Styling a dining room
65 Best Dining Room Decor Ideas
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Lighting fixtures, paint colors and tabletop decor fit for every interior, from modern to rustic.
By Monique Valeris and Alyssa Gautieri
Sara Ligorria-Tramp
A space dedicated to good food and great conversation, the dining room is an essential part of any family home — whether you have a small dining room that's outfitted with a cozy banquette or a formal design with a sophisticated dining set. From simple upgrades to full-on renovations, we've rounded up gorgeous dining room decor ideas that make meal time more enjoyable.
Considering you'll spend hours at a time gathered with friends and family in the dining room, the best decorative pieces should tell a story and strike up conversation. For that reason, accessorize a dining room with statement lighting, stylish rugs, lively wall art (plus DIY wall decor) and striking wallpaper patterns. As for dressing your dining table, you can't go wrong with luxurious candles, impressive centerpieces and fresh greens. If you're looking for a budget-friendly DIY project, you can create a gallery wall, revamp old furniture or give your walls a fresh coat of paint (note: these colors are trending).
There are so many directions to take, whether you're partial to the farmhouse aesthetic, crafting sleek spaces or you're hoping to bring some of the best 2023 design trends into your interior (hint: warm woods, gold accents and statement rugs are popular this year). Since most people swap their tabletop decor as the seasons change, we've sprinkled in ideas for Thanksgiving place settings, cozy holiday table arrangements and DIY centerpiece ideas that are fitting for spring.
Lauren Miller
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Antique Decor
Accumulate vintage pieces to make a space feel unique, whether it's with furniture (like dining chairs and a hutch) or decorative items (like vases and a rug).
"I love that antiques tell a story," says designer Ashley Montgomery.
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.
Sara Ligorria-Tramp
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Pattern Dining Bench
Here, designer Arlyn Hernandez starts with a bold dining bench and Farrow & Ball's Inchyra Blue for the walls. Then she brings the space together with light leather dining chairs, a textured rug and wood dining table from Article.
See more at Style by Emily Henderson »
MEGAN MOURA
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Natural Textures
With an oak dining set and two oversized pendants, this Honolulu home embraces natural materials and a coastal feel.
SHOP PENDANTS
Prue Ruscoe, Taverne Agency
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Pop of Red
Use your dining chairs to bring in color (we love the red), then add other complementary hues with an area rug and artwork.
Jill Weller
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Quartz Tabletop
Evin Krehbiel
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Custom Centerpieces
"Take your tablescape to the next level by repurposing lanterns into custom vases for a creative centerpiece," says HomeGoods Style Expert Jenny Reimold, who fills these rattan lanterns with a mix of faux florals.
SHOP RATTEN LANTERNS
Alberto Bartolomei
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Maximalism Design
Defined by gold accents, vibrant hues and oversized artwork, this eclectic interior proves more is more.
SHOP VASES
Boxwood Avenue
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Reclaimed Wood Table
Go for a dining room table that takes center stage, like this historic one that's made from decades-old wood and was lightly sanded by artisans.
See more at Boxwood Avenue »
David Tsay
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Bar Cart
Spacecrafting Photography
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Green Touches
The small dining space in this traditional Greenwich home opens to the backyard, giving it a bright and nature-inspired feel.
Woven chairs add texture, while potted plants make the perfect centerpiece.
SHOP WOVEN CHAIRS
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.
Jean Randazzo
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Yellow-Green Accents
When used in small doses, a citrus-inspired pop of color can elevate an interior. "It’s like a punchy-colored throw pillow for the wall," says interior designer Jackie Terrell.
BROOKE HOLM
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Hanging Planter
Not only does interior designer Jean Lin of Colony go for a globe pendant light, she also hung a planter from the ceiling. Two green vases complement the green of the fresh leaves.
SHOP HANGING PLANTER
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
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.
Katie Bowling/ One Delightful Home
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Traditional Meets Vintage
Here, blogger Katie Bowling keeps a dining room's original chandelier and wainscoting, but dresses it up with a vintage-inspired gallery wall and striped dining chair covers.
Zeke Ruelas
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Blue Walls
Navy blue walls stand out against doses of white in this Ginny Macdonald-designed dining room.
SHOP NAVY PAINT
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.
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.
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 fresh 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 areas, 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.
36 Stunning Fireplace Decor Ideas
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.
Alyssa Gautieri Associate Lifestyle Editor Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design.
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.
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The dining room plays a key role in the organization of everyday life.
Unfortunately, in many modern projects, a small space is allocated for the kitchen, so it is not always possible to organize a dining room. A competent approach to home improvement will allow you to allocate a place in it for a dining room, even if not in the kitchen. Then the matter remains small: to create a harmonious interior design of the dining room. The dining area should fit into the overall style concept of the room and at the same time be comfortable, practical, beautiful. Consider options for arranging a dining room in a modern house / apartment. nine0003
Kitchen combination
The most common option for the location of the dining area is its combination with the kitchen. Some argue their choice by the fact that cooked food is much easier to serve immediately after cooking than to carry it to another room. Others strive for maximum space savings, therefore they consider this combination to be the most successful. One way or another, for space zoning, you can use various design solutions, for example: installing a multi-level ceiling or an arched passage between zones.
The steps between the dining room and the kitchen look very original. As finishing materials, you can choose wood, ceramic tiles or wallpaper, depending on the basic design of the kitchen. By the way, in the studio apartments that are gaining popularity, where all the rooms are combined, it is much easier to organize a dining segment. nine0003
Dining and living room
This version of the dining room interior is no less practical than the previous one. At the end of the meal, you can move to the living room area to continue the banquet or a pleasant family vacation. Of course, such a combination also requires competent zoning of space. To separate the living room and dining room, it is preferable to use furniture, shelving or partitions. Such a decorative element as an aquarium looks impressive. Don't forget about lighting. So, in the living room you can place a stylish floor lamp or built-in LED lights, and for the dining area it is better to choose a hanging chandelier that will provide full lighting.
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Dining room as a separate room
The ideal option is to allocate a separate room for a dining room. In such cases, the design of the dining room requires the deepest study to create a single, complete image of the room. First of all, you need to decide on the style of the dining room, because both the color scheme and the choice of furniture and decorative elements depend on it. To best fit the dining room into the overall interior of the house, consider a variety of diverse design projects. There are many photos of the interior of the dining room on the Internet, which will help you choose the optimal design for a room of any size and configuration. nine0003
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How to design a dining room - photos and design tips
There is no better room in the house for daring fantasies than the dining room, which serves as a special place for entertainment and celebrations.
It does not matter whether it is connected to the kitchen or a separate space is allotted to it, you should always perceive it as a very important element in which everything should be conducive to a pleasant pastime. nine0003
Mirrors
This accessory will perfectly emphasize the individual design of the room, as well as visually expand it. Whether it is a small mirror or a full wall, the room will look richer and more luxurious with it.
If it is made in an unusual form, for example, stars, then the guests will gasp with delight. Completing the look is the interesting use of glass, silver and other reflective surfaces.
In this room, details are especially successful, such as the coincidence of the lines of the edge of the table and the chandelier above it. nine0003
Paintings
If you move away from the usual two-dimensional representation of paintings, you can find many interesting modern options. Huge luminous letters immediately set you up for joy and fun.
The main thing is that the walls should be neutral.
Attention
Theatrical echoes in design do not have to be bright and big. A few interesting details, such as lamps above the table and an interesting piece of art on the table, can do the job. It is easy to breathe in such a dining room. nine0003
Lighting
This is a very important element for this style. Lamps and chandeliers should be memorable, so you can play with colors, materials, and even the level at which they can be hung.
Eclectic
Chairs and tables in such a dining room do not have to be from the same series. A classic table with modern chairs will create an unforgettable effect. Such a free approach can be observed throughout the interior, then it will be easier to select accessories.
Accent
There are many pieces of furniture designed specifically for dining rooms that are not only beautiful but also practical. Even old familiar sideboards and chests of drawers can be converted into a new room by updating handles, legs, or all at once.
Table
The dining table is the centerpiece of the room, so it's worth going out of your way to wow your guests. Marble, for example, is very elegant. A stack made of chips will be even more durable than a solid piece of this breed or wood. nine0003
You can also change the shape. A rectangular table is a classic by default, but a round or square one is more conducive to conversation, especially if many people participate in it. The main thing is to make sure that the size fits the size of the room.
Wallcoverings
Models with a large pattern are more suitable for the theatrical than with a small one. If the dining room is relatively spacious, then even all four walls can be covered with such a pattern, but even one accent wall will look interesting. nine0003
Stocks
An elegant drinking bar is nice, but what about a hidden area? You can turn an ordinary sideboard into a refrigerator and add a mirrored back wall. Or even use a screen to separate a special area for drinks.
