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Dining Room Ideas

With tips for updating an aesthetic, planning a full renovation, or adding functional storage, these dining room ideas include a combination of professional advice and inspiration from real customer homes to help inspire your next project. Discover dining room decor ideas that cover the benefits of common colours, such as black, green, and grey, as well as those that explain the available styles of cupboard doors, from classic shakers to simple slabs. These kitchen dining room ideas cover convenient joinery ideas, such as how to keep dining areas defined in open plan layouts and how to update dining room decor to craft a space suitable for relaxing evening meals and hosting friends or family. For more style advice, check out our room ideas.

Dining Room Style Ideas

Scandi dining room idea with light grey slab doors, black handles, a custom oak bench, an oak table and pink chairs.

1. Style With Slab Simplicity

Inbuilt cupboards and drawers provide a handy home for dining room accessories and tableware and keep clutter neatly hidden away out of sight. To enhance a pared-back scheme, @bobbins.at.home opted for understated slab doors in a neutral tone, which creates a subtle backdrop while ensuring that essentials are stored close at hand.

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Farmhouse dining room idea with a light grey tower cupboard, a dark solid wood dining table, bench and stool chair.

2. Channel Shaker Charm

Framed door fronts are a timeless choice for traditional dining areas. @edwardiancorbett used shaker-style doors to match the vintage look of their dining space. Slotting neatly into an alcove, this unit has the appearance of hand-crafted furniture, while also providing plenty of space for essentials.

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Dining Room Colour Ideas

Black dining room idea with built-in tower cupboards, gold knob handles, a custom bookshelf, oak floors, and an oak ladder.

3. Be Bold With Black

Dark schemes create a more intimate atmosphere, turning @jamesduhan’s dining area into one suitable for entertaining and relaxing. This set-up also keeps cookbooks in close reach and makes a great spot for storing records.

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Grey dining room idea with a white table, grey velvet chairs, white tile floors, and light grey shaker base cupboards.

4. Gravitate To Grey

A neutral, grey tone offers long-lasting appeal in any dining area, as demonstrated by @ldhomeinterior. This adaptable shade will remain stylish as trends and tastes change, allowing the design to stay fashionable without the cost of replacing the door fronts.

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A green sideboard complete with lighting and a television, in a room decorated with floral wallpaper

5. Look To Leafy Green

Extend organic palettes by choosing green for dining room cabinets. @fred_sirieix made a custom sideboard, complementing the theme of his wallpaper and creating a calm and cosy dining area for hosting and serving drinks to guests.

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Dining Room Decor Ideas

7. Switch To Dresser Doors

Our dresser cupboards make it easy to recreate the look of vintage furniture. The glazed fronts turn hand-picked plates and glassware into decorative, eye-grabbing items, adding a custom touch to any dining area. It is also straightforward to swap out accessories, providing a fast and affordable style refresh.

See Dresser Kitchen Cabinets

Farmhouse dining room idea with an oak table, blue velvet chairs, exposed brick wall, and navy shaker base cupboards.

8. Choose Solid Wood Worktops

Hardwearing solid wood worktops are a great option for busy dining areas. @victorian.house.renovation enhanced their space with authentic timber tones and patterns. Regular upkeep ensures that they withstand water and stains, making this a handy spot when serving up dinner or putting on a party spread.

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A light grey bar inside a dining room alcove, with open timber shelving and blue wall panerlling.

8. Bring A Bar To Life

Regular hosts are sure to be impressed by @charlotte-rose-designs, who crafted a home bar set-up that fits neatly into a dining room alcove. This dining room decor idea incorporates a bottle rack, open shelving, and cupboards to keep tipples organised and glassware close, for a unique design made for cosy nights.

See Wine Coolers

9. Personalise Panelling

Wall panels and mouldings add character to any dining room, and can be used to define different areas in open-plan layouts. To add a pop of colour, consider choosing primed options, which arrive ready to be painted to fit into a custom scheme.

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10. Choose Flowing Floors

To create a spacious feel in a dining area, pick herringbone or chevron-patterned floors that draw the eye through a layout. Made from low-maintenance vinyl or laminate, they are a great choice for busy homes and can be easily wiped clean when spills occur.

See Chevron Laminate Flooring

Howdens Shaker 6'6 x 2'6 Oak 4 Panel Clear Glazed Door"

11. Go For Glazed Doors

Glazed internal doors are an excellent choice for compact dining rooms. They provide an open plan look that makes layouts feel cohesive. The glass panels allow natural light to flow through the home, making spaces feel big and bright.

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