Just because a dining room is small, that is no reason for it to be cluttered and unattractive. There are a few decorative tricks you can use to make the space feel spacious. Keeping things simple but elegant is the underlying principle that should guide your decorative choices when decorating a small dining room that will be a favorite gathering place for family and friends.

Choose spaciousness with a sophisticated color palette: A simple harmonious color palette will make the dining room seem like a spacious continuous space punctuated with bold decorative accents and table décor. When you eye can continue from the floors, to the wall, furniture, windows and ceilings without big changes in color that break up the space, the room looks bigger. Pale neutrals are the most expansive colors and the room will look more sophisticated if you limit wall, floor and furniture colors to two or three variations on a neutral, such as taupe, deep linen and white.

Add something elegant: The simplicity of your color palette cries out for something elegant to add dramatic interest. Simple doesn’t mean boring: For example, choose a sumptuous wall paper of satin stripes in taupe and cream. Choose a luxurious lighting fixture to hang over the table and add architectural interest with crown molding or wall plaques designed to imitate wall panels. Paint the molding an inner square barely a shade different from surrounding walls for subtle sophistication. Then add another stylish layer with simple window treatments that are not overdone, but add texture and tone-on-tone pattern.

Choose one dramatic accent: Avoid overdoing it with too many accents; one well-chosen focal point will create the most impact. A large painting or rococo gilt frame on a wall mirror can create drama above a console or buffet. If your chandelier is highly stylized, keep wall accents simple, perhaps framing a view of the chandelier with two simple vertically oriented wall mirrors or mirrored wall candle holders.

Pair down furniture: Your dining room will look small and cluttered if there is too much furniture. The dining table and chairs should fit comfortably in the room and allow you to move around. A round table may look best in a square room; in a rectangular room, a rectangular table set on a diagonal may offer the greatest amount of space. Keep side pieces to a minimum, adding perhaps a low console or sideboard if space allows.

Criteria for choosing your dining table and chairs: Of course style is important because dining room furniture is a long term investment and you want to love your furniture for a long time. Chairs must be comfortable to encourage lingering over dessert and coffee. Go for an eclectic look by choosing a mix of chairs united by color or similarities in style. This makes your dining room more interesting than purchasing a ready-made matching set of table and chairs. Another option is to choose different chairs for the heads of the table and matching the side chairs to each other.

Dress the table: The presentation created by linen, stemware, china and flatware define the personality of your dining room. Crisp linen tablecloths and napkins or a brocaded table runner can set the backdrop with beautiful china set against contrasting chargers. Don’t be afraid to mix china to create a signature look; start with basic white china and expand your collection with vintage or heirloom pieces. Browse online to learn how to create simple flower arrangements and creative tablescapes that will complement any occasion.

All text copyright Shanel. Photo from Flickr - "dining room/study" courtesy of *Susie*.