Need to improve dining area

amweav103 · 2025-02-06T22:09:59+00:00

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I am renting a condo with a small dining area. I was able to fit my grandmother's dining room furniture (which means a lot to me) because the table has removable leaves plus drop leaves. I just feel it is a bit dull for my taste. I am open to ideas except replacing the furniture.

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DanielaAraya

Can you add some of your personality by decorating around the table? What about adding a rug that you love underneath it to make it feel more intentional and connected to your style? I love Ruggable for high-traffic areas like the dining room or kitchen because they're flat, super easy to clean, and machine washable

tigerlillysmom2326

If you could move out the two chairs on each side of the sideboard into another room and take down all the small photos, you could put up a large color art piece over the sideboard. Preferably not traditional as the contrast between will bring the room alive. I have found that paintings by unknowns are really really cheap from auctions. I just look at ones from where I live on Live Auctioneers where I live. Definitely better prices than Facebook Marketplace. If you look local no shipping expense. Alternately you can buy old bad ones in thrift stores and paint over them, not something real but all one strong color with a tiny square in one color. I hope this helps.

koshie2245

First, elevate those sideboard lamps. You can buy 2 matching pedestals to do this, or simply stack books. Or buy 2 new lamps. I estimate you need them to be at least a full foot taller!

Do you have table leaves (table top inserts that exand the size of your dining table top)? If so, use them while leaving the table folding ends down so that you can place the 2 chairs now against the wall at the dining table. Or, as tigerlilly… suggests, move the 2 chairs out of your dining area. Another good idea she also suggests is removing the smaller picture frames and getting a larger piece of more contemporary (and may I add colorful) art; alternatively, I suggest creating a gallery wall and placing those small frames onto the wall. For unity and to inject some much-needed color, get identically-colored frames or matts for your pictures! Choose a color that picks up one of the colors in your largest piece of art. Also get a colorful table runner. For example, if you decided to continue hanging your sailboat art, I'd pick out the blues and oranges in it for the matts, frames, and table runner.

Next, fill in where the 2 chairs are/were with 2 narrow objects that are tall enough to almost reach 1-2 feet short of the ceiling. I'm thinking tall columnar plants — real or fake. But you could use anything: bamboo poles, or dramatic dried palm leaves, or 2 spray-painted naked branches gathered in 2 lovely pots/vases, or 2 actual columns, or 2 very narrow decorative shelving units or…. whatever you find, like, and can afford that add color and texture to the space. Additionally, I'd buy sufficient yardage of a fabric and use it to create 2 lightly gathered floor-to-ceiling length "curtains" about 2 feet wide, behind where the 2 chairs are now. Again, if you end up keeping the sailboat art, I suggest you choose an appropriate blue background fabric that has thin orange and very, very thin brown vertical stripes. And the fabric should be satiny to create a gleam. Also, if that is a heavy-enough fabric, use the same fabric to re-cover your dining chair seats.

i see a corner of a granite countertop… I assume that is the kitchen. Put your existing tabletop plant on a brass tray there at the corner but in a blue or orange pot (to be absolutely clear at this point, I'm NOT suggesting you keep OR get rid of your sailboat painting; I AM merely using its existence in your home as a convenience to me for suggesting colors. The colors you actually use should be found in whatever artwork you do chooose to use in the dining room). Put your smallest framed photo next to it. Add an even smaller little crystal bowl to the tray.

Dress your table with something crystal for sparkle, gold- or brass-colored candlesticks to go with the gold lamps on your sideboard; add….something long and low (think sculptural!). I know! What I'd do if I found those branches I suggested you could spray-paint, I'd spray paint gold another one cut down to dining-table top size (about 2-3 feet long, with about 5 branches still attached, cut so that it could lay on the table and be about 4-6" tall at its high spots). And I'd have some tall crystal candlesticks and a few low crystal votives, and a couple small crystal bowls or trays that you could fill with seasonal finds (spring flowers, summer seashells, fall acorns, winter candy… you get the idea!), along with some small handmade brass bells or whatever small items you like to collect…… all scattered among the branches.

At the very least, I'd do 2 things. Add 2 identical mirrors to the wall on either side of your artwork; and replace or cover your ceiling light with something more appropriate to your personality. You could easily tie a chinese paper umbrella in place for only a few bucks! Or buy some crystal drops or baubles to hang around the perimeter of the existing boob light.

koshie2245

First, elevate those sideboard lamps. You can buy 2 matching pedestals to do this, or simply stack books. Or buy 2 new lamps. I estimate you need them to be at least a full foot taller!

koshie2245

First, elevate those sideboard lamps. You can buy 2 matching pedestals to do this, or simply stack books. Or buy 2 new lamps. I estimate you need them to be at least a full foot taller!

koshie2245

First, elevate those sideboard lamps. You can buy 2 matching pedestals to do this, or simply stack books. Or buy 2 new lamps. I estimate you need them to be at least a full foot taller!

koshie2245

First, elevate those sideboard lamps. You can buy 2 matching pedestals to do this, or simply stack books. Or buy 2 new lamps. I estimate you need them to be at least a full foot taller!

koshie2245

At the very least, add 2 identical mirrors to the dining room wall, one on each side of your artwork. And change or cover the ceiling light with something more appropriate to your personality. You could tie a chinese paper umbrella to it, or hang crystal baubles around the light's perimeter.

Lift your lamps 1 foot higher by stacking books under them, or buy actual pedestals to put them on.

You need bigger art as tigerlilly,,, suggests; or use your framed photos and more to surround your sailboat art and create a gallery wall. Add color to your dining room that uses the 2 most dominant colors in the largest piece of art on your wall. For example, given your existing sailboat art, I'd choose the appropriate blue and the right color of (is that red or orange? I can't tell! I'll just say) orange. You can add color by using the same color matts, or frames, on all your artwork and photos, and by using some colored fabric.

Speaking of which, assuming you keep your sailboat art for example, I'd make 2 fake lightly gathered curtains about 2 feet wide and mount them at the ceiling in the corners behind the 2 chairs against the wall. For this, I'd choose a satiny fabric with a gleam (not TOO shiny!) in blue with narrow vertical orange stripes and very very narrow brown stripes). I'd also use the same fabric to cover your dining chair seats, or make a flattish pillow for each chair. And to make a table runner. Or maybe a solid blue or orange runner.

I'd put the extra 2 chairs around your dining table or take them out; and In their place, in front of the "curtains", I'd add 2 narrow decortive bookcases or display cabinets, or I'd find 3 narrow naked branches about 1-2 feet shorter than your wall and spray them gold and put 2 of them in 2 pots or vases…. The third branch I'd cut down to 2-3 feet keeping ONLY about 5 off-branches to form a long narrow shape about 4-6" tall at its highest points. This would go on the tabletop. You still need some gleam and sparkle so I'd use a couple tall crystal candlesticks and a few crystal votives, and 2 small crystal bowls or trays filled with seasonal finds (spring flowers, summer seashells, fall acorns, winter peppermints. you get the idea…), and a collection of small brass bells or other small things you like to collect…all scattered and woven around the golden branch.

Put your existing plant in a blue or orange pot on a brass tray on the granite counter that I see in your photo, along with a very small crystal bowl and the smallest framed photo in your picture.

On your sideboard: put ONE large low item or one large low item with 2 very small items, OR 2 medium items, OR 3 small items. For example: one large gold tray on which you have very small items like a pair of serving salad tongs, salt and pepper grinders, a stack of napkins or bar needs. Or you could have ONE long low rectangular pot/vase of flowers. Or 2 brass bowls of a size a bit larger than the white pot that is presently on your dining table in the picture you provided. Or 3 small boxes with fabulous textures or colors.

Don't get hung up on the fact that I used the words "blue" and "orange" and "gold". Use the 2 colors you like, pulled from the artwork you choose to display. Use one of those colors only a bit compared to the other one. Do choose a metal for gleam and some crystal or mirror for sparkle! As much as you can, choose items that have texture: shaggy, glowing, rough, velvety, lacy, gossamer, bumpy, carved wood and carved glass — anything except more smooth and flat because you already have lots of smooth flatness on your furniture, walls, and floor.

And I wouldn't choose to put a rug in my dining room due to potential food spills, unless you choose to make a floor canvas "rug".

Myk

Totally understand not getting rid of family heirlooms even though it’s not particularly your taste since I’m in the same situation. Have you thought about removable wallpaper? Or are you allowed to paint the room? Maybe stencil the back wall? I do like the above ideas too. It guess it really depends upon what is your taste. Good luck!

barbara8962

wow! So many great ideas to try. And all are budget friendly. Have fun and enjoy

InspiredCFSUK

Your dining area has a lot of charm and sentimental value, which is wonderful! Since you want to keep the furniture but make the space feel more vibrant, here are some ideas to refresh the look while maintaining its classic elegance:
Wall Paint or Wallpaper: A soft, warm color or a subtle patterned wallpaper behind the sideboard would create depth and contrast.
Adding a vibrant runner or stylish placemats can instantly lift the look while still keeping the traditional aesthetic.
Swap or Enhance Lighting: The lamps are classic, but updating the lampshades with something in a fun pattern or a more modern shape could add a fresh touch.
Decorative Centerpiece: Try a larger statement piece perhaps a sculptural vase with seasonal flowers, a tray with candles, or a mix of modern and vintage elements to create contrast.
The framed painting is lovely, but updating the frames of the smaller photos or creating a gallery wall with a mix of art and personal photos could bring more visual interest.
Reupholstering the chair cushions with a fabric that adds color or pattern could modernize the set without compromising its heirloom quality.

maymelelam8768

https://community.apartmenttherapy.com/discussion/comment/3526#Comment_3526

Woooow! Super creative ideas! There are so many valuable tips that @koshie2245 shared in this single post! I believe if you incorporated half of them you’d improve your dining room tenfold!

maymelelam8768

Amazing ideas here as well! Your dining furniture is traditional and adding color and texture will really make it come to life.

DanielaAraya

https://community.apartmenttherapy.com/discussion/comment/3547#Comment_3547

Love to see this encouragement and support from everyone in here! Totally agree!

Zephy

Wow, I'm really impressed with the wealth of concrete suggestions from @koshie2245 . Now I want to post some photos myself and get some ideas from him/her! That was a bravura display of decorating chops.

I just want to add that I'm a traditionalist at heart and love your dining table and chairs; I'm so glad you want to use them! I agree with a poster above that the scale is off: the table looks dwarfed by the taller sideboard and the 2 chairs next to the sideboard make that wall very crowded. So I agree with the suggestions to move the 2 extra chairs to another room or add leaves to the table so they can fit around the table and not be squeezed onto that wall.

Most of the rest is just adding color, in the form of bigger, bolder art on the wall, cushions or different fabric seats on the chairs, a runner or centerpiece on the table, more colorful frames on the photos . . . Also, moving the photos to the wall instead of on top of the sideboard would make the sideboard seem lower and less like it's towering over the dining table.

Good luck!