---
title: Designing Your Dining Room
description: With a few simple tricks, you can design a dining room that’s perfect for special occasions and everyday life.
image: https://blog.watsons.com/hubfs/Dining/trisha.jpeg
---
- [Services](https://www.watsons.com/services)
- [Education](https://www.watsons.com/education)
[](https://www.watsons.com/)
- [My StoreCincinnati, OH Store](https://www.watsons.com/stores/) **Change Store?**
- **Change Store?**
- [Sign In](https://www.watsons.com/customer/account/login/)
- [Register](https://www.watsons.com/customer/account/create/)
**Search**
Search
[Advanced Search](https://www.watsons.com/catalogsearch/advanced/)
Search
[**
** ](https://www.watsons.com/)
[My Cart ](https://www.watsons.com/checkout/cart/) [My Cart ](https://www.watsons.com/checkout/cart/)
** My Cart**
Close
[](https://www.watsons.com/)
**Search**
Search
[Advanced Search](https://www.watsons.com/catalogsearch/advanced/)
Search
- [My StoreCincinnati, OH Store](https://www.watsons.com/stores/) **Change Store?**
# Designing Your Dining Room
Posted by [Watson's](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/author/watsons) on Nov 30, 2022 11:41:58 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
Dining room design doesn’t always get the love that it deserves. You might not use your dining room as frequently as others but that doesn’t mean your dining space shouldn’t be as stylish and unique as the rest of the house.
But there’s more to a great dining room than just finding the right table. With a few simple tricks, you can design a dining room that’s perfect for special occasions and everyday life.
## Before You Start
The good news is that designing a dining room usually isn’t as complicated as designing for other rooms of the house. It’s really just a matter of finding a few key pieces of furniture that fit your space.
When designing a dining room, you have the benefit of purpose to inform the space. In other words, everyone knows what they’re supposed to do in the dining room - sit down and eat! [Dining room furniture](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/dining-kitchen) only needs to facilitate the dining experience.
The biggest question is whether you’re designing a dining room for daily meals with the family or for a few special occasions throughout the year. When designing for everyday dining, you should look for furniture that’s comfortable and easy to clean. When designing a dining room that’s mostly for special occasions, you can get away with sacrificing some comfort in favor of looks and style.
Regardless of how you intend to use your dining room, there are some main pieces of furniture you’ll need:
- Dining table
- Dining chairs
- Hutch
## Design to Scale
The size of your dining room is the first thing to consider. Do you have a small dining room with a low ceiling or a large open space?
You should choose a [dining room table](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/dining-kitchen/dining-tables) that fits the dimensions of the room. As a rule, the larger the room is, the larger the table should be. The smaller the room, the smaller the table should be.
If you have a long dining room, it’s a great opportunity for a traditional dining room table with lots of seating space. But that’s not to say a small space can’t make a great dining room, too. You can try setting a smaller dining table against one corner of the room while adding a secondary seating area or [home bar](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/bar/home-bars) in another corner.
## Illuminate the Space
Besides quality furniture, lighting is arguably the most important aspect of dining room design. The amount of light your dining room receives can dramatically affect the mood of the space. Unless you have an especially low ceiling, you really can’t go wrong with a chandelier to illuminate the area.
But you’ll also want to add some supplemental lighting in the form of sconces or lamps. A bright, warm dining room will encourage guests to stay at the table longer. And as the night goes on, you can always turn off a few of those accent lights to set the mood for cocktails and dessert.
## Store in Style
A [hutch or sideboard](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/dining-kitchen/china-hutches) affords you the ability to store extra dinnerware while seamlessly blending into your dining room design. Giving your plates and cutlery a dedicated storage space ensures that you’ll spend less time darting back and forth from the kitchen. It’s also a great way to display your most beautiful glassware, trivets, and plates.
## Define the Area
There’s some debate over whether or not to incorporate an area rug into a dining room. After all, spills are bound to happen, and it can be heartbreaking to watch red wine stain your gorgeous carpet. But adding an area rug to a dining room can help to define the space and make it feel cozier.
An [area rug](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/living-room/indoor-rugs) can help to distinguish the dining space from the bare floor. Generally, it should be large enough not just to fit the table, but also to accommodate dining chairs when they’re completely pulled out - about two feet of extra space from the dining table. Just try to find a rug that’s easy to clean, like wool or hair-on-hide. Avoid thick-textured carpeting and try to find a machine-washable rug if possible.
## Mix and Match
Don’t feel obligated to match every piece of furniture in your dining room. A bit of contrast can invigorate the space and showcase your design philosophy. For example, you can decide on one style of dining table and choose different materials or colors for your [dining chairs](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/dining-kitchen/dining-chairs). You can even incorporate [dining benches](https://www.watsons.com/furniture/dining-kitchen/kitchen-benches) and other types of seating into the mix. However you mix and match your dining room furniture, it’s a good idea to design for comfort rather than style.
## Add Some Character
Finally, you’ll want to add some art to your dining room to complete the space. You don’t want to distract from the dining room furniture itself, so don’t hang any artwork larger than the length of your dining table. But there’s plenty of opportunity to hang a gallery wall of smaller photographs and artwork to give some character to your dining room. Some other decor options include:
- Framed mirrors
- Patterned wallpaper
- Display shelves
- Hanging or wall-mounted plants
- Any combination of the above
At Watson’s, we have a wide selection of dining room furniture for you to choose from. Whether you’re looking for dining tables, dining chairs, or complete dining sets, you’re sure to find the right furniture at the best price. Stop by in-store or online to experience Watson’s amazing selection, incredible value, and personalized service for yourself.
Newsletter Sign Up
    
## Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Get $15 off your next purchase of $75 or more when you sign up!
## Popular Posts
[Pool School Prize Winners: Day 3 (4/24/26)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-3-2026)
April 24, 2026
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-3-2026)
[Pool School Prize Winners: Day 2 (4/22/26)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-2-2026)
April 23, 2026
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-2-2026)
[Pool School Prize Winners: Day 1 (4/21/26)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-1-2026)
April 22, 2026
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-1-2026)
[The Hidden Costs of Cheap Indoor Furniture (and How to Avoid Them)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/hidden-costs-cheap-indoor-furniture)
September 30, 2025
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/hidden-costs-cheap-indoor-furniture)
[Luxury Hot Tub Features You Didn’t Know You Needed
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/luxury-hot-tub-features-you-didnt-know-you-needed)
August 20, 2025
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/luxury-hot-tub-features-you-didnt-know-you-needed)
[7 Things You Should Never Do in a Hot Tub (And Why)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/7-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-hot-tub-and-why)
August 19, 2025
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/7-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-hot-tub-and-why)
## Posts By Tags
- [Spas and Hot Tubs (98)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/spas-and-hot-tubs)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Furniture (89)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-furniture)
- [Indoor Furniture - Living Room (58)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-living-room)
- [Pool - Above Ground Pools (57)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-above-ground-pools)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Accessories (35)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-accessories)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Firepits (24)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-firepits)
- [Pool - Chemicals (23)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-chemicals)
- [Spas and Hot Tubs - Supplies and Equipment (21)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/spas-and-hot-tubs-supplies-and-equipment)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Grills and Brick Ovens (20)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-grills-and-brick-ovens)
- [How to (16)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/how-to)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Umbrellas and Bases (15)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-umbrellas-and-bases)
- [Pool - Supplies (14)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-supplies)
- [Spas and Hot Tubs - Swim Spas (14)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/spas-and-hot-tubs-swim-spas)
- [Games and Rec - Foosball (13)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-foosball)
- [Indoor Furniture - Home Theater Seating (11)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-home-theater-seating)
- [Saunas and Steam Rooms (11)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/saunas-and-steam-rooms)
- [Games and Rec - Pool and Billiards (10)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-pool-and-billiards)
- [Learn more (10)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/learn-more)
- [Pool - Equipment (10)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-equipment)
- [Brand Spotlight (9)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/brand-spotlight)
- [Indoor Furniture - Dining and Kitchen (9)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-dining-and-kitchen)
- [Pool - Semi-inground Pools (9)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-semi-inground-pools)
- [Games and Rec - Shuffleboards (7)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-shuffleboards)
- [Games and Rec - Arcade Games (6)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-arcade-games)
- [Games and Rec - Poker and Game Tables (4)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-poker-and-game-tables)
- [Home Decor - Accessories (4)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-accessories)
- [Indoor Furniture - Bar (4)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-bar)
- [Games and Rec - Air Hockey (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-air-hockey)
- [Games and Rec - Dartboards (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-dartboards)
- [Games and Rec - Ping Pong and Table Tennis (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-ping-pong-and-table-tennis)
- [Home Decor - Bar Accessories (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-bar-accessories)
- [Fireplaces - Electric (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/fireplaces-electric)
- [Home Decor - Tableware (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-tableware)
- [Ideas (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/ideas)
- [Insider (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/insider)
- [Life's Best Moments (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/lifes-best-moments)
- [Pool School (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-school)
- [Home Decor - Rugs (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-rugs)
- [Media Consoles (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/media-consoles)
- [Product Announcement (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/product-announcement)
- [new product (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/new-product)
- [sale (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/sale)
- [winter (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/winter)
[Show More](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/designing-your-dining-room#)
**Never Miss out on a Deal!**
Be the first to receive updates on new arrivals, promotions and special events
Cincinnati Store 2721 E. Sharon Road Cincinnati, OH 45241 513-326-1100
Change Store
- #### Find Us
- -
-
-
-
-
© 2018 Watson's - Life's Best Moments Start Here! All Rights Reserved.
[](https://www.watsons.com/)