29 Stylish Wall Décor Ideas For a Standout Dining Room

By
Melissa Epifano
Melissa Epifano
Melissa Epifano
Melissa Epifano is an expert home décor writer for MyDomaine. She has written for many other outlets, covering everything from interiors to plant care and has written nearly 70 articles about home design.
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Updated on Feb 22, 2021
Paintings on black wall

House of Chais

Chances are, you haven't given a second thought to your dining room since moving in. This room's purpose is often underestimated, when in reality, it can be one of the most critical spaces in our homes. The dining room is the perfect place for eating our favorite meals and socializing with our closest friends, family, and confidants. But even still, we relegate it to the bottom of our lists, and instead focus on our bedside setup or living room layout.

To combat this, we are sharing 29 reasons to reignite your passion for your dining room in the form of incredibly chic wall décor. In no time, you'll see how a little extra time and consideration can switch your dining area over from a neglected space to a room you'll want to linger in for a few extra hours—even after the plates are cleared away.

01 of 29

Try a Tapestry

Dining room with black accents

Alvin Wayne

You don't just have to stick to paintings or photos when it comes to wall art. Instead, try playing with texture and color through the installation of an abstract tapestry. It feels a touch more artsy and personal than your classic framed prints.

02 of 29

Reflect Light With a Mirror

Rattan chairs around dining table

Afro Bohemian Living

Amplify light in your dining room by tacking a mirror on the wall. It will create an impressive warm glow during dusk and dawn and make the space feel bigger and brighter throughout the rest of the day.

03 of 29

Mix Monochromatic Shades

Green themed dining room

Yael Weiss

Many color palettes consist of different colors that meld well together, but what about blending different shades of the same color? Green, in this case, is being used in a variety of tones, from the velvety moss-colored chairs to the bold tapestry and actual plants in the center of the table.

04 of 29

Apply Intricate Wallpaper

Wallpapered dining room

Bespoke Only

Prevent boring walls from the get-go by plastering your dining room walls in an ornate wallpaper. This alone will give it some attitude or ambiance, but also set the perfect backdrop if you'd like to add in framed art or light fixtures.

05 of 29

Opt for Different Textures

Minimal dining room

Proem Studio

Even if you choose more subtle wall art, your walls themselves can show a bit of personality. In this dining room, a brick wall is a nice change up from the usual plaster and adds a bit of visual interest without needing to hang or paint on anything extra.

06 of 29

Find a Focal Point

Gray art in dining room

Ferrer

Since choosing wall art for a dining room tends to be the final stage rather than a foundational conundrum to solve, you can pull a lot of inspiration from the overall vibe the space already has. If industrial is the name of the game, a concrete-inspired piece of art is a chic move to draw the eye in.

07 of 29

Make a Splash With Your Color Palette

Orange dining area

Dazey Den

Wall art definitely serves as the cherry on top in this dining room, but it's really the color palette that makes it so spectacular. Bright orange and tangerine hues on both the wall and floor create a warm and inviting space for sharing meals and hosting visitors.

08 of 29

Introduce an Uplifting Canvas

Canvas in dining room

Dwell Aware

Sometimes it only takes one piece to really jazz up a table surrounded by blank walls. In this particular room, the canvas offers a soft wash of color and provides a great bit of detail to a more minimal dining space.

09 of 29

Reel It in With Minimalism

Minimal dining space

Julian Porcino

White walls, of course, don't always equate to cold or empty feelings. They can be a superb way of keeping minimalism at the core of your room, as shown above.

If you do feel as if your dining area is in need of a little love, try out a painting or print that blends in but still offers visual intrigue on the wall.

10 of 29

Fill With Abstract Patterns

Abstract painted walls in dining room

Forbes + Masters

Blend the beautiful worlds of paint and wallpaper by creating your own abstract patterns on your walls. This works its magic by removing the need for any extra décor, but if you are feeling like adding an artwork or two, it helps frame it and set the mood.

11 of 29

Work in Complementary Colors

Orange dining room

Gail Davis Designs

The dining room can be an optimal space for experimentation. While you might not choose bright pink or a bold orange for the bedroom, you can pull it off effortlessly here. Grab a little inspiration from this dining room that pairs two complementary colors on the walls and makes it look undeniably sophisticated.

12 of 29

Play Off the Room's Other Accents

Black and navy accents in dining room

Gray Space Interiors

One of the best ways to utilize the walls of your dining room is by tying together all your accent colors. The artwork hung here helps tie up loose ends and bring together the brown, blue, and black shades that are scattered throughout the space.

13 of 29

Blend Your Open Concept Plan

Modern boho dining room

The House on Hillside Lane

For rooms without distinct walls or barriers, you can use décor that fits well between two spaces. Case in point? This lovely blanket ladder that is meant for a living room but doesn't feel out of place in the dining zone.

14 of 29

Stack Upwards

Contemporary living room

Kaelyn Guerin

If you're not keen on hanging things from the wall or painting, a display case and stacking accent objects is a great option. It dresses up the room without requiring any drills or adhesive and makes it so you can instantly rearrange the space based on the occasion, holiday, or season.

15 of 29

Make Paintings Pop

Paintings on black wall

House of Chais

Black paint will forever be a major style move. It adds drama and a bit of edginess, but also feels cozy and inviting at the same time. If your dining room features this color, white and light-colored paintings and prints will really pop and contrast perfectly against the shade of the walls.

16 of 29

Materialize Your Dream Accent Wall

Orange and warm colored dining room

Mocha Girl Place

Living rooms are often the bearers of gorgeous accent walls, but this is a prime example of why your dining room should be a candidate for a wall upgrade. Whatever you choose to hang up will instantly become a conversation piece and makes the space feel cozier and intentional—rather than just a spare room where holiday dinners sometimes take place.

17 of 29

Implement a Symmetrical Set Up

Simple minimal dining room

Pure Collected Living

Create a clean wall display with a set of matching frames or pieces of art. It gives you the personality that accent walls provide, but the cohesion that you might crave if you identify as a minimalist. It's also a lovely way to incorporate darker accent colors that might feel too heavy as a wall color.

Gallery walls don't have to be loud or busy—they easily can be streamlined and simplistic with the addition of sleek frames and a black and white color palette.

18 of 29

Dance With Nautical Touches

Nautical boho dining room

Design: Becca Interiors / Photography: Rikki Snyder

For a splash of beachy bohemian, you can most definitely rely on your walls, as they can provide more use than a surface for holding artwork. This set up here uses beadboard, a porthole mirror, and wavy sconces to cement a sea-faring-meets-boho theme—and contribute a fair share of style to the room.

19 of 29

Add Some Plant Power

White boho dining room

Black & Blooms

If you'd like to keep your space as-is but are in need of a little pick-me-up, floating plants and pretty botanicals for your ceiling and walls is a fabulous solution. They provide life, color, and instant décor that requires little effort and isn't permanent—hello, renters.

20 of 29

Bring the Outdoors In

Mint colored walls in dining room

Desiree Burns Interiors

Incorporating live and dried plants into a space is always a design do, but there are other ways you can pay tribute to the leaves and fronds that help liven every corner of our homes. Artwork and wallpaper, as seen here, can help bring that serene nature feeling from outside into your dining room.

21 of 29

Transform a Wall Into a Major Display Case

Blue shelving system in dining room

Victoria Bell Design

The entire width of your wall can become a major statement without any paint or nails. By constructing an expansive shelving unit, you can customize the décor based on your tastes or the time of year and swap out the objects that line the cabinet whenever you're feeling a bit tired of what's on display.

22 of 29

Warm Up Your Dining Space

Warm colored dining room

Morse Design

To complement warm light fixtures and furniture pieces, opt for artwork or sculptures that are equally as cozy. You can see from this dining room that even without a warm coat of paint, you can still make it feel inviting depending on the items you choose to adorn the area with.

23 of 29

Incorporate Just a Bit of Wallpaper

Dining room with leaf wallpaper

Marie Flanigan Interiors

You may envision flashy colors and busy patterns when you think of wallpapering a space. But, your options are not that limited. In fact, wallpaper can be rather discrete and simple, like seen here. The leaves feel more like an elegant trailing plant rather than a product that's been plastered to the wall.

24 of 29

Embrace Minimal Artwork

Minimal dining room

Amber Pierce Designs

Even if the artwork you choose is a similar color to the rest of your dining room, the sheer fact that they come an inch or so off the wall is a guaranteed way to add interest. This provides dimension and ensures your walls won't feel bare and boring.

25 of 29

Build Your Own Wine Bar

Wooden dining room

Ann Living

No space for a wine pantry, much less a bar cart? Your dining room walls might be calling. If your vino collection is something you're passionate about, you can install a geometric chevron display or similar to keep things organized and looking trendy.

26 of 29

Add Shelves for Extra Wall Décor

White dining room

Anne Sage

Slim shelves are a great way to change up the usual few paintings on the wall. While you can pile on more artwork, they also allow for four-dimensional objects like mini planters, pottery, and candlesticks to make an appearance.

27 of 29

Pull From Secondary Colors

Wooden dining table in room

Katie Hodges Design

The light blue, pink, and black colors that are ever-so-slightly present in this room, like in the carpet and vases, make a second appearance in the print hanging on the wall. These hardly noticeable colors make the art blend in seamlessly, but also stand out at the same time.

28 of 29

Incorporate Beadboard and Artwork

Light and airy dining room

Dan Rak Design

Whether it's shiplap, brick, or a textured paint, white walls instantly become more stylish when they have a little added flair. With a single painting or print, you can create a stunning dining room wall layout that doesn't feel overbearing.

29 of 29

Radiate With Glitz and Glamour

Crystal chandelier in dining room

Erin Williamson Design

The metallic accents found in the wallpaper, wall art, and glimmering chandelier make this dining room glow without nearing the line of gaudy. These subtler touches give a glamorous vibe and make a case for straying from the matte minimalism that's so popular these days.

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