How to make a room more invIting

[Perfidy]

We’ve got a very dark dining room. Hardly gets any light apart from First thing in the morning. It’s full of dumped stuff. It’s a very unloved room but I’d like it to feel inviting.

What to do? Wha5 works?

This might post teice

Clear away the dumped stuff, or at least put in some proper storage for it.

Mirror to maximise the light.

Paint it it a lighter, warm colour.

Paint with light colours to make it feel bigger and try to stay away from heavy fabrics like lined curtains and things. Dulux do a pant with light reflecting particles in it which we used in our spare room as it's quite small which seemed to help. Mirrors will also reflect light and make the room appear bigger and lighter too. I think lighting will also play a big part here :)

P.s) love the plants and flooring!

Well, do you actually want to use it for eating in, or something else? I think function partly dictates how to treat a room.

That’s a lot of dark wood in there.

I would put a rug under the table in light colour. Maybe a plain jute one or cream.

I love plants but the big one is really obstructing the window so take thy out. And group the other ones together so the window is clear.

I can’t tell if you have curtains but if you don’t perhaps consider some light coloured ones.

The table and chairs look quite big for the room. High back chairs tend to dominate and divide a room- could you change them? Or you could reupholster the seat pads for a taupe/natural colour.

Take a look on Instagram at Anneli bush for colour/style inspiration.

Big cream rug on the floor, it’s lovely but sucking the light out the room. Paint the walls a brighter colour. Tidy out the mess. Change the furniture if possible to light stuff and not dark wood.

It’s dark and cluttered as you have dark floors, dark furniture, and clutter.

Yes, what do you want to use the room for? Which way does it face? It looks quite big- is that right?

It's a lovely room op. I think painting it a light colour would help, and a large mirror would help reflect light.

Easy fix since you have dark walls, dark wood, and a huge plant is blocking the light from the window!

Move plant. Clear clutter. Pale rug. Paint walls light colour. Different room

I think dark can be inviting, it’s the colour choice that’s important. If that room was a dark green, velvet drapes and some good lighting (lamps etc), it would be dark, but in a cosy and dramatic fashion.
Then add more plants.

Put that massive plant on the floor! Lighter paint. Better storage. My home office is also on our dining table - it's hard. We have a home office but it's out of the way and small.

Anelli Bush from insta is a bit drab and unimaginative. But insta is a good place for inspiration!!

Also but some nicer posts for the plants on the windowsill and group them a bit more.

Agree, a massive plant in front of the windo isn’t helping either.

I don’t think that’s a dark room as such, I think it’s because as said you’ve dark floors, dark furniture and have partially blocked the window, as well as have it cluttered.

I may have been prioritising the plant's need for light over our own! Lik3 th3 thought of a rug. It’s where I’m working at moment.

I think the room looks pretty inviting anyway! Have you seen the Property Brothers on tv? It’s a US makeover show, their style is a bit formulaic but they always make the rooms look great. They tend to use dark wood floors a lot but with light walls and colourful touches - it might give you ideas on how to brighten the room if you want to keep the dark flooring and furniture.

1st of all id remove that whacking big tree from the window. Then paint the walls a light colour.

I think the brown wall actually looks warm and cosy and seeing that the other wall is beige, I assume the brown is a feature wall?

If every other thing is in a lighter colour to complement the brown, it will look inviting. Remember colour preference is subjective, so choose ones you like. I would personally go with beige, mocha (or any other warm light colour), orange or dark red as accents against the beige and brown walls.

Paint the walls a light colour, get better storage in the alcoves, clear the stuff in front of the window and radiator. Put a large mirror up (wall opposite the window if poss) to reflect the light. It looks like it has the potential to be lovely!

I agree with @Magicbabywaves dark colours can be warm and inviting. My dining room is a deep Victorian red with dark antique oak furniture, it is dramatic and warm. The DC have gravitated to working in their during home learning.

I am ruthless about clutter, you need good lighting unless the room has good natural light. Soft furnishings including tablecloths make a difference, as does scent.

We moved in just before lockdown so it is still all cluttered. The walls desperately need stripping and a refresh, there's a kind of textured wall paper on them. The floor is lovely.

The dining room table is light oak as are the chairs.

I took down the dark purple curtains as they were blocking the light.

I like the idea of using a darker wallpaper/mirrors and getting the storage shorted. The house has very little storage!!