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Dining room wall paint colours


10 Dining Room Paint Colors

Color can elevate your dining room to elegant and dramatic

By

Lee Wallender

Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 11/22/21

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

When it comes to picking out the perfect dining room paint color, look for a shade that sets the space's mood. It should match your entertaining style since this room is for guests, special occasions, and transient use. Since you're not in the room long, feel free to go bold with color to set an elegant and dramatic tone. Lighter tones work well, too; neutrals are inviting and comfortable.

Here are the top 10 picks for the best dining room paint colors.

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(Image credit: Future)

Dining room color ideas define the atmosphere that you'll be providing for your guests – as creating a convivial ambience is at the heart of the room's purpose, color should always be given extra consideration.

A dining room may not be used as frequently as other rooms, but when it is used, it really goes big. As a room dedicated to entertaining and hosting joyous occasions, your dining room ideas can be a little more dressed up that other parts of the house, and should always be ready to party. 

There are few hard and fast rules for choosing your dining room color scheme – it's more about your own personality. Are you talkative and the life and soul of a party? A demure host? Laid back and casual? Selecting room color ideas that represent who you are will help your evenings to be uniquely you.

Dining room color ideas

From dramatically dark tones to playful pinks and relaxing greens, we have found some beautiful inspiration for you dining room color ideas, and asked experts for their top tips on creating the ultimate entertaining space. 

1. Dare to go dark with jewel tones 

(Image credit: Polly Wreford)

The dining room is where you can be your most daring self, making dramatic design choices that might be just a little too much in rooms that you frequent more regularly. Set it apart from the rest of the home by choosing dark colors that are atmospheric at night, and amp up the sense of occasion by choosing jewel tones, like this deep emerald. 

Increase the sense of luxury with brass accents, or balance the drama with more relaxed, natural textures like in this example. Contrary to instinct, dark colors work particularly well with small dining room ideas, creating a cozy, intimate atmosphere.  

2. Go bold with red 

(Image credit: Crown)

Red may not be the first color to come to mind for your dining room, but red dining room ideas are actually an inspired choice.

Difficult to work in many rooms of the home, shades of red are bold and make a dramatic statement. According to color theory, red also actively encourages conversation, making it the perfect background to convivial dinner parties

'Deeper shades work particularly well in a dining room to add a cozy and luxurious feel that complements both traditional and modern styles,' adds Judy Smith, Crown color consultant.

'Pair burgundy with dark furniture to give the space a comforting, period-inspired look, while add touches of dusky pink to create a more contemporary and unexpected feel.'

3. Add energy with terracotta

Photography/Simon Bevan

(Image credit: Future)

Essentially a toned down version of red, shades of orange with bring excitement and energy into a space.

For a grown up approach, choose a mellow terracotta or spice shade, which will still provide the right energy for entertaining, but without the dramatic statement of red.

Tonal terracottas also suggest a place of harmonious comfort, so you can expect your guests to sit comfortably and hunker down for the evening. Pair with natural textures across your furniture and dining table styling tricks for a rustic edge.

4. Get contemporary with grey

(Image credit: Tiffany Leigh Design/Lauren Miller)

As an on-trend shade across most rooms of the house right now, choosing gray dining room ideas will help your space feel contemporary whatever your style. Cool and relaxing, a dove grey with a little warmth behind it is the ultimate neutral of the moment, and can be accessorized to feel cozy and inviting, but hangs on to a certain grown-up nature that is great for formal dining rooms. 

In this dining room by interior designer Tiffany Leigh, a mid-grey is built upon with a tonal palette, with cool dark browns and even an olive tree bringing out the green undertones of the grey walls.  

5. Indulge in sumptuous brown woods

(Image credit: Michael Sinclair)

Terracotta may be having a moment, but it’s not the only brown in town. Looking into the history books, wooden panelling in rich, caramel browns have been a favorite for decadent and intimate dining rooms for centuries. Wood-clad walls and these strongly hued warm browns can, however, have a place in modern dining room ideas too. Look to mid-century modern design for geometric inspiration and highly polished surfaces, and add textural notes to amp up the sensual notes that will encourage bountiful feasting.  

6. Have a play with pink

(Image credit: Dulux)

Long gone are the days of pinks rooms being relegated to the confines of bedroom ideas for girls – over the past couple of years, pink has been encroaching more and more into the main areas of the home.

'Pink paint is proving it deserves a place in every room of your home,' notes Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux . 'With the right shade of blush pink paint or dusky pink paint you can design a stylish, sophisticated space.'

Pink room walls nod at trendy brunch spots, so you can expect a fun and lively atmosphere in this chic space. Since it's most definitely playful, it's an ideal color to explore zoning with paint – perfect if you live in an open plan home and wish to delineate the dining area.

'When it comes to entertaining, atmosphere is important, so it helps to have a stylish dining space,' says Marianne. 'Zoning with color to highlight your 'area of expertise' is the easiest way to create a focal point. All you need to do is paint a block of color on the wall directly behind your table, then continue along the ceiling until you cover the area above it.'

7. Lighten up with yellow

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

The optimistic tones of yellow are more commonly seen in kitchens and loving rooms than dining spaces as it is traditionally seen as more of a daytime color.

That said, we'd never get anywhere if we didn't find ways of stylishly breaking the rules, so why not look to yellow dining room ideas.

'Refresh your dining room in a sunny yellow hue that will help the space feel light and bright,' suggests Helen Shaw, director at Benjamin Moore . 'Uplifting and friendly, yellow tones help to create a welcoming feel that is essential for space made for entertaining.'

'Depending on the mood you're looking to create, consider deep tones of yellow such as ochre or honey tones which look warm and cosy when ambiently lit. Whereas softer hues can feel optimistic which are great used in more informal dining areas that are used from breakfast through to dinner. '

Crown's Judy Smith adds, 'whether used as a bold color block or a playful accent shade, yellow provides an energetic backdrop for conviviality, radiating fun and positivity into the room.' 

When considering how to dress a dining table in the space, pair it with floral displays majoring in a different tone of yellow to add depth. 

8. Use green to ground

Photography/Chis Everard

(Image credit: Future)

Color theory tells us that shades of green are trustworthy and grounding – perhaps this is the tone for getting deep into conversation at a dinner party.

On the whole, green is a great choice for softening modern features and furniture as it harkens back to nature, providing a pleasing sense of balance and conjuring the atmosphere of outdoor dining.

Green dining room ideas suggest a sense of freshness, and who wouldn't want that around when presenting a meal?

9. Go deep with navy blue

(Image credit: Annie Sloan)

Navy blues are a having a bit of a moment, and blue dining room ideas work beautifull in this shade, not least because of how wonderful candlelight looks flickering on deep walls.

'A dining space is a wonderful place to be bold or experimental; this is a room where you want conversation to spark,' says color and paint expert Annie Sloan . 

'A rich highly-pigmented blue is a brilliant starting point; bring in joyful exclamatory splashes of clashing orange to harness the best qualities of both shades and make a real design statement.'

10. Embrace drama with black

(Image credit: Paint and Paper Library)

Black dining room walls are often kept to high end restaurants, though they are slowly but surely trickling into the domestic sphere.

Deep, dark walls are often associated with older, grand homes, and while they certainly look wonderful, blacks – like this shade from Paint and Paper Library  – are ideal for thoroughly modern homes.

The contrast of the blackest walls with contemporary furniture, blonde woods and natural textures is, quite simply, cool. Stop the color from overwhelming by including splashes of lighter tones, perhaps a tonal dado rail and a crisp, white ceiling.  

11. Choose simplicity with a neutral

(Image credit: John Lewis and Partners)

For smaller properties, make your small dining room seem bigger than it is by painting the walls with neutrals.

A cooler neutral will have a more refined feeling, but the warmer tones are more suited to a dining space as they are more welcoming to your guests. They also work really well for kitchen diner ideas, where the space needs to serve more than one function. 

If you choose a neutral scheme, go full out and take these tones throughout the room for a truly calming feel.

12. Bring vitality with a leafy green

(Image credit: Little Greene Sage & Onions)

If you love vibrant greens then dining rooms are a perfect space to showcase them, creating joyful and playful feel perfect for entertaining. 'Dining spaces are often one of the only rooms within a home where furniture is pulled away from the walls, allowing for a wallpaper or bold color choice to be truly appreciated,' explains Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene . 'The transient nature of the space means it’s also a wonderful room in which to be bold with your interior.'

Uplifting and energizing, leafy mid-greens can make a real statement when used over all four walls as well as over woodwork and skirting. 'Drenching your interior in color and incorporating all elements will create an engaging and inviting dining space,' says Ruth Mottershead. However, if you're less confident with color 'you don’t have to commit to all four walls, you can opt for just a pop of bright, rich contrasting green on dining chairs, woodwork or to paint a single door, it’s a quick and easy way to add impact and an element of surprise to an interior,' she adds. 

13. Choose a warm neutral

(Image credit: Polly Wreford)

Neutrals are the perfect way to create a timeless, elegant feel. While they may be a safe choice, neutrals needn't result in boring scheme as they can create a great base for layering colorful pieces, plus will help spaces feel calm and comforting. If you're considering decorating in neutral shades then consider a warm neutrals suggest the paint experts. 'If your room is full of light, play to this advantage and err on a fresher, lighter approach with a warm mid-neutral,' suggests Patrick O’Donnell, brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball .

Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene explains how they've, 'seen a shift away from cool gray to warmer, more natural tones, often termed the 'new neutrals.' Of the transition towards more earthy, natural tones she suggests that, 'natural colors are often the ones we feel most comfortable with using in the home as they are reminiscent of the tranquillity of outdoors.'

14. Bring elegance with a dusky pink

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball Peignoir)

When it comes to choosing colors for a traditional dining room, ‘think about the style of the room and the architectural interest that you might want to play with and accentuate,' advises Patrick O’Donnell. If you're lucky enough to have a space brimming with beautiful original features, then consider a color that helps make the most of them.

A chic pastel pink with undertones of gray, Peignor by Farrow & Ball brings softness and elegance to this Georgian dining room while also highlighting the ornate decorative plasterwork.

15. Choose a versatile light grey

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball Hardwick White)

If you're looking for an elegant, calm backdrop with enduring appeal then you can't go wrong with gray. Offering a sense of depth without overpowering a space, light gray dining rooms are perfect for those looking for a neutral backdrop for to display sculptural pieces such as pendant lamps, as well as colorful wall decor ideas. 

Decorating with gray on walls can sometimes cause rooms to feel cold, especially in north facing rooms. To counter this consider a gray paint with warm undertones or try adding a vibrant red rug as demonstrated here. 

16.

Inject joy with zesty yellow

(Image credit: Little Greene)

If you're looking to create a happy uplifting dining room consider decorating with yellow as it's guaranteed to spark you.

'Yellow is a shade that provides positivity to a space. It is a color that makes us feel uplifted, happy, energized and invited,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene. An easy way to bring a ray of sunshine all year round the shade, 'works beautifully in busy joyful spaces such as kitchens, dining spaces and living rooms,' she adds.

Which color is best for a dining room?

More so than in any other room of the house, this really is down to personal taste. Frankly, anything goes in a dining room. If you’re intending for it to be a real party starter of a space, you can be as bold as you like. Bright colors won’t translate as well into the evening, but if you love color, choose deeper shades of hues that you love, like sapphire or navy blues and even claret reds and emerald greens. Jewel tones will lend a sense of luxury to proceedings. 

Alternatively, if this dining room is intended as an all-day space, lighter shades work well. From crisp white and dove greys, neutrals are an easy way to create an inviting space for lunch and breakfast that makes the most of any natural light in the space. If you want a little more personality in there, choose sunny yellows and pale pinks for playfulness.

What color should I paint my small dining room? 

You really can go one or two ways with this one. If you’re keen to make the space feel bigger, then lighter is the way to go. As a standard, pale neutrals like white and grey will keep the space feeling as airy and open as possible, so work well for small rooms in general. 

However, if your dining room is primarily used in the evenings, consider heading to the dark side. Wrapping a small room in one dark color from top to bottom will make it feel cozy and intimate, and create a dramatic contrast to lighter rooms of the house. Go for shades with a lot of pigment in them so the color burns through the shadows. 

Thea Babington-Stitt is a Content Editor at Future. She has been an interiors journalist for nearly 10 years and has held positions at LivingEtc, Country Homes & Interiors and Homes & Gardens. Currently, she is writing for Ideal Home and Style At Home's websites and magazines.

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Color plays an important role in the interior. The color design of the dining room affects not only the mood and appetite - it can be used to correct the shortcomings and emphasize the dignity of the room, maintain the style of the interior. To properly plan the color scheme, you need to decide on the main and additional shades, make harmonious combinations, and place accents.


The interior of the dining room should create a family atmosphere so that meals together are a pleasure. And on holidays, the dining room should be easily transformed according to the event.

A popular design trick when choosing color combinations is to highlight one main color. There are options when, when combining colors in the dining room, two main ones are brought to the foreground, and other tones are used as inclusions. It is important that the main colors are in harmony with each other. nine0012

Light colors. In a bright room, a positive mood is usually formed. That is why light colors and white are suitable for decorating the dining area, as well as textures that enhance luminosity: glass, lacquered surfaces, shiny metal. These finishing solutions fit perfectly into the modern interior concept in a neutral, classic and ecological style, country and fusion style.

For balance, use combinations of white (or its shades - milky, cream, ivory) with deep brown, gray-blue, greenish-gray, terracotta. Dining room decor in these colors will give a feeling of deep inner peace. To create a lively atmosphere, accessories made of silver and shiny metal, cream-colored or painted ceramics will help. nine0012

Color contrasts. Avoid in the dining area hard contrasts of black and colors of the chromatic range (especially red, yellow, gold, crimson, purple), as well as "sharp" comparisons of saturated colors. Usually they are perceived as exciting, annoying and create psychological stress, inappropriate for a meal and in communication with guests. Avoid large clusters of saturated colors in the dining room. Either light, unsaturated, or mixed tones are preferred: sand, coffee with milk, beige, pale pink, gray-green. It is worth considering a harmonious color scheme, using "neighbors" in half of the spectrum: blue and green, yellow and orange. This palette creates a peaceful and pleasant mood. nine0012

A few important factors to consider when choosing a color palette for your dining room.

Dining room size. Choose colors according to the size of the dining room. For small dining rooms, use combinations of light and cold tones, as they visually increase the space. For large dining spaces, combine dark colors with medium saturation and bright colors. Furniture in this case, it is better to choose two-tone. nine0012

Furniture and decor. Consider the room's furniture, window treatments, and wall decorations. If you do not plan to change the decor, choose wall colors that match it. If you are going to completely change the interior of the dining room, you will have more options. One of the easiest ways to add color to a neutral dining room is with colorful chairs.

Adjoining premises. If there is access to other rooms from the dining room, you need to choose the colors of the walls so that they blend harmoniously with the colors of the neighboring rooms. nine0012

Accent color. The room will look much more interesting if, in addition to the main one, you add accent colors as well. But first, make sure that the chosen colors look good next to each other.

Combine only 3-5 shades. As a rule, the background of the dining room and kitchen is made up of the largest surfaces and objects: walls, floors, large furniture. It is their colors in the interior palette that will be the main and most often neutral, natural and close to each other. In addition to the basic colors, you can choose two or three additional colors - darker, more saturated or brighter. nine0012

As a percentage, the main and secondary colors can be divided as 60/30/10. Very bright and dark colors should occupy the smallest fraction of the space - no more than 10%, only as accents and color spots.

Combine colors with the color wheel . When composing a color combination in the kitchen, it is useful to know the principles of working with a chromatic circle that schematically represents the rainbow spectrum.


Interior style. nine0031 The color scheme of the interior should match the style. Dining rooms in a classic or Art Deco style are decorated in deep but muted tones that are close to nature. Bright accents are not characteristic of classic interiors, but contrasts are allowed.


European shabby chic and Provence, Gustavian and French styles are characterized by a pastel and neutral palette without too bright accents.


Scandinavian style base colors tend to be light and natural, but often with bright or contrasting accents. nine0012

Loft and industrial are built on dark muted tones, often with a lot of brick, wood, concrete and metal shades.

Pop art, retro and boho chic are trends for those who love bright and saturated colors.

Rustic and minimalistic style, eco-style and country style are based on shades of natural materials - sand, grass, clay, stones and, of course, wood.


Lighting. Consider the orientation of the windows to the cardinal points and the level of illumination If the room faces the north side, then soft white and warm saturated colors will help to compensate for the lack of heat and light: yellow, red, orange, pink. nine0012

Boiled white, shades of blue, blue, purple and gray in dim natural light will look cloudy and even create a feeling of cold. Also, do not get carried away with pastel shades, because without sunlight they will seem dirty and dull. But in sunny southern kitchens, cold shades will look fresh, and pastels will look gentle. Warm colors in bright light, on the contrary, may seem too active and oppressive, or create a feeling of stuffiness.

Cold shades subdue appetite, warm ones excite If you are an avid cook, gourmet or just a fan of beautiful food photography, then warm shades (yellow, red and orange, wood and brick textures) in a dining or working area will be very useful. On the other hand, if you are striving for a moderate diet, then an apron or, say, a tablecloth on the table, it is better to choose in cold colors.


With the help of color you can visually disguise the unsuccessful proportions of the room, use gradations of tone, combinations of shiny and matte textures, drawing. nine0012

Textures and patterns. Mirrored and glossy surfaces will make the dining room not only bigger, but also more airy. Glossy shine will create a feeling of cleanliness. Large patterns and textures are suitable for large dining rooms, and for small rooms, choose small patterns and textures - with their help, the dining room will seem larger. The texture should also be unobtrusive, best in combination with a light color.


Basic colors for the dining room and their combinations

White. A dining room in white will look elegant and airy. A palette of shades of white is an option for those who appreciate the simplicity and elegance of style and, at the same time, wide possibilities for color solutions. White color gives almost unlimited possibilities for creating space. White goes well with all tones and sets the contrast. The most popular combinations with black, red and blue tone. The individuality of the design should be emphasized with original graphics or photographs, as well as the intense color of accessories and furniture. nine0012

Black. If you use this color in moderation (without making it dominant) and combine it with lighter or cheerful shades, then black can bring sophistication and rigor to the interior. Elegant black cools the space, pairing perfectly with gray and white. Duets of black with red, pink, green, yellow are acceptable.


Grey. Gray is practical and versatile, almost all colors paired with it become nobler and more effective. However, the abundance of gray (except for very light colors) can depress and chill. To keep a gray dining room from looking boring, don't make classic gray the main tone, especially if the room is dark. Gray is especially good with white (gray walls with white baseboards), pink, yellow, blue, purple. nine0012

Beige. The most compromise among the entire palette. Unobtrusive and goes well with many tones, but is best with peach, blue and brown. The beige color of the walls in the dining room does not distract attention and creates a feeling of comfort.

Green. Green color in the dining room is considered one of the most advantageous and popular. It personifies nature and tranquility, sets in a positive way. It will always be a pleasure to spend time in such a dining room. Green goes well with purple, white, gold, red, goes well with the "neighbors" blue and yellow, warm shades - orange and brown. nine0012

Brown. Brown and its shades are often used in the interior of the dining room. The color of the earth and wood soothes, creates a sense of security and comfort in the interior. It is especially good to use it in textiles, flooring and furniture. However, in large quantities and without suitable complementary colors, it can be tiring. Harmonizes brown with white, beige, green, pink, blue. It is especially effectively combined with pastel colors, creating a calm and eye-pleasing palette. nine0012

Blue. A great color for the kitchen but subject to good sunlight or use in moderation. Noble and deep blue will transform the dining room, making it expressive. It is desirable to make blue dominant in large dining rooms so that it does not hide the space. Blue is suitable for those who struggle with the habit of overeating, who love peace and need self-confidence. The main combinations: with cold colors - gray, green, blue and purple, with warm colors - orange, yellow, brown, red. nine0012

Blue. Dining room in blue is associated with sea freshness and energy of the water element. Mediterranean notes will give it olive, light green, turquoise, azure, blue, white, beige.


Purple. Gives dining chic and elegance. This color is almost the most difficult to use, as it has a contradictory effect - it excites and calms at the same time. Therefore, it should be used only in very small quantities. Combinations: with neutral colors - white, gray, brown, with its complementary color - yellow, as well as red and blue. nine0012

Yellow. Sunny yellow color will make the dining room bright and juicy, the color invigorates, warms, improves mood, any food against such a background seems appetizing. But in large quantities, yellow can irritate the psyche. This color is especially shown in northern and dark kitchens - here it can replace sunlight. It is successfully combined with orange, blue, white, purple and gray. Most often it does not dominate, but is used in combination with other colors. nine0012

Orange. Orange dining room is a popular and modern solution. Orange, like yellow, gives a feeling of summer and awakens the appetite. It is also rarely used as an independent tone. The most successful combinations with yellow, blue, green and white.

Red. This bright, dynamic color is nowhere more appropriate than in the kitchen and dining room, but it does not suit everyone's temperament. In small doses, it warms, invigorates, stimulates appetite, in large doses, it presses and irritates. A dining room in red will look expressive and modern, especially if red is expressed on glossy surfaces. It is recommended not to make it a dominant tone, but to be paired with such colors: black, white, golden, light peach, gray or silver. nine0012


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Dining room color > 200 photos of dining room interior ideas in various colors

Contents:


General rules for choosing color combinations in the interior of the dining room

A popular design trick when choosing color combinations is to highlight one main color. nine0012

Dining room color can be chosen 1, but using its different shades. Then the situation will not merge into one whole and it will be possible to highlight the desired accents.



Selection of textures and patterns




We offer you to consider the color options for the kitchen-dining room, as well as their winning combinations.

Basic colors

A white dining room will look elegant and airy. White goes well with all tones and sets the contrast. The most popular combinations with black, red and blue tone. As the color of the ceilings in the dining room, white is most often chosen. nine0012












Even though black also goes well with all colours, don't make it the dominant color in the dining room. It will psychologically overload some people, and in the dining room you want to eat in a comfortable environment. Duets of black with red, white, pink, green are acceptable in the dining room.











To keep a gray dining room from looking boring, don't make classic gray the main tone. This is an amateur decision. Gray will fit into almost any environment. Effectively complement the design of the dining room in gray pink, blue and purple. A rather interesting design solution is a gray dining room (in the manner of a black and white photograph) and one or more bright objects, for example, pink.











Beige is the most compromise among the entire palette. It's hard to go wrong when using it. It is unobtrusive and goes well with many tones, but is best with peach, blue and brown. The beige color of the walls in the dining room does not distract attention and creates a feeling of comfort.