A Dining Room Decoration Primer

There's no right or wrong when it comes to design and style since everyone has their personal preferences nevertheless there are a few easy guidelines to abide by when redecorating a room to make certain every piece, colour and pattern is in harmony. This holds true for every room in your house and by following these established techniques you will have fantastic décor to relish and show off to family and friends. If the next decorating project is the dining area - be it a separate room or a combined kitchen/diner - the following style tips will help you to get the right look.

Dining room colour

Selecting an inappropriate colour is one of the fundamental errors many people make when decorating their dining room. Wall colour is essential to establishing the right setting in which to eat - get it right and you'll stimulate appetite and good talk, get it wrong and you may suppress the desire to eat and the convivial chat might run dry.

While not regarded as the optimal colour for tantalising the palette, blue can be soothing and relaxing and is great for encouraging communication which is what you want at a social gathering. When you decide on blue wallpaper or paint then you need to make sure that the other pieces within the room like crockery and tableware coordinate.

Warming colours like oranges, reds and yellows are traditional colours for a dining room, or if you would like be a touch more contemporary go for grey, brown or black. However, although these colours are attractive and warm, they can dominate a smaller room so you must choose your tones wisely because if you go too warm you'll finish up creating an oppressive atmosphere. For dining areas with reduced light or space, wallpaper or paint on just one wall will create the perfect effect.

Lighting your dining room

For most of us the dining room is a multi-function part of the home and used for more than merely meal times. If you have a kitchen/diner then it is obviously going to be an area that is used extensively during the day. Therefore, when it comes to lighting a dining room you will want to take care of all the bases, whether or not the room is separate.

During the day, you'll want to ensure that there's as much natural light coming in as possible but that is not always a choice when the room happens to be facing away from direct sunlight or it's in a basement apartment. If that's the situation, you should avoid putting heavy curtains up and go for blinds that are light in colour. If your room is big enough and has an abundance of natural light you can afford to hang some heavier drapes and curtains.

As sun light starts to fade at the end of the day, you need to have illumination that will suit the environment you're trying to create. Mellow and warm is better for an evening supper so harsh ceiling lighting needs to be avoided. Use uplighters and lamps in several parts of the room and place them at differing heights to create a suitable atmosphere. For a touch of decadence, why not consider a chandelier - these can be in the classic style if your dining room décor is traditional or contemporary for a more modern looking room. Don't forget it's also possible to use candlelight to create that perfect personal atmosphere.

Searching for dining room lighting or wallpaper ideas? Visit Allupandon, the UK home stores site with the largest range of contemporary lighting, seating and other home furnishings.