Upgrade Your Dining Room on a Budget

If you want to give your dining room a makeover without breaking the bank, there are tons of affordable upgrades that can have a dramatic effect on your space.

Are you interested in maximizing your budget and totally transforming your dining area? We’re going to share some super chic, budget-friendly tips for redecorating your dining space.

Dining rooms are often overlooked as a formal space without much attention to detail. With these inexpensive ideas, there’s no excuse to leave your dining room plain and untouched!

Embrace the Eclectic

Trying to coordinate every last detail can take its toll on your purse strings. Embrace the eclectic aesthetic by mixing and matching different styles and colors! For example, don’t be afraid to combine classic and contemporary styles.

There are certain techniques that can ensure a level of visual cohesion. As long as you keep your space functional and free of unnecessary clutter, a well-planned space will always look intentional.

If you start to feel like your space is losing its purpose and filling up with “stuff,” remove some of the unnecessary décor until the flow feels natural.

Look around the room for small details such as patterns, shapes, and colors. Duplicate these little details to achieve an eclectic look that still looks put together. You want your décor to appear absolutely effortless.

The Power of an Accent Wall

Don’t be afraid to use a bold, vibrant color to make your accent wall pop. You can also opt for some modern wallpaper for a patterned twist. Wallpaper and wall paint are both affordable and easy to apply. They’re also a quick way to give your dining space an entirely new look. If you need paint color ideas, check out our guide to choosing the best paint colors for every room.

The first step is choosing the right wall to accessorize. Your new accent wall will be the first detail guests will notice. It’s best to choose a plain wall without windows or doors to maximize the potential of your space. 

An accent wall is intended to be eye-catching, so get playful with patterns and prints. You can add metallic accents or create a gallery wall! The possibilities are endless. Hang some of your favorite fine art and throw some family photos into the mix. When it comes to creating an accent wall, anything goes as long as it stands out!

Add Wonderful Wall Art

If you don’t want to commit to an entire gallery wall, that doesn’t mean you can’t use wall art to liven things up.

We've asked Architect and Owner of Living Design, Denise Hopkins, to share some ideas for the dining room.

"I love entertaining my friends and family and sharing a home-cooked meal with them is my favorite way to show my love. Adding colorful abstract art will make your dining room a sophisticated, welcoming, and inviting space to gather and celebrate."

Denise chose our Abstract Strokes wall art as the perfect piece for the dining room. She continues, "Abstract Strokes is subtle and colorful. Its soft and texture-rich palette will glow on a neutral wall or one drenched in butter yellow, creamy white, or celery green. Whether you’re hosting a birthday party or a romantic dinner, its informality is flexible and easily adapts with the seasons, your mood, and every holiday you celebrate. The movement is vibrant and complements your stunning table, guests, and the food you’ve prepared (or not, we won’t tell!)."

Artwork directly affects our mood. When you’re having a formal meal in your dining room, you want to make sure the surrounding art enhances your experience. There are tons of culinary-inspired prints to set the mood for a delicious meal. Check out our selection of dining and kitchen-inspired wall art.

If paintings aren’t your thing, you can also hang a decorative mirror, woven wall hanging, vertical garden, or even a chalkboard for guests to leave messages for (you) the host!

Don’t Shy from Statement Lighting

Lighting is one of the simplest and most effective ways to spruce up your dining room while still sticking to a budget. Replace basic light fixtures with striking statement pieces. You can choose anything from modern pendant lights to ornate chandeliers. When it comes to lighting, there’s a fixture for every aesthetic.

You want to choose statement lighting that feels authentic to your personal style. After you’ve selected a fixture that fits your vibe, there are a few design rules to make your bright new addition look its best:

Consider the proportions of your dining room. The size of your dining table will determine how large, and how many light fixtures you need. For those with sizeable dining tables, try not to select a fixture that is too small in proportion. If your dining table has ten seats, you might consider a row of corresponding pendant lights. However, if your table only seats a family of four, a single chandelier will look much more appropriate.

A handy trick is to remember that the fixture is intended to cover 2/3 of the table. Don’t forget that you should always have more than one source of artificial light to avoid a harshly lit atmosphere.

Remember, even if your dining room has built-in recessed lighting, you can still use additional lamps to change the aura of your space.

Because your dining space is all about capturing a romantic ambience, you might consider lights that have a dimmer for a softer effect.

Let’s Start Decorating!

There are plenty of reasonable ways to create a striking dining room. Pick your favorite concept and throw a dinner party for all your friends to enjoy your new dining décor!