Has your dining room aged over the years? You no longer dare to welcome your guests without hiding your dinner table with a tablecloth? Is there always a lack of seats at family events? A chair is broken, the dresser is no longer enough to store all your utensils and cutlery… In short, you don’t like this living space and you want to be proud of it again. So you start shopping for a new dining room set . But before making your choice.

 Here are 5 essential elements to consider!

1. The space available in the dining room

The main factor to look at when shopping for dining room furniture is the space you have available to display the furniture. Even if you buy the most beautiful table in the store , it is a little less practical if it does not fit into the room or, on the contrary, it seems alone in the world.

Ask yourself the following questions: what are the dimensions of your current dining room like? Have you done any renovations recently that would have changed the possible layout of the room? It is also important to take into account the movements you want to be able to make around your table, whether the chairs are pulled out or not. After all, you want to be able to move around your dining room freely at all times!

2. The desired style; modern, rustic or contemporary

Of course, depending on the style you want, you will not opt ​​for the same type of furniture. Do you like the modern and clean look? A glass table and designer chairs could give your room a punch.

If your tables are often full and you like to entertain, you might consider buying a large table with long benches on each side to seat a larger number of people. And if, on the contrary, you want a space to meet up with friends on Friday evenings, a round bar-style table, with stools or high chairs could give character to your room. Head to the store and explore the endless possibilities!

3. The dimensions of the table and the height of the chairs

Now let’s move on to the dimensions of the dining room set! Table size and chair height are important things to consider, especially if you didn’t buy your furniture together. Be aware that standard kitchen tables have an average height of around 30 inches; make sure that the chairs you get will allow you to maintain a comfortable space for your legs. Same thing if you opt for a high bar-type table, or if you want high chairs for a lunch counter!

4. The materials, durability and maintenance of your kitchen furniture

Tempered glass, steel, concrete, wood, granite…as we mentioned, the style you’re looking for will play a key role in deciding which materials to favor for your decor. However, don’t forget to consider the durability of these materials when making your choice, to ensure that your dining room furniture can be a good investment! Among the most resistant materials are solid wood and natural stone. Also consider the maintenance required for the materials you choose, in order to keep the furniture as long as possible and in the best possible condition.

5. The different uses of your dining room set

Obviously, you will sit around this dinner table to eat, but will you use it for other purposes? For example, will the children use it to do their homework? Do you plan to occasionally use the table as a work desk? Will you gather around it to create crafts or cook with the family?

The different functions you plan for your dining room can help you choose the most suitable furniture. It will prevent you, for example, from scratching your beautiful glass table because your children are playing Lego blocks on it, or from dirtying the fabric of your chairs with traces of cookie dough…

To get a dining room set that meets your tastes and needs, just follow our few tips! Still, would you like a little help to create your dream dining room? Fill out our form and tell us about your project: we want to hear from you!

The post 5 elements to consider when designing your dining room first appeared on https://homecreatedesigns.com.

What a dilemma! Your dining room and your living room are one and the same open space and you wonder how much space you should devote to the living room and how much to the kitchen? And how to harmonize everything?

Do not panic ! I give you here some tips that will guide you in the development of a friendly, functional and successful space.

When you have a large room to decorate and arrange in several spaces, you want above all that your decor is harmonious.

Here are some key things you’ll need to consider to achieve your goal.

First, make sure the same flooring covers the whole space , this is essential so that it looks bigger.

Then, to make the decor of your open-plan room cohesive, paint all the walls the same color . The doors, moldings and frames can be painted in another color, ideally in a shade of the main color or in white or cream if you absolutely do not want to be mistaken. Sometimes certain architectural details such as an alcove will benefit from being highlighted by an accent color, it will then be up to you to judge.

To unify the space, I also advise you to use materials. Whether it is the use of the same type of wood in the selection of your furniture , the repetition of the same window dressing , or the duplication of the fabric covering of your dining room chairs into decorative cushions in the living room, all will be used to harmonize your room.

Distribution of spaces

When an open-plan room must accommodate both a living room and a dining room, the normal proportions are to take 1/3 for the dining room and 2/3 for the living room. Since we normally spend more time in the living room than in the dining room, it is normal to distribute the space in this way.

However, if your lifestyle means you often have people around the table for a meal, then maybe you should consider dividing up the space on a 50/50 ratio.

We are also seeing more and more spaces without a dining room, with owners preferring the lounge area and using the kitchen island as a dining area.

The important thing here is to know your lifestyle well and to delimit your kitchen and living room areas accordingly.

Furniture positioning

The positioning of the furniture in space is obviously affected by the shape of the room (rectangular, narrow, square, in “L”), the location of various fixed elements including windows, doors, and fireplaces and the circulation area from one space to another.

In order to create divisions between the living room area and that of the dining room, you will have to use so-called psychological divisions.

Here are some typical layouts you can use to divide your space.

If you lean your sofa against the longest wall in your room, you can use one or two accent chairs or ottomans to visually separate the spaces. Add an area rug and canvas or a picture arrangement centered on the sofa to further define the space.

In this position, the sofa will frequently find itself facing the entrance to the room and will thus invite relaxation and conviviality, as it will be the center of attraction in the living room.

If your living room has a fireplace or a television, then the sofa will either be positioned facing it or installed under a window perpendicular to the fireplace and facing the open space. In both scenarios, using accent chairs will allow you to add seating, keep the space open, and energize your decor.

You can also use the sofa or a sectional as a dividing element with the dining room if your space allows it. To hide the back of the sofa, lean against it a console table or low cabinet that can also be used as a sideboard during meals with friends and for additional storage.

If your space is more square, opt for a square or round table to maximize circulation area. A small shelf attached to the wall and topped with a beautiful mirror will provide a focal point to the space and make the room appear larger. If you have the space, however, add a small console table for more visual interest in the room and for additional storage.

A rectangular space naturally calls for a similarly shaped dining table. If, for reasons of room width, circulation is difficult, use a bench or a bench. This will allow you to lean or bring the table closer to the wall. It can then easily be removed from the wall during meals with friends.

A square, round or oval table can also be suitable for this room shape. Take full advantage of the space by using a low sideboard or credenza to add storage and balance the space.

In closing, before you start buying several pieces of furniture at the same time, I advise you to first consider your lifestyle and buy the main elements that correspond to it first. Then gradually add all these small pieces of furniture and decor such as occasional chairs, rugs, sideboards and others that will balance and energize your open space.

The post Designing an open space: 3 important elements to consider first appeared on https://homecreatedesigns.com.