Dining Room Ideas | Our 5 Top Kitchen Dining Room Ideas

From dining table décor to a fresh coat of paint, transform your space with these dining room ideas. Whether you’ve set aside an entire weekend to redecorate and revamp old furniture or are simply looking for the perfect finishing touches for a truly elegant dining room, these dining room decorating ideas include something for every style and size of space.

Let your walls do the talking

When it comes to entertaining, atmosphere is vital. Zoning with colour is a simple way to create a focal point and is an easy weekend DIY job. A painted feature wall in a moody shade will create a grown-up feel and is a great way to spruce up a space that feels tired or dated. Simply paint the wall directly behind your dining table in a contrasting shade. This will draw the eye in and frame your table – ensuring that your food sits centre stage. When it comes to choosing the perfect shade, warm and deep colours work best to create a welcoming feel. Think rich reds, dusky pinks, a forest green, or velvety teal.

People often shy away from creating a feature wall in small spaces, but the addition of a mirror to reflect light and using your feature shade as an accent colour on woodwork details can help to create the illusion of extra space.

Top tip: Take a look at this handy guide for instructions on how to paint a wall. If you’re feeling creative, check out these feature wall ideas.

Function with flair

Undeniably, a dining room is a functional space. It needs to be comfortable, have ample room for passing serving dishes around, and provide enough seating for your family plus a few extras. However, this doesn’t mean that it needs to be boring! When furnishing your space, opt for a dining table and dining chairs that reflect your personal style and that of your home. It can be helpful to consider a theme: do you prefer a classic farmhouse style, mid-century shapes or a little Scandinavian inspiration?

Top tip: If you’re after kitchen and dining room ideas on a budget or prefer a vintage look, consider upcycling your existing furniture.

More is more

Maximalism is a design trend that’s here to stay. It gives us the opportunity to showcase our more eclectic tastes by playing with bold accessories, graphic prints, mixed textures and metallic accents. To make your newly painted wall even more of a focal point, complement your soft colour palette with a few glamourous details, such as a decorative mirror and a statement chandelier or pendant light. Having a little fun with the details will prevent a formal dining room from feeling too serious and is a great way to show off your personal taste and any special ornaments.

If you have the space, consider adding a sideboard to your dining room. It’s a great way to display your favourite vases and photo frames, while doubling as a handy drinks cabinet.

Top tip: Follow the rule of three when positioning ornaments, trinkets and wall prints. Grouping items in a trio is a simple and effective trick used by many interior designers to create an effortless home decor style.

Curate the perfect tablescape

Now it’s time to dress the table. To balance your statement wall, keep things simple with beautiful coordinating dinner sets. Create a DIY centrepiece with dried flowers and metallic sprayed foliage and light candles for a sophisticated edge. If you’re sticking to a particular home decor theme, make sure this is reflected in your table linen and crockery too. For a farmhouse-inspired look, a linen tablecloth is a beautiful backdrop to muted and pastel-toned china. For a bolder look, search for crockery in a contrasting shade to your new feature wall.

If you don’t have a separate dining area from your kitchen, giving a little extra attention to your kitchen table will create the same luxurious dinner party feel with the bonus of being able to chat to your guests while you cook!

Go green

Breathe life into your dining space with plenty of greenery. If you’re on a budget or short of time, it’s a simple dining room design tip that will add a contemporary feel to your space. While fresh flowers are a great companion to dining room decor, their shelf life is limited so house plants make for a good long-term solution. Add interest by displaying pot plants at different levels. Place larger plants on the floor, and smaller plants and succulents on a raised stool or sideboard. Finally, contrast earthy stoneware with soft textures in a faux-fur rug, sure to keep toes warm as evenings draw in.

And there we have it! Five fantastic dining room ideas to transform your space. Share your interior refresh and dinner party tablescapes with us @Homebase_UK or take a look at our Ideas & Advice page for more home interior inspiration.