessels.
- Natural elements, such as fresh flowers and fruits or a potted plant.
- Beautiful candlesticks and candle holders.
Can you mix chairs at a dining table?
Yes, mismatched dining chairs make a sensational design statement. You can mix chairs of different colours or different styles. Here are some guidelines:
- The height of the chairs should be consistent.
- Mix and match in pairs to create some cohesiveness. Or you can match side chairs but use different end chairs.
Does a dining room table need a centrepiece?
A centrepiece creates the perfect aesthetic for your dining room table. You can go with a classy floral arrangement or greenery.
You could also have a practical centrepiece, such as a dining vignette. The vignette can incorporate your favourite ceramic bowls and plates stacked together, an elegant flatware set, patterned napkins, and dazzling napkin rings.