Stacey Sheppard is a freelance writer and award-winning interior design blogger. She started her blog - The Design Sheppard, in 2009 and is now ranked as one of the top interior design blogs in the UK. We are thrilled to have Stacey as a guest blogger for us. This month, Stacey turns her attention to Christmas and how we can get our dining rooms ready for all the festive hosting to come.
As Christmas hurtles towards us at lightning speed, our thoughts turn to all the entertaining that we will inevitably be doing over the festive season. Whether you are gathering with friends and family for quiet drinks and nibbles, hosting the party of the season or have been nominated to prepare the all-important festive feast for all your loved ones, one thing is for sure. You had better get those dining room ideas in order if you want to be ready in time for Christmas!
The Christmas dining room, much like the dining room for the rest of the year, needs careful planning and consideration if it is to work well for its intended use. A few festive additions and upgrades can transform the dining room making it ready to receive those welcome visitors with festive cheer in abundance.
Below we are sharing five easy tips for creating your perfect Christmas dining room in time for the festive season.
1. Seek out a suitable dining table
Christmas is probably the time of year when we host the most guests, so it may be likely that we need to rethink our dining room furniture slightly for a Christmas dining room. Unless you are used to hosting large dinner parties or get togethers throughout the year, you may need to consider swapping out your dining room furniture for something more flexible.
Think about how many people you need to sit, the shape and size of the dining room furniture you require, how you will position it in the room and how flexible it needs to be.
An extendable dining table that can be made smaller or larger according to your needs is always a good bet. That way you can keep it nice and compact and save space when it’s being used for small, intimate dinners, but you can extend it to maximum capacity when friends or family come to join you for a larger gathering.
2. Don't forget the extra dining chairs
It is also extremely important to think about extra seating if you have an extendable dining table. There are a few options here. If you have suitable storage space, you can invest in some folding chairs that can be stored away when not in use. If space is at a premium and you are unable to store additional dining room furniture, there are other ways to scale your seating when necessary.
Consider investing in a dining bench that can seat multiple people, but that can be used elsewhere in the house when not needed in the dining room. For example, the dining bench could reside in the hallway for the rest of the year and be used for people to sit on when putting their shoes on. Or it could be bedroom bench that is normally placed at the foot of the bed to provide extra storage or seating. The important thing is to make sure that the bench is as long as the table. You may need more than one if the table extends substantially.
You can find more tips on choosing dining room furniture here.
3. Look at your lighting
Lighting is absolutely key to creating the right atmosphere in a dining room and defining the mood. Have a think about how you want the space to feel as this will very much dictate the lighting that you choose.
Do you want it to feel bright and light in the dining room or do you want it to feel cosy and intimate? If you chose the former, you will want to make sure that you have various different light sources including ambient light and task lighting, especially if your dining room is used for other functions such as work or studying throughout the year.
If you chose the latter, you will be looking to include wall lights and table lights that can provide a warm intimate glow for a cosier atmosphere.
Consider a pendant light over the dining table, but make sure you take the size of the table into account so that the whole table is illuminated and not just the centre, particularly if it’s a larger or extendable table.
When it comes to the Christmas dining room, don’t forget about the Christmas lights if you really want your space to sparkle and feel special. Conjure up that Christmas magic by hanging fairy lights around the room or filling glass vases or lanterns with them, and suspending illuminated decorations from picture rails or in the window. Candles are also a great way to add atmosphere through lighting and through scent if you choose a Christmas candle.
You can find more ideas for adding finishing touches to bring joy this Christmas here
4. Choose your colour scheme carefully
When it comes to Christmas colour schemes, the obvious choice is to opt for the traditional red and green colour combo. But when looking for dining room ideas this Christmas, take a long hard look at the existing colour scheme in your dining room and try to work with what you’ve got.
Don’t choose the colour scheme in isolation but make it part of the existing décor. This will not only look a lot more sophisticated and intentional, but you may be able to make use of the decorations all year round depending on what you choose.
If your dining room is navy blue for example, perhaps a gold and white colour scheme might look really nice. This would work on the Christmas tree, for the centre piece and also for any tableware that you might choose.
If you’ve gone for a red dining room (apparently red makes us feel hungry and impulsive) or a green dining room, then the traditional red and green Christmas colour palette would work well and you could simply tone it down throughout the year so that it feels less festive and more natural.
A pink or brown dining room might work well with copper or brass accents, and these could be woven into the tree decorations, and hanging decorations or fireplace displays for example.
5. Select space-maximising storage solutions
When collating your Christmas dining room ideas and trying to decide what dining room furniture to buy, make sure you give special attention to the storage solutions you will need in the room. When you’re entertaining, there is nothing worse than having to run back and forth to the kitchen to fetch what you need.
Instead, invest in a statement sideboard where you can store your tableware, napkins, glasses, serving utensils and anything else you might need to keep close by like condiments, a coffee station or a wine rack.
The top surface can also be used to display a Christmas scene, Christmas garlands or to house more decorative features such as a glass bowl full of baubles or festive sweets.
Also consider the merits of buying a bar cart so that you can effortlessly serve drinks to your guests without leaving the room. Not only will you come across as very professional in your entertaining efforts, but it will also allow you to enjoy the company of your guests and be more present.
You can find more tips for getting your home Christmas ready this year here.
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