20 Dining Room Design Ideas To Make Mealtimes Even Better

The only thing we keep in mind for the dining room is the table, and nothing else. Opt for a contemporary design and do away with a traditional table so you can layer it with exotic dinnerware and other elements. A clean contemporary table with a unique table runner does the trick on most days. 

You can change up your soft furnishings to match the weather and the mood that comes with it. While warmer colours like maroons and deep pinks feel cosier during winters, opt for cool tones like turquoise and teal to give a freshly washed, clean look during the monsoons, since the outdoors reflects the pristine look too. 

Pro-Tip: 15 Brands For Beautiful Table Linens

While using table runners or napkins in solid colours, one can layer the dining room design with exotic, more vibrant coloured tableware and serveware and vice versa. You can do a variety of table settings that are suitable and appropriate for different occasions as well. 

Pro-Tip: 10 Aesthetic Cutlery & Serveware Brands

While adding prints and colours to your dining hall design can seem super fun, the key is to not overdo it. A ratio to work with is to keep it to a sixty-forty ratio of using prints and solid colours in any part of the room. Likewise, using a combination of bigger bowls with muted plates and quarter plates works well too. 

Pro-Tip: 10 Whimsical Plates That Will Elevate Your Dining Experience

We're a big fan of adding fresh blooms to your spaces to instantly make them come alive. Flowers are an excellent pick-me-up, even for yourself, when you're not expecting company. We'd suggest choosing a vase that looks great by itself, even when you don't have fresh blooms in it.  

Pro-Tip: 6 Easy Tips To Keep Flowers Fresh For Longer

Do away with ceiling lights first. Lighting in the dining room should be mood-centric and can be layered with multiple sources at various points in the room. Invest in a variety of chargeable warm lights that you can place at various spots in the room, including the table's centrepiece, to create a cosy ambience for every guest. 

Pro-Tip: 20 Home Lighting Design Ideas For Every Corner

Wallpaper is a more affordable alternative to creating an accent wall in your dining room. Create a statement wall using a print that best suits your personality. Think botanicals or more thematic wallpapers, like a vintage one. A good rule to keep in mind is again the 60-40 rule, which lets you play with both prints and solids, keeping a balance of both. 

Pro-Tip: 16 Best Wallpaper Design Ideas 

A bar set up looks pristine in your dining space, especially if you host often. Keep a couple of bottles of wine handy for special occasions, and stack up the bar with a variety of glasses. This is both utilitarian and looks super interesting in your dining space, too. If you can cop one, get a vintage bar shelving unit to add to the charm. 

Pro-Tip: 12 Stunning Home Bar Design Concepts

To add some warmth and character to your dining space, integrate a wide range of materials. The best part is that there are actually many to choose from, but our recommendation would be to pick solid wood, metal, glass, and marble. A mix of these materials can make your room have a beautiful blend of both modern and traditional. 

Little details can cause a big impact, which means giving importance to the nooks and crannies of the dining space (and the overall house) is important. Pay attention to not just what you keep on the table, but also the kind of decor elements you choose to put on the side tables, window sills, or any other easy-to-brush-off spots.

The perfect spot between decluttering and showcasing your serveware, a crockery unit can do more than just stack your plates and glasses. And, yes, there is nothing new about it as Indian moms have been doing that for decades—flexing their fancy dinner sets, and not subtly so!

Design your dining space in a way that it is not just restricted to serving one purpose, and to help with that, adding multi-functional products will work the best. For instance, integrate foldaway tables, modular furniture, or desks into the mix that can double as a workspace, reading nook, or lounge. This way, you won't just be investing in clever pieces, but also can make the most of a single area. 

Let your dining room showcase that it is uniquely yours. For instance, hand-painted walls or stencilled patterns instead of wallpaper, upcycled furniture, a gallery wall of your art, photos, and custom table runners. Swap in handmade accents like painted crockery, terracotta pots turned into planters, or a rope-wrapped pendant lamp.