Stylish Dining Room Decorating Ideas

Whether your style is formal or family friendly, use these design tips and decorating ideas to update your dining room.

Is your dining room in need of a little attention? We’ve gathered some of our favorite dining rooms for some inspiration. From formal settings to family-friendly spaces, we have dining room decorating ideas that are sure to fit your needs. Dining rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and it sometimes takes a creative eye to find the perfect space for one in your home. These dining room ideas will help you think outside the box when it comes to finding the perfect spot. From the bold and colorful, to casual and rustic, you’ll find the perfect inspiration in these stylish dining room decorating ideas.

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Coastal Lowcountry Dining Room

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

In this interior, pairing grays, blues, and pops of bright green with neutrals keeps the color scheme serene. Striped slipcovered chairs are an easy nautical touch. Blue nubbly linen curtains with pretty patterned trim are like the rest of the decor: refined but relaxed.

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Make an Entrance

Laurey W.Glenn

This delicately patterned Idarica Gazzoni wallpaper with a trompe l'oeil chair rail frames the preppy, coral-hued dining room.

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Play Up a Fun Color

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Just as gold accessories add an on-trend vibe to an outﬁt, the warm tones of brushed gold ﬂatware and embellished glasses add ﬁnesse and sparkle to a casual table.

See the rest of this dining room

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Layer Neutrals for a Relaxed Look

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

"To give Country French my minimalist spin, I avoid the expected ruffles and plaids and keep it about the painted antiques and white linens," says homeowner and designer Regina Lynch. She, along with designer Destiny Lynch (who also happens to be Regina's daughter) came together to create this "less-is more" style.

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Low-Profile Dining Nook

Dining Nook with Glass Table and Brown Chairs

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Even small spaces need a designated dining area. Designer Matthew Bees used the nook below the stairs of this Charleston loft to create the perfect space. The addition of a small chandelier ties the nook together.

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Casual Seating

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

This space serves as a library/eating area. The room is casually arranged with a table, sofa, and bench pushed against the shelves.

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Give a Splash of Bold Color

Photo: Eric Piasecki, Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The homeowners wanted to have a fresh, bright dining room, so designer Ashley Whittaker helped them pick a showstopping lettuce green shade for the shiny lacquered walls and then kicked it up a notch with bright coral upholstered dining chairs. Painted lantern sconces and a sleek, four-arm, unlacquered brass chandelier play off the casual mood established by the sweet/tart color scheme.

Love it? Get it!
Chair fabric (back): Volpi (custom colorway) by Quadrille. Wall paint: Young Wheat; pantone.com.

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Mix Color and Style

Photography Van Chaplin, Charles Walton IV / Styling Buffy Hargett

Play with furniture styles to achieve a personalized look. Just unify with color. These red lacquer bamboo-style side chairs add a bold punch of color that coordinates with the cabinet interiors of this space.

See this Georgia Home

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Soften the Space with Linens

Photo by: Laurey W. Glenn

Simple details like the finish of your linens help set the tone of your dining space. This round table and antique chairs are covered in simple linen and checked fabrics. A dainty scalloped edge on the chairs and table topper adds a decorative touch.

See this Cape Cod Cottage Makeover

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Save Space with Built-Ins

Photos by Jean Allsopp

Add storage to a small dining area with a built-in china cabinet. You’ll not only save floorspace, but you’ll also have the opportunity to integrate architectural details like decorative trimwork.

See this Historic Lowcountry Cottage

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Give a Dose of Tradition

PHoto: Laurey W. Glenn

Leta Foster has spent the last 35 years designing interiors so well that her three daughters followed in her footsteps, becoming the "& Associates" in her firm. When this breakfast room project in an early-1900s Richmond home came to Leta, she tapped daughter Sallie Giordano to collaborate. Together, they decorated the space to fit a young family while honoring its original architect, William Bottomley.

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Create Privacy with Pocket Doors

Photo: Tria Giovan, Styling: Olga Naiman

Get the free traffic flow of an open plan and the intimacy of a closed dining room by using sliding pocket doors. On the left side of this room, reclaimed heart-pine pocket doors can be closed to hide the kitchen.

Tour this Georgia Row House

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Create a Calming Palette

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Walls covered in subtle blue grass cloth create a serene space that's inviting and warm.

See more of this classic Birmingham home.

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Lighten Up with Windows

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Natural lighting makes a dining room magnetic. A clutch of chairs normally found in a living room, including two English wing chairs, amps up this room’s style. Canvas upholstery unites the mismatched vintage chairs.

See this Bright Kansas City Home

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Mix Upholstery

Add textural depth by mixing upholstery fabrics. These dining chairs sport patterned upholstery cushions, and the backs are covered in a coordinating solid.

Take a tour of this Texas Home

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Take Your Cue from the Natural Surroundings

Laurey W. Glenn

Reflecting its forested location, this house is decked out in a variety of natural materials—from rough-hewn beams to rustic furniture made from branches.

See this Carolina Mountain Cottage

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Multitask

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn / Styling: Anne Turner Carroll

Dining rooms can easily be made into multiuse spaces. A large dining table work surface makes this room a perfect place to double as the homeowner’s design office. Books and samples can quickly be stowed in cabinets when guests come over.

See this Farmhouse Redo

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Make a Small Dining Room Look Larger

Photography Laurey W. Glenn / Styling Leigh Anne Montgomery

Visually expand a small dining room by keeping the palette monochromatic and furnishing it with a round table and armless dining chairs. This crisp green dining room feels airy and open even though the space is small.

See More Style Secrets from a Design Pro

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Add Height

Emphasize the height of your dining room with vertical stripes. Floor-to-ceiling windows also help this space feel lofty and light.

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Plan Ahead for Flexibility

Photos by Jean Allsopp

Add shelves for greater flexibility. A wall of library shelves in this dining room enhances the cozy cabin feel and offers homeowners the option of converting the space into an office.

Tour this Mountain Getaway

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Build a Banquette

Built-in banquette seating is a great option if you’re short on space. It not only adds seating, but the space beneath the seat can also be used for storage. Using the same upholstery fabric helps tie together the mixed seating in this space.

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Go for Durable

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Make sure all of your dining room materials and surfaces are spill-proof. These host chairs, designed in a modified Parsons style, are upholstered in durable outdoor fabric to withstand upset cups and plates.

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Think Outside the Color Box

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Try a nontraditional color scheme. This formal dining room jazzes up a traditional foundation with unexpected color combinations. The graphic green upholstered chairs play off of the distinctive orange-and-gold wallpaper. Gilded accents pick up the metallics in the pattern of the paper.

See this Colorful Home

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Hang Plush Drapery

Photo Robbie Caponetto / Styling Anne Turner Carroll

Set the mood with lush window treatments. Luxurious curtains hung near the ceiling give grand scale to this dining room.

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Go Neutral

Even if you’re not a fan of bright colors, you can still create a striking dining room. This mostly neutral dining room is anything but boring. A variety of linens and rich browns punctuated by small colorful accents gives a warm and inviting look to the room. Lots of natural light keeps the dark brown walls from visually closing in the space.

See our Editor’s Favorite Dining Rooms

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Splurge and Save

Photo Charles Walton IV / Styling Leigh Anne Montgomery

Prioritize your spending. Instead of a more expensive chandelier, a paper lantern glows over the table in this dining room. It adds big style for a low price.

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Vary Your Finishes

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn, Styling: Matthew Gleason

Use mixed finishes for a casual look. These painted chairs are paired with a round mahogany dining table. The mix of finishes on the room’s various furnishings provides a collected, casual appeal.

See this 1920s Home Makeover

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Achieve Balance

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Use a formally balanced layout for a traditional dining room. This room highlights the homeowner’s preference for symmetry and clean lines. A new built-in china cabinet looks original to the circa-1920s house.

See this Bright and Colorful Home

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Design for Durability

Photo by: Laurey W. Glenn, Styling by: Elizabeth Demos

When selecting your finishes, think about the wear and tear that your dining room may experience beyond spills. The white oak plank flooring with a limed finish in this coastal cottage dining room is perfect for disguising sand tracked in from the beach. A clear wax on top keeps it sealed and hardy.

See this Prefab Coastal Cottage

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Customize Colors

Photography: Laura Moss, Styling: Natasha Louise King

Tell a cohesive color story in connected spaces. The wall color in this dining room was custom mixed to match the blue undertones of curtains in the adjoining living room.

See this Classic Charleston Home

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Accent with Patterns

Photo: Melanie Acevedo, Styling: Olga Naiman

Add an unexpected touch to an elegant space by including playful patterns. The jazzy zebra upholstery on these dining chairs keeps the otherwise subdued room from feeling stuffy.

See this Calm, Classic Southern Home

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Show Your Age

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Instead of refinishing antique pieces, let the natural character shine. Antique iron chairs surround a rustic table in this dining room. These vintage items lend stylish history to the newly constructed space.

See this Louisiana Home

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Include Family Pieces

Photo: Erica George Dines

Formal dining rooms are the perfect place to display family heirlooms. They make fantastic conversation pieces when you entertain. A portrait of the homeowner’s late mother, who taught her how to entertain, properly presides over this elegant dining room.

Tour this Charming Southern Home

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Try a Round Table

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Encourage conversation with a round table. To keep things intimate, your table shouldn’t exceed 40-inches in diameter. This round table is surrounded by an eclectic collection of hole-caned chairs.

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Multiuse

Photo: Roger Davis

If you don’t have the space for a formal dining room, look for opportunities to leverage another space to do double duty. This center entry hall also functions as the dining room. Built-in seating adds storage, and a narrow table ensures free traffic flow behind dining chairs.

Tour this Country Cottage

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Utilize Corner Spaces

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn, Robbie Caponetto

A window-filled alcove in this beach house functions like a dining room with a casual table, two slipcovered end chairs, and a pillow-topped banquette. The built-in bench and wall of windows make this small space seem much larger. Two vintage light fixtures hung with nautical rope instead of standard chains illuminate the space.

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Emphasize Architectural Details

Laurey W. Glenn

Highlight architectural features with a contrasting paint color. The stark white of this mantel pops against the gray-brown of the walls and allows each feature to maintain its importance.

See this Lousville Home

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Add Built-In Bookshelves

Photo by Erica George Dines

The repetitive shape of books on a shelf can act as a pattern in your dining room. Rows of books in built-in shelves make a beautiful patterned backdrop for the dining table in this space. These shelves were crafted from gypsum drywall, instead of wood, for a more modern profile.

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Take Advantage of the View

Photo: Alexandra Rowley

If you want to highlight the view outside of your dining space, keep your furnishings and accessories simple. This dining table is centered in front of a large back wall of windows, and the space is softened with simple curtains.

See this Modern Lake Cottage

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Mix Flea Market Finds with Family Heirlooms

Photo: Tria Giovan

Supplement your family pieces with furniture found at antique and secondhand stores. This homeowner wanted a modern contrast, so he had the flea market find barrel chairs commercially sprayed in a light driftwood color. The color contrasts against the dark oak of his great-grandfather’s dining table and sideboard.

See this Chattanooga Bungalow

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Hide Spills

Photo: William Waldron

Sloshing and splashing are inevitable in a family dining room. A leopard print rug is very forgiving in this family space. Spills are camouflaged in the spotted pattern.

See this Virginia Home

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Pick a Favorite Historical Period

Photo: Lucas Allen

Establish a historic style. These homeowners took inspiration from British colonial style, and they limited their color palette to crisp white and ebony. The furnishings in this dining space are classic American or English shapes.

See this High Style Lowcountry Home

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Create a Casual Look

Photo by: Tria Giovan, Styling by: Matthew Gleason

Just because the dining room is traditionally a formal space doesn’t mean you can’t try a more casual feel. Mixing high-back upholstered seating with low, slipcovered chairs avoids the predictable formula of a table with matching chairs in this room.

Tour this Texas Lake House

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Add Character with Salvage Materials

Photo by: Helen Norman, Styling by: Rebecca Omweg

Salvaged wood offers a distinctive warmth and texture that can’t be replicated with new wood. The wood floors in this dining room were salvaged from a local factory.

See this Naturally Inspired Georgia Lake House

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Highlight the Season

Neutral dining spaces are perfect for highlighting seasonal decor. This dining room picks up the personality of seasonal florals and accents.

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Repeat Shapes

Create some rhythm in your space by repeating the shape of your table in the rug. This rectangular rug is large enough that all four legs of pulled-back chairs remain on the rug.

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Separate the Space

Separate spaces by using a portier. This dining and living room are adjoined by a large cased opening. Curtain panels make the space more versatile, add softness to the dining room, and provide privacy when necessary.

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Focus Your Attention

Highlight a grand focal piece by pairing it with neutral accents. A shell-encrusted china cabinet is the star of this dining space, and other neutral furnishings don’t compete for attention.

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Drape the Dining Room

Use draperies to bring texture to your dining room. Curtain panels transverse an entire wall in this dining room. The sheer fabric still allows natural light to filter into the space.

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Mix Sleek and Ornate

Don’t feel tied to one style. Modern black dining chairs sit alongside traditional armchairs in this eclectic yet elegant dining space.

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Hang a Lantern

Choose a lantern fixture for a more casual look. A standard chandelier would overwhelm this laid-back space, but a wrought-iron lantern fixture is just right.

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Set the Tone with Flooring

A brick floor is a great choice when you want a rustic, farm-style look. The various colors of the brick flooring inspired the color scheme in this dining space.

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Hang Plates as Art

Sure, you’ve seen plates hung on a wall before, but these rectangular beauties take the concept to the next level. The collection of 10 colorful plates acts as artwork in this dining room.

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Repurpose an Unused Room

Turn an infrequently used space into a dining room. This conservatory is part dining room part greenhouse. The open and airy space boasts spectacular views and plenty of natural light.

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Raise the Fireplace

This dining room fireplace is raised to table height so it can be enjoyed by everyone in the room.

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Select a Signature Style Item

Have at least one unique conversation piece in your dining room. A whimsical light fixture becomes a focal point over this dining table and speaks to the design sense of the home owner.

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Highlight with Metallics

Don’t be afraid to use large swaths of shine. A metallic wallpaper acts as a neutral while still giving a glow to this space.

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Layer Window Treatments

Mix your window coverings for flexibility. Matchstick blinds and curtain panels control the level of light and privacy in this dining room.

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Install a Plate Rail

A built-in shelf breaks up this very vertical space and offers a place to display plates and other accents.

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Let a Favorite Collection Take Center Stage

Gray doesn’t have to be sterile. A collection of blue and green dishware pops against the cool grays and whites of this space.

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Turn Up the Heat with Color

Warm wood tones, brick, and even books give this dining room a cozy appeal.

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Select for Scale

Select a light fixture that fits the scale of your space. A large rustic chandelier fits both the personality and size of this lofty dining space.

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Color Your Furniture

Punch up the energy in your dining room with colored furniture. These red chairs are finished with a semi-opaque stain that still allows the character of the wood to show through.

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Repeat Lines

An oval table is the perfect companion for this curved banquette.

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Cover Your Chairs

Not only do slipcovers lend a casual cottage look to a space, but they also make a dining room more user-friendly. These monogrammed covers can easily be tossed in the wash in case of spills.

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Repeat a Motif

The flamboyant botanical wallpaper in this room is mirrored in the organic shapes of the chandelier, and the subtle zig-zag of the chair upholstery is repeated in the rug.

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Be Creative with Corners

Small spaces are often the perfect place to install built-in storage. An awkward corner becomes a built-in buffet or bar in this dining room.

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Wrap in Wood

Photo by: Helen Norman, Styling by: Rebecca Omweg

Think beyond drywall for your walls and ceiling. This dining room is completely finished with wood. A warm wood ceiling and floor treatment paired with painted wood walls adds vintage character to the space.

Tour this Modern Dogtrot Home

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Set Up a Combination of Seating Arrangements

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Give an everyday dining space a casual vibe with a combination of seating arrangements, like the wing chairs, curvy settee, and burlap-topped benches that circle this dining table.

Take a video tour of this Farmhouse Chic dining room

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Limit Materials for a Cohesive Look

Photo courtesy Roger Davies/Random House

The concrete counters and custom steel cabinets echo this home's industrial chic vibe.

See the rest of this home makeover

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Historic Simplicity

Photo: Helen Norman

This updated dining room offers a clean, modern look that is both private and quiet.

See the rest of this restoration

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Add Pattern with your China

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Let your china provide a dining room's color and pattern. It's the secret to classic style that's not overdone.

See the rest of this dining room

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Take Inspiration from Antiques

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Pairing antiques with natural curiosities, like the modern gold-lined black shades on the chandelier, gives this room a more personal touch.

See the rest of this dining room

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Create a Layered Look

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Create a laid-back layered look by mixing and matching patterns - from the linens to the stemware.

See the rest of this dining room

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Get Big Impact with Red and White

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

You don't need peppermints or candy canes to make a bold statement with this red-and-white color scheme.

See the rest of this dining room

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Keep It Stylish & Practical

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

This table is complemented by the slipcovered chairs and French-style bistro chairs that have plastic seats and backs, keeping things stylishly practical.

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79 Stylish Dining Room Ideas

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Coastal Lowcountry Dining Room

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Make an Entrance

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Play Up a Fun Color

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Layer Neutrals for a Relaxed Look

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Low-Profile Dining Nook

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Casual Seating

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Give a Splash of Bold Color

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Mix Color and Style

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Soften the Space with Linens

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Save Space with Built-Ins

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Give a Dose of Tradition

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Create Privacy with Pocket Doors

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Create a Calming Palette

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Lighten Up with Windows

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Mix Upholstery

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Take Your Cue from the Natural Surroundings

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Multitask

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Make a Small Dining Room Look Larger

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Add Height

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Plan Ahead for Flexibility

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Build a Banquette

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Go for Durable

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Think Outside the Color Box

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Hang Plush Drapery

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Go Neutral

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Splurge and Save

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Vary Your Finishes

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Achieve Balance

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Design for Durability

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Customize Colors

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Accent with Patterns

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Show Your Age

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Include Family Pieces

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Try a Round Table

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Multiuse

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Utilize Corner Spaces

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Emphasize Architectural Details

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Add Built-In Bookshelves

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