Is It Time to Update Your Dining Room?
October 15, 2025
In Canada, we just celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. This is generally a time for entertaining friends and family with a meal. It is also a time when you may notice that your dining room just isn’t delivering what you need.
Here are a few things that come to mind:
Your dining chairs are uncomfortable and so your guests don’t linger and talk at the table.
You don’t have enough room at your table to accommodate all of your guests.
You have a mish-mash of furnishings that you have collected over the years that don’t work together.
The lighting in the room is dated or doesn’t provide the right ambience.
You’re missing a sideboard or secondary serving surface and storage.
Dining rooms are typically a significant investment. Because of that, some consider it a lower priority given the room is used only a few times a year. But there’s no need for this room to be orphaned the rest of the year. Your dining room can serve other functions particularly if square footage is at a premium.
First off, if the room is fabulous you may decide to use it as your daily dining area, and not just for entertaining. Also, if you need a workspace, you can incorporate it into your dining room with some clever built-in cabinetry while still keeping the entertaining vibe intact. In that vein, a dining room can also double as a library with built-in bookshelves, a gas or electric fireplace and an extra pair of occasional chairs.
Lighting is critical in a dining room. This is not the place for pot lights alone. Moodier ambient lighting is best for entertaining — in the form of wall sconces, chandeliers or pendants, and buffet lamps. Depending on the size of your table and room, you may want more than one fixture above the table. Ensure that it is large enough to hold the weight of the table and the room, make it dimmable and hang it no more than 38” off the table.
If you have been thinking of investing in some fantastic original art, this is a great place for it and can be a wonderful jumping off point for your dining room décor. After all, when you’re sitting down at the table, you have time to appreciate the art.
Another way to amp up your dining space, is to incorporate wallpaper and custom drapery. This is an opportunity to do something dramatic, perhaps a mural or patterned wallpaper. The drapery will add coziness and sound absorption during those joyful and sometimes loud dinners! And speaking of sound absorption, a generous area rug helps with that too. Your rug needs to be large enough that when you push back your seat, you’re still on the rug.
If the pandemic taught us anything it’s that we can’t take our gatherings for granted. Why not make your dining room a truly special space where you can build connections, memories, and good times with friends and family?
You can see more dining room projects on our portfolio page here.
Are you stumped by a challenging space? Are you ready to experience a beautifully furnished and decorated home that is also highly functional? Fill out a project inquiry form. We’d love to help.