Is your dining room just a nook off the kitchen, or is it a spacious, separate room? Whatever type of dining room you have, it has the potential to host a formal dining event.

Dinner parties, formal affairs and special occasion family get-togethers can all be centered around your dining table. Have some fun with it, because formal dining is back in fashion. Dining together is a perfect way to celebrate an accomplishment, honor a change in status or mark a significant occasion.

Everything depends on how formal you want to be with your dining room. Are you planning a romantic meal, with candle light and classy settings? Are you preparing to celebrate a family milestone?

The formal dining room furniture you choose depends on your needs, taste and  budget, as well as the limits of your dining room. An ideal formal dining room will be a separate room, perhaps adjacent to the living room.

Your dining table should accommodate a party of at least eight to ten people. Consider the flexibility of a drop leaf table with an insert that can easily be added or removed, as required.

Apart from size constraints, you can use almost any dining room furniture set for formal purposes. It should all have the same pattern and feature the same material. A side table by the wall is a must for a formal dining room.

Consider aristocracy dining furniture. Originating from early 20th Century American and English design, this collection of hand-crafted solid oak furniture features hand-cut white oak burl inlays and ebony wood herringbone accents.

The finishing touch is vintage English walnut. Other aristocratic features include exquisite hand detailing, such as curved drawers and doors, twisted rope accents, oak inlays and bun feet, which give the aristocracy collection a very appealing majestic presence.

If you're really serious about doing it right, look for a formal dining room set.