Lots of people of a “certain age” have all matching dining room furniture…and well, that look can just look dated. You can do subtle things to make your traditional dining room less boring…even if it is just one of the tips below.
1. Paint
Consider breaking up the set a bit by painting your chairs or china hutch. I painted my 25-year-old chairs white..which gave them a fresh look. We used General Finishes Paint in Antique White. Eventually, I’d like new chairs–saving my pennies (my daughter said she’d like to have these).
This china hutch refresh is by Markova Design…and check out the dining chairs that Barbara refinished by painting them black. You could also just paint the inside of your china hutch, too.
2. Change the Light Fixture
You can do this by getting a more modern one (like our new Camille chandelier), or taking the little shades off your existing candelabra bulbs for a simpler look, or perhaps spray painting the fixture.
3. Re-upholster Your Chairs
These dining chairs above were recovered in a pretty stripe (that was treated first to prevent staining).
New upholstery and lighting.
More here: Five Steps For An Updated Dining Room
4. Add Upholstered Host Chairs or a Dining Bench
I especially love the Restoration Hardware chairs in performance fabric and on casters so that they are easy to move.
I change the look on my WS Home dining bench with different throws, like the suzani from eBay or the African mud cloth from a flea market.
5. Lighten The Table With a Runner
This is a Turkish hand towel that I am using as a runner. I also like textured table runners.
6. Put Something Fresh, Like Plants, In Your Dining Room
Ferns do well in my dining room like the one on the table. Flowers are nice, too, especially if you have some in your garden.
7. Add Some More Modern Art
I’d really like a large abstract in my dining room like in this photo…
Or a fresh landscape…
But for now, this little print from Minted in the mix feels fresh. 
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And that’s seven “Ways To Make Your Traditional Dining Room Less Boring.” Have you done any of these?
God bless and heal our country!
Mary Ann
Calypso in the Country says
August 6, 2019 at 9:39 amThese are great ideas with such beautiful inspiration photos. I am one of those people with matching dining room furniture but I repainted the room last year and freshened it up to make it look less dated. I have been meaning to change the head chairs to something different so it was helpful to see your examples as a reminder! Pinned!
Shelley
Taste of France says
August 6, 2019 at 10:11 amThe heavy, bulky, upholstered chairs look more stodgy because there are so many of them (8!!!) and they are so big. Everything about that room, including the wall color, was dark and Serious. It is far better, even with the same chairs, when they are in a lighter color. Even the Studio McGee photo has rather heavy chairs with dark upholstery, but there’s space between them to breathe.
Your chairs, by contrast, are smaller and lighter visually, and making them lighter in hue just adds to the more modern feel and airiness. I love the look of mismatched brocante chairs, but having identical chairs can be visually calming, with the repetition. You give great advice about tweaks to make the most of what someone has, rather than throwing it out for something different.
home before dark says
August 6, 2019 at 10:20 amI went radical and got rid of my dining room!! I gave away the table that could and did seat 10. I lined the walls with bookcases and filled the bookcases with books—solidly filled with books— a few spaces not filled with books is gallery style art I have collected through the years. The new table is a 54″ round covered with stacks of books. The walls and bookcases are black and the carpet is leopard. Two new leather chairs by the fire and I call it my library where we sometimes eat meals. When you are almost 70, you no longer care what other people think.
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 6, 2019 at 2:30 pmOh my gosh, that sounds wonderful!! So cozy and useful.
Steep_learning_curve says
August 6, 2019 at 1:39 pmThanks Mary Ann for another great blog… you never disappoint! Can’t wait to try this salad and get out my paintbrush!
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 6, 2019 at 2:29 pmHa! I need to get my paint brush out to touch up some walls around here.
cheryl says
August 7, 2019 at 5:03 amGreat ideas Mary Ann! I am one who has a good quality dining “set” I wanted to change things up, so I did add a new chandelier, and found some great dining chairs at a hospital thrift store to change the look. Keeping the old chairs in storage for extra seating.
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 7, 2019 at 7:40 amSounds like you know what you are doing!!
Karen says
August 7, 2019 at 7:46 amMary Ann,
Such pretty inspiration. I’m having cushions made for my harp back English chairs. I still love them but need a little change and a little more seating comfort!
xo,
Karen
cindy says
August 7, 2019 at 4:58 pmGreat ideas! I love your dining room whatever you do! The gorgeous view sure doesn’t hurt either. I think I need to take some of your advice and spiff up my dining room!
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 8, 2019 at 7:17 amYour dining room looks great, Cindy!
linda Salazar says
August 7, 2019 at 10:12 pmHi Mary Ann, I detest my traditional pine matching dining room set…but I just bought some bedroom & living room furniture over the last year so I have to wait awhile. We might remodel in the next few years or move so I don’t think it would be the best idea to buy something right now anyway. In the meantime I have tried to make my hutch and buffet a little interesting with shells and coral and some other items. We recently painted the dining room a neutral color, it took me awhile to get my husband on board but now he likes it. We are trying to find some new artwork, something more modern…that’s why I asked you a couple weeks ago about the abstract painting in your entryway. 😊
Linda
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 8, 2019 at 7:16 amSounds like you are going in the right direction, Linda!
Linda SAlazar says
August 8, 2019 at 7:56 amI also recently bought a cream colored Chilewich table runner which does look good!
Geri says
August 8, 2019 at 6:57 amI love your dining room chairs and your daughter is smart to request them when you no longer want them😍 May I ask about he fabric you used on them? Where did you find it and does it have a name? Thank you for your time.
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 8, 2019 at 7:17 amI got it at a discount fabric store…and bought the last few yards of a discontinued China Seas fabric…sorry!
Geri says
August 8, 2019 at 7:54 am😂😂😂lucky you! Thank you❤️
LA CONTESSA says
August 9, 2019 at 4:06 pmDo you have another photo of the white chair on rollers from RH you can show me all the way to the floor?
I need to replace the husbands chair it is threadbare!!!!!!!
I”LL PAY YOU!!!
AND I have the perfect person for your abstract ART work!Her name is KATIE Korotzer she is a new neighbor and in Garden Club with me!Take a look I love her colors!!!SHe has a website so GO THERE!!!!
SO lets go down and play with CINDY!Shall we plan and DATE?
XX
Julie A Landau says
August 10, 2019 at 6:43 pmHello: The pretty blue strip upholstery chairs are exactly what I have been searching for. Can you please tell me the name and maker of that fabric?
Thank you!
Mary Ann Pickett says
August 11, 2019 at 8:03 amIt’s John Robshaw for Duralee Atar Stripe Turquoise.
Julie A Landau says
August 11, 2019 at 10:01 amThank you for the quick response!!!! Your site is amazing!!!