How to decorate your dining table.

February 22, 2013

The dining table serves as the essential focal point in many apartments. With open floor plans, the dining room can be seen from the living room, kitchen or front door. Keep your dining room table fresh and sophisticated by decorating your table with functional and stylist pieces.

Make your dining room table a focal point.

Keep your table clean. Keep the table free of papers and piles. When cleaning the table, a rag dipped in warm water and gentle soap often works the best. Remember to get the tight corners underneath the table, legs and the base.

Have practical pieces. If you are decorating your dining room table and intend to use it, you need essentials such as table linens and tableware before settling on a centerpiece and other accessories. Think texture – a thoughtfully composed dining space boasts a rich combination of textures that stimulate the senses and warm the heart. A table runner has a clean, modern look that is perfect when topped off with square plates. A tablecloth in floral or stripes can be perfectly accented with traditional china. Get creative with a bright- colored tablecloth and layer it with a runner in a contrasting color, and then have fun with dishes, mixing and matching styles, colors and patterns.

Create a focal point. The tried and true centerpiece for any style of dining table decoration remains flowers. For a formal look, try a bouquet of long-stemmed roses in a vase. For a playful alternative, try a bold flower in a tall glass vase or, for a lower profile, a painted bowl holding floating blossoms. Paper, cloth or silk flowers can also provide a practical and pretty apartment centerpiece.

Be creative. Think color – Dress the table with colors you love. Collect table linens, dishes, glassware and candles in your favorite hues. A glass bowl filled with lemons and limes adds a burst of color. A sleek black tray gets simple contrast with a scattering of white rocks or shells. Also think about lighting – one of the keys to creating a comfortable and flexible room is to layer the lighting – including candlelight. Use lighting in practical and stimulating ways to alter the mood in your dining room based on the occasion. Candles or lanterns can add mood lighting to your apartment while serving as centerpieces. Try a row of tea lights down the center of the table or a glass lantern.

Categorised in: Apartment Decor