Custom drapery gives a cozy look to a dining room used for different purposes

With the holidays over, one may not use the dining room for a family gathering for a while. But letting a large table and many chairs sit empty takes up space that can be put to multiple uses until the next big dinner occurs.

According to designers interviewed by HGTV.com, pushing the table against a wall or at the far end of the room allows room for other furniture pieces to be moved in. A desk can turn the space into a work zone for paying bills and children's homework. Some easy chairs around an end table can create a comfortable reading nook.

Virginia-based designer Raji Radhakrishnan keeps her dining room set up for casual gatherings. A sofa and a small table, as well as other seating and end tables are set up until the room is needed for a large dinner. "Once or twice a year, when I do want a traditional dining room for a holiday meal, I can put the small furniture pieces to the side and move in the big kitchen table," she told HGTV.com.


Custom drapery that ties into the seating arrangement, with a choice of fabrics and colors, is another way to give a comfortable look to a dining room that's used for different purposes.