If you’re feeling uncertain about how to design your dining room so that it appears current and serves a functional purpose, you want to make note of what not to do in the process.
Interior designers are sharing five dining room styles that have fallen out of favor while providing insights as to what you should do instead to create a livable, aesthetically pleasing room that you’ll be excited to use.
Ultra Modern Dining Rooms
Gone are the days of super mod dining spaces, Chrissy Jones, the founder of Twenty-Eighth Design Studio, says.
“You can see a shift to incorporating more traditional elements, vintage pieces, and more personal keepsakes,” she comments. “This is an ode to nostalgic feeling dining rooms, and preferring a space that feels more individualized, with a mix of classic touches.”
Michael Graham-Smith, the founder of Graham-Smith Designs, agrees that industrial-looking or minimalistic dining spaces are falling out of favor.
“I’ve observed a move away from these muted, impersonal spaces, particularly among those looking to create a sanctuary for gathering with loved ones,” Graham-Smith says. “Cold, stark materials, while once popular, now often fail to provide the inviting ambiance a dining room should offer.”
Graham-Smith recommends weaving in design elements that help harmonize modern luxury with traditional details citing natural woods and handcrafted textiles as desirable features.
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Single-Function Spaces
If your dining room currently serves as a place in which to host holiday dinners but is also your go-to spot for game night, there’s no reason to change this.
Gabrielle Bove, the founder of Opaline Interiors Studio, advises steering away from designing your dining room as a single-function space that is only for formal gatherings. Bove emphasizes the importance of a dining room having multiple purposes instead of just one.
With this multifunctional purpose comes a need to rejigger your design choices accordingly so that your space can accommodate a mix of activities. Bove explains how it’s important to choose durable materials.
Bring on easy-to-clean upholstery, rugs that are comfortable underfoot, and table linens that don’t solely need to be hand washed.
Muted Colors
Don’t be afraid to weave some colorful selections into your dining room, Bove says, explaining that the days of neutral dining rooms with bursts of gray and ivory are over. Bove explains how dining rooms are becoming opportunities to go bold with color or with statement-making furnishings.
One way to add instant color to your dining space is through art. Shop your own home first in search of pieces that have been begging to be put on display. Pop these works into frames, assemble a gallery wall, and you’re golden.
Best of all, artwork is an instant conversation starter, and your guests will enjoy admiring your collection—and asking you questions about it—when they come over for dinner.
Accent Walls
Becky Bratt, the founder of Becky Bratt Interiors, advises steering clear of an accent wall when decorating your dining room.
However, by no means does this statement mean that you have to leave your dining room walls blank. Bratt recommends choosing a wallpaper or paint that can cover the whole room, so it looks more elevated and cohesive.
Matching Furniture Sets
Go ahead and skip the matching look when furnishing your dining space. There is no need to order all of your furniture from one single collection and call it a day when you can think outside the box. This way, you can easily mix and style various pieces to create a charming statement.
“I prefer when a dining room feels collected,” Bratt says. “Rather than purchasing a dining table and chair set from the same collection, mixing and matching a modern table with vintage chairs (or vice versa) will evoke a much more interesting and sophisticated aesthetic.”
To achieve this look, consider visiting secondhand stores in search of an array of pieces that speak to you. You can also weave in family heirlooms and hand-me-down pieces alongside more contemporary furniture to make your dining space appear more personal and unique.