Dining Room Tables that Make the Room Look Large

Spaciousness is always a good dining room feature, whether the room is naturally large or small. Although it's certainly easy to create the appearance of space in a large dining room, small rooms can be more of a challenge. If you'd like to make your dining room seem larger than it really is, here are some decorating tips you can use to enhance its size.

Choosing Dining Room Furniture Pieces

The furniture pieces you choose have a lot to do with the overall perception of size in the dining room. Although a large oversized table, hutch or side table can work well in more spacious dining rooms, they can serve to make small rooms feel cramped. Instead, select smaller furniture pieces that are more in proportion with the room's size. Pieces with clean lines and fewer embellishments or curves are often the best choice. In some cases, the total amount of table space or storage space provided by an oversized furniture piece can actually be the same as what you would have with a much smaller piece. You won't necessarily sacrifice space or functionality with smaller, less embellished furniture pieces, but you will gain dining room space. Choosing a dining room table that allows the chairs to be pushed under the table while not in use can also help preserve floor space, thus making the dining room less congested. When one can walk more easily through the room, it will create the illusion of the room being larger.

Using Color to Create Space

The colors used in the dining room can also have a great deal of influence on the room's perceived size. Although darker shades can certainly be dramatic, they do have a tendency to make rooms seem smaller. Using lighter colors on the walls will visually make them seem to recede, thus creating a sense of spaciousness. Choosing furniture pieces that are lighter in color will also add to this visual illusion. If you do have a preference for darker furniture pieces, consider painting the lower portions of the walls in a similar color. This will help the furniture blend into the lower walls, making the room appear more spacious.  Then, paint the upper portions of the room in a lighter shade. Adding a chair rail to divide the upper and lower wall sections can also add a decorative touch.

Adding Space with Decorating Accessories

Keeping the dining room decor simple can also help create the illusion of space. Instead of decorating the walls with smaller art pieces, add one larger framed artwork, art metal sculpture orcontemporary metal art to create a focal point. A white or light colored tablecloth can also make the room seem lighter and more spacious. Keep window treatments simple, focusing on light colored fabrics. Although a table centerpiece can add a very decorative touch, you should keep it sized proportionally with the table and room. For example, instead of tall candle tapers or an elaborate floral arrangement, try floating a few flowers in a shallow crystal bowl. Finally, adding a wall mirror will increase the amount of reflective light in the room, thus adding a more spacious look and feel.