Having a Design Moment: The Dining Room

Those special spots around the home that make you pause and smile are design moments. In this series, we’re looking at these powerful features room by room and considering why we love them. The dining room setup is usually pretty formulaic. There’s a table in the center with a chandelier overhead, dining chairs, a buffet and maybe a china cabinet or built-ins. Many folks just buy the furniture as one set that looks like a prize on The Price is Right. Hey, that’s OK, but making a few tweaks here and there can put your personal design stamp on the room. Shake up the formula by adding something dynamic and dramatic. You can create a design moment with a wall or ceiling treatment, an artwork, a rug, an unexpected light fixture or even a powerful centerpiece.

Having a Design Moment: The Hallway | The Front Entry | The Bathroom | The Kitchen

Try color blocking. While the moldings on the walls of this dining room are traditional in style, the addition of two sliding red doors creates a striking modern look. Note how they’re trimmed with the same moldings as the walls.


Add a layer of style with an eye-catching rug. This is especially helpful in defining a dining area that’s part of an open plan.


Bring in the books. Not many folks have the luxury of a separate library, and if you’re a book lover, it can be difficult to find enough space to keep your books easily accessible. Built-ins do the trick while creating a cohesive look. They can also spur some interesting dinner conversations. I can’t think of a better setup for book club night.


This example shows how storing books in the dining area of an open plan helps tie the entire space together.


Put thought into your lighting. Most important, a light fixture over the dining table should be on a dimmer switch so you can create the exact ambience you want. You also want to hang it so it’s well above eye level when you and your guests are seated. Also when thinking about height, consider the typical centerpiece or candlesticks you have to make sure they don’t come too close to the fixture.

Other than that, choose a light fixture that will wow you every time you catch a glimpse of it. Here, a group of different Moroccan lanterns hung at different heights is a big design moment in the dining room.


Consider a mural. The walls of many a historic home’s dining room were covered in a large landscape scene. This one in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a fresh take on that idea: The whimsical woodland mural suits the young family’s playful sensibilities.

Learn more about this mural and dining room


Let your dining room double as an art gallery. Using a picture rail means that these homeowners can switch up their art show.


Here’s a more family-oriented example of the art gallery idea. It’s a great way to give your children’s latest masterpieces the attention they deserve.


If you’re not into picture rails, a grid of similar pieces framed and matted in the same way is another good strategy for filling a large wall in the dining room.


Rethink the typical buffet. Other pieces of furniture can add a design punch and be a great way to bring in color, texture or a special shape. Try out ideas like a vintage dresser, antique sewing machine cabinet, two benches stacked on top of each other or anything else that will provide you with a serving surface.


Make a statement with the table. It’s the largest piece of furniture in the room. In this rustic space, a live-edge table is the star.


Mix up your chairs. This example takes the idea to extremes. If you want a mix that’s more subtle, add host and hostess chairs at either end, stick with two different styles alternating around the table or add a bench or two instead of chairs.


Change up your upholstery. New seat cushions or a fresh upholstery job are an easy way to bring color and pattern to the dining room. Note how these cushions are the only patterned and colored elements in the room.


Consider how everything works with the view. The long, linear light fixture, the black trim around the windows and even the painting all complement the lovely setting outside this dining room. Also pay attention to the view into other rooms of the house.


Remember that the ceiling is a design opportunity. Designers refer to the ceiling as “the fifth wall.” Consider beautiful moldings or coffers, an accent color or wallpaper. This ceiling is covered in iridescent capiz shell tiles.


If you’re doing a complete renovation, think about trim, moldings and built-ins. Do you want wainscoting? If so, which style and how high? Trim out the windows and doorways to create a cohesive look. In this room, stained glass doors on the cabinets and built-ins are all part of the overall look of the moldings.

Give Your Walls an Architectural Dimension


Create a focal point with a centerpiece. This is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to create a powerful design moment in the dining room. It can be as simple as cutting some branches in your yard.


Tell us: Does your dining room have a design moment that makes you happy? What kinds of centerpieces do you like in there? Please share it with us in the Comments.

Having a Design Moment: The Hallway | The Front Entry | The Bathroom | The Kitchen

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