Dining room theme ideas
91 Best Dining Room Decorating Ideas, Furniture, Designs, and Pictures
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By Hadley Mendelsohn and Kelly Allen
Kendall McCaugherty © Hall+Merr
A meal is best enjoyed surrounded by your friends and family—especially when set against a stylish backdrop. In your dining room, you can create a dreamy setting that you and your guests will never want to leave. To make sure it's the ideal setup for dinner parties and everyday use, we've gathered some of the chicest dining rooms we've ever seen in a variety of styles—from modern to industrial, traditional to eclectic, and beyond. Whether you want to redecorate or simply need a little inspiration, we have a designer-approved blueprint for you to recreate at home. Get ready to take notes on these stunning dining room decorating ideas. They're sure to impress anyone who enters (no matter how inedible the pot roast is—kidding!).
Add Color to Niches
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Infuse Niches With Color
It's easy to fill wall niches in your dining room with decor, but you can emphasize them even more with a simple wallcovering. In a Virginia dining room, designer Joe Ireland used a handmade tissue wallcovering by Twin Diamond Studios in the niches to set an elegant backdrop for decorative plates.
Frank Frances
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Use Different Upholstery
If you like the idea of mixed dining chairs but still appreciate an element of cohesiveness, use the same chair in different colors and finishes. Here, design duo Cortney and Robert Novogratz added the same chair in different neutral fabrics and wood finishes to the 12-foot-long dining table in their West Village home.
Nick Glimenakis
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Add a Built-In Bar
Make sure ingredients for cocktail and mocktail refills are within reach by incorporating a built-in bar unit, like the one in this dining room by designer Eneia White.
The custom unit looks like an actual piece of furniture thanks to a coat of Black Satin paint by Benjamin Moore and antique-inspired hardware sourced on Etsy.
Roger Davies
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Make Room for a Kids' Table
Kids' tables can certainly be cozy and chic. Just take it from the small seating area in a California home's dining room designed by Alexandra Loew. Situated in the bay window, the setup serves as the kids’ table during big gatherings.
Emily Followill
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Frame the Entry
Everything inside your dining room is crucial but so is the entry to it. Here, designer Lathem Gordon framed the entrance to her Atlanta home's dining room with a carefully crafted gallery wall that sets the tone for all of the estate sale finds and pieces passed down through generations found inside.
Marietta Leung
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Angle the Table
If you reside in an apartment with limited dining space, don't simply tuck the table into the corner. Instead, place it on an angle as designer Jasmine Lam did in her London flat.
A curved sofa anchors the assemblage and makes it feel more inviting.
Read McKendree
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Mix Dark Wood and Bright Colors
For Chauncy Boothby's own dining room, the designer paired vintage brown furniture with Lulworth Blue paint by Farrow & Ball and Thibaut wallpaper to give the traditional foundation a playful update. A textured rug and rattan basket give the room a slight coastal feel.
Eric Roth
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Fake a Banquette
For a cozy seating setup, fake a half-banquette. In this dining room, designer Liz Caan paired a cushy vintage sofa—that has lots of pillows for back support—with a set of dining chairs to give the room a casual yet welcoming feel.
Thijs de Leeuw/Space Content/Living Inside
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Make It Pink
Once used as a greenhouse, the dining room in actors Candice van Houten and Guy Pearce's Amsterdam home is romantic yet playful. Designer Nicole Dohmen of Atelier ND Interior added a bubblegum pink dining table by Sabine Marcelis and pink striped Roman shades.
The purple curtains match the walls and ceiling, giving the room an overall sophisticated yet lively feel.
Frank Frances
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Choose a Mural Wallcovering
Tell a story or make a bolder impact with a mural wallcovering, like this one called Menagerie Chinoiserie in a custom colorway by Voutsa. Designer Courtney McLeod included a table with an acrylic topper and chairs in performance velvet that “shimmers and adds glam."
Karyn Millet
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Play Up the Coastal Grandmother Aesthetic
Keep it simple yet inviting with a dining room the coastal grandmother queen Nancy Meyers would surely approve of. Featuring a large wicker pendant, neutral chairs, and a textured rug, this dining room by designer Kari Arendsen is a prime example.
Helen Norman
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Give It an Ancient Feel
To enhance the aged feel of a barrel-vaulted ceiling made of Jerusalem stone in a Florida home's dining room, designer Lauren Liess incorporated antiques including the table, chairs, art, and limestone flooring.
Eric Piasecki
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Go Red
Make a statement with cherry red wall paint, red dining chairs, and a red rug. Elevate the look with gold accents, like the chandelier, mirrors, and console tables in this formal dining room by design firm Cullman & Kravis.
Jamie Padgett
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Add a Contemporary Fireplace
If a full-blown mantel isn't your style, opt for a more contemporary fireplace to warm up your dining room. The sleek one in this kitchen by designer Richard T. Anuszkiewicz makes it feel like both a living room and a dining room. The extra candles on the dining table add to the ambiance.
Ngoc Minh Ngo
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Turn It Into a Tasting Room
If you're a wine aficionado but don't have the space for a separate cellar, make your dining room double as a place to store your collection. Built-in cubbies along one wall—like in this room designed by Pam Schneider and architect Pospisil & Brown Architects—should do the trick.
Tessa Neustadt
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Focus on Texture
With textured accents like wicker Roman shades and a handwoven rug, you can easily amplify the warmth in your dining room. Keep the overall look simple with patterned curtains in neutral colors and wood accents, like in this dining room designed by Interior Archaeology.
Eric Piasecki
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Think About Trim
Whether it's on your dining chairs or along your walls, trim can instantly upgrade any space. Just take it from this dining room designed by Cullman & Kravis, which features gold trim that wraps around the room and mimics the gold accent along the dining table's bases.
Kelly Marshall
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Add an Unexpected Detail
Designer Keita Turner livened up the dining room in this Brooklyn apartment by giving it unexpected details, like one mismatched chair out of four and a geometric mural that plays nicely with the burnt orange walls that surround it.
Paul Costello
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Separate It With a Built-In Screen
Welcome light and airflow into your dining room with louvered oak panels, as seen in this North Carolina beach house by designer Barrie Benson.
The built-in screen offers some separation while maintaining a spacious atmosphere.
Brie Williams
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Balance Warmth With Formality
A matching table and chair set creates cohesion in this eclectic dining nook designed by Ariene Bethea. Bolster pillows and custom throws make the corner nook extra cozy and multi-purpose. Though it feels tailored, it's still approachable and warm.
Brittany Ambridge
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Separate Zones With Ceiling Wallpaper
A sunny shade of sisal wallpaper connects the open kitchen to the dining room and separates it from the seating area in this great room designed by Halden Interiors.
Nicole Franzen
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Think Outside the Obvious Layout Options
An offset, extra-large circular table flatters the shape of the window nook without appearing too cramped, as it's not crammed right up against the windows nor smack dab in the middle of the room. While the colors are muted and the materials are understated, the geometric shapes throughout add tons of intrigue.
BARBARA CORSICO PHOTOGRAPHY
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Enable Indoor/Outdoor Flow
Kingston Lafferty Design created an indoor/outdoor dining room by extending a built-in table on both ends of the wall. They're connected by a large window with accordion glass doors for seamless flow when larger parties are dining and visually by the glossy tiles. Visually, they're a stylish statement and outside, a durable, weatherproof material. Plants also make the two spaces feel like they're in conversation with each other.
Heidi Caillier Design
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Stay Nimble
Whether you live in a small studio apartment or you're designing a guest area in your home, this micro dining room designed by Heidi Caillier will steer you in the right direction. A slim antique table can seat four if needed (there's an extra stool off the side in the sitting area to the left, not pictured here), but is otherwise nestled against the wall to open up the floor plan. When not used to work or eat, it can function as a makeshift kitchen island and prep area.
Nicole Franzen
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Build a Library Wall
Animate the walls while also maximizing storage space with a custom wall-to-wall bookshelf in the dining room. Not only will this guarantee plenty of meal-time talking points, but it also eliminated the need for investing in expensive wall art for the dining room. Books add tons of color and style.
Stephen Kent Johnson
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Customize a Banquette
Custom back cushions that match the seats create both cohesion and comfort in this dining nook designed by Studio Shamshiri. The wooden wall paneling warms up the darker elements and also reflects the more casual chairs across the table.
Nicolas Gourguechon
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Make Vintage Chairs Comfy With Cushions
Spice up a gallery wall with frames in various sizes and a contrasting pop of color in the middle. If you've opted for an eclectic array of vintage chairs, make them feel cozy with a tie-on cushion, as Devin Kirk did in this playful dining room.
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Build In Outlets
Does your dining table also double as a homework zone, cooking prep space, or home office? Optimize your table with outlets, as Heidi Caillier did here. (Bonus points if they're pretty brass!)
Thomas Loof
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Use Durable Fabric
Interior designer Welsey Moon clustered some lucite tulip chairs with upholstered seats around a casual Corian-topped table base. These pieces lighten the more formal mood of the deep blue velvet banquette, parquet floors, and antique mirror. And while that blue velvet may look fancy-schmancy, it's actually upholstered in outdoor-friendly fabric so it's super durable.
Tamsin Johnson
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Create an Eat-In Kitchen
Tamsin Johnson used sleek stainless steel and striking marble in this kitchen, giving the eating area a glamorous and modern backdrop to compliment the dining room decor. It feels more formal than a typical kitchen nook, allowing the homeowners to use it as a proper place to entertain.
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Hadley Mendelsohn Senior Editor Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House.
Kelly Allen Associate Editor Kelly Allen is the current Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she covers design, pop culture, and travel for digital and the print magazine.
52 Best Dining Room Decorating Ideas
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Inspiring tips to dress up your space, whether it's a small layout or a more formal setup.
By Monique Valeris and Caroline Picard
Zeke Ruelas
The dining room is not the place to skimp on style.
Regardless of whether you have a small space that's outfitted with a cozy banquette or a formal setup with an elegant set of table and chairs, there's no shortage of dining room decorating ideas.
Think about simple upgrades that can boost your dining room's style factor — a fresh coat of paint (see what's trending for 2022), lively wall art or even a new rug to add some warmth. If you're stumped on how to dress your dining table, we have creative ideas for that as well. Decor accents like elegant candles, floral arrangements or even bowls of fruit that can be switched out from season to season are all no-fail options for your dining room.
Maybe you're guilty of letting paper clutter take over your dining table. If that's the case, there's an easy solution. "You need to figure out the logjams that are creating clutter and handle those with portable solutions," professional organizer Lorie Marrero says. Functional pieces, like a rolling cart, can make it easy to pay bills at the table, and when it's not in use, place it out of sight once it's dinnertime.
Click through for some of our favorite ways to elevate a dining room, whether you're partial to the farmhouse aesthetic or sleek and modern spaces. These inexpensive design ideas have all the inspiration you need to make your dining room picture-perfect and ready for family and friends to enjoy. All you have to do is settle on a delicious meal.
Stacy Zarin Goldberg
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Bright Palette
Don't shy away from experimenting with bright hues. The console's daring fuchsia shade and pastel blue dining chairs steal the show in this trendy space.
SHOP FUCHSIA PAINT
Courtesy of Ruggable
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Black Wall Paneling
A black-and-white palette doesn't have to be boring. Warm wood tones and an oversized patterned rug from Ruggable complement dramatic black wall paneling.
Thomas J. Story
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Parisian Flair
Give your dining area a dose of Parisian style with a brass candelabra chandelier and bistro-style chairs.
SHOP BISTRO CHAIRS
Diana Paulson
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Mixed Windsor Chairs
An assortment of Windsor chairs bring color and personality to this spacious dining room in Dowagiac, Michigan.
Zeke Ruelas
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Blue Walls
Navy blue walls stand out against doses of white in this Ginny Macdonald-designed dining room.
Jennifer Hughes
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Thanksgiving Look
Give thanks by dressing your wood table with canary yellow plates and decking your chandelier with an attractive blend of greenery and berry branches.
Matt Albiani
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Montauk Scene
Play up white shiplap walls with black-and-white art, then layer striped accessories like a runner and tablecloth for a nautical feel.
Kim Cornelison; Design: Jenni Yolo
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Barn House
Classic spindle chairs act as a counterpoint to an oval dining table in a light wood finish.
Francesco Lagnese
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Basket Gallery Wall
Gallery walls aren't just for living rooms.
Bring your dining room to life with a striking arrangement full of woven baskets.
SHOP BASKETS
Miki Duisterhof
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Blue, White and Yellow
Embrace the colors of spring and outfit your dining space with pops of blue, white and yellow.
Tessa Neustadt
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Round Dining Table
If large family gatherings aren't your style, a round dining table might be for you. It's perfect for small spaces and gives a dining space an intimate vibe.
SHOP ROUND TABLE
Brian Woodcock
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Ranch House Dining
Dining spaces, like the design in this 1980s ranch house, can benefit from contrast. Balance wood details with slipcovered chairs and industrial-style pendants to create visual appeal.
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Mint Green Walls
If you've had enough of neutral walls, embrace a more daring hue. Consider mint green walls — a great complement for a slew of colors like white, beige and teal.
Raquel Langworthy
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Charming Pastels
For an unexpected look, experiment with pastel hues in a dining room.
Here, pale blue walls add a fresh touch to this traditional dining area.
SHOP WHITE VASES
Alyssa Rosenheck; Design: Mel Bean + Bailey Austin
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Cozy Banquette
Embrace a relaxed vibe with a comfortable upholstered banquette that's topped with colorful throw pillows.
SHOP TULIP DINING TABLE
RELATED: How to Build a Banquette for a Cozy Space
Aaron Colussi
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Statement Centerpieces
Go for a combination of rich red candlesticks and lush greenery for a sophisticated dining room look.
SHOP CANDLESTICKS
Raquel Langworthy
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Coastal-Inspired
A blend of calming blue tones and warm neutrals give this dining space a coastal vibe.
SHOP CANVAS WALL ART
David Tsay
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Pop of Melon
Statement floral centerpieces and vibrant melon walls, which pair well with green patterned curtains, bring this dining space to life.
SHOP GREEN CURTAINS
Spacecrafting Photography
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Gallery Wall
Add personality to a dining room with a gallery wall, featuring botanical-inspired prints.
Stick to all-white frames for an elegant, cohesive setup.
SHOP PICTURE FRAMES
Sian Richards
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Oversized Pendant
Playing with scale is one of the easiest ways to boost visual interest in a room. Take a cue from this design scheme, featuring a large globe pendant.
SHOP GLOBE PENDANT
Annie Schlechter
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Holiday Setup
The holidays are the time to put your style on full display. Take your dining space to the next level by draping garland across the top of your storage cabinet and layering plaid tablecloths for a festive look.
SHOP PLAID TABLECLOTH
RELATED: 53 DIY Christmas Table Setting Ideas
Peter Murdock
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Woven Accent
Introduce a woven accent, like an oversized pendant, to bring character into your dining space.
SHOP WOVEN PENDANT
Paul Costello
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Fresh Wallpaper
Wainscoting or a chair rail creates a perfect base to highlight a favorite pattern.
Lining just the top half of the wall also lets a pricey pick go further.
SHOP WALLPAPER
Carolyn Barber
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Textured Neutrals
A concise color palette will help your first floor decor flow seamlessly. "Neutrals like grays and natural materials like leather and stone are foolproof together," says designer Amber Lewis. Layer in various textures like a rattan pendant and woven rug to add excitement.
SHOP RUGS
JARED SMITH
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White Backdrop
It's hard to beat classic white walls. "It’s bright and clean, and it acts as a blank canvas for the rest of the decor," Lewis says. (It also helps reflect natural light, which can help the room feel bigger.) Pick a shade with a hint of gray to make it feel warm and inviting.
SHOP PAINT
RELATED: The Best Interior Paints and Color Trends of 2020
Mike Garten
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Bright Seating
Let your chairs set the scene by picking a design in an unexpected color, like this sunny yellow or an inviting blush pink.
Your guests won't hesitate to take a seat.
SHOP CHAIRS
Tim Young
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Circular Table
A room full of boxy pieces can quickly feel cramped, so go with a round dining table for a dynamic element. Plus, it’s easier to walk around in tight spaces.
SHOP TABLES
RELATED: The 10 Best Places to Shop for Furniture Online
Lisa Romerein
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Painted Floors
Instead of redoing the walls, change the color underfoot for a makeover with major impact. A bright aqua color here sets off antique wood furniture.
SHOP PAINT
Rachel Whiting
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Bold Tablecloth
Swap in statement linens to change the look of your dining room on the fly. A brightly colored floral pattern like this one also hides inevitable stains and spills better than a solid color, too.
SHOP TABLECLOTHS
RELATED: 10 Cheap and Cheerful Ways to Update Your Kitchen
one represents
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Smart Screen
Partition off the eating area from the rest of the living space with a decorative folding screen and its own rug.
By visually outlining various zones, you can make an open area feel more intimate.
SHOP FOLDING SCREENS
26 Inviting Family Room Design Schemes
Monique Valeris Senior Home Editor Monique Valeris is the senior home editor for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital.
Caroline Picard Contributing Writer Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience.
Stylish dining room: 7 secrets of success
TipsRooms
The dining room is the heart of the house. Here we gather with the whole family at the dinner table, receive guests, delight our loved ones with our culinary achievements. But how to combine the practical function of a room with cosiness, individual design, atmosphere, so that it can really serve as the center of the house? Often, simple tricks and solutions are enough for this. We have collected for you a few life hacks that will help to give a stylish look and uniqueness to any dining room.
UNUSUAL LIGHT
Original lamp or group of lamps above the dining table - 100% success. He will immediately attract the eye from the threshold and will become the main decoration of the dining area. It can be a classic chandelier, a single sculptural lamp, or even a whole light composition. However, when choosing lighting for the dining room, pay attention not only to the unusual design, but also to the functional component: the dining table should be well lit, and those sitting should be able to see each other well so that any meal takes place in the most comfortable atmosphere.
Apartment in Moscow. Project by Sergei Tregubov and Olga Savchenko. Dining area and kitchen. Draenert armchairs, designed by Gino Carollo, Dexter. The table is made of natural marble.
- Photo
- Sergei Ananiev. Style: Milena Morozova
Apartment in Paris.
Designed by Jean-Louis Degno. French crystal chandelier, 18th century.
- Photo
- CHRISTOPHER TUEHER
TABLE ON SCULPTURE BASE
Sometimes it is not necessary to make the main accent at the top: on the contrary, you can decoratively strengthen the lower part of the room by placing a dining table on a spectacular sculptural base. Modern manufacturers have an abundance of such models, and in different price categories - from simple IKEA to author's, created to order by master cabinetmakers.
Project by designer Leyla Ulukhanli.
- Photo
- Photo: Mikhail Loskutov.
DIFFERENT CHAIRS
Different chairs are a fashionable trend in the design of a modern dining room.
This technique allows you to give the room dynamics and a fashionable touch of bohemianism and informality. Don't be afraid to experiment, combine design icons with classics, and new items with vintage: the more different and dissimilar the chairs are, the better! Such a decision will make your dining group truly unique and inimitable.
Apartment of architects Natalia Trofimova and Vladimir Belousov.
- Photo
- Mikhail Loskutov
CABINET AND PLATES ON THE WALL
If you have family sets, a collection of coffee cups, earthenware lids or decorative plates, don't hide your treasures from your guests. On the contrary, put your dishes on display for all to see on the shelves of a display cabinet with glass doors - and let everyone admire it! Alternatively, you can hang the plates on the wall, creating a spectacular composition from them.
Designed by architect Vyacheslav Khomyakov. The sideboard is made to order based on English designs.
Apartment in Milan.
PLAYING WITH COLOR
Trendy warm natural shades will help create a cozy atmosphere in the dining room - olive, ocher, honey-caramel, beige, earthy. They go well with natural wood, wicker elements, colored glass. You can use paint not only for walls, but also for the ceiling: the trend to paint the ceiling has been gaining momentum lately.
- Photo
- @luksuslopperen
Mere Green #219 and Arsenic #214, all Farrow & Ball.
- Photo
- Tapet-Cafe
BRIGHT CARPET
The carpet helps visually highlight the dining area - this solution is especially relevant for the now popular combined spaces of the kitchen-dining-living room, where the carpet serves not only to create coziness but also for zoning.
It can be a neutral model that almost merges with the floor, or a bright oriental kilim - it all depends on your tastes, preferences and style that you have chosen for your apartment.
Apartment in Moscow. Balcon studio project.
- Photo
- Anton Likhtarovich
LIVE PLANTS AND FLOWERS
The best decoration of the dining room (and of the whole house) is undoubtedly live plants, floral arrangements and flowers in vases. They decorate the room and enliven the interior at the same time, bringing a piece of nature into it. If you are not yet puzzled by the landscaping of your home, read our material that will help you understand the basics of home gardening.
- Photo
- @kirkarkitektur
Got an Idea: Three New Year's Eve Decors for One Dining Room
Designer Sean Lang of The Farmhouse Project always decorates the dining room in his 1800 converted farmhouse.
Sean came up with three Christmas decor ideas this year with the help of floral artist Jill Viner of Earthgirl.
Rikki Snyder
Rikki Snyder
1. Pearls, gold and silver
The walls of the spacious room are paneled in dark wood, the ceiling of the dining room is also made of dark wood. In the corner is a dining area with a table and chairs with high backs.
“Don't be afraid to use non-traditional colors for the holidays,” says Sean Lang. “If you want unconventional options, try using “precious” decor: gold, silver and pearl accents.”
Rikki Snyder
Flower arrangements made up of spray roses, poinsettia, lisianthus and carnations. The florist kept the bouquets small and low so they could play with their placement on the table. “Make sure the bouquets don’t block the view of the guests on the other side of the table,” Sean advises.
“We took carnations in light shades that can be easily found in stores at an affordable price.” The flowers were placed in vintage silver-plated vases and vessels.
Rikki Snyder
Vintage white and gold plates used at Jill's parents' wedding and now decorate the New Year's table. They picked up a path with golden patterns and cutlery in a warm golden hue. Linen napkins were placed under the plates.
Rikki Snyder
Rikki Snyder
2. Snow White
If you like a neutral dining table look, take inspiration from the snowy landscape outside your window (if there is one, of course).
“Don't be afraid to use different shades of white if you don't have sets, vases or plates in the same color,” advises Sean.
Rikki Snyder
Sean and Jill used vintage milky glass instead of vases, making loose arrangements of white wild carrot florets .
Rikki Snyder
Vintage plates with floral patterns from the florist's personal collection were also placed on the table. Exquisite white lace-trimmed doilies paired with copper cutlery complete the festive table decor.
Rikki Snyder
3. Tartan and forest motifs
This decor is forest-inspired and, according to Sean, will especially appeal to those who love nature and evenings by the fireplace with a woolen blanket on their feet. “Almost everything for this table decor option was found on the site next to the house. Some coniferous branches, some moss, a couple of pine cones…”
Rikki Snyder
Rikki Snyder
The last decor option – with moss, needles and cones – will most likely decorate the dining room on Christmas and New Year’s days. On Christmas morning, a fireplace will be lit in the dining room, festive music will be turned on and presents will be opened.
