It is often said a family that eats together, stays together, and that’s why the dining room is an important space in your house. The dining area is typically attached to the living room or kitchen and bustling with activity, sometimes doubling a prepping zone or homework/reading space.

So while multifunctional dining room designs can be a little tricky, you should always start by picking a simple design that not only accommodates these everyday activities but is elegant enough host large get-togethers, family dinners and celebrations.

Dining room ideas can range from the dramatic overhaul of layout, walls, doors, or lighting, to the refresh of smaller details such as cutlery, chair covers and small decorative features.

1. Determine the Function of the Room

Before designing a space, it’s important to understand the function that it will serve. Will the space be used for formal dinner parties or casual gatherings ? How much seating is required ? Should the space promote intimate conversations or large group conversations ? Does the space need to serve or store formal dinnerware ? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start space planning and selecting the materials and pieces.

Small round tables are optimal for conversation and flexibility in number of guests. Long, narrow rectangular tables maximize the number of guests along the perimeter but create a very different conversation pattern. Consider the type of environment you’d like to create.

2. Ensure a Private & Intimate Setting

During a social gathering, much of a guest’s time is spent in the dining room. A well-designed dining room should encourage conversation among guests, which means the space shouldn’t be too noisy or in sight of many distractions. Particularly in an open-concept home, it can be challenging to ensure a private and intimate setting without sacrificing style.

Here, at Interior Era uses wood or jali designs to separate the dining room from the rest of the house. The screens separate and frame views of open areas surrounding the dining area, like the library and the living room.

3. Establish a Focal Point

Make the table the center of attention, so that your dinner companions are the main focus. When the dining table is the focal point of the space, guests will feel more compelled to take a seat and communicate with one another.

Once the table is situated, arrange all other furnishings and accessories so that they complement this focal point.

4. Create a Conversation Starter

Design a space that draws intrigue and promotes conversation among guests, whether it’s with unique artwork, bold wallpaper, table vase, bold windows screen, cushions, decorative lamps or custom furnishings. Consider what is going to spark great conversation.

The uniqueness of this room partly comes from how we handled the faceted ceiling. Here the design uniquely arranged paneling on the wall, adding texture and color to the space.

5. Inject Personality

A one-of-a-kind dining room makes a statement and leaves a lasting impression, but it should also evoke conversation and represent the personality of the homeowner. The color palette, artwork, or accessories in a space can reveal information about the homeowner, giving guests a more personalized dining experience. Use your hobbies or interests as a guide to creating your unique space. Anything that brings you joy can be placed on your walls.

Whenever possible, make aesthetic connections and personal references. A bold color wallpaper in this dining room matches the bubbly, colorful personality of its owner. We couldn’t resist using the multicolored bubbles-within-bubbles as a freeform, and a playful light fixture to round out the room. Finally, every dining chair has been upholstered in a different color, and guests are encouraged to select the chair that best fits their character.

6. Experiment with Colors and Textures

Unique wall arts, colors and textures completely transform a space, and a great place to experiment is on the walls whether with a bold paint or textured wall covering. The juxtaposition of a traditional color palette executed in a contemporary way helps this space stand out from other dining rooms.

Don’t miss an opportunity to create interesting wallpapers, wall textures and surfaces in the major horizontal planes: the floor, the table, and the ceiling. Because dining rooms usually have more hard surfaces and fewer fabric-covered ones, embellish these planes where one’s gaze naturally travels.

7. Find the Right Lighting

Beautiful lighting fixtures can turn a typical dining room into an extraordinary one, the lighting brings this room together. The dramatic chandeliers, with geometric glass pendants that echo the shape of the room, complete the desired feeling of the space awe. Everything comes together in the space the shimmering wallcovering, the large artwork, and the eye-catching chandeliers.

Lighting is hugely important, avoid downlights whenever possible, especially directly over chairs, to eliminate dark shadows on guests’ faces. Hang chandeliers low 28 to 34 inches above the table. Create a glow on the perimeter wall by using wall washers to highlight art and interesting surfaces. Introduce as many eye-level light sources as possible like sconces.

8. Incorporate Beloved Items

Reuse or repurpose beloved pieces from a previous space whether it’s a piece of art, an inherited furnishing, or antique decorative items.

It’s important to design a space that makes the host feel at ease so that they can extend that feeling to their guests.

9. Mix and Match

Mix and match furnishings, lighting, or artwork to give your space a creative style. Mismatched furniture just makes everything better. It’s less expected and creates interest, especially when the patterns are so different.

In this space, six neutral dining chairs are contrasted by two little metal frame armless black chairs.

10. Shop Custom Furnishings

Ensure that your space is unlike any other when you use custom furnishings. A one-of-a-kind table or unique chairs will help a dining room stand out. The custom, live-edge wood table is the focal point of this space.

The floor plan of this house is should be great and the dining table is truly in the heart of the home. Wood slab and steel legs with base provided a contrast that united both their styles and truly made the piece feel unique to the home. The specially created chairs give additional beauty to the dining space.

11. Ask for Help

Whether it’s consulting an architect, artist, or stylist, don’t be afraid to draw inspiration from other sources. A custom wallpaper or mural is a great way to ensure that a space is truly one-of-a-kind.

Dining in this room is totally transportive and magical, as the fantastical ceiling creates vast space and a wonderful look for diners.