simple ways to instantly make your dining room cosier

Whether your dining room is a separate room, a part of your kitchen or part of an open plan living area, it’s the space to gather and eat, not just when you have company but daily. It’s a place where celebrations take place, where everyday conversations happen and where memories are made. In other words, dining spaces are for lingering and spending long evenings, not just for eating and leaving.

Sometimes though dining areas can feel a bit lacking. After all it’s a space with just a table and some chairs so while it is a functional space, it doesn’t have to look cold and uninviting. There are several ways to instantly make you dining room feel warm and cosy without making any big changes.

instant ways to cosy up your dining room

consider the lighting

It’s no secret that lighting can transform a room and the dining room is no exception. If your dining room is lacking warmth, start with looking at your lighting. As a general rule for cosiness, you’ll want soft, warm lighting so choose bulbs that aren’t overly bright and cool.

Consider a statement light hung above the dining table which will create so much visual interest and will act as the focal point of the space. If your table is on the larger side, consider hanging three lights over the table, using the tried and tested design ‘rule of three’. Either way, statement lights will bring the table and chairs together making the space look cohesive.

Don’t stop there with your lighting though. It’s important to have multiple light sources to create a cosy atmosphere so, depending on the size of your space, consider adding table lights, a floor lamp and some candles.

layer in some texture

Ever finished decorating a room and felt it was missing something? The answer more often than not is the lack of texture, which is the key to making any room, including a dining room, feel warm and welcoming.

You may even have the perfect dining table and dining chairs but if your dining room lacks texture, it won’t look right as texture adds visual interest and prevents the room from looking flat or boring. Texture is even more important if your style leans minimal like mine.

Texture comes in many forms and the way you layer in texture depends on your space and type of dining furniture. If you have windows in your dining area, adding some sheer linen curtains is a great way to add some softness to the space. If you have wooden or metal dining chairs or any chairs that are un-upholstered, draping sheepskins over the chairs will add instant warmth. I recently did this in my kitchen and just this simple addition of sheepskins on the chairs has transformed the space, making it feel so much cosier. Adding a tablecloth, table runner or a couple of marble candle holders to your dining table will also add texture.

The above are just a few examples but the key here is to use a mix of different materials like linen, wool, metal, stone, rattan, sheepskin and more. Pick a few of your favourites and incorporate them into your space.

bring in a rug

Rugs add instant warmth in any space and though they’re very commonly seen in living areas, they’re not as common in dining rooms. Simply adding a rug to your dining area is one easy way to cosy up your dining space instantly. Consider natural materials like wool or jute that add texture and warmth.

In addition to making your dining area feel more welcoming, a rug is particularly important when a dining space is part of a larger open plan living area because the rug helps to anchor the dining area and makes it feel intentional.

Although rugs are great for adding texture too, they are such a great way to add instant warmth to a dining space even if you do nothing else and therefore, they need a separate mention.

add some greenery

Adding some foliage to your dining space will make it look more inviting. There are so many ways of doing this depending on the space. If you have a big dining area any large indoor tree or plant you like will make a statement.

Alternatively, you can dot smaller plants around if that works better for you. If space is on the tighter side, simply place a vase on the dining table filled with fresh flowers or dried stems or some foliage or even a foraged branch.

create calm with storage

A calm space will always feel more welcoming so consider adding some dining room storage like a sideboard if space allows or a small cabinet. It’s perfect for storing your dining room essentials like plates, napkins and glasses. Try and opt for natural materials like wood or rattan which will help create an even cosier space.

In addition, any kind of storage will give you an extra surface to display some decor like coffee table books, candlestands and vases adding extra warmth and character to the space.

make it comfortable

No matter how beautifully designed your dining room is, if it’s not comfortable it won’t be used. Or at least it won’t be a space where you and your guests will want to linger so always prioritise comfort. And the more comfortable it is, the cosier the space will feel.

Making it comfortable simply means things like having enough space to move around the dining table, chairs and any storage you may have. It means adding softness to hard seating so if you have hard dining chairs or a dining bench add some cushions or sheepskin rugs to them. Similarly, a rug will feel nicer underfoot than hardwood floors.