11 delightful dining room decorating ideas

29 March 2022

 • 

6 min read

banner
All dining rooms need to be freshened up every few years or so. As a room that plays constant host to family and friends, it's important that it fosters a comfortable atmosphere without becoming tired and stale. By utilising a few modern dining room decorating ideas you can reinvigorate your space, enhancing its appearance and appeal.

Styles and trends change as much as people’s own tastes and interests do. The only way for a space like a dining room to remain relevant is for it to evolve through design and decor. There are some great ways to do this, some of which are extremely quick and easy and will make your dining room feel completely refreshed.

Neutral colours beautifully executed at Arden Street, Coogee - Photography: Murray Fredericks

1. Consider a minimalist approach

Minimalism is worth strong consideration as a dining room idea to enhance its aesthetic appeal. It can help achieve a clean and uncluttered look with a peaceful ambience.

A number of elements are required to create this effect. They include bare essentials, clean lines and are also typically characterised by a monochromatic colour palette.

The key here is to enhance simplicity during your redecoration. Avoid excessive ornamentation and use a few select decorative arts that blend harmoniously with your room. You can place a unique vase on the dining table or mount a single piece of artwork on the room’s wall.

If you’re looking to colour, opt for light and soft natural shades like whites, greys, and beiges. Light or white walls reduce an environment to its simplest state to create a bright and elegant dining space.

Related article: 13 minimalist home decor ideas for 2024

2. Include a splash of a new colour

Adding colour to your dining room is also a good way of decorating it in a relatively quick and easy way. There are several ways approaches you can take when doing so. These include:

• Changing the colour of only one wall using bold and earthy shades to change your room’s focal point

• Revamping your dining chairs using bright or bold fabric to create a contrast to already existing colours

• Adding colourful wall art, vivid and bold in expression

• Using a rug as a statement piece beneath your dining room table

When adding pops of colour to your dining room do so in a way that’s complementary to your current colour palette. Some colours just don’t work together and cohesion is always important in home decor and design.

Bold wall colours and a featured rug highlight the 1906 Apartment

3. Use faux fur rugs for warmth

Faux fur rugs help achieve a warm, comfortable and stylish dining room. They transform the floor from looking dull to luxurious and brighten up your space.

They also absorb sound-reducing echoes and noise in your room depending on the thickness and plushness of your room. They help zone off your dining area and anchor furniture. Plus, they're great for living rooms.

When choosing your fur rug, play around with shapes and colours. Go for the one with a unique shape and colour that complements your room the best.

Related article: How to choose the perfect floor rug for your home

4. Try Nordic furniture

Rooms with Nordic furniture have a neat, simplistic and unique appearance. They typically contain neutral colours and enhance natural lighting making the room feel inviting and beautiful. Woods like pine, ash, and beech are usually used, creating strong thematic connections to nature.

Nordic furniture also uses balanced portions to make a room spacious and uncluttered. It can be quite affordable making a low-cost room appear upscale and sophisticated. More so, it is elegant and can provide efficient storage in a room.

Nordic inspired Ant Chair by Fritz Hansen

5. Use light fixtures inspired by nature

If you want natural-looking decor in your dining room, consider lighting fixtures inspired by nature. They produce light that brings warmness, making your room feel comfortable in an organic way. It’s a great way to bring freshness to a space and will encourage a familiar and casual dining experience setting everyone at ease.

Appropriate materials for these can include bamboo, cork, rattan and seagrass.

6. Consider house plants

House plants are ideal for adding beauty and comfort to your dining room. They again provide a strong connection to nature and also improve the quality of your air in a space.

They bring natural liveliness to a room and seldom conflict with existing home decor, enhancing the overall appearance of your dining area. Flowering plants are wonderfully ornamental as well.

House plants refreshing the dining space at Jellicoe House

7. Opt for a round dining table

When decorating your dining area with a table and chairs, a round dining table is a great choice to take centre stage. It eliminates sharp angles and provides a smooth shape giving the room a fine-looking appearance.

It saves on space, allowing you to make the most out of your dining area. It’s a flexible form of furniture that works well in both casual and formal dining room settings and occasions.

From a decorative point of view, it is again extremely versatile and will match most room styles and aesthetics.

8. Place a marble tabletop

For something completely lavish a marble tabletop will bring a glamorous effect to your dining area. Their natural elegance will effortlessly elevate a space with its undeniable presence. Whether contemporary, traditional or minimalist there is always a place for a marble tabletop.

They’re available in many designs, each unique to itself creating a point of difference for you to enjoy. Sleek, stylish and extravagant it's a showstopper in more ways than one.

The exquisite Concorde Table with marble tabletop from Poliform

9. Smoked glass details for the understated

Smoked glass is both unique and understated, a subtle way to impart some style to your dining room. They come with pendants, lamps and other decor pieces adding a muted aesthetic to your space. They add a touch of modernity and style without drawing too much attention to themselves.

It's a cosy and accessible choice that can be easily implemented and utilised.

10. Use a mesh chandelier

Mesh chandeliers are ideal for bringing a strong sense of design, style, and art to your dining area. They produce soothing lighting that brings warmth to the room. They enhance the elegance of your decor and furnishings, giving your space an amazing appearance.

Related article: 9 extraordinary chandelier lights for 2024

Meshmatic Chandelier from Space furniture

11. Use mirrors strategically

Mirrors are perfect for decorating dining rooms because they make them appear bigger and wider. They reflect light and designs, brightening the room. In short, they help you achieve an inviting and aesthetically pleasing dining area.

If you want to maximise these benefits, try to utilise them in a strategic way. Examples include placing them near windows to enhance natural light or in close proximity to candles for evening situations.

Related article: Interior design tips for every room in the home

Inspirational dining room decorating ideas

Decorating your dining room can help alter the appearance and feel of your entire living space. If done properly, dining room decorating can create a better space for you, your family, and your friends. While some take a bit of effort and expense, others are very doable meaning you can transform your dining space in no time at all.

Related article: What is a good size dining room? Our expert tips for 2024

At ArchiPro we recognise and acknowledge the existing, original and ancient connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to the lands and waterways across the Australian continent. We pay our respects to the elders past and present. We commit to working together to build a prosperous and inclusive Australia.