A dinette (dining table with matching dining chairs) does not have to be the sole furniture in your dining area. To merely have one, usually arranged over a carpet, is a commonplace and boring sight. Surely, you can do better.

Well, if you want to give your solemn eating place a makeover, you're in the right page. The following checklist contains some furniture pieces that you can get to spruce up your dining area.

• BUFFET TABLES. Conventionally covered with classy and pleated fabric, buffet tables function both as serving tables and sideboards. Of particular interest is the length of buffet tables which facilitate the flow of served morsels and of your dining guests from either left to right, or right to left.

When unused, buffet tables may double up as extra repositories for your chinaware and glass sets that need to be later wiped dry and stored inside the cabinets. To keep your unused buffet table from looking like a white elephant, you could place a huge vase of fresh flowers or plants to brighten up your dining area. Other homeowners prefer to show off their shiny chocolate fountain and cocktail sets though.

• CHINA CABINETS OR HUTCHES. Creating height and balance to the fairly mid-level vertical detail of your dinette, buffet table or sideboard, china cabinets or hutches are a dining area must-have for your home. These home furniture pieces are actually just gigantic cabinets, but the difference lies in the design.

o The top area is often tall, designed as a series of racks or layers, and covered with dainty glass doors, making it a perfect choice for displaying your precious china, crystal glasses and even bottles of expensive wine. For a more dramatic effect, you can install LED lights inside the glass cabinet.

o The middle area is often flat and uncovered, serving as an inviting place for you to set your tray on, or as a convenient service area where you can deposit your assortment of condiment bottles, mix your coffee or allow your tray of hot cookies to cool down.

o The bottom area is often enclosed with solid wood. Here, you can stash a number of dishes and utensils which you could use in some future date, without feeling the need to display them or show them off to your family and guests. The drawers are perfect for housing your spoon, fork and cutlery organizers.

• SIDEBOARDS. As their name suggests, sideboards are furniture pieces meant to stick close to the sides of your dining room walls. One will do; you do not need to place one on each side. Sideboards are often shorter than regular tables and cabinets. The length and width resemble mini-tables whose purpose is to accommodate trays or other eye-catching details for display such as a bowl of fruit, some scented candles or a set of chinaware for tea. You may hang a portrait above the sideboard to create visual interest, balance and artistic flow from top to bottom.