How to make a formal dining room casual
Many people run out and purchase formal furniture for their dining rooms only to find out later that they prefer a more casual setting. Perhaps this has happened to you, finding yourself in a fully-furnished dining room that feels terribly out of place. Fortunately, you do not need to be stuck with your costly mistake. By using just one or a few of the following tips, you can transform a formal dining room into a casual dining environment:
Walls: Instead of dark rich colors like red or dark blue, paint your walls in a lighter hue. Choose bright airy colors like yellow, white, or light green. For added interest, do a faux wall treatment to give the look of aged paint. This is accomplished by using Venetian plaster treatment or a washing technique with thinned furniture stain.
Window treatments: Simplify your multilayered formal window treatment by removing some of the layers. Leave behind only one layer, like the window topper or the sheer translucent curtain, shades, or blinds. Use a whimsical rod instead of the formal cornice board.
Furniture: Paint dark, intricately-carved tables and chairs a light color. This is a quick way to make formal dining furniture appear less formal. You can sand and paint it, use a whitewash technique or a crackle finish. If you think you may want to convert it back to formal use in the future, you should use slipcovers and tablecloths instead. Instead of simple boring tablecloths and slipcovers, make your room more interesting by using a mix of patterns on the chairs and layering your tablecloths. Be unique and creative in your fabric choices. Try using a chenille white throw blanket spread on your table to turn the mood from formal to casual.
Floors: If you have wall-to-wall carpet, you may want to layer a lightweight rug with a simple pattern on top to make it a little more interesting. If your floors are wood, get rid of your formal and intricately-patterned carpet and leave the floor bare or add a natural sisal rug.
China cabinet: A formal china cabinet can be difficult to cover up or disguise. You can change the look of it by changing what you display in it. Put away the gold-trimmed china and crystal glassware and display simple clay and rustic pottery instead. Another option is to use it somewhere else in the house, and replace it with an iron and wood baker's rack or a simple wall shelf.
Wall hangings: Instead of hanging a formal floral still life painting complete with a picture light, exchange it for something more fun and relaxed. Hang a tapestry on the wall, or simple illustrations. Another option is to paint a simple mural on the wall.
Accessories: Put away your fancy candleholders and gold accessories and display chunky casual candles and rustic garage sale finds. For your floral centerpiece, simply purchase several flowering potted plants, and group them together instead of spending a fortune on a live or silk arrangement.