How to Make Your Dining Room Look Festive
Today I’m taking part in a Holiday Home Tour organized by Jenny of Evolution of Style. I usually share my porch, but I chose the dining room this time. If you are popping over from Hello Lovely, where Michele shares her gorgeous entryway, welcome! So here’s how to make your dining room look festive with a few little tweaks!
I’m all about using what I have with a few new things to mix it up. It’s simple, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want it to be festive! I leaned into the idea of winter white and neutrals. Big surprise, right?!
The Chandelier
This is an easy place to start if you have the kind of chandelier that can be spruced up for the holidays. I have this one from Serena & Lily. I love being able to add a few foraged greens and some homemade paper ornaments for a special evening.
Once it gets cold, I like to bring out the sheepskins, a bench, and a tablecloth with a runner to feel extra cozy. I’m keeping it all in shades of creamy whites, but the different textures add plenty of interest. The tablecloth is linen from Garnet Hill, the table runner is from Serena & Lily, and more woven linen. It’s sold out, but this one would be very pretty in nature. I have it in charcoal that I use often. You can see it here.
A Very Simple Centerpiece
I used the farmhouse plank that Brent made and added my Scandinavian-inspired felt trees and a few votives in new diamond-cut shot glasses from Walmart. Dried hydrangeas in the propagation wall turned flower wall, and I used my Sintra Stoneware from Garnet Hill with clear Duralex glassware.
Add a Christmas Tree in the Dining Room
I used to do this in our New Canaan home, but since living here, it seems my plants have taken over all the corners of the dining room. I moved them around to make room for a small Christmas tree with white lights. It makes it so cozy!
Paper Bag Snowflakes & Twig Stars
I started making paper bag snowflakes/stars a few years ago and have made them ever since. They are so easy to make, adding warmth to the room. Someone on Instagram asked if I left them up all year long. By late February or March, I will be so ready for rooms that feel light and open, but for now, I love how the kraft paper bags warm up the white walls.
I made twig stars for the living room windows last year, and they were featured in Better Homes & Gardens. You can read more here. This year I’ve added them to the dining room windows. They don’t block as much light as the paper bag snowflakes, but they add a touch of holiday! When guests come over, I can clip some fresh evergreens to attach to the stars and remove them when it’s dry.
Candlelight, and more candlelight with diamond-cut shot glasses from Walmart
Votive candles in diamond-cut shot glasses on the table and in little tart tins on the flower wall shelves help illuminate the dining room day and night.
The Coffee Bar
We recently added the brass rail with S hooks above the coffee bar, and Patrick’s darling girlfriend, Kate, brought these perfect monogrammed mugs!
Here are more ideas for dining rooms, living rooms, outdoor spaces, laundry rooms, dens, kitchens, and bedrooms from 26 bloggers
Monday, November 28th (Front Porch/Outdoor Spaces)
Evolution of Style | Maison de Cinq | Home by Heidi | Southern Hospitality | Cindy Hattersley Design
Tuesday, November 29th (Entries/Dining Rooms)
Hello Lovely | A Stroll Thru Life | County Road 407 | Southern Heather | Classic Casual Home | Most Lovely Things
Wednesday, November 30th (Living Rooms/Dens)
Northern California Style | Thrifty Decor Chick | Summer Adams | Make Mine a Spritzer | Sincerely Marie Designs | Postcards from the Ridge
Thursday, December 1st (Mantels/Kitchens/Laundry Rooms)
Southern Hospitality | Cindy Hattersley Design | Home with a Twist | Sincerely Marie Designs | Citrine Living
Friday, December 2nd (Bedrooms)
Dimples and Tangles | This is Our Bliss | Shine Your Light | Sincerely Marie Designs
I love the juxtaposition of crystal and craft paper. Genius. The new mugs are so cute, too!
Oh I love it all. The paper bag snowflakes are amazing and such a statement. Your table centerpiece is so pretty. What a great idea to create a small village scene down the center. I also really like the coffee bar, such a great idea and yours looks so pretty with the little striped skirt. Great tour filled with tons of inspiration.
Annie – the neutrals and hushed palette is so comforting and natural! Your twig stars? What can I say? May have watched your reel a hundred times just because of your magic and ability to infuse a peaceful, unrushed simplicity into your projects. This is no small thing in an age of rapid fire dopamine ditties. Love the relationships you create among the design ingredients (i.e. sepia hydrangea and paper bag stars) which underscore a warm feeling that it all hangs together like a family. Thank you for sharing the blessing of your gifts – I remain a twiggy starstruck fan. xox
Annie, love the neutrals for the holidays. Your dining room looks beautiful and cozy.
Hi Annie,
You are the STAR of creative ideas. Everything you touch turns to magic.
I like the natural elements you work with.
Thank you for sharing your home.
I’ve gained so much inspiration from the details in your post and I love it! Every nook and cranny has something to look and smile at all day long. I bet you really enjoy being in there. And I know at night it must look so cozy and inviting. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday season.
Annie, your dining room is a holiday haven. I can’t stop looking at your beautiful paper bag snowflakes … a real wow factor. And your tree and cute coffee bar. All your neutral, natural crafts are so pretty and inspirational. Happy holiday’s! xo
Hi Annie
What a great idea using shot glasses for votives! We use small juice glasses for Jenna’s wedding many moons ago! Your table is darling…love the twig stars. I have got to do your paper bag stars with Summer at Christmas. She is so much more patient now.
Small juice glasses from Jenna’s wedding sound perfect! Summer would love those paper bag snowflakes. Opening them the first time is magical!xx
Annie, I adore your stars and your big snowflakes. I am going to try them this season! The little tree in the corner looks so cute and cozy in the dining room. I love it all! x
Annie congrats on your BH&G feature!! I was so excited to see you in there! This post is chock fall of great take aways. I never thought to use shot glasses as votives and your diamond cut ones are so pretty. The new brass rail with s hooks for mugs is another great idea! Your paper snowflakes hung en masse look amazing. I ordered white paper bags to make them with your tutorial. Thanks for sharing so many do-able ideas!! Wishing you a happy happy Christmas season!
Oh, thank you, Lisa! The white ones will look pretty all winter! Your firepit looks so magical!!
I’ve made a bunch of paper bag snowflakes per your tutorial for hanging in windows this holiday. LOVE how you’ve used them on the wall this time! How did you hang them so they appear flat on the wall?
Hi Wendy, I used push pins on the wall and tape on the framed poster. They are not very flat.