As an interior designer serving Anaheim Hills, I help homeowners create spaces that feel pulled together and fit the way their families live. This dining room design brings those two goals together: a comfortable place for dinners with the kids that also feels special enough for holidays and entertaining.
These clients had just moved into their new home, and for the first time, they had a formal dining room. With no existing dining furniture to bring into the space, they were starting from scratch.
They wanted a room that felt casual enough for family meals but formal enough for special occasions. And because the dining room opens to their living room, it needed to feel finished even when they weren’t using it. This was a space they would see and walk past every day.
Starting with the Right Dining Table
I began with the layout and dining table. Before choosing individual pieces, I wanted to establish the right size and arrangement for the room, with space for the family to gather and move comfortably between the connected living areas.
We landed on the Providence dining table from CB2. It offered the balance we were looking for: a piece that suited their style, worked as the foundation for everyday meals, and felt substantial enough for a formal dining space.
Choosing the table first gave us a clear direction for the rest of the room.
Bringing Personality into the Plan
Next, I helped them find pieces that would give their first dining room some character.
The Vogel Hand-Knotted Rug from Rejuvenation became our starting point for color. Rather than keeping every selection neutral, the rug gave us a palette to work from and helped connect the remaining choices.
The Truett Dining Chairs from Lulu and Georgia added a fun pop of personality. They brought something a little unexpected to the plan while still working with the family’s overall style.
For the lighting, I selected the Willamette 60″ Linear Chandelier from Rejuvenation. This was our opportunity to make a statement—to choose a fixture that clearly says “formal dining room” and gives the space a sense of occasion.
Making the Room Feel Finished
Window treatments were an important part of the plan from the beginning. In a room that’s always visible from the living area, those finishing details have a big impact.
I selected curtains and woven shades from Two Pages Curtains to give the window a more elevated, luxurious feel. Including them in the design plan helped the clients see the complete picture, rather than furnishing the room and figuring out the windows later.
If you’re shopping for your own window treatments, you can use my discount code MENDEZMANOR at Two Pages Curtains.
A Clear Plan for Moving Forward
By working through the layout, foundational furniture, and finishing details together, I helped this family turn an empty room into a plan they could feel confident about.
Their first formal dining room is becoming a comfortable part of daily family life, a welcoming place for special occasions, and a space they enjoyed seeing from the living room every day.
If you’re settling into a new home or furnishing a room from scratch, my Full Room Design package can help you bring all those decisions together into one personalized, cohesive plan.
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