Rustic luxury: Our traditional inspired dining room décor

Have you ever taken a moment to glance around a crowded restaurant, a family get together, or any occasion…and were shocked to see the number of people looking down at their phones, instead of being present and actually “being” together? Don’t get me wrong, modern technology has definitely brought us conveniences (like being able to order my iced latte ahead of time and having it ready and waiting as I dash into work…thank you, Starbucks!), but I honestly feel the tide is starting to turn. With the renewed emphasis and enthusiasm these days for farm-to-table, homemade meals, and the rustic, farmhouse-inspired interior design trend, it seems like society is longing for those simpler times when families had less distractions, were able to slow down, and fully experience the moment.

With that in mind, I wanted to create a dining room where my family could sit down and enjoy meals together (while adhering to our “no phones during dinner” rule), a room that felt like a beautiful, special place to be to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays, but not so formal that my toddler couldn’t drive her toy car around or couldn’t withstand the occasional milk spill or handful of pasta (because well, that’s the fun phase we are in right now!).

Here’s how I decorated our traditional-inspired, rustic luxury dining room:

Wall color: Essential Gray by Sherwin Williams

This is my absolute favorite gray. It is a cooler gray, and sometimes has the slightest hint of lavender, depending on how the light filters in.

Dining table: The original set I purchased is no longer available, but this Avalon dining table from Crate & Barrel has a similar look. I always keep my table fully extended for extra guests (and extra room for table centerpieces!)

Dining chairs: I love mixing in pieces to create your own custom look, rather than purchasing entire furniture sets. To add elegance and that “special occasion” vibe, I chose upholstered nailhead chairs similar to these from Home Depot:

For the rest of the dining chairs, I have a few black crossbar chairs with ivory cushions. You can get a similar look with these Vintner black chairs and sand-colored seat cushions from Crate & Barrel:

To decorate my table, right now I have this light blue table cloth, jute placemats, metal chargers, and I use the Staccato dining and Grand Hotel flatware set (it’s incredibly durable, but the beaded pattern makes even Friday pizza night feel like a special occasion!).

If you’re looking for a neutral rug for your dining room, this natural woven rug from Home Depot is a similar style to what I have:

To add the illusion of even more space in the room, I added this large silver frame wall mirror. Mine is no longer available (I scored the floor model from Value City Furniture for a mere $100!), but you can get a similar look with this one from Wayfair:

For lighting, I chose the Mia chandelier from Pottery Barn, and I’m completely obsessed with it! Put it on a dimmer so you can control the lighting, and add a table lamp to a console table or buffet if you need more light in the evenings. And for added glamour and charm, always add a ceiling medallion – they only look like a million bucks, but you can get one for as little as $20! To hang your chandelier or light fixture, you want to give yourself approximately 30 to 34 inches over a table with an 8 foot ceiling height. If your ceiling is higher than 8 feet, mount the chandelier an additional 3 inches higher for each foot of ceiling.

Once I was able to invest more into my home furnishings (even if it meant working two jobs to afford it!), one of my first big purchases was this glass and iron console table from Pottery Barn. It graced the living room of my first apartment, and now found it’s home in our dining room. It's no longer available, but here's a similar style. I styled it with a table lamp, trays, and a few candles, vases, greenery, some favorite wine glasses, and framed art. For tips on how to arrange your own fresh or faux flowers, check out that blog post here).

Finally, be sure to add a framed chalkboard or letter board, so you can write custom messages to celebrate each holiday, occasion, or just the fact that it’s the weekend!

How do you make your dining room feel special? Share your ideas and tips in the comments!