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How to Reinvent Your Dining Space
A dining room should be somewhere all the family can come together – so give it a makeover to make it as inviting as possible.
We all lead busy lives, and for many families the only times of the day where everyone can come together are at meal times. So it’s understandable that you’ll want those moments to be extra special. So why not give your dining space a makeover? By creating a stylish, welcoming and relaxing dining area, breakfasts, lunches, dinners and everything else in between will be really enjoyable. So here’s how to transform this often under-utilised area of your home.
An oak dining table
The most important thing to understand about a family dining room is that it’s more than just a place to eat. When you’re not dining, it’s a room that’s often used for something else – whether that’s crafting, homework or playing. So you need a table that can stand up to the task.
A bespoke oak dining table is a durable and stylish addition to any home. Customised to the needs of your family, it will allow you to create a space that’s multifunctional but has dining at its heart. So no matter how many knocks it takes, it will serve you and your family for many mealtimes to come.
Smart storage solutions
If your little ones love to use the dining room to play and get creative in, don’t stifle that. Instead, invest in some built-in cupboards (that are easily wiped clean!) that are big enough to store all of their essentials away in. Likewise, if you enjoy sewing, crafting or even just working on your laptop, make sure that you can put those materials away out of sight when you eat. As well as built in cupboards, a big oak chest with a designated drawer for each family member is a great way of keeping your room tidy – and being able to keep tabs on where everything is!
Get everyone involved
You want a family dining room to have a warm, welcoming atmosphere. So make it feel as light and as airy as possible by giving the walls a fresh lick of paint – in calm, neutral colours like a pale green or yellow. Get your little ones involved too by asking them to create works of art that you can display in the room – it’ll make them really happy to see them hanging on the wall, especially when people come to visit and they can tell them all about them. If your room is big enough, invest in a comfy sofa or some floor cushions too – perfect for relaxing on after dinner.
Enjoy your new dining room
Once you’ve decorated and furnished your room, you can look forward to enjoying it as a family. Studies have shown that families who eat together every day are happier, so it makes sense to dedicate a room in your home to dining and socialising. By investing in furniture that will last a lifetime and getting every member of the family involved in the design process, you can be sure that you’ll have a room that everyone will feel comfortable in. A brand new dining room isn’t just an investment in your home – it’s an investment in your family.
Chloe Cotton is editor-in-chief at The Happiest Homes, a leading UK digital home magazine.
July 25, 2016