50 of the Most Inspiring Dining Room Ideas We've Ever Seen

Let the Earth Inspire You

Bringing in earthy elements is a great idea in any room, but is particularly well-suited to the dining space.

"I love my earth inspired home," Mani Tagba of Afro Bohemian Living explains. "My dining table/area combines that with a vintage stone/wood table, the rattan chairs, and a view into our green oasis."

Add a Touch of Old-World Charm

Don't let the age of your home keep you from embracing a more traditional style. As this room proves, pairing old with new can be a beautiful thing.

"This dining room is actually in a new build home. I wanted to turn the room into a non-cookie cutter space that many new homes have," explains Valerie Darden of Brexton Cole Interiors. "I added some Schumacher wallpaper, a vintage fireplace mantel, and old pieces mixed with new."

Let the Walls Do the Talking

In this dininng room photographed by Julia Robbs, the clean lines of the mid-century modern-inspired furnishing are amplified by a bold choice of wall color. The moody green proves that any color can work in a dining room, as long as the rest of the décor is on the simple side.

Classic With an Edge

Add a little edge to classic pieces by choosing a moody black shade, and finidhing the look with contemporary art.

"This home is a blend of rustic and modern, so we knew we had to go with classic Windsor chairs, but in an edgier black colorway," says Cathie Hong. This dining set from Hedgehouse Furniture fit our aesthetic perfectly and exhibits true quality and craftsmanship."

Highlight the Head of the Table

This modern tropical-style dining room by Forbes Masters is truly a masterclass in contrasts. But we particularly love how the oversized black rattan chairs at the head of the table add drama and delight to the space.

Embrace the Light

A bright, light palette plays well with large windows in this little dining nook.

"In keeping with the Scandinavian theme throughout the home, we chose a simple oak dining table with sculptural and textural wishbone chairs," Cathie Hong says about this space. "White and wood is my go-to palette and I was happy."

Don't Be Afraid to Go Big

"Choosing an oversized pendant was one of our favorite parts of designing this space. The room is larger so it needed a "wow factor" when you walk in! We loved this one, by Bludot, because it also had a Scandinavian element to it, which we always love to incorporate," Sarah Reed of Arbor & Co. explains. "The other favorite part is the forever-growing and changing gallery art wall. I love gallery walls because you can easily change them up if you're into some new art. We went with a sage green chair, by Article, to add some subtle color and we're so happy we did, these are gorgeous."

Add Durability Without Sacrificing Style

You don't have to skimp on style when designing with kids in mind. Look for durable pieces with clean lines and have fun with your accent pieces.

"This family-friendly dining space was designed with durability in mind without compromising on style," Cathie Hong explains. "My favorite part of this space was framing a landscape photo by my talented friend Jimmy Chung to bring elements of the outdoors in."

Put Awkward Spaces to Work

"My (now former) dining room is really more of a passthrough area, or as I like to call it, a fat hallway," explains Dominique Gebru. "The biggest aha moment in my design process was when I swapped our rectangular table for this round pedestal table, which really opened up the room. It's always the awkward spaces that seem most fun to design. I equate it to unlocking a new level in this game called life."

Trust the Design Journey

Even if you're not working with an interior designer, it's important to remain open during the process of a redesign. Dining rooms are a great place to embrace entirely new furnishings because a simple swap of the table can totally change the look.

"What I love most about my entrepreneur journey, are the people I come in contact with. They are some pretty amazing individuals like Trent J of Trent J Gourmet," Lauren Ashley of LA Weddings & Interiors says. "Let's just say he really got into the renovation and sold ALL his furniture! I love when clients really get into the process and trust the design journey."

Mix Styles

In this dining room by Dazey Den, two different styles come together to create a beautiful, welcoming space. The boho details (dried pampas grass, Moroccan rug) may not seem like ideal companions to such glam dining chairs, but this space proves opposites attract.

Focus on Seating

"When we were putting this room together we really wanted to use Wishbone Dining Chairs and these, from byBespoek, were perfect because they have a textured seat which we loved," Sarah Reed of Arbor & Co. says. "They add a modern feel to the design with their sleek lines. The ceiling pendant, from Overstock.com, is also one of our favorite pieces of the room. We looked for something with iron elements and also a larger piece to hang over the long table. Ladder shelves are such a fun way to style any room so, of course, we added one here so our client can change the décor up over the holidays."

Consider the Room's Purpose

Dining rooms are where we gather with friends and family to break bread together. And this space is perfectly tailored to that thanks to the personal details Karen Emile of Milk and Honey Life added. She describes the space as including "a handmade table my husband made, preloved chairs that are now serving there purpose right here and the collected pieces I hold dear to my heart."

"This space evokes a place to sit down, give our thanks and fill our bellies and soul with pure goodness. May it always be a reminder that here, you are welcome," she says.

Go for Moody Minimalism

Dark colors don't automatically mean maximalist style. In this space by TaLaya Brown of Our Brick House Style, the design errs on the side of Scandinavian minimalism with a moody twist.

"I love the minimalism of our dining room, it’s a small space but it’s a focal point of our main living space, so I wanted it to have a very clean and airy fill," she says. "The big window gives us great natural light that works really well with the black walls."

Add Greenery

Take a cue from this room by Black & Blooms, and add a little life to your dinning room with a collection of lush houseplants.

Add Warmth and Texture

"This space is in our cabin near Mt. Hood, OR. The decor style here is Scandinavian because we had just come back from Norway and were super inspired by their design," Sarah Reed of Arbor & Co. explains. "We wanted a live edge wood table and found this one, by Tropical Salvage, at a local shop here in Portland. The bench, with faux fur, warms it up and the massive ceiling pendant, by Wanderlust Lighting, adds fun and texture we love so much."

Work With Your Home's Bones

This dining room by Kendall Wilkinson Design puts the bones of this historic San Francisco home to work beautifully.The home’s classical architecture is accented by a palette of cool neutrals with metallic accents. The styling allows the stunning crown molding, chateau windows, and tall ceilings to truly shine.

Start With the Big Picture

If you know spending time at the table is one of your main visions for the space, it makes sense to start there and build the design around your ideal table.

"Our dining table was one of the first pieces of furniture we purchased for our home, I imagined my family sitting around it, enjoying good food, laughter and each others' company," says Krystal Giardina of House of Harvee.

Keep It Simple

This space by Sarah Fultz Interiors proves there's no need to overthink things when it comes to your dining room design. A simple wood table paired with black chairs gets the job done beautifully while leaving plenty of room for creativity when it comes to tablescape décor.

Play With Contrasts

"The history of the house and the current homeowner really inspired the design of this dining room. The wood beams came from an old post and beam house in Vermont from the 1800s," Christina Kim says. "The current homeowner, my client, is strong, feminine, and authentic and I wanted that to come through in the design: slightly romantic and strong. I love the way the pinks play softly off the wood, the zinc table top bounces some light around the room and the rug adds a graphic, grounding punch."

Design With the Family in Mind

"For the Dining room in the Sienna Project we wanted to create a bright and color rich area. While designing this space for a family of 6, including 4 little children, we knew it had to be functional and practical. We used the most beautiful wood farm table and paired it with metal chairs for comfort and easy clean-ups," says Ruqiya Imtiaz of Studio RIU. "The bright and playful dining space is the primary gathering space in this home. We were inspired to create a space that was both suited for a dinner gathering with adults, as well as a playful space for board games, homework, and the daily adventures of a young family."

Keep Things Light

This little dining nook by House of Chais feels light and bright thanks to the perfectly curated color palette.

Incorporate Texture and Color

Varying the textures and finishes throughout a dining room can add a decidedly personal touch, even if the space is filled with wooden surfaces.

"My mind was on texture and color when I designed this space," Christina Kim explains. "Every surface is wood here but I varied the textures and finishes: rough hewn old wood on the ceiling, smooth walnut on the table and painted pine on the walls. I loved sourcing all the wood and then offsetting it with the shiny brass light fixtures and gem toned fabric."

Go Glam

This San Francisco dining room by Kendall Wilkinson Design is decidedly glamorous, but still livable. "The interior design is one of juxtaposition," according to the designer. "Modern but with vintage pieces, intimate but with expansive views, [and a] chrome pallet unites the space and exudes chicness."

Rethink Your Wall Décor

"Playing around with wall decor is always fun for me. I decided to collect and thrift some cutting boards and instead of using them on a countertop like usual, I added them to the wall as art," Sarah Reed of Arbor & Co. says. "This space was an odd size but that built in cabinet was perfect to create a traditional dining space to showcase pretty glassware."

Deviate From the Rest of Your Design Scheme

Dining rooms are a great space in which to take a chance. Because they feel a little more formal than other rooms, you can really flex your design muscles and switch things up.

"The rest of the house was light and airy so it was interesting to create a moody dining room by painting the walls and millwork such a shapeshifter of a color, Metropolitan Gray by Benjamin Moore," Christina Kim says. "The color changes wildly depending on the time of day and season even. We added statement lighting and a nod to the home's coastal roots with seagrass chairs."

Show Off Your Collections

This dining room by Katherine Carter Designs puts the built in open shelving to great use by displaying tableware, glassware, and a beautiful collection of green glass bottles.

Don't Feel Forced to Go Formal

Dining rooms may have a reputation for being a little too formal, but you can easily design a casual space that works for your family—especially in an open concept home.

"I designed this space to be completely integrated into our main living space. We aren’t a formal family, so a formal dining room wouldn’t be used in our house" Kristin Glandon of KG Designs explains. "I wanted the living space, dining space, and kitchen to all be together. It’s where we all are and I love that we spend so much time as a family here. We have a table and chairs from Crate and Barrel and I love how the natural wood and metal on the table mix with the light and bright colors in the kitchen and on the walls."

Play With Color

"This 1920’s Pacific Heights dwelling focuses on modern elements and showcases impressive views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Palace of Fine Arts. While the design palette was kept neutral, bold colorful accents are used playfully throughout the home," explains Kendall Wilkinson Design. "Darker painted trims in the dining room create a bold impact within the space. Complete with an antler chandelier, the stunning space feels quintessentially California, exemplifying indoor/outdoor living and indulging the client's love of entertaining and sport."

Shades of Brown

Going monochromatic is far from boring, as this dining room by Katie Hodges Design proves. The various wood tones add warmth and depth, and the addition of brown curtains ties the whole look together.

Add Your Own Character

Lea Johnson of Creekwoodhill Interiors crafted the dining room of her dreams and brought in plenty of character to the space through well-thought out out details.

"I love older homes built around the 1920's-1940's and so we installed these windows, I call them piano windows (I don't know their technical term) because we live in the city where houses are built very close to one another and we wanted to try to maximize light without staring into our neighbor's house next door," she explains. "The corner cabinet actually has travelled with us from 2 houses ago and I love the character it adds to this space while creating a sort of 'corner' where there isn't one."

Think Outside of the Box

Johnson also created a dinning space in her basement, which just goes to show you don't have to feel beholden to the true definition of "dining room."

"I actually use this space in our basement as my workspace but when I'm not working it becomes a game table where we gather as a family or friends for game night with snacks and drinks. It was important to me that this space could be multi-functional and beautiful at the same time so I chose to keep it minimal and simple and not overdone," she explains.

Let the Light In

Liljencrantz Design took advantage of the beautiful natural light in this kitchen by using sheer curtains that allow sunshine to stream in during the day. The light reflects beautifully off the glass opposite the windows, to create a truly light-filled space.

Put Open Concept Spaces to Work

Formal dining rooms aren't required in order to create a special place dedicated to meals. Take a cue from this stylish nook, and put the space you do have to work.

"This nook sits right in the middle of a kitchen & living room," explains Whittney Parkinson. "The round dining table, plaster pendant, and sculptural side chairs were intentional in creating a focal point to bridge the gap between the two spaces."

Consider How the Space Will Be Used

"Every ounce of this renovation was inspired by family, and how they will interact or converse in the space," Whittney Parkinson says. "I decided on a round dining table, to contrast against the sharp rectilinear lines of the space. I also feel round tables offer the best opportunity to enjoy each-others’ company."

Don't Shy Away From All-White

Going white on white in a dining room may seem like a risk—red wine and spaghetti, anyone?—but this space by Britt Design Studio proves the monotone style is well worth it. Just keep stain remover on standby.

Let Your Travels Inspire You

"European excursions inspired the design of this coastal casa based along San Francisco's Baker Beach," according to Kendall Wilkinson Design. "Mixed elements of Old-World Chalets like rustic wood, colorful clay, and intricately painted tiles, complement the design's worldly vision. An iron chandelier hanging from custom wood beams complete the dining room with an authentic touch."

Make It Multi-Functional

This space by Kate of Valiance Home truly does double duty thanks to the thoughtful layout.

"I really wanted to create separate, defined spaces within this room that work well together, she explains. "In addition to the dining table area, I created a small bar area behind the table and a seating area to the right. This makes the space really multi functional and allows us to use it all day."

Bring In a Hint of Softness

The starting point for this open concept dining space by Candace Plotz Design was the French oak floors, which are softened up by beautiful textural elements.

"The linen and leather chairs add texture and softness," she explains. "And when I saw this Visual Comfort light fixture, I knew it was perfect for this home." 

Play With Contrast

"The dining space in this project focused on keeping the space open while adding depth and stability with contrasting colors. We used black accents to add contrast to the white walls and anchor the space without the need for a rug," explains the team at Blue Copper Design "Our favorite part of this dining room is the oversized mirror that was a little DIY quarantine project for us. Large mirrors are hard to find and when we saw this paned mirror project on TikTok we just had to try it.

Add Something Soft Underfoot

Make your dining room feel even more luxurious with the addition of a plush rug. In this space by Finding Lovely, the rug really ties the room together.

Make a Statement

"It was a challenge for me to style the right statement pieces for this small bungalow dining room without overwhelming the space. I needed height, texture, and light to try and make the room as big as possible," Candice Luter explains. "A little alcove was turned into a custom channel tufted bench for additional guest seating for entertaining, a bookshelf was transformed into a custom bar cabinet for drinks and wine glasses, and to ground the room I jazzed up a table I had made with some rattan seating, a fur throw on a low bench (to keep the furniture from looking too heavy), and some sling back chairs."

The pièce de résistance though, is the textured wall piece created by Luter herself.

Bring the Drama

This formal dining room by Reena Sotropa contrasts beautifully with the bright white entry hall thanks to the use of dark, dramatic wallpaper.

Stick With Your Home's Style

While some people use their formal dining rooms as a place to break from the style found throughout the rest of the house, keeping things consistent works wonderfully too, as this room by Leclair Decor proves.

Mimic Your Home's Modernity

"This light drenched dining room creates a stunning focal point in this home," Reena Sotropa says. "We chose very simple, spare furnishings and fixtures in keeping with the clean modern lines of the home." 

Try Out Trends

Just because your dining room is considered "formal," doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with the design. This space by Earthen Co Interiors features two of-the-moment trends—dried plants and cane furniture—but still feels timeless.

Maximize Your Space

"The furniture in this small open concept dining space was carefully chosen to maximize space and appear collected rather than “off the showroom floor,” Reena Sotropa explains. "This dining area was part of a larger kitchen renovation and living room makeover and its eclectic vibe was the perfect complement to the aesthetic of these adjoining spaces."

Choose a Focal Point

"Our favorite element and jumping off point for this space was the antique Danish Modern dining table found in a local shop,"  Reena Sotropa explains. "The rich color inspired us to limit the other furniture and décor to simple high contrast pieces such as the black and white graphic kilim rug and the spare black Windsor chairs. The effect is crisp and tailored but still warm and inviting."

Add Smart Storage

If you're not a fan of China cabinets or open shelving, consider adding in built-ins where you can stash serveware and fancy glasses without keeping them on display.

"This more casual dining space was designed for a young family," Reena Sotropa explains. "The built-in bench provides comfy seating and tons of additional storage for this busy family."

Bring In a Touch of Whimsy

Take a page from D Burns Interiors's book and add fun, whimsical touches to your dining room. The forest-inspired wallpaper and faux fur throw seen here keep the space from feeling the least bit stuffy.