Staging a Dining room for sale might not be as obvious as it seems.

Let me clarify: I’ll be using the term ‘dining room’ loosely as referring to any dining area in your home.

Some houses have a formal dining room and, possibly, an informal everyday eating area in the kitchen.

Generally there seems to be a trend toward fewer ‘formal’ spaces, such as a separate dining room and a formal living room so, unless you have a big house, the urban living trends are toward smaller, functional spaces.

Nevertheless, dining space is one of the important areas of your house to showcase for sale.

Often, the dining table or the whole room becomes a depository for the paperwork, kids’ homework, arts & crafts projects, and workspace. 🙂

We live the way it suits our lifestyle but we sell our house to suit the ‘ideal’ presentation for the potential buyers.

The first thing to know about your dining space is that your table and a light fixture are the focal points of the room. What does it mean?

It means that the visitors’ eyes will naturally be drawn to the table and the chandelier. Make them count!

Declutter your dining room first

The main goal is to present the room as spacious and bright. We are looking to create a nice flow in the room, meaning we want to be able to walk around the table easily.

Start by decluttering or removing everything (except the table and the chairs).

Check the size of your dining table in proportion to the room/space. Unless you have a huge room, can you remove a leaf to make it smaller?

Next, let’s talk about the chairs. We usually recommend you keep 4 chairs for staging a dining room (unless the room is very big).

Stage your dining room with appropriate furniture

A tablecloth is protecting your table? If Yes, please remove it!

What if your table and/or chairs are old or scratched up? In that case, I recommend either renting a dining set or buying an inexpensive one to keep, to give away or to resell afterward.

This post contains some affiliate links. I might make a small commission if you purchase anything. 🙂

See some examples of reasonably priced and neutral dining room sets, appropriate for staging your dining room for sale:

Lighting is king!

Let’s now talk about the lighting in the dining room.

What type of lighting is there above the dining room table?

If you’ve got recessed lighting, you’re all set.

If not, you most probably need a chandelier (or a hanging light) to enhance your dining room.

Take a critical look.

Is it out of style? Is it proportional to the size of the room and the size of the table? Does it give enough light? If it’s not up to par, replace it.

Here are some chandeliers to inspire you (or buy):

This one is one of my all time favorites and you can use them in any home!

If you prefer a Modern Farmhouse look, you’ll love these ones

For a touch of glamour, check out these ones

Some Final Tips

Often clients ask me whether they should add a centerpiece to the table and which one. My advice is always to keep it simple and proportional to the size of the table and the height of the chandelier.

Some suggestions could be a runner, big candle holders, a vase with flowers, or a big decorative bowl.

Have a look at a few examples:

Some people go as far as fully set the table, with dishes, silverware, glasses and napkins. Personally, I’m not a huge fan unless it’s a very high end home and if the dining room isn’t being used on an everyday basis and you want to showcase the entertaining possibilities then go for it!

If you have a hutch or another large piece of furniture in that room, proceed to declutter everything from its top.

You can then add a small plant, a lamp, a couple of candles, and a large mirror or artwork above it to scale. Keep it simple!

Remember to check your Window coverings. Are they outdated? Do they prevent the light from coming in? Do you even need them?

One final tip for plant lovers. Do you have too many plants in the room? It’s Ok to keep a few, but beware of overpowering the room with plants!

A Client’s example

Josie R. from Florida has recently put her beautiful home up for sale. As her kitchen has a big eating area, she already has a big dining table in there. She never furnished her formal dining room and her original listing showed an almost empty room, whose function is completely undefined.

Josie’s kitchen table was quite large and pretty. I suggested moving into the formal dining room and purchasing a smaller dining set for her kitchen area.

See the results!

I hope you’ll get going on staging your dining room for sale.

If you’d like more of the tips in a fun community, please join our FB Group, Home Staging Tips.

And, at any time, you can contact me to chat about your own situation!