A Taste Of Downton Abbey In Your Dining Area

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You don’t have to live in a mansion to dine in style. If you have a dining room in your home, here are a few ways that you can turn this space into a banquet hall worthy of a Victorian feast.

 

Transform your table

 

A large dining room isn’t required to make a big impression. Instead, focus on the style of the table and chairs. Ornate hand-carved dark wood furniture is great for resurrecting that Victorian feel. There are many places where you can buy this classic furniture brand new. You could even consider antique furniture, although this is likely to be more expensive. Use a tablecloth to stop the table from getting damaged and to reinforce that fine dining feel.

 

Add some sparkle

 

It’s worth having some crystalware to pull out at special occasions when you have guests to impress. Consider crystal champagne glasses and crystal decanters. You can also buy some shiny cutlery to use with special meals. For an extra touch of opulence, why not even buy a chandelier light fitting to hang above? This needn’t be crystal – you can buy elegant imitation chandeliers for a hundred dollars.  

 

Hang some art

 

No sophisticated dining area could be complete without some artwork to add some culture. The artwork could be food-related to get people’s tastebuds tingling or it could be of a beautiful landscape or setting to add to the sense of luxury. You may even be able to find a sculpture to put in the corner of the room.

 

Create a floral display

 

Many 19th century homeowners would pay florists to provide them with flower features to put on the table each night. You probably don’t want to go this extravagant, but it could be worth adding some flowers to the room to add a sense of vibrancy. These could even be fake flowers to bring a permanent sense of colour, although real flowers are also likely to add a nice aroma to the room. Be careful of putting a big floral display in the centre of the table as it could make it difficult for people to talk to one another across the table.

 

Light some candles

 

It could also be worth lighting a few candles to place around the table. These would have been the main source of lighting in Victorian times, whilst nowadays they can help to provide an ambient feel. You could even consider scented candles that produce rich foody smells such as citric fruits, berries or cinnamon in the winter.

 

Drape the windows

 

Drapes that hang down to the floor can also help to create that elegant feel. Hang these up over windows in your dining area. Choose thick fabrics in the winter to keep the room insulated and light fabrics in the summer to encourage air and light in.

 

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