Dining Room ideas needed

Lisa Belcher
by Lisa Belcher
I'm looking for ideas for this dated dinning room, any suggestions?
  30 answers
  • Barbara Thomas Barbara Thomas on Jan 20, 2015
    @Lisa I see so many things I would do for a change and update. So, I'll give you my suggestions...If you like your dinning room furniture then raise the curtains to the ceiling and down to the floor. I would even extend the rod out at least twice what it is now with more curtain showing. That would help offset the large china cabinet size. New light fixture like pendant lights hanging. You also need a carpet change to hardwood or at least an area carpet under the table. Cover the chair seats with a material to match either the new curtains or the new rug. A lighter paint color on the walls will do wonders. I would also put crown molding around the room ceiling larger than you have now. Although your accessories are pretty, they are too small. Add a large long mirror to the left side of the curtains to reflect light. Maybe group all the little things together on the right side of the curtains or better yet, put a bigger clock there. Hope this gives you some ideas....good luck I'd love to see the finished room.
    • See 1 previous
    • Pam Pam on Jan 20, 2015
      @Barbara Thomas @Lisa Belcher I love these ideas. I would suggest a light rosy lavender paint color for the room. I brightens up the room really well.
  • Kayo Frazier Kayo Frazier on Jan 20, 2015
    I see a lot of potential in this room...Here's my 2 cents...Move the hutch somewhere close to the dining room but not in it. The size of it overwhelms everything else in the room. Find a low buffet or sideboard to place table linens & decorative/seasonal pieces for the table in it, then place it where the hutch was. Keep the most delicate items such as tea cups & saucers in the hutch. Split everything else bet. hutch & buffet/sideboard for storage purposes. I would change the walls to a soft grey color the paler the better. Grey colors to check out all from Benjamin Moore...Horizon OC-53, Halo OC-46, Moonshine 2140-60, Gray Owl OC-52. The reason I suggest these grey colors is because your furniture is dark stained but the wood grain is still visible. What the grey color will do is make those details on the furniture pop. For the curtains I would suggest floor to ceiling & a light material like cotton or muslin in your favorite color. If you need a suggestion I was thinking maybe a cornflower blue. You have 4-5 short walls broken up by windows. I would place artwork up in groupings of 3 or 5 depending on size on the walls. Then take the decorative wrought iron scroll pieces & place them in bet. artwork. Last thing, I would replace & mismatch the textures on the seat covers for the chairs. In other words, 1 chair w/ silk, 1 chair w/ damask, 1 chair w/ velvet, and 1 chair w/ something else. I would make the chairs match the color of the curtains. Hope this helps.
  • LeeAnn Gerleman LeeAnn Gerleman on Jan 20, 2015
    I like the idea Barbara Thomas had about raising the curtain rod up and make it wider than the window, then you can open your curtains to the window's edge and it will make it look much larger, and cover the wall, letting your eye think the window is really big. I'd also buy a good sized rug to put on the carpet, to coordinate your curtains, rug and chair cushions. You could also redo the chair cushions if you had more energy than I do. lol.
  • Fran McCarty Fran McCarty on Jan 20, 2015
    Your dining room suit is beautiful. It's timeless and never goes out of style. To freshen the look, change the upholster on the chair seats, add new modern wall decor, add a nice mirror to add some light to the room, new wall paint and new curtains. Rip out the carpet and replace with hardwood floors. Anchor the table and chairs with an area rug. Replace the light fixture with something more modern.
  • Dahlia Dahlia on Jan 20, 2015
    There is something about this picture that suggests there is more to the room then can be seen. The light fixture does not seem to be over the center of the table; is the china cabinet covering another window or door? I agree with other comments suggesting new paint colors w/coordinating or contrasting seat upholstery and floor treatment but I would suggest a much lighter window treatment. Something attached inside the window frame such as a fabric shade or a 3/4 shirred panel or blind matching the trim color. Art work on either side of the window could be in like sized frames hung on 58" or 60" centers to give a clean "gallery" feel to it. I would not set out place mats on the table (except for meal time) keeping an uncluttered line provided by the table. Since lighting is such an important element to any room try a new fixture, perhaps with simple lines and centered over the table
  • Hot air Hot air on Jan 21, 2015
    do you like millwork? maybe some on the walls to give some dimension to the room
  • Dee Dee on Jan 21, 2015
    too many little things on wall. go with the window fix suggested above but the hutch has to move, especially if it's blocking a window. go with larger art pieces
  • Dee Dee on Jan 21, 2015
    p.s. if the hutch top comes off, why not get a piece of dark glass cut for the top of the bottom section and use it as a sideboard & for storage. do you really have great stuff in the china above? If not, store the top for a while. you can always put the piece back together in another home down the road. of course, change the wall color and upholstery
  • OnBlissStreet OnBlissStreet on Jan 21, 2015
    Architecturally, maybe a plank wall to add interest? I'll be adding a post to my blog soon, but I'll share a photo. If you do horizontal planks, or even painted stripes, it will make the room seem wider.
  • Paticia G Paticia G on Jan 21, 2015
    I have the same problem with too large furniture and too little space- not wanting to get rid of furniture so may be lighter colored window treatments new chair upholstery( very easy to do? perhaps a light oriental style rug under the table I think I might take down the wall decor and put the table mats away with just a center piece on the table
  • Paticia G Paticia G on Jan 21, 2015
    here is a picture of ours very similar to your room
  • Lisa Belcher Lisa Belcher on Jan 21, 2015
    thank you ladies for all of your wonderful ideals, I'm gonna review, all the suggestions that you have recommended.I'm gonna shop, put together and post the pictures to see if i did good or bad. again thank you all very much.
  • Dorth Dorth on Jan 21, 2015
    Paint the room a light color, take down fancy drapes, use straight drapes that are high and as wide as you can get to the edge of the window frame, re holster the chair seats, exchange the chandelier with a modern, less fancy look, and eliminate all the wall hangings except for one each side of the window, and paint the frame of the photo on the long wall. Then take a look at your china closet and decide how you want to use it.
  • Penny Penny on Jan 21, 2015
    You have a nice space. I think its too drab with the colors you are using. I would punch up the color with painting, recovering your chairs, the curtains look dated-change those out. Update light over the table. I think the China cabinet is too large for your space. Something smaller would make the room so much larger. Add a side table with a mirror over it. I would take what you have hanging on either side of the window and replace with large pieces of colorful framed artwork on either side. If budget allows, get rid of the popcorn ceiling.
  • Ren Ren on Jan 21, 2015
    I would beef up the curtains, they almost get lost could make a bigger statement and add more color, maybe a printed sheer under also. Add wainscotting painted ivory or white on walls around the room. Move the items hung on the wall around: larger picture next to curtains on the left, clock on the right but with the small shelf with figurines on the lower right of clock (almost framing the clock), other items like the mirror and sconces on other wall but not in a line, stagger items and mix it up. Change placemats to the green color with tan napkins (or keep white color if you add wainscotting) and napkin rings with the metal color of items on wall, and maybe flower arrangement or nature items in bowl (maybe vine balls, moss, and or small ivory colored in different sizes to bring in colors). Add a green (or patterned oval rug under the table with colors from chair cushions and curtains) to add color and interest.
  • MBLori MBLori on Jan 21, 2015
    Barbara has some good ideas that I would like to add to. She suggested a larger crown moulding. That can be done with an optical illusion. Add a smaller moulding a few inches down the wall from the one you have and paint the entire area white and it looks like you have huge moulding. Your wall hangings are all tiny and at the same height. Vary the sizes, heights and colors more. Don't buy that many things as a set. The window is lost...make it seem larger with wider drapes that open and let in all the light to the edge of the window. Also do you have another window hiding behind the china cabinet? @ windows would add much more light and openness. Definitely add an updated fixture and maybe paint the furniture.
  • Lisa Belcher Lisa Belcher on Jan 22, 2015
    I'm just loving all the ideals, i have four boys ages 4,(2- 6 yr olds) and a 10 yr old. working on a budget. i have some red curtains 5 x 8 rug for under the table with red in it would really like to work that into this room somehow. i know i need to do the chairs and paint.
  • Marie R Marie R on Jan 22, 2015
    Red can be a great choice. Go ahead and put your red stuff up...take pics and that'll help with the next step..have fun:)...don't forget thrift stores for good deals...AND...find pictures of rooms that you like,,and copy away
  • Cherie Cherie on Jan 22, 2015
    I agree that the walls are way too cluttered. Also, if you're wanting to use red, maybe paint the walls a light tan/beige, hang simple white or beige drapes - wide and to the ceiling for a larger window look. Then recover your chairs in some simple print to go with the red. Love your furniture!!! Especially the china cabinet!
  • Carol B Carol B on Jan 23, 2015
    Can you take the glass shades off the chandelier? That would provide a quick, free update to your light fixture.
  • Millie Sheehy Millie Sheehy on Jan 23, 2015
    Hi Lisa, I suspect like the rest of us, you don't have a lot of time or money to spend on this project, so I suggest that you keep all the furniture and light fixture as is and concentrate on the walls and draperies. The room looks very dark, so paint the walls a bright color, stay away from dark blues or reds. Which ever color you choose, find some beautiful print drapes with the same color in them (or close). In a dark room, the more sheer the better. I notice that you have upholstered chairs, pick a color from the upholstery you would like to bring out and go from there. I's fine if the drapes and upholstery don't match as longs your color is prominent.
  • Lisa Belcher Lisa Belcher on Jan 23, 2015
    thank you , thank you all. I love all the feed back. I'm on a mission will post pictures when I'm done
  • D fuhrman D fuhrman on Jan 23, 2015
    i would get rid of the curtains first. if the top of the china closet comes off i would take it off and put a mirror above the base so light bounces off of it. if the top does not come off i would get a large mirror for the wall oposite the china closet. and maybe a new paint color.
  • D fuhrman D fuhrman on Jan 23, 2015
    i would get rid of the curtains first. if the top of the china closet comes off i would take it off and put a mirror above the base so light bounces off of it. if the top does not come off i would get a large mirror for the wall oposite the china closet. and maybe a new paint color.
  • Joyce Perrone Joyce Perrone on Jan 24, 2015
    WHAT ABOUT ADDING "CHAIR RAIL" TO YOUR WALLS.
  • Lesley Lesley on Jan 24, 2015
    I'm a big fan of chalk paint and have been using it extensively to update dark wood furniture. I would take out the curtains, they are a bit fussy. Paint the display unit, chairs and legs of the table. Possibly do an undercoat in duck egg blue or 'Chateau Grey' (an Annie Sloan colour), then paint with a light cream colour over and distress. Re cover seats of chairs (dead easy with a staple gun). Leave the top of the table as it is or possibly sand and re stain a lighter colour. Couple of new pictures on the end wall and voila, a new look for very little money!
  • Yvonne Day Aka Miss Ruby Yvonne Day Aka Miss Ruby on Jan 24, 2015
    With all of the awesome suggestions above I would like to add some ideas. By taking the curtain rod up to the ceiling it creates height. I would extend them over the walls more to allow the whole window of light to come in even if you use sheers in front of it.,it will lighten the area up a lot. I would also get two matching large long mirrors to place on either side of the curtains. You can also get some slip covers for your chairs to change up the look. I also see you like iron accessories, Hometalk just had a lady who used a piece to put on her ceiling, that would work really well here I do believe! Good luck and let us know how this goes!
  • Country Design Home Country Design Home on Jan 24, 2015
    Hi Lisa! If you want to use the red rug and curtains then I would paint the walls a lighter color. You already have a lot of dark in the room from the furniture and brown carpet. If you are going to use the red curtains, I would hang them as high as you can and on each side of the window, but not covering the window at all, so you allow in as much natural light as possible. I would add lighter colored chair cushions to brighten up the room as well. Adding a large mirror on the wall across from the hutch will reflect more light from the window and chandelier. Good luck!
  • LibrarianTellsAll LibrarianTellsAll on Jan 26, 2015
    I like your furniture. It looks like high quality, heirloom furniture. But the rest of the room looks dated. I'd fix that with a clean, fresh color palette of navy, white, and gold. The room looks dingy now, so I'd paint the walls a fresh, clean shade of white. I'd remove the small, dated art and sconces. I'd replace them with one or two bigger, bolder pieces on the wall. Perhaps a gold sunburst mirror and one other larger piece of art. Preferably something colorful that would pick up the navy blue in the curtains. The curtains make the window look very small. I'd remove the curtains, replace them with simple, tailored panels in navy blue, and hang them high and wide, like this: http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/high-and-wide-curtains.jpg Make sure they just hit the floor,and don't let them puddle. I'd update the chandelier with something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Savoy-House-1-4381-6-178-Chandelier-Heirloom/dp/B006ZARTO4 If the budget isn't completely blown yet, I'd either reupholster the chair seats or put a bug rug down on the floor under the table. I really like this one: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Cambridge-Navy-Ivory-Wool-Rug-76-x-96/8362271/product.html If the budget IS blown, I'd just wait, save up, and do those things later. It doesn't have to be done all at once!
  • Leah Leah on Aug 02, 2016
    Replacing the narrow window would be costly, so I would 'widen' the window by adding a full length, framed mirror to each side of the existing window. If you wish to hang a valance and side curtains, bring the curtain rail closer to the ceiling, so that the bottom of the valance 'just' covers the top window frame. Then let the side panel curtains just cover the outside frames of the mirrors. The mirrors on either side of the window will give 'depth' and extra 'lighting' to a room. Light colored sheer curtains also make a room looker larger and brighter.