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This blog post is all about the best dining room decor!
Have you been looking at your dining room and scratching your head about how to decorate it by adding a dining room table and a set of chairs? I promise you’re not the only one!
Styling a dining room can be a more challenging task compared to other areas of your home due to how little furniture is actually required for the room to be functional. It’s one of those cases where less actually isn’t more and empty space risks giving the impression of an incomplete design.
In this post, we’ll look at 20 dining room ideas to help you create a beautiful space where character and functionality mix seamlessly. From rugs and storage options to wall decor and different styles, by the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly what you need for the best dining room decor!
20 Dining Room Decor Ideas To Recreate in Your Home
1. Choose The Right Curtains
Curtains are essential for a stylish dining room, especially if you’re working with a space that has high ceilings. Firstly, they are needed to guarantee your and your guests’ privacy while you’re hosting. Secondly, they are a great and affordable way to introduce some textiles and textures to your dining room decor.
Good options for curtain materials include linen, velvet, rattan, and cotton. Think about what atmosphere you are trying to create and start from there to help you choose.
2. Hang Shelves for Wall Decor
Shelves are an easy way to add some storage options to your dining room decor while, at the same time, providing valuable surfaces to display greenery and decorative items. Thin floating shelves are perfect for a modern dining room, while rustic wooden ones would be a better fit for a farmhouse space. You can even opt for asymmetrical shelves if you’re interested instead in a more eclectic look.
3. Invest in a Beautiful Area Rug
Rugs & decor are incredibly useful for grounding your furniture and creating different areas within a single space. For instance, the right dining room rug can help you carve out a dining space within your living room. It can also be used to make the room look a bit busier, preventing your furniture from getting visually lost in an empty room.
Before investing in an area rug, make sure to consider the shape and size of your table and dining room. Round tables, for example, may need a smaller, round rug. You can instead opt for something more oversized for a large rectangular table. Proportions are key!
4. Create a Modern Farmhouse Dining Room
Modern farmhouse is a dining room decor style that has become incredibly popular over the last few years. Its staple pieces are easy to source, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and its color palette is relatively neutral.
Think of the combination of rustic elements like spindle back chairs with modern finishes like black matte wood. Or again, sleek candleholders with textured ceramic vases. These spaces also focus on comfort, with a large use of fabrics and textiles with pieces like a decorative blanket, area rug, or table runner.
5. Go Eclectic
Eclectic dining room decor is all about embracing the best features of different styles and combining them in your dining space. This is the perfect style if you love to dare with your decor and want your choices to make a bold design statement.
Focus on mixing pieces from different stores and collections, including a variety of tones in your color scheme. While you can use neutrals, make sure you have high-contrast elements in your design. A fun element like a chandelier in a different state or DIY word art can also be a perfect finishing touch for your eclectic decor. So chic!
6. Add Wallpaper
If you’re a long-time reader of the blog, you know that I’m a huge fan of wallpaper. I love how interior designers use it to enhance the architectural design of a room and how different patterns can go a long way to completely transform the feel of a space. If your budget allows for it, consider adding wallpaper to your dining room decor for an extra stylish touch.
Make sure to choose a design that can help enhance your dining space. Smaller areas will require larger prints to avoid closing up the room, while large dining rooms can work well even with tiny prints with curated details you can discover only upon a closer look.
7. Include a Cabinet For Extra Storage
Adding a storage cabinet in your dining room is always a good idea. It can help you keep your hosting dinnerware sets and linens organized, as well as make it easier for you to grab items you need as you’re hosting during special occasions.
If you are a very organized person, opt for a cabinet with glass doors or even open shelving. On the other hand, if you love to hide your mess (no judgment here!), make sure to look into a rattan piece or wooden piece.
8. Create a Cozy & Organic Atmosphere
If you love elegant dining room decor and want to combine a vintage interior design style with sleek, modern design, look into mid-century modern products. You’ll find gorgeous pieces like sideboards, chandeliers, and table sets in dark wooden tones and interesting shapes.
You can even combine these pieces with contemporary, organic touches like a rattan light fixture, marble furniture, or a woven boho rug for an extra cozy and sophisticated environment.
9. Keep it Modern & Minimalist
Minimalist dining room decor is a great way to style a small, contemporary dining room if you like open and airy spaces that combine modern design with simplicity. Invest in a beautiful, statement rectangular table and stick to simple patterns, abstract art, and sleek lines.
The small amount of additional decorative elements will help to keep your space organized and visually free, giving the impression of a larger dining area.
10. Embrace The French Country Aesthetic
If you love a traditional dining room, you should consider creating dining room decor in the French country style. These are some of my favorite spaces as they include high-quality wooden pieces, delicate colors, and vintage details that look elegant and timeless.
In this case, focus on selecting a few pieces and prioritize quality over quantity. The right furniture is really the core of your design. You’ll then need a beautiful vase for a centerpiece, a retro chandelier, and an antique mirror. You’ll feel as if you were in a French chateau right in the middle of your home!
11. Include Greenery
Your dining room is the perfect place to include some greenery in your decor. Plants, flowers, and potted trees are the best way to introduce a natural, organic element into your space, as well as add a pop of color without ruining your existing color scheme.
Make sure to choose plants that are a good match for the level of outdoor lighting your dining room receives. You will also need to choose a beautiful set of vases, pot covers, or tree stands to tie in these elements with your overall dining room decor aesthetic.
12. Choose an All-White Design
An all-white modern dining room may be what you need if you’re working with a very small space. This is because neutral color palettes will immediately open up your space, giving you the impression of a bigger room. You can, of course, include low-contrast decorative accents like abstract art or branches to keep the space visually interesting and avoid a completely monotone design.
Light beige or gray walls can also be a good idea if you love the aesthetic but are not ready to commit to an all-white space. A lot of times, you will also see spaces like these use light-wood furniture and textured chairs to add subtle variety to the design.
13. Mix and Match Different Chairs
Dining chairs are one of the foundations of your dining room furniture. If you think outside the box, they can actually become an important element of decor and visual interest. I love the idea of mixing different chair sets on all sides of the dining table, creating a dynamic and unexpected design that allows you to play with contrast and symmetry.
For example, look at how well the mid-century modern furniture counterbalances colorful, more modern pieces in this neutral dining room. So creative!
14. Hang a Mirror
A mirror is a great trick to open up a small space and a simple solution for beautiful dining room wall decor. All my favorite dining rooms include a vintage, gold-frame mirror. I just find it so elegant and love how easily it reflects the natural light coming in! For a more casual and modern option, you can opt instead for a curved or asymmetrical mirror.
15. Choose a Statement Light Fixture
A statement chandelier is a must-have when it comes to dining room decor. It creates an immediate focal point over your dining area, adding structure to your room’s layout. Whether it’s a crystal chandelier or a minimalist design, this is truly a piece that can work as a game-changing finishing touch.
If you are not able to install a chandelier, look into batter-operated wall sconces. They can help you highlight wall decor and, if you opt for lights with a dimmer switch, set the perfect atmosphere for your hosting events.
16. Add a Pop of Color
Whether you look at small dining rooms or formal settings, a pop of color is always a great way to make the space look more curated and interesting. Make sure to include even a small decor piece in a bold tone like red, bright blue, or emerald green to make the rest of your decor immediately look more elevated.
If you want to know more about this principle of design, check out the “Unexpected Red Theory” that went viral at the beginning of 2024.
17. Paint an Accent Wall
An accent wall is a fantastic way to add a strong focal point to your dining room design. This will help you add structure to the layout of your room and can be used even to enhance existing pieces of decor like a statement artwork or an electric fireplace. Don’t be afraid to go bold with your paint choice.
If you don’t want to commit to a new paint color, you can look into wall decals or peel-and-stick wallpaper. Perfect ideas especially if you are renting!
18. Get Creative With Your Color Scheme
If you are trying to design dining room decor that stands out, look into different color options. Instead of defaulting to a neutral color scheme, explore more creative color palettes that you can use to select unique furniture and decor pieces for a beautiful dining area.
Having a well-defined color palette can also help you make decor shopping easier as it will naturally narrow down your options shielding you from choice paralysis – a very real thing with the infinite amount of home decor available nowadays!
19. Add Pendant Lights
Pendant lights are a more casual alternative to a statement chandelier. They can help you create more effortlessly chic dining room decor, elevating the entire space without turning it into a formal environment. Pendant lights are also great for more intimate lighting, making them a great choice if you love to host cozy dinner parties or cocktail hours.
20. Add Banquette Seats
If you want your dining room decor to focus on functionality, banquette seating is definitely something you should consider.
I especially like when banquette seating is used in contrast to the rest of the dining set, making the finish and material stand out. These types of seats are also perfect if you want to create a warm and cozy space as they are incredibly comfortable and can be enhanced with beautiful throw pillows.
To Conclude
This post was all about the best dining room decor ideas!
Whether you’re trying to create a formal dining room or simply a welcoming space to entertain and host family gatherings, the right dining room decor can help you make your space both more beautiful and more functional.
Start with the foundational pieces, i.e. dining room table and chairs, and then work your way into decorative accents and details. The secret is to invest in decor items that serve a purpose in your vision. Remember: planning is your best friend when it comes to creating curated decor you’ll love for a long time to come!
