1. INVEST IN STATEMENT LIGHTING
Ask any interior designer what makes a room scheme and 9 times out of 10 they'll tell you it's the lighting ideas. We're not just talking finishing touches here, a room's lighting is the most important element of its design and can elevate the space instantly.
2. FOCUS ON STANDOUT CHAIRS
Our second key dining room upgrade isn't, as you might expect, the table but rather the chairs. There are so many striking options around, so how do you go about deciding what kind of dining chairs are best when you want to make a dining room look expensive? Marie-Claire Mrad agrees that chairs are where it's at. 'Gone are the days when the dining table was the star of the show,' she says. 'In today’s luxurious dining spaces, It’s the back of the chairs that steal the limelight, with its shape, color and patterns.'
3. ADD A TALKING POINT WITH SOME ARTWORK
All the best – and most expensive-looking – dining rooms include interesting, but not necessarily expensive artworks. Some even make the art the starting point for the dining room's interior design.
However, if you're one of the many people who struggle with how to choose art for your home, it's worth bearing in mind that art is by its very nature highly personal. Don't try to please everyone with your choices, instead choose a painting or piece that you love and that will add something to the room scheme.
4. CHOOSE LUXURY WALLPAPER, MILLWORK, OR PAINT FINISHES
One sure way to get a well-put-together, expensive look for your dining room is to make the most of the room's existing features. Don't fight against what's already there, but enhance and accentuate its good points. Our design experts have some great tips for doing exactly that, see below for their dining room wall ideas.
5. MIX LUXURY MATERIALS WITH ANTIQUES
There's a real skill involved in decorating with antiques, and a good design rule for the uninitiated is 'less is more', particularly when you're trying to create an expensive look for a dining room. One or two well-chosen antique or vintage items mixed in with lower-value pieces will create a better impression than a room crammed with antiques of varying quality.
6. FIND GOOD QUALITY FLOOR COVERINGS
Your dining room flooring ideas form the foundation of the room scheme. Get these right, and you're ready to build on that to create a beautiful and expensive-looking dining room.
7. CUSTOMIZE FURNISHINGS TO CREATE AN EXPENSIVE, BESPOKE LOOK
Believe it or not, one of the best ways to make your dining room look expensive is to create your own furnishings. We're not quite talking about make do and mend, but simply by adapting or upgrading a piece of furniture or some of your furnishings, you can give them a bespoke, individual look that goes way beyond a price tag.
8. THINK ABOUT YOUR TABLESCAPE AND ACCESSORIES
In all this talk of how to make a dining room look expensive, it's important not to forget the room's raison d'etre! Anyone invited to share a meal at your table won't be thinking about how much things cost. They will, however, be ready to enjoy good company and good food, and will also appreciate the care that's gone into the dining room scheme.