Inspiration for a large modern dining room in Melbourne with grey walls, porcelain floors, grey floor, wood and wood walls.

Paddington Residence

Alena Smith Interior Design

Design ideas for a modern dining room in Sydney with grey walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Arts & Crafts House, Malvern

Brownlow Interior Design

Photo of a traditional dining room in Melbourne with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Weather House

Mihaly Slocombe

Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

Northbridge Residence

Ian Traill Architects

Design ideas for a contemporary dining room in Sydney with grey walls, concrete floors and grey floor.

Bayshores Drive

Brandon Architects, Inc.

Architect: Brandon Architects Inc. Contractor/Interior Designer: Patterson Construction, Newport Beach, CA. Photos by: Jeri Keogel
Design ideas for a beach style dining room in Orange County with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and beige floor.

Contemporary Living

Jessicah Kolter Interior Design LLC

This is an example of a transitional dining room in Houston with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

San Diego Modernized Coastal Ocean Condo

RJA Design

This project was purposefully neutralized in ocean grays and blues with accents that mirror a drama filled sunset. This achieves a calming effect as the sun rises in the early morning. At high noon we strived for balance of the senses with rich textures that both soothe and excite. Under foot is a plush midnight ocean blue rug that emulates walking on water. Tactile fabrics and velvet pillows provide interest and comfort. As the sun crescendos, the oranges and deep blues in both art and accents invite you and the night to dance inside your home. Lighting was an intriguing challenge and was solved by creating a delicate balance between natural light and creative interior lighting solutions.

North Burling Townhouse

Lichten Architects

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional separate dining room in New York with grey walls and dark hardwood floors.

Wentworth Inc.

Wentworth

The large living-dining room lacked a focal point and storage. To compensate for this we designed a built-in that functioned as a buffet, china and display. The built-in is the true focal point of the space. A family painting, flanked by sconces and shelving for collectables, makes the space personal.

Shady Grove Kitchen

Anna Lattimore Interior Design

Inspiration for a transitional dining room in Other with grey walls and slate floors.

2024 Artisan Home Tour

Zawadski Homes Inc.

Built-in bench seating at kitchen dining table.
Photo of a large contemporary open plan dining in Minneapolis with grey walls and light hardwood floors.

Seabreeze Sanctuary

KMG Interiors

Large bright white dining room with a large white dining table and coastal rattan chairs
This is an example of a large beach style kitchen/dining combo in Charleston with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, beige floor and planked wall panelling.

Contemporary Gray and Silver Dining Room

Orren Pickell Building Group

Expansive contemporary open plan dining in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and recessed.

Kitchen & Dining - After Build - Detail-Obsessed

Interiors By Bethany

Mid-sized modern dining room in Other with grey walls and light hardwood floors.

DINING ROOM

Sheila Rich Interiors, LLC

The dining alcove encircles the custom 72" diameter wood table. The tray ceiling, wainscoting and rich crown moldings add classical details. The banquette provides warm additional seating and the custom chandelier finishes the space luxuriously.

Houston, TX | Mostyn Manor Reserve – Signature Monarch Breakfast Area

Brightland Homes

Design ideas for a contemporary dining room in Houston with grey walls, ceramic floors and grey floor.

Bayfront Beauty

April Balliette

Expansive contemporary open plan dining in Tampa with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and wallpaper.

Alloy Penthouse: Breakfast Nook

DANE AUSTIN INTERIOR DESIGN Boston & Cambridge

To make the most of this window-endowed penthouse, I designed sleek, pared-down spaces with low-slung lounge seating, floating consoles, and modern Italian pieces. The kitchen is an open-plan layout, and the narrow dining room features a Keith Fritz dining table complemented with Roche Bobois dining chairs. Photography by: Sean Litchfield --- Project designed by Boston interior design studio Dane Austin Design. They serve Boston, Cambridge, Hingham, Cohasset, Newton, Weston, Lexington, Concord, Dover, Andover, Gloucester, as well as surrounding areas. For more about Dane Austin Design, click here: https://daneaustindesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://daneaustindesign.com/alloy-penthouse

Interiors

Nic Abbey Luxury Homes

Contemporary dining room in Austin with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Dining Room Design Ideas with Grey Walls

A dining room can be used for casual dining, integrated into an open plan and connected to the living and kitchen areas; or as a formal space reserved solely for entertaining. While it may not be used frequently, it is a great focal point in the home, and requires little furnishings. Here's what you need to consider before you start planning a new dining room...

How will you use your dining room?

First, consider how frequently you will use the space. If you plan on using your dining room on a daily basis, a casual dining set-up with sturdy, long-lasting furniture is best. As for where you position it – well, any unused space in the home can be converted into a casual dining space, whether it be at the end of a kitchen island, or at the bottom of the stairs. A formal dining room, on the other hand, is more suited to a dedicated space, which is more common in heritage homes where space originally wasn’t at a premium. Perhaps you want your dining room to multi-task and accommodate everyday meals, homework sessions and grown-up dinner parties… If that’s the case, furniture is key. Look for versatile dining tables in either Australian or New Zealand hardwood or weathered timber for a more rustic look. These won’t show up sticky fingerprints as much and can be dressed up for guests.

What size and shape should your dining table be?

Your dining table should be able to seat all family members with some room for additional guests – each person should have at least 60 centimetres of space at the table. The right size, however, also depends on how much room you have. A general rule of thumb is to leave no less than 1 metre from the dining table to the wall or any additional furniture, so people have enough room to comfortably move around the space. Rectangular dining tables are versatile and can work in a variety of settings, while oval dining tables are more traditional and can turn any meal into an occasion. If you have a tight space to work in, a round dining table is best, and also a great option if you want to encourage conversation. A square dining table can be a dramatic addition to a dining room, but only if you have the space. It allows everyone at the table to see each other, but the bigger the table, the harder it will be able to hold a conversation with someone at the other end.

What type of dining chairs should you choose?

Once you’ve decided on a dining table, look for dining chairs that share a common design element. If your dining table legs are curved, for example, try to match them with dining chairs that have a similar curve, either in the legs or back. Next, consider the dimensions of the chair. The height of your dining chairs should allow at least 30 centimetres between the top of the seat and the top of the table. And to keep your tush happy, avoid dining chairs narrower than 45 centimetres.

How can you decorate your dining room?

Dining rooms are relatively minimal spaces, but that makes them a great place to splash a little colour through artwork, especially if yours is a formal dining room. If your dining room is lacking warmth, consider painting the walls a deep shade of red or blue, or go contemporary with black or grey. A cosy rug will make the space feel more intimate, while a sideboard or cabinet of curiosities will further personalise the space. Often overlooked, dining room lighting can also drastically alter the mood of a room, creating drama, spurring romance or encouraging conversation. Opt for soft lighting in the dining area with dimmer switches, and choose oversized pendants in large, open spaces or to make the dining area more of a focal point. Finally, add some table settings, such as a lace tablecloth for a whimsy feel, or a more basic table runner for a chic look. If you need some help designing your dining room, consider checking the Houzz directory of interior designers, home stylists, cabinet makers and more!