Decorating Your Dining Room: Must-Have Tips

It’s no fun to always play by the rules when decorating, but I have several tried and true measurements that I refer back to again and again to help pull a room together. I’ve already shared my must-have measurements for hanging art and my tips for decorating living rooms and now we’re moving on to dining rooms. So if you’re wondering how high to hang a chandelier over your dining room table, the best size chairs to fit your table, or how large of a dining room rug to buy, these tips should help!

What size chandelier should I hang over my dining table and how high above the table should I hang it?

• The width of the chandelier should be about 1/2 to 2/3 the width of the table it will be hanging over. It should also be at least 12″ less than than the width of your table so that you don’t bump it with your head when getting in or out of your seat.
• The bottom of the chandelier should hang between 30″ – 34″ above the surface of the table when there is an 8′ ceiling. For higher ceilings, you can hang the chandelier up to 3″ higher for each additional foot of ceiling.

What size chairs are going to work best with my dining table?

• To determine the seat height that’s best for your table, take the height of your table and subtract 12 inches.  For example, most dining tables are 30″ high so an appropriate seat height would be 30-12=18″.
• A seat depth of 16-18″ is recommended for dining.
• The backs of dining room chairs should definitely be taller than the top of the dining table but how much taller is a matter of personal preference.  When dining chairs are lower in height, it feels more modern whereas taller chairs tend to make a room feel more traditional and formal. If you’re using different side and end chairs, your end chairs should be taller than your side chairs.
• For rectangular dining tables, ideally allow a minimum of 24″-28″ of table length per person and some additional inches at the corners (how much space is needed at the corners depends upon the table width – more additional space is needed for narrower tables than for wider tables). Always consider the location of the table’s legs/base in determining how many people it will comfortably seat. Also consider the width of your dining chairs – if you have wider than average chairs, the amount of table length per person will need to be greater.

How much space do I need to leave between my dining chairs and the wall or furniture behind it? 

• Allow at least 32-36″ of space between the back of each dining chair and the wall or furniture behind it to allow room to pull chairs in and out easily. If the area behind the chairs is a traffic pathway, increase the amount of space to at least 42-48″.

How large of a rug should I choose for under my dining room table?

• Rugs under a dining room table should be 24-30″ wider and longer than the table, allowing the back legs of the chairs to stay on the rug even when the chairs are pushed out.

And what about hanging art in your dining room? You’ll find all of my rule of thumb measurements for hanging art {here}.

And you’ll find helpful measurements for decorating your living room {here}.

Hope you all find a tip or two that’s helpful!