Tips for Modernizing Your Dining Room

The rest of your house has a modern look and feel, but when you step into your dining room, it's as if you've stepped back a few decades. You can modernize the look of your dining room without spending a fortune, buying a new set of furniture or completely redoing the room.  Add splashes of color to the room for a modern, bold look.

Furniture

Traditional dining rooms usually have wooden furniture stained a deep, rich shade. While that furniture is beautiful in its own way, it just doesn't belong in a modern room. Modernize the furniture's appearance by painting or staining it either a deep ebony or black or by painting it a bright optic white.

Redo the upholstery on the chairs using a brightly colored, boldly patterned fabric. If you don't want color, use a sharp black and white pattern, especially if you painted the furniture white. Geometric designs are far more modern than florals. Add modern slipcovers to plain wooden chairs to bring them up-to-date and conceal any traditional flourishes in the chairs' design.

Decorations

Older style dining rooms usually have ornate chandeliers and centerpieces. Give your room a sleek look by taking the chandelier down and replacing it with a simple, round overhead light.

Steel and glass are key components in a modern decorating plan. Modernize the room by hanging a large mirror behind the table on one wall. The mirror will improve the look of the space and make it seem larger, a must in narrow dining rooms.

Instead of a vase overflowing with flowers, set a shallow, stainless steel bowl on the table. Fill the bowl with fruit or with rocks. Hang a print or painting in a geometric design on the wall opposite the mirror. Drape a solid color table runner across the width of the table. Position the fruit bowl just off center on the runner.