2020 saw a massive change in the working arrangements of so many of us. As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, working from home became the norm, and makeshift offices sprang up in dining rooms and other family spaces across the country. With the pandemic now (hopefully) firmly behind us, I decided it was time for a dining room makeover. As an office, it had become a storage area and had even been a home gym for a while, and crying out to be reclaimed, so I set to work.
Starting with the basics: finding the look
Did I want traditional or contemporary? Bold or subtle? Deciding on the style you want to create can be the most challenging part of any renovation. My aim with this dining room makeover was to create a space that doesn’t take itself too seriously but is cohesive, stylish, and highly usable for the whole family, from octogenarians to toddlers.
After a trip to our local DIY store, I decided on a colour, and also that I wanted to make a bit of a splash with a feature wall. Feature walls can come in various forms. The simplest option is a contrasting-coloured wall, but I wanted more than just a flat colour, so wallpaper became my medium of choice.
Having not come across anything in the DIY store that grabbed my attention, I headed online for inspiration and found some fabulous wallpaper murals. What I finally picked, from Photowall, might not appeal to everyone, but for me it was fun and definitely colourful, and would create a great talking point in the room.
The painting and decorating part
Is it just me, or is there something therapeutic about painting? Having emptied the room, I had a blank canvas in front of me, and in no time at all, the ceiling was freshly coated and my glasses amply speckled with the corresponding paint. When the room was an office, it had a blue feature wall that needed a quick coat of white paint to dull it. With the lively colour (think squished Smurf) more or less covered, it was time for a tea break.
Just a few hours later, the woodwork had a fresh coat of gloss, and it looked much less like a separate workspace and more like a part of a home.
With everything left to dry overnight, it was time to add the first layer of colour. Rather than splash out on the leading brands, I decided to stick to a store’s own-brand. It glided on beautifully and gave great coverage. To make sure everything looked as good as possible, I added a second coat and was very happy with the results.
Next up was the wallpaper mural. It’s been well over a decade since I last hung wallpaper, so this was the most nerve-racking part. Thankfully, the mural is made specifically for your wall, so as long as the measurements I submitted when ordering were right, it should have been a breeze. And it was. The Las Vegas skyline might not be the obvious choice for a dining room backdrop, but the pop of vibrant colour lifted the room wonderfully.
I opted to add the tools package to the wallpaper order, so I had everything I needed, from wallpaper paste to attach the paper to a retractable knife to trim the edges. With each section of the mural clearly marked on the roll, it was obvious where to cut it to ensure proper placement. Once the first piece was on the wall and I knew it was straight, the rest was easy.
Dining room makeover: choosing the furniture
With the decorating done, I turned my attention to the furniture. The most important piece in the dining room puzzle was the table. As the focal point, I knew I wanted something that would comfortably seat at least six people, have a classic, almost timeless look, and would last, no matter how well-used it was.
I was surprised by just how much the prices of dining room furniture can vary. As ever, there’s a balance to be drawn between price and quality. A table is going to be subjected to plenty of knocks and spills over the years, so for me, quality was the key factor.
I searched online for inspiration, and I kept coming back to one table that fitted the bill perfectly. The matter-of-factly named Dining Table 03 was the right mix of style and practicality.
Dining Table 03 from Swyft is made from solid white oak and an oak veneer, creating a beautiful, warm colour that complements the mid-century styling fabulously. It can seat six people, but it’s also extendable, making space for a couple more seats when you need a little extra room for a family gathering or dinner party.
Some assembly was required when the table was delivered, and although it’s not a complex process, the company offers what it calls the “white glove” service. For a £49 fee, the furniture is delivered, assembled and all of the packaging taken away – not a bad deal in my book, as it was all done and dusted in well under half an hour. And I have to say, the table looked stunning.
Swyft has a few chair options available that would match the dining table, but I decided to go for something a little more modestly priced. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, to keep a bit of a check on the budget, so I didn’t go too crazy. Secondly, it would give me scope to change the chairs further down the line if I wanted to easily mix up the style or colour.
I’ll admit, buying dining chairs online without trying them out was a bit of a risk, but I struck lucky with the upholstered chairs I found. They arrived within a few days of ordering them, and while I did have to painstakingly assemble each one, they were comfortable to sit on and looked great with the table, too. While they aren’t of the highest quality, the price was pretty compelling.
The final piece of furniture that featured in my plan was a sideboard, and for this, I opted to search for something pre-loved. The internet is awash with selling sites, but finding what you’re actually looking to buy in your local area can be more of a challenge. To my surprise, I found a fabulous sideboard on Marketplace, just a few miles up the road. A couple of messages back and forth, and I hopped in the car to go and take a look. With a price tag of just £10, I didn’t have high expectations, but it was spot on, as the previous owner only let it go because it didn’t fit into her new home.
The finishing touches to my dining room makeover
With the furniture in place and the decorating done, it was down to the final touches. With so much wood in the room, it needed something to add softness and warmth, as well as another point of interest. It needed a rug.
Ruggable was the obvious choice. The range of shapes, sizes and colours gave me plenty of food for thought, but I knew it had to have hints of colour to tie in with the wall art. Calle, a cream base with multicoloured design, created the perfect compromise of colour, shape and size, and more importantly, it’s washable. A rug that sits under a dining table is a magnet for spills and drips, so being able to throw it into the washing machine to keep it fresh and clean makes it a winner every time.
Not only does Ruggable offer a wide range of styles and colours, all of which can be machine-washed (be sure to check your washer capacity if you opt for a large rug), but the quality is excellent, too. They aren’t the cheapest rugs on the market, but they should stay looking like new for much longer than non-washable rivals, making them a great choice for busy homes. It was definitely the perfect finishing touch.
This dining room makeover has been about more than paint colours and furniture choices. It’s about restoring a room to what it was always meant to be: a place to gather, eat, laugh, and linger a little longer with loved ones. It’s once again part of the rhythm of family life, rather than a forgotten corner filled with cables and screens.
Creating it didn’t require a huge budget or a team of professionals — just a clear vision and a purposeful plan. By mixing new with pre-loved pieces, prioritising quality where it matters, and keeping the overall feel relaxed and playful, the room now works hard as an everyday family space. It’s proof that thoughtful choices can transform even the most utilitarian rooms into something welcoming, functional, and ready to reclaim its place as the heart of the home.
Dining table from Swyft, £799
Wallpaper mural from Photowall, £24/m²
Chairs from Wayfair, £274 for 6
Calle cream multicoloured rug (150cm x 215cm) from Ruggable, £399
All prices correct at the time of publication
