This dining room has been given a cosy upgrade ready for the festive season

When you think of a room makeover, you might think of a new wallpaper going up or carpet being laid, but sometimes the more subtle changes can make just as big an impact. After all, you don't need to introduce bold colours or busy patterns to get the scheme of your dreams – especially when you're a lover of neutral dining rooms.

If you're after some ideas for your dining room, take a look at this project, which was taken on by interior design studio Farrant & Bradshaw and gives a great insight into what can be achieved with a little bit of vision.

Dining room makeover

When you see the before image, you might be wondering why the room needed a makeover, as it was perfectly functional and in no way crying out for some TLC. However, what it did need was to be made to feel cosier, which is where Farrant & Bradshaw came in.

'We were asked by the homeowners to take a look at their dining room,' says interior designer Ashley Bradshaw. 'The idea was that they wanted a sophisticated space where they could entertain – with a bit of wow factor about it. They also wanted to get rid of all the grey – it's a big room and it lacked life and character.' 

Before

While the glass table, grey wallpaper and silver accessories all work together, the scheme does lack warmth. Plus, when you've lived with a scheme for a while it can be hard to envisage the room any other way, which is when having a fresh set of eyes on it can help.

'In our initial meeting we were asked to create a glamorous, Italian vibe,' recalls Ashley, 'using heavy wood and rich fabrics.'

After

This beautiful new space is exactly as requested, with luxe upholstered chairs, a chunky wood table and elegant wall panelling. And, of course, the grey has been banished and in its place are varying tones of cream and beige. The whole space is now the perfect backdrop for Christmas dining room ideas.

'We needed a feature wall, so we added beading, which was carried out by our fabulous carpenter and cost around £1200 in total,' says Ashley. 'We also added beautiful wall lights and used a much warmer shade on the walls, taking away the grey.'

'We concentrated on adding more fabric and also texture, which comes in through the wood used in the table,' says Ashley. 'It has the most beautiful heavy legs. We also chose Chesterfield-style dining chairs.'

Thrilled with the revamped space, the owner couldn't believe the difference: 'We'd been doing and frying as to how we could break what had become our "normal" style when it came to home decor and it was clear that Ashley and Rachel have impeccable taste and a great eye for detail. They made the whole process so much smoother and helped us achieve everything we'd been after.'