Dining Rooms Design Ideas: 3 Chic, Personalized Approaches

As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts turn to family, friends, and food. For many of us, our dining room will be at the center of the festivities. Actually, in our book, the dining room plays an important role not only at the holidays but all year through. It’s where we gather together around the table and create special memories, so naturally we want our dining room design to shine. In honor of the space’s special function in our lives, we’re sharing some favorite dining rooms we’ve created over the years. Three different looks for three different clients, yet all welcome guests with elegance and ease.

Traditional Yet Lively Dining Room

Our Fairfax clients wanted to refresh their dining room, while repurposing all their existing dark-wood furniture, as well as their crystal chandelier. We had been working with the empty-nest couple for a while and knew their tastes well. When I showed the wife a stunning embroidered linen fabric from Cowtan & Tout, she was immediately smitten. That botanical-print textile became the jumping-off point for their traditional-style dining room re-do.

Ultimately used to craft the long window panels, it established the space’s sophisticated color palette, mixing neutral shades of bisque and taupe with blues and teals. We enveloped the walls and lined the tray ceiling in a Phillip Jeffries grasscloth in a heavenly blue hue.

The wallcovering provides a beautiful backdrop for the window panels fabricated in the inspiration textile. We added designer details, such as ombre brush fringe and coordinating ombre holdbacks, to elevate the window treatments.

And, if you look closely, you’ll glimpse the crystal trim dangling from the sheer linen Roman shades.

We recovered the dining chairs, choosing a neutral, cut-velvet stripe for the host chairs and a solid blue velvet for the side chairs. These dual selections amp up interest while allowing the springboard fabric at the windows to remain the star of the space.

Similarly, we kept the rug design fairly quiet too. The cotton-blend selection from Annie Selke features a subtle plaid. It balances the traditional style and ornateness of the clients’ existing chandelier. The streamlined glass lamps on the buffet help too.

Bold and Daring Dining Room

Sometimes it’s an inspiration fabric that jump-starts a design; sometimes it’s a wallpaper. Our longtime Bethesda clients were ready to embrace a little drama in their dining room design. A deep-red Zoffany wallpaper embossed with a gold flower motif launched our bold yet balanced scheme. It provided the worldly aesthetic they were after.

To furnish the space, we sourced eclectic pieces in warm wood tones. A Century table sports a diamond-pattern ebony inlay. Host chairs upholstered in a geometric-floral print are paired with woven side chairs.

We eschewed the expected chandelier and instead hung a cluster of Arteriors’ hammered-iron pendants in a dark bronze finish.

They make quite the statement and cast a moody glow at night.

A beautiful and functional home bar was a must-have for empty-nesters who enjoy entertaining.

This rosewood-and-ebony bar cabinet from Belle Meade Signature holds cocktail accoutrements and stands ready for the owners’ next intimate gathering with friends and family.

A Surya rug with a modern floral motif introduces light hues that balance the wallpaper’s vivid color.

The flower theme pops up again in dining-room drapes, done in a Cowtan & Tout silk. Intentionally repeating the motif in various scales around the room creates a fun pattern play. To visually connect the dining room and open kitchen, we employed that same floral textile on the kitchen shades too (click to read more about the kitchen renovation we orchestrated in this home).

Feminine Yet Sophisticated Dining Room

This Capitol Hill dining room embodies an updated take on classic Southern style. Our clients, an empty-nest couple with Louisiana roots, requested a sophisticated yet fresh look. We wanted to honor the pedigree of their historic row house while enlivening the traditional space with color and pattern.

The wife is an avid gardener, and we knew from the get-go that the design should reflect that passion for all things floral. Given the home’s layout, the dining room had to connect visually to the living room and the hallway. We were able to match the hall’s existing gold-toned grasscloth wallcovering with a new one from Kravet which we wrapped around three walls in the dining room. An abstract painting of a vase of flowers by Atlanta artist Susie Pryor emboldens one wall.

For the accent wall, we chose a complementary flower-patterned grasscloth, which continues the garden-like feel and palette we first established in the living room.

The floral grasscloth introduces sophisticated shades of pink and green. A grouping of three one-of-a-kind, architectural-salvage works from Abby Price Art adds history and interest to the accent wall.

The furniture is a mix of old and new. The couple’s gorgeous, antique breakfront plays nicely with our Hickory Chair selections.

On the dining chairs, we introduced oodles of texture by combining velvet and raw silk – both in soft, blossomy hues; the host chairs feature velvet on the front and silk on the back, while the side chairs reverse the combination.

We transformed the carved, white-painted fireplace surround with a mahogany-like faux finish. The artisans at Billet Collins did a masterful job executing our vision.

To learn more, check out our earlier post on the dramatic fireplace makeover we executed as part of this dining room design, as well as other favorite fireplace transformations.

We installed a green Murano glass mirror from Decorative Crafts above the mantel. This work of art not only adds a pop of color against a neutral, grasscloth-covered wall, but also reflects the opposite accent wall and magnifies its impact.

We were honored when Flower Magazine featured these garden-themed interiors, as well as backyard party prep, in an article entitled “Southern Hospitality on Capitol Hill.”

Dining Room Design Inspiration

These elevated dining room designs reflect the personalities of the owners – and their penchant for entertaining family and friends. They’re ready for the holiday season and intimate soirees throughout the year. Hopefully, they provided inspiration for your next project. If your dining room could use a glow-up, please reach out (it’s never too early to start planning for next year). We wish you a happy Thanksgiving and hope your blessings are abundant!