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How to Prepare Your Dining Room for the Holidays

How to Prepare Your Dining Room for the Holidays
The holiday season is a time for festivities, food, and making lifelong memories with family and friends. If you’re planning to host a dinner or two this season, it’s important to prepare your dining room so that you can design a warm, festive space. Whether you’re in the market for new dining tables, chairs, or lighting, we’ve gathered some helpful dining room decor ideas to get you started. Check out a few of our tips and advice to get you prepped and excited for the upcoming holiday season, so you can entertain and dine in style.

Consider a Dining Table Update

Photo Features: Farmhouse Dining Table | Farmhouse Bench
If your dining table is small or worn out, now is a perfect time to consider making a change. A beautiful, rectangular dining room table will provide plenty of room for your food, drinks, and elbow room for your guests. Elongated dining tables are ideal for lots of guests if you happen to have the room. The Jamie Young Co. Farmhouse Table features a hand-worked, dark wood table-top, elegantly paired with modern, hammered antique silver legs adding the perfect touch of drama to this table collection. An extendable dining room table is great if you’re planning to host dinner parties. Simply make the table larger to accommodate your guests, then return it back to its smaller size for everyday meals with your family. Add a dining bench to seat more people and give the room an intimate feel.

Photo Features: Kelmscott Farmhouse Table | Kelmscott Side Chair | Kelmscott Bench | Poppy Pendant 

When shopping for a dining room table this season, focus on versatility. Remember that your table will be enjoyed throughout the years to come no matter the season, so look for furniture in a soft, neutral colorway. You can always dress up your table with festive linens like a holiday-themed tablecloth, placemats, or some sleek metallic gold or silver plate chargers.

 

Photo Features: Hanson Placemat

Since dining tables are the centerpiece of this room, dress yours up in festive style to make the space warm and inviting. Choose a gorgeous holiday centerpiece like a large pillar candle nestled inside a pine branch wreath. Colorful wooden branches and red flowers in a large glass vase can add a cheery touch, too. As you search for holiday-centric dining room decor ideas, starting with the table is one of the easiest ways to plan the rest of the space.

Create a Warm Atmosphere with Lighting

Photo Features: Jax Wall Sconce

When the holidays arrive, it’s all about the lighting. Explore some new modern dining room lighting that will give the room a warm glow. Your dining area lighting can range from a stunning chandelier to a new pendant or some simple dining room table lights placed on top of a cabinet or on sideboards. Dining room table lights like small buffet lamps add a subtle warmth to the room.

Photo Features: La Brea Double Wall Sconce

Wall sconces are another excellent choice if you’re looking for new dining room light fixtures that won’t be too powerful or too bright. As for dining room chandeliers, something sparkly and shimmery is a great option. Any chandeliers with crystals or metallic finishes of brass, gold, or silver will add a regal, festive touch to the room that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

 

Photo Features: Brigitte Chandelier

Mitzi designs a plethora of stunning options for every room, including your dining space. Explore the brand’s range of modern dining room lighting including beautiful wall sconces, flush mount lighting, and chic dining room chandeliers. If you adore the mid-century look, then Mitzi Lighting has you covered. They offer a myriad of stunning options including Sputnik-style chandeliers with glass globes and designs boasting clean, simple lines.

Photo Features: Coco 7 Light Chandelier

The key is to look for dining room lighting that adds a warm glow while keeping the modern theme throughout your home. From dining room table lights to pendants, new lighting will instantly transform this space and make it an inviting place for your guests to enjoy during the festivities. Don’t forget to layer your dining room lighting with candles, too. If you’re concerned about fire, you can always incorporate flameless flickering candles to recreate that classic holiday glow without the excess smoke.

Dining Room Decor Ideas: It’s All About Accessories

Photo Features: Dexter Oval Serving Platters

If you’re not planning to purchase a new table or change your lighting, it’s still easy to prep this space for the holiday season using festive and fun accessories. Choose new dining room accessories like some festive dinnerware featuring subtle holiday colors. Metallics are a versatile choice that won’t make the space look too overdone. Stoneware adds a warm touch to your table and can be enjoyed all year round while still adding a warm touch to the table. Stoneware from Blue Pheasant is an excellent choice. This brand designs beautiful, durable dinnerware in a range of finishes and gorgeous earth-toned glazes. This dinnerware is especially beautiful for Thanksgiving and adds a fall-inspired element to your next event.

Photo Features: Andrew Tumbler
Explore new dining room accessories like beautiful glassware, flatware, and accent pieces for the holiday season. A set of glass goblets is a beautiful choice for making toasts and serving wine or champagne. Place a woven basket on top of a cabinet and fill it with lovingly folded holiday napkins for a charming touch. Another easy tip? Add beautiful napkin rings to your table setting that feature a festive theme. They can be made of metal for a bright touch or feature adorable holiday designs like Christmas trees or pine with berries.
Photo Features: Austin Serving Board
These little touches will really take your dining room to the next level, and they don’t require a whole lot of investment or extra work. Use a beautiful table runner on top of your dining table to add softness, texture, and color. The possibilities are endless when you’re looking for tabletop dining room decor ideas.

Spruce Up Your Storage

Photo Features: Kanor Console Table | Kanor Cocktail Table
If your dining room feels cluttered or you’re concerned about storage, the holidays are a perfect time to shop for new pieces. Sideboards feature a low-profile design that makes them easy to double as a display table, or perfect for serving buffet-style meals. Look for sideboards featuring decorative, intricate door fronts and beautiful hardware. Inside, you’ll find a range of storage options including shelving and drawers. Use your dining room storage furniture to keep all of your table linens, glassware, and dinnerware neatly organized. When it’s time to set the table and set the scene, all you need to do is reach for what you need and get ready for your next holiday party.
Photo Features: Florian Tall Ball Cabinet

Bars are another excellent choice for dining room storage. This furniture comes in a range of designs that include both rolling and stationary. Rolling bar carts are a ton of fun to dress up for the holidays, and they’re a great option if you like to mingle and mix drinks at holiday parties. A large stationary bar will hold all of your favorite bottles, mixing tools, and glassware neatly inside. The key is to find a functional, stunning storage piece that will help your dining room stay tidy while adding a warm, inviting look to the space. Visit Meadow Blue to find an incredible selection of sideboards, bars, cabinets, and more to give your dining room some fresh functionality and style. Once you have your new piece, you can add some festive décor to it for a fun finishing touch.

Make the Season Warm with Area Rugs

Photo Features: Rosemarie Rug 
One easy way to elevate your dining space is through the use of area rugs. Look for a rug that features a soft material, so it adds a warm feeling under your feet. Wool rugs look stunning in a dining room, and they come in a wide range of colors, patterns, and designs. As you think about holiday dining room decor ideas, keep your focus on a rug that will warm up the dining room while adding a versatile floor covering that can be enjoyed throughout the year. From florals to Persian patterns, rugs instantly make any room feel cozy and warm. Measure the size of your dining table and be sure to choose a rug that’s at least two feet larger around each side of the table so it extends past the edges. Loloi Rugs offer a gorgeous selection of options ranging from simple and modern to playful patterns to elevate your dining space.
Photo Features: Graham Rug

If you already have a beautiful rug in your dining room, you can always layer them. Feel free to top your current rug with another one made of a thick shag pile. Not only will this make the room feel much warmer, but it will also add some extra visual depth and texture to the space. When the weather warms up or the holiday season is over, simply remove the top rug and store it away until next season. The right combination of furniture, lighting and accessories can give your dining room the perfect festive touch. Use these tips and ideas to help you create a beautiful, welcoming dining space that your visitors will enjoy during the holidays. At Meadow Blu, you’ll discover stunning furnishings, lighting, accessories, and much more to help you elevate and enhance your holiday home.