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Gather Friends and Family Together With Formal Dining Room Sets

Formal dining room sets are the star of any dining room design. Make them a fashionable and functional way to bring your family together for special occasions by choosing a design that meets the needs of your most festive occasions. Thoughtful design details, top-quality materials and exceptional craftsmanship make the formal dining room sets from Williams Sonoma heirloom-quality pieces you'll cherish for years to come.

Designing a Stylish and Inviting Dining Room

There are a few furnishings every formal dining room needs to give it a professionally-designed look:

• Dining Room Table: By far the largest piece in the room, the dining room table sets the stage for the design of the space. If your guest list varies greatly, consider getting an extendable table you can expand when the need arises. The table you choose will be part of a larger design collection. As you move on in the decorating process, check out the other available items within the same collection.
• Dining Room Chairs: With the table in place, it's time to surround the piece with formal dining chairs. Look for upholstered dining chairs with plush cushioning that will promote hours of conversation. Nailhead trim, curved style lines and tailored pleats are a few of the design elements that set some chairs apart from the rest.
• Additional Furnishings: Large formal dining rooms often call for additional furnishings to round-out the room. Consider how much china you need to store when deciding which pieces make the best addition.
• Decorative Accents: Once all the key furniture pieces are in place, it's time to style the space with decorative accents. Add a little colour and a fun pattern to the decor by laying an area rug beneath the formal dining set. Decorative place mats, chargers, luxe linens and elegant dinnerware round out the design. Style the center of the table and the top of the buffet with vases, large bowls and some of your favourite decorative accents.

With so many different styles and finishes of formal dining room tables available, it is easy to find the collections you need to decorate a coastal retreat, historic estate or modern home. If your formal dining room is part of an open floor plan, consider coordinating the room with adjoining areas, such as the kitchen or living room. Running the same wood finishes or lighting fixtures throughout the living area will help everything appear cohesive.