Dining Room Refresh: Sneak Peek

At the beginning of this year, we thought we would be refreshing our family room. It felt like the natural next step after years of using that room every day and night. But as we started looking around, it became very clear that the one room that deserved a refresh was the formal dining room.

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Our Current Dining Room

Our dining room sits right next to the living room in one large, open space and has been untouched since we moved in 19 years ago.

Everything in that room — the furniture, the layout, even the chandelier — had stayed exactly the same. What once felt like a beautiful traditional setup now feels outdated and disconnected from the rest of our home. So instead of starting with the family room, we shifted our focus and decided to finally give the dining room the attention it deserved.

We probably spent the last six months browsing local stores like City Furniture and Ashley Furniture, going through catalogs, and walking through showrooms. There’s something reassuring about seeing pieces in person, knowing exactly what you’re getting, and having everything delivered and assembled without lifting a finger. But no matter how many options we looked at, nothing really felt right for this space. So we decided to take a chance and purchase everything online.

I did a lot of research — reading reviews, comparing materials, and, if I’m honest, spending more time than I should have on Instagram seeing how these pieces looked in real homes. Instead of purchasing a full dining set with matching table, chairs, and storage, I made a more intentional choice to bring the room together one piece at a time.

The room isn’t fully complete yet, but most of the main pieces are assembled, and it already feels like a completely different space. Below is a closer look at each item we’ve chosen for this dining room refresh, along with a few pieces I’m still deciding on.

Trestle Dining Table

This dining room makeover started with the table. I found a solid wood trestle dining table with clean lines and a light wood tone that immediately felt like the right direction for the space. It has that balance I am drawn to — simple and slightly modern in shape, yet still warm and grounded by the wood grain.

This dining table is big and sturdy, with a thick top. We love the extra leaf, so we can seat up to 8 people, although our plan is to leave the leaf out and place just 6 chairs.

The black trestle base adds just enough contrast to make it feel current without losing that traditional character. That one piece set the tone for everything else. As I mentioned earlier, everything ended up coming from Wayfair. It simply happened that once I found the table there, one thing led to another, and the entire room started to come together from that starting point.

Dining Room Chairs

While the table seats up to 8 people (maybe 10), we opted for a seating plan for 6 people. So we ordered two armchairs for the ends and four Parsons armless chairs along the sides. Simple in theory, but this part has been a bit of a process. The first set of Parsons chairs had to be returned due to my oversight. I chose polyester, and the material didn’t match the look or feel of the armchairs, which are upholstered in linen.

The second order was supposed to fix that — I selected linen, which is what I originally wanted — but they arrived in chenille due to an error in the product listing. I will say that customer support handled it very well and processed the return right away. At this point, I’m waiting on the third order and hoping this time it’s exactly what I had in mind. I was aiming for something traditional, comfortable, and budget-friendly, around the $100 range per chair, and these still seem like the best option if they arrive correctly.

Dining Room Storage: Arched Cabinet and Sideboard

Storage was one of the biggest decisions in this dining room makeover. I knew right away that I did not want a traditional china cabinet with a hutch. That style served its purpose for many years, but it feels dated to me now. At the same time, I still needed a place to store and display my china. The solution ended up being a combination of an arched cabinet and a sideboard.

The arched cabinet strikes a balance between traditional and contemporary — the curved top softens the piece, while the cleaner lines keep it from feeling heavy. It allows me to display the pieces I love without the room leaning too formal. Next to it, I will place a sideboard for practical storage and a serving surface when we host. Both pieces bring in black with light wood tones, but they are not identical.

I intentionally avoided a matching set this time. I wanted the space to feel layered and collected, not like everything was purchased together, and that small shift already makes the room feel more updated.

Dining Room Rug

To keep the space grounded and still keep traditional charm, I leaned into a traditional rug. I chose one from the Magnolia Homes x Loloi collection because it has that soft, vintage look that adds warmth without competing with the furniture.

Our floors are beige tile, so the rug needed to define the dining area while still blending naturally with the rest of the space. This one does both. The tones are soft, the pattern is subtle, and it adds just enough texture to make the room feel finished without overwhelming it. It also helps balance the furniture’s cleaner lines, which was important to me. I did not want a stark, modern space, and I think a vintage-patterned rug balances it.

As you can see, our cat already claimed the rug as her lounging pad. She blends in with the colors, watch you don’t step on her.

Dining Room Chandelier

The only piece I haven’t committed to for this dining room makeover yet is the chandelier. We have had the same candelabra-style fixture for nineteen years, and while it has served its purpose, I am ready for something different. I am leaning toward a design with cleaner, more modern lines to move away from the traditional arms we’ve had for so long. I did find one option I really like, but the price is definitely something I need to think through.

My backup would be a gold candelabra-style chandelier, which would work, but it feels like going back to what we already had. For now, I’m taking my time with this decision. It’s one of those pieces that can completely change the feel of the room, so I want to get it right. If you have a preference, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Browse My Dining Room Refresh Picks

This refresh is still in progress, and I’ll be sharing more as the room continues to come together — especially the window treatments, which will make a big difference in how the space feels. For now, it’s been encouraging to see how a few thoughtful changes can begin to shift a room that had been standing still for so long. If you’re working on your own dining room refresh, start with one piece that feels right, take your time, create mood boards and wish lists, and build from there. Sometimes that’s all it takes to move a space forward.

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to fresh starts, Flavia 🌿