A lot of the time, we neglect our dining rooms. Truth be told, special occasions, parties and Christmas aside, we barely use them for their intended purpose: to eat in. It’s a shame really, because the sole purpose of this room is an environment in which one can dine and enjoy their meals at ease, without any distractions. After all, food and eating is one of the biggest joys in life, isn’t it? So what good is distracting ourselves with the television and sitting on the sofa while we eat our meals? Whether it’s because you have guests coming over, or if you’re simply looking to change your approach to meal times, here is how to create the perfect dining area that will impress all of your family and friends.

Give it a Defined Theme or Style

Think about your favourite restaurant. Say it’s a cute little Italian place in your local village, and think about what it is you love about it. Yes, the food is likely one, but what about the ambience? The way a restaurant is designed can be the difference between it being a roaring success, and a dismal failure. Of course, they want to make it inviting and comfortable, but above all most restaurants follow some sort of thematic layout, and you should take the same approach when designing your dream dining room. After all, isn’t it really just a smaller, home based restaurant?

Say for example, that the theme of your overall home had rustic vibes. Shouldn’t the dining area therefore follow suit? If you were thinking about going rustic, remember that it’s all about the wooden furniture and accessories, giving the room an almost “log cabin” feel. One of the reasons this is such a popular theme throughout homes and restaurants, is not only is it extremely Instagrammable, but it’s the perfect way of being able to incorporate your décor into creating storage space. A lot of people use recycled wood in order to create handy yet decorative items around the home, and wine racks are a perfect example. What better place to have your wine than on display in a sustainable and unique wine rack for all to see?

Think About Space

The layout of the room spatially is vitally important when it comes to your dining area. If you think about eating your evening meal and sipping on a hearty shiraz, nothing would spoil the ambience more than the person next to you quite literally sitting on top of you, would it? The dining room should ooze leisure and sophistication, and in order to do this you must use the space effectively.

When it comes to choosing your dining table, be realistic when it comes to what shape and size you end up going for. Think about the maximum amount of people you’re likely to have eating around the table at one time. If you come from a large family, usually host Christmas and are partial to being the host of dinner soirees, then a longer and more rectangular table is probably right for you. If instead, you come from a smaller family and are likely to host intimate gatherings with not many people, then a smaller circular table could be right for you. If you’re an active mix of both and therefore aren’t altogether sure what to choose, then why not mix up the two and go for an oval shape? Even if the table is too big for your regular needs, it’s worth it to be able to spread chairs out effectively so that people are always guaranteed a comfortable amount of space when it comes to dining times. Likewise, make sure the table fits your room accordingly. You want a comfortable amount of space surrounding the table too, so that people can get in and out with ease.

The Lighting

Last but not least, lighting is crucially important to your dining room set up. When you think about it, lighting levels can literally either make or break the ambience, so make sure you have a choice when it comes to lighting. For example, if you’re having a brunch get together, then chances are you’ll want bright, artificial lighting and the windows wide open in order to give it the freshest summer morning feel possible. However, if you’re hosting a cosy evening dinner party, chances are you’ll be all about mood lighting and candles. As long as you’re well prepared, your dining room can take on whatever ambience is right for the occasion, so choose your lighting wisely, and make sure it’s multi-purpose!