WANT TO INVIGORATE your dining room? Pull up a chair. Really: Swapping a few of the matching seats for ones in a different but simpatico style can instantly animate a staid setup—a useful strategy for anyone who finds formality a little alienating. "There's nothing as boring as a table surrounded by chairs that all look alike," said New York interior designer Vicente Wolf. "Most dining rooms lack personality because of that repetition. A little differentiation is much more inviting." The Moment Kim Jong Nam Was Attacked: CCTV Footage Light Plane Crashes Into Shopping Mall in Australia French Cafe Receives Michelin Star by Mistake Anti-Trump Message Projected on U.K. Parliament Building A Child Is Pulled Alive From the Rubble in Syria5 Ways to Add a Modern Twist to Traditional Decorating Convinced a small room should be painted white? Think you need to stick with one style of furniture? Read on to find out which decorating rules need debunking. Dining AreaDining AreaRedd designed the ebonized wood and sterling bookshelf, where a colorblock painting by Leora Armstrong hangs.
When they're alone, the owners dine at this carved flip-top game table from Agostino Antiques. Old Rule: The most important piece of furniture is the sofa.Old Rule: The most important piece of furniture is the sofa.There's no rule that says a living room even has to have a sofa: Four armchairs do the trick in this living room by designer Dan Marty. You can always put the sofa in the family room or a cozy library. Home Makeover Part 4: Annie Selke Renovates the Kitchen 10 Retro Design Trends That Are Making Your Home Worth Less 2017 Is the Year You're Going to Want to Replace Your Floor Every Room in Your House Needs a "Stiletto" Moment, Says This Designer Grass Cloth Is the Neutral Background Your Walls Need A Pink Ceiling Was the Only Thing Shot Down for This Colorful Apartment It Took 6 Weeks and 5 Workers to Paint This Super-Shiny Living Room 10 Fool-Proof Tricks for Creating Your Dream Closet This Designer's Trick for Upbeat Rooms Involves a Bottle of Wine
An Empty "White Cube" Apartment Gets Its Masterpiece Theatre Moment The Keys to Making Your Home Calm, Cool and Collected1. How should I hang a chandelier?The lowest portion should be 27 to 30 inches above the tabletop. Of course, there can always be exceptions, depending on the fixture and your ceiling height.2. How big should a rug be in proportion to the table?A rug should be at least 2 feet larger than the table on every side to keep the chair legs on the rug at all times. I personally like for a rug to fill a room and be 12 to 18 inches from the wall.3. How big should the table be?The edge of your table should be at least 3 feet from the wall or another piece of furniture to allow people to sit and stand comfortably.4. How many chairs should I fit around a table?Plan for at least 2 feet of table surface for each chair. For example, a 10-foot-long table can have five chairs across and two at each end to seat 12 people.5. How tall should dining chairs be?Chair seats should be 18 to 19 inches from the floor.
If you want guests to linger, opt for padded, upholstered seat backs.(Image credit: Jonathan's Calm & Considered Nest) Have you ever been in a home that just feels right? One where chairs pull out easily from the dining table and conversation can be made without shouting across the living room? Well there are reasons for that, and they probably have a lot to do with spacing and placement. Following a few simple guidelines will make a world of difference in the functionality of your home's layout. In general I believe that design rules are meant to be broken, but not when it comes to proper height and furniture spacing. When these basics are out of whack even the most delicious assortment of furnishings will seem off. Let's run down the basics... (Image credit: Alexis Buryk) • Distance between the walls and the dining room table: Ideally, provide at least 36" between the dining table and any walls or other furniture on all sides to allow seats to slide out easily.
• Distance between a dining table and an entrance: Provide around 48" between the table and an entrance to allow people to enter and exit the room with ease. • Vertical space between a dining chair and dining table: Chairs and chair arms should be able to slide under the table with ease. Leave about 7" between the chair arm and apron of the table. • Distance between chandelier and dining table: This is one of the more flexible topics. Low hanging lighting sets a more modern tone, but even so, it should never interfere with the ability to make conversation— no need to duck your face down to the table just to see your dinner guests. However, a light hung too high will detract from the cohesive feel of a room as well. A good rule is to hang lighting between 24"-32" from the table. • Area rug and dining table: A rug should span about 36" wider on all sides of a dining table to allow chairs to pull out easily without catching. • Space between dining chairs: Ideally provide about 24" between chairs to prevent hitting elbows and to allow people to slide chairs in and out without any collisions or bruised knuckles.
(Image credit: Taryn & Sanford's Unflappable Abode) • Distance between a sofa and coffee table: Allow around 18" between the table and sofa edge to give enough leg room but to be able to set down drinks or reach appetizers without straining. Coffee table heights vary greatly, but a good rule is to keep the table height and seat height within 4 inches of each other. • Distance between seating furniture: Aim to provide between 3.5' and 10' between seating options to help conversation flow without crowding a room. • Side table and sofa height: In general, an end table should be approximately the same height as the arm of your sofa or chair. This allows guests to set down or reach for drinks without straining, and it also lends a more cohesive feel to the room. • Distance between tv and sofa: There should be about 7' between the tv and seating options. • Area rugs and furniture: Too often area rugs end up feeling like bath mats. To keep your area rug from feeling random, at least the front two legs of a sofa or chair should rest on the rug.