» From Cottage Living » View All Slides Break Up Dining Chairs Unless you seat 8 to 10 people at your dining table every week, your chairs probably don’t get much use. Steal two from the dining room, and use them to flank a console table in your entry, a dresser in your bedroom, or the sideboard in your living room. New on the Web For a beautiful (and stress-free) table setting at Thanksgiving, place a name tag on the stem of a... » See Full Calendar Most Popular RoomsInstant MakeoverTransform your home with quick, budget-friendly ideas from across our network of sites.Same Closet, More Space5 Cheap Craigslist Finds Transformed25 Ways to Create an Outdoor OasisOur 50 Favorite Built-In Storage IdeasGive a friend 15% off. Get $20 off to spend on yourself. Give a friend 15% off. Plain Pine - HGTV Design Happens When I moved into my apartment, I did a half DIY job on my kitchen table, which is also our dining table. I painted the top and attached the legs, but it wasn't really a building project.
But now that we're getting into fall, I'm getting the itch to tackle new projects, and a new DIY dining table just might be on my list. Here are the tutorials I've been looking to for inspiration. Maybe you'll feel inspired to build something too.The dining room isn’t where we spend most of our time, so it doesn’t make sense to blow your budget on the often just-for-show space—especially when other rooms like kitchens and baths can be so costly. That said, you still want your dining area to look like it cost a fortune. Thankfully, there are a few visual tricks that can give the space that high-end, we-dipped-into-the-kids-college-fund feel. The dining room isn’t where we spend most of our time, so it doesn’t make sense to blow your budget on the often just-for-show space—especially when other rooms like kitchens and baths can be so costly. Scroll below to learn how to make your dining room more expensive. We’ve discussed this before, but using unusual pairings of styles in a dining room can instantly elevate any space.
Think modernist dining chairs with traditional trestle tables, or gilded Louis XIV chairs with Saarinen Tulip tables. Purchasing a matching dining table and chairs creates a run-of-the-mill straight-from-the-showroom look, while an eclectic mix suggests an interior designer played a hand in the curated arrangement. You can take this trick a step further and mismatch your dining chairs, too. Just make sure each chair is special on its own, otherwise it might end up looking like you have a dumpster diving habit. Oversized branches and flowers are nature’s drama queens and an immediate way to bring a bit of spectacle to any room. Slip a few into a simple glass cylinder vase and you’ll have a statement-making centerpiece that costs practically nothing. Large art pieces almost always have an eye-catching impact. Yes, large pieces often cost more than smaller sizes, but by purchasing large-scale prints (rather than original works), you can save a pretty penny. One of the most attainable ways to giving your dining room a polished look is to lay an area rug beneath your dining table.
Many people overlook it, or are intimidated by the idea, but it’s a finishing touch that will pull your room together. Jeffrey Alan Marks Inc. The greatest designer rooms always have a distinct perspective. In the most luxurious homes, it’s often expressed with exceptional furniture and high-end materials. Though you may not be able to afford the finest antiques, you can still express a unique perspective with color, which is available at all price points. Go decidedly all-white with all of your furnishings or choose a bold, eye-catching hue for walls or dining chairs. Your guests will take notice. Even in the most rustic, low-cost dining rooms, a statement chandelier or pendant can totally transform the space. You don’t have to splurge on a crystal fixture, either: There are dozens of DIY projects on the web that you can tackle for $100 or less. Jessica Helgerson Interior Design If you’re going to splurge anywhere in your dining room, custom window treatments are a great place.
Eschewing store-bought curtains in favor of something uniquely you—be it simple linen panels with a pinch pleat, or a patterned drape with an embroidered trim—will give your home that luxurious designer look. Want to make your home look like a magazine? Style it like one! We’ve seen so many homes with dining tables void of accessories when not in use, and it’s a sure fire way to make the room look uninteresting. Luckily, it’s an easy fix. Just look through your closets for interesting bowls, vases, or sculptural pieces, and create an unfussy, yet thoughtfully styled arrangement. There’s something about a dining room that doubles as a library that just looks inherently luxe. Maybe it’s the worldly air a collection of books brings. Or perhaps it’s the geometry. Whatever it is, it’s working. What other decorating ideas do you have for the dining room? Tell us in the comments below. What other decorating ideas do you have for the dining room? Tell us in the comments below.
Decorating Updates for Less Refresh your home decor for less with these budget decorating ideas from designers, bloggers, and our editors. Everything In This Slideshow Small Updates that Matter Accessories do a great job of adding a lot of style without emptying your bank account. Carefully selected items like rugs and artwork can bring your decorating to the next level while still staying within your budget. -- Estee Stanley, Designer & Celebrity Stylist You can get photos printed for pennies and affordable frames for just a few bucks. Put these two budget finds together to create one fabulous gallery on a plain stretch of wall, such as in a stairwell or in a hallway. Style is caring about how you live and how it looks and putting thought and effort into doring it all with elan. Remember, style doesn't have to be expensive, but it does take thought and time. -- Elaine Griffin, designer Look for the potential of secondhand artwork. A fabulous frame can be liberated from the ugly picture it houses, and an ugly frame can be painted.
Shop wall art and decor now! Don't be afraid to paint dull furniture. It's an easy way to update what you have and get like-new pieces without having to make the investment in something truly new. Mirrors work wonders in any room. Have one cut to fit a tabletop or an extra-large picture frame (which usually costs less than buying a big mirror). Go to the next slide to see more bargain ideas from this living room. One Room, Many Bargains The mirror isn't the only budget-friendly idea in this living room. Watch and discover more bargain decorating ideas you can use. See more bargain ideas for every room. I always say pillows make the room! Buy 1 yard of a great fabric, and take it to a dry cleaner who offers alterations. He can sew a simple pillow for you -- cheap. Decorating with nature is free and fun. Cut an interesting branch from your yard and put it in a vase, or gather stones and display them in a tray. -- Jenny Johnson, host of New England Dream House
Spending a little more for a sofa or chair is actually budget-smart if it meets these criteria: a timeless neutral color, clean lines, and the right scale for the room. See more bargain ideas for living rooms. Display mementos like the keys from your first house in a shadow box. It's amazing how great even ordinary things look behind glass. It's easier to go bold with color on a piece of furniture than on walls. Pick a color you love, and paint that dresser. Shop accent chairs now! Make your own one-of-a-kind lamps. A simple kit costs about $10. Almost anything you can drill a hole through can be a lamp base. I've used ceramic vases, banister rungs, carved wood, and wire baskets. -- Summer Baltzer, host of Design on a Dime For a custom look and an unexpected jolt of color, spray-paint the undersides of glass shelves a bright hue. The best place to look for quality furniture on a budget is consignment or thrift stores. If the bones are good, you can always update with paint or fabric.
-- Melissa Michaels, theinspiredroom.net Cover walls with secondhand mirrors, baskets, large clocks, and other items that add dimension. Break up your bedroom set. Bring a bedside table into the living room; use a dresser as a dining room buffet. I love to pick up inexpensive drawings from street artists while I'm on vacation. It's nice to have artwork that means something to you personally. Painted the same color, mismatched secondhand dining chairs look happy together. Use white for a simple look, or embolden your dining room by painting the chairs a deep, rich color. Watch: Learn how to paint furniture. Remove the jackets, then group books by color, standing some upright and stacking others. Shelves will seem more organized and have an artistic, color-blocked look. A pair of oversize urns is a foolproof scheme for a mantel. It's easy and a little glam, especially if the urns are a great color. Make an easy table runner for your next get-together with assorted paper napkins.
Lay out napkins (we used lunch size, but cocktail size would also work) in your desired design, tape the edges together, and flip it over. New Take on Tables In place of a predictable coffee table, use two inexpensive side tables. Outline the edges with strips of nailhead trim for a high-end look. A corbel is a clever perch for an accessory. Try painting it a bright color to draw attention to whatever you put on it. Shop plant stands now! Cheery dish towels are a super inexpensive way to bring a little zing into the kitchen. I always find great towels at World Market and Anthropologie. Plants are an underappreciated decorating tool. They bring life and color to a room, they're relatively inexpensive, and they're good for you, too. Have a card you can't bear to throw away? Put it in a frame or -- easier yet -- perch it on a little easel, and you've got art. Thinking about buying a new lamp, pillow, or throw? Don't bring it home unless it will work in at least two rooms.