I note that a lot of my friends have sad, really sad, dining rooms. They are not lighted brightly (dining rooms should be brightly lighted even if they have windows) and the tables are laden with tired, old, centerpieces.

One should try to improve one's dining room by:

--paying attention to colors and color combinations that provide visual tension
--decorating the room with original art rather than prints or handicrafts (which are better suited to the kitchen)
--providing fresh plants (hanging or in corners) and fresh flowers.

Every meal, no matter how simple, should be a celebration of the physical senses, and that can only happen in a really nice and happy dining room.