Dining room stages really lets you set the stage
for fine entertaining

Staging the dining room

Dining rooms were once a symbol of wealth. Ordinary middle class people ate in the kitchen. Then every new home had to have a dining room and people found out that it wasn't a lot of fun eating in the dining room every night.

Today, dining rooms have come back in fashion. They are where we really like to entertain. Our kitchens aren't kitchens anymore, they are gourmet kitchens. And when you have a gourmet kitchen, where else would you eat but the dining room?

If you have a dining room and you've forgotten what it even looks like, it's time to take some drastic decluttering.

Clear out everything except the dining room table and a few chairs. Depending on the size of the dining room, for small to medium, have no more than 4 chairs. Even if your dining room table will seat 16, for the time being you want it collapsed down as small as possible.

The only other piece of furniture in the room (and this is optional) is a china cabinet, sideboard, or buffet (but only 1). Everything else goes into storage.

There should be some type of chandelier over the table. If you have a chandelier that was installed when the house was built in the 50s, then maybe it's time to upgrade it to a more stylish fixture. Replacing a chandelier is a relatively easy fix.

Even in rooms with hardwood floors, you would expect to have a good sized area rug under the table large enough for a diner's chair to remain on the rug when seated.

Setting the table is optional. If you're having an open house, then I would suggest setting some plates and glasses out along with a folded cloth napkin. No silverware.

The table should also have an attractive centerpiece. Typically this would be fresh flowers (never, ever, ever, use plastic flowers).