DIY Project: 5 Creative Ways to Redesign Your Dining Area

Take a look at your dining area. How does the interior design, or the lack of it, make you feel? Does it entice you to savor your meals and bond with family and friends? If not, it’s probably time for a dining area renovation. You don’t have to worry about dipping into your savings. There are tons of DIY dining room renovation ideas you can explore with your family as a weekend project.

Here are five techniques on how to renovate your dining room the DIY way. 

Give Your Dining Table a Stunning Lacquer Finish 

The dining table is the crowning glory of your dining room. Give your dining table a makeover by brushing it with a lacquer. Lacquer, a protective finish applied on wood and metalwork, has been used by craftsmen in East Asia and Europe for centuries. This finish comes in different types including solvent-based lacquer, acrylic lacquers, water-based kinds, and Asian-inspired japanning.

The best way to apply lacquer is to use a high-quality bristle brush. This finish dries up fast so if you’re adding thin coats, do so quickly. Before applying lacquer on your wooden dining table, do needed repairs, and sand the surface well. You can explore various lacquer paint colors from antique white to fiery red.

Embrace the French Country Interior Design 

The Provence-inspired style is one of the most favorite variants of the French country interior design. It’s warm, subtly elegant, and exudes the laidback farming lifestyle in the south of France. Traditional Provençal homes are built with local stone and the interior walls are either left untendered or whitewashed once a year. Give your dining room a Provençal wall treatment by painting it with lime-based distempers in pastel shades such as yellow ochre, grayish blue, or pale green. Flowers are essential elements of the French country theme. You can use floral curtains or slipcovers. Don’t forget fresh flowers as the centerpiece.

Wooden furniture pieces, especially those made of walnut, are dominant in Provençal homes. You may polish your wooden dining table and chairs to a high sheen, or purchase a charming dining set that would add warmth to your space. You may want to try the Dunedin dining set that is available in a furniture store in Darwin Australia, it is made of solid timber and is suitable even in a tight dining area.

Chandelier: A Functional Ceiling Jewelry 

Lighting can do wonders in your dining room more than you’d imagine. It can create an illusion of space and highlight certain design elements. The light fixture plays an important role in the overall atmosphere of your space as much as the light output. New York City-based interior designer Sara Story says "A light fixture can be a central feature, like a beautiful piece of jewelry that’s also functional." She recommends linear fixtures above rectangular dining tables and round chandeliers hovering over a small round table. As for the right bulbs, Story says "Warm light is the most flattering in a dining room."

You can browse Pinterest for interesting DIY chandeliers for dining areas. There are those made of recycled canisters, upcycled pallets, and playful strings of bulbs. An odd-shaped chandelier will draw the eye up and capture the imagination. Remember to choose LED or CFL bulbs that are eco-friendly and energy-efficient.

Get Creative with Your Wall Treatment 

Would a floral theme suit your new dining room or would a brick wall look better? Your walls might be the only things you’d need to renovate to give your space a fresh look. Plaster silver leaves of varying shades, layered on top of one another, for a sense of dimensionality. For an Old World accent wall, use a muted shade of red as a wall treatment. You may also opt for dark blue walls and hardwood floors for an eclectic design.

You can also have DIY wood paneling using pieces of pine strips, attached to the wall and painted in shades of gray. "An elegant upgrade that also adds warmth, woodwork can skew contemporary or traditional depending on the size, staining, and spacing of the paneling," according to Architectural Digest.

Introducing the Multipurpose Dining Room 

As homes become smaller, designers are coming up with innovative ways to maximize space and make houses more functional. The multipurpose dining room serves as the cooking, dining, and even entertainment area. How can you create a dual-purpose space? Better Homes and Gardens suggests building floor-to-ceiling bookcases and sideboards for extra storage and a sitting area across the dining room. You can simply place an old upholstered dining chair between the sideboard and bookshelf, then add a coffee table and lamp for a cozy reading area.

Some DIY Dining Room Makeover Tips

You can give your dining chairs a new look with slipcovers. Slipcovers with beaded fringe offer additional warmth to a space. For luxurious-looking yet affordable window treatments, you can mount drapery panels with scalloped edges and beaded trims. Save space and money by installing floating shelves for books and magazines. These can also transform your dining room into a makeshift work area. Try weekend projects such as recycled bottle centerpieces, personalized table runners, and decorative chair cushions.

The modern dining area is more than a place for nourishment. It has become an important space for family discussions, entertainment, and work. Whatever interior design theme you choose, make sure the palettes and furniture pieces promote warmth and encourage interaction. As American author E.A. Bucchianeri once said: "There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the chambers of parliament or the halls of academia but at the unpretentious setting of the kitchen table."

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