53. Colour matters
The color red was traditionally thought to stimulate appetite which is why it was the color of choice in many formal dining room settings. As blue is not considered to have any effect on appetite, choosing blue as a color scheme for your dining room decorating ideas really does mirror modern tastes. There again, other popular colors for dining room settings are champagne, cream and beige, or neutral magnolia.
54. Lighting
Natural lighting best suits the modern ethos of these of decorating a dining room, although a well-lit overheard rise-and-fall lamp makes an ideal lighting accompaniment. To complete the decor, make the maximum use of the windows you have available and, for small windows, reduce the amount of drapes – perhaps by using muslin in place of heavy curtaining.
55. Keep it simple
To make decorating successful you need to achieve a room in which you can relax – and that includes keeping clutter to a minimum. Keep spare table linen neatly stored away in an attractive dresser, or other piece of furniture that has sufficient drawer and cupboard space for a home to be found for place mats and napkin rings.
