How to Create a Dining Room For Everyday Life

Inside: Forget those dinner parties you said you’d host when you registered for china, the annual feasts of turkey and ham, and the Instagram fantasies of formal entertaining. Christmas comes but once a year, but dinner comes around daily. Here’s how to make a dining room you’ll really use all the other days of your life.

1. Make Your Table Fit Your Family

Nothing says weird horror movie scene than a long rectangular table with one person at each end. Of course, the dining room does have to work for holidays and big get-togethers. This is why a table with leaves is the move.

2. No Uncomfortable Chairs

Something can physically uncomfortable (like hard and poky) but it can also be emotionally uncomfortable (overly formal). Make sure your chairs are neither one. People have to want to sit in them, or what’s the point!

3. Storage That Gets Used and Opened

The rule here is: no museum case of formal china. Try to focus on things you actually use. Of course most of your everyday dishes and silverware are going to go in your kitchen.

This doesn’t mean your dining room should have a fancy, lit china cabinet of things you never touch.

What about stuff that you use time to time but is pretty? Your mason jars, a cake stand, pictures. Put them out in a way so that they aren’t crammed into a cabinet or formally layered in such a way that you can grab them when you need them and store them there when you don’t

4. Add Fabric

It’s time to bring back everyday tablecloths and cloth napkins. (Another thing that can go in that hutch, by the way!). One or two sets, in a neutral plus something pretty you like, goes a long way toward making your dining space inviting and lived-in.

Of course, a rug under the table, chair cushions if you want them, and curtains on the windows will help too.

5. Add Accessories… But Don’t Be Weird About It

We already discussed using the hutch as a way to store pretty, everyday things, and that’s a great way to naturally accessorize your room.

But don’t be afraid to add more things that feel personal. Flowers on the table, a vase of fruit, artwork you like, whatever. But make sure it feels connected to the rest of your house. Always remember the rule: this is not a museum!

6. Don’t Store Things on Your Dining Room Table

Ever. Ever ever ever ever. Ever.

It’s tempting to put boxes, tools, unfinished projects and the like on your eating space. Don’t do it.

If serving a meal there becomes a big production of clearing things off, it won’t happen. Keep it clear!

7. Use It!

The more you use it, the more comfortable you’ll be there. You’ll add scratches and imperfections to your table: that’s okay. That’s the point!

8. Make It Feel Alive

The best way to make a space feel alive is to be physically present in it, so there’s no substitute for actually using a room. But now that you know the secret elements of a cozy space, put that knowledge to use and add color, plants, and fire, if it feels right. Some people like music too.