Your dining room is a place to make memories with friends and family, and nothing puts a damper on dinner faster than your space being outdated. Fortunately, a few small but thoughtful upgrades can make a big impact—without breaking the bank. Instead of overhauling the entire room, focus on the elements you dislike the most, and plan to revamp just those parts. Here are six small upgrades that can modernize your dining room:
- Reupholster dining room chairs: Breath new life into your existing furniture with new, fun fabrics. This is a super easy project that you can do quickly with a minimal amount of tools. Recover chair seats or add pillows to elevate outdated furniture.
- Paint the walls or ceilings: add pops of color with a tranquil green, navy blue or a classic white. We have some great recommendations for paint colors that are on trend and will make your space look amazing! Reach out to Sharla for our list of tried and true favorites.
- Paint a piece of furniture: Upcycle your grandma's old sideboard with a fresh coat of paint. We have been seeing people do this with trendy colors and rich tones to help bring personality into your space! Take this a step further by swapping out the vintage hardware for something modern like matte black pulls or glass knobs.
- Apply patterned wallpaper: We are seeing a lot of wallpaper popping up in homes. This is another fun way to add a little personality to your dining area. Wallpaper can be as funky or muted as you would like. If you don't love the idea of going all-in and papering the whole room, consider adding it to one wall to create a featured focal point or install it over a wainscoting.
- Swap out old light fixtures: natural materials, brushed brass, cloth drums - all of these are great options! Statement lighting is a fun way to refresh to your space. New lighting can make a statement for your dining table.
- Add wall paneling - we aren't talking about shiplap here. In fact, that is a trend that we will be seeing in the rearview mirror in 2023. A nice, crisp board and batten wall or wainscoting will do the trick. You can paint them a nice white or make the space more playful by adding a pop of color. 
With over 18 years in the real estate business, we have seen so many trends come and go. We love all the creative ideas and we have a ton of our own. If you are looking to make a splash or freshen up your space, reach out to Sharla and Eric Stafford. They can help you make selections or decide on where you can put in your time and money to help you get the biggest return on your investment!
