How to Decorate a Dining Table [When It’s Not in Use]

Your dining table is where friends and family gather, and you love prepping festive meals. But when it’s not in use, how should you decorate this main focal point?

When not using your dining room table, you have all sorts of decorating options, such as:

• Laying out a fine tablecloth
• Covering the surface with candles, pillars, or vases
• Adding seasonal displays
• Showing off houseplants or flowers

These simple ideas can transform your dining table into a stylish focal point. Keep reading for more tips and inspiration on making your dining table look fabulous all the time!

Four Ways to Decorate A Dining Table You’re Not Using (With Examples)

Until the next big holiday or family get-together, you’re satisfied with serving all your meals in the kitchen going forward.

Every time you prep for dinner, though, you look at your empty, bare dining room table and think you should finally do something with it.

The following four ideas not only prevent the table from looking barren, but they spruce up your home so it’s a happier place to be.

(Need more ideas for an appealing dining room? Check out our 21 Wall Decor Ideas For Your Dining Room.)

Use A Fine Tablecloth

If you’re a “less is more” type of person, a tablecloth may be all you need to decorate your empty dining room table. Since this draping will captivate attention, you want to ensure you use fine materials.

Your fabric options include organza, silk, and even upscale cotton. Avoid vinyl covers, as they won’t create the type of look you’re going for.

Depending on your tastes, you may opt for a single-colored tablecloth or a multicolored one with patterns. This tablecloth encompasses many patterns, adding a wild look to the dining room.

Simpler patterns with brighter colors are another way to make a statement in your dining room, as this example shows.

Besides being beautiful, a tablecloth is functional, too. It prevents dust from settling on the bare surface of your dining room table, so it looks cleaner longer.

With Candles, Pillars, And/Or Vases

Some homeowners are happy with just a tablecloth, while others want more. If you need extra oomph, add decorative items like candles, pillars, or vases. Mixing these in various sizes really works great.

Decorative items also keep your table from looking bare and show off your personal style. You can use items you already have to save money or enjoy a shopping trip to spruce up your table.

Here’s a great example. The dining room looks cohesive, with exotic wall decorations and a rustic table. The centerpiece—a vase with pink flowers—fits perfectly.

Here’s another dining room with a running theme: black and gold. A black wooden dining table is accented with gray plush seats with a gold metal frame.

The tabletop is then decorated with several jars in different sizes, some with gold accents.

Create A Seasonal Display

You probably use your dining room table the most at Thanksgiving and Christmas, the latter of which is the biggest decorating season of the year.

Even once Christmas comes and goes, you can still decorate your dining room table for other seasons and holidays. This is known as a seasonal display.

Here’s a classic and classy Christmas dining room display to get you started.

This dining room is all dolled up for springtime with a floral miniature tablecloth, some olorful faux blooms, and pastel plates.

As autumn arrives, a display such as this one is quite impactful. It’s got overtones of Thanksgiving, but it’s also appropriate enough to set it up in September and leave it until you begin the Christmas decorating.

As A Place for Houseplants Or Flowers

If you have a green thumb, you can display your newest plant obsessions on your unused dining room table. The same goes for flowers, which can really elevate a springtime display.

A large array of stunning flowers in a decorative vase doesn’t require a tablecloth. They look perfect on a plain wooden table, as seen above.

Even a plant in a small vase, like the philodendron seen in this image, is impactful. The bright greenery stands out in this all-white dining room.

You could also opt for a whole-table floral display, which ensures you need no other decorations on your dining room table.

If you’re allergic to flowers or plants or you live with someone who is, artificial plants are a great idea. You never have to worry about watering, and the plants will never die on you!

What Should You Put In The Center Of A Dining Room Table?

Any of the decor we discussed in the last section makes a great accent piece for the center of your unused dining room table. If you need more ideas, let us share some.

Pendant Lighting

Don’t overlook your dining room’s lighting situation. If you want to grab attention with your lighting choices, skip the chandelier and buy a pendant light instead.

This hanging ceiling light with as many as 12 or more bulbs can be made with gold, brushed bronze, crystal, and various other materials.

Here’s a dining table with pendant lighting to inspire you. These lights look great in the rest of the home as well!

Bowl Of Fruit

A bowl of fruit, real or fake, is a timeless addition to any unused dining or kitchen table.

See below for a stately example of how a filled bowl can augment a simple dining table setup.

How Do You Decorate A Small Dining Room Table?

You wish you had the table space you’ve seen in many of these images. Alas, your table is much smaller, which precludes you from these decor options, right? Not necessarily.

You can still use a tablecloth regardless of the table size. As for the rest of these centerpieces, scale back or shrink your decor.

For instance, the homeowner added a single potted plant to decorate this small, circular table. Due to all the other pops of color throughout the room, the addition of the plant looks especially wonderful.

Speaking of round dining tables, here are some more decorating tips for these tables you’ll love.

In Closing

Is your dining table sitting bare and unused? That doesn’t mean you can’t jazz it up in the meantime.

Take advantage of the lack of table settings and cover your whole table with a cloth, plants or flowers, vases, and other little odds and ends.

There’s no wrong way to decorate your unused dining table, even if it is smaller. Have fun!