Inspiration for a large beach style separate dining room in Birmingham with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Traditional Interiors

Talmont Homes

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional separate dining room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a plaster fireplace surround.

Glenview Classic

Dual Concept Design

A transitional dining room, where we incorporated the clients' antique dining table and paired it up with chairs that are a mix of upholstery and wooden accents. A traditional navy and cream rug anchors the furniture, and dark gray walls with accents of brass, mirror and some color in the artwork and accessories pull the space together.

Harbor View

Kennedy Cole Interior Design

This is an example of a large transitional separate dining room in Orange County with grey walls, light hardwood floors, brown floor, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, exposed beam and decorative wall panelling.

Salem Townhouse Dining Room

Rehabitat

Inspiration for a transitional separate dining room in New York with green walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Historic District

Lisa Tharp Design

Michael J. Lee Photography for DESIGN NEW ENGLAND magazine
Design ideas for a large traditional separate dining room in Boston with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

French-Inspired Apartment in New York

Gleicher Design - Architecture & Interiors

Linda Hall
Mid-sized separate dining room in New York with blue walls, limestone floors and no fireplace.

Modern Home | Kimberly Demmy Design

Kimberly Demmy Design

This rustic modern home was purchased by an art collector that needed plenty of white wall space to hang his collection. The furnishings were kept neutral to allow the art to pop and warm wood tones were selected to keep the house from becoming cold and sterile. Published in Modern In Denver | The Art of Living. Daniel O'Connor Photography

Bradley Beach

Monetti Custom Homes

Dining room with neutral tones, upholstered Cody dining chairs by West Elm and a modern linear bare bulb chandelier. Near the windows is a console table with storage ottomans. The casement windows are Ultrex series by Marvin.

Southern Living Idea House

Insidesign

Photo of a mid-sized separate dining room in Atlanta with beige walls and dark hardwood floors.

Forever Farmhouse

GLDESIGN

Photo of a large beach style separate dining room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Westhampton Beach Home for Family and Friends

Darci Hether New York

This three-story Westhampton Beach home designed for family get-togethers features a large entry and open-plan kitchen, dining, and living room. The kitchen was gut-renovated to merge seamlessly with the living room. For worry-free entertaining and clean-up, we used lots of performance fabrics and refinished the existing hardwood floors with a custom greige stain. A palette of blues, creams, and grays, with a touch of yellow, is complemented by natural materials like wicker and wood. The elegant furniture, striking decor, and statement lighting create a light and airy interior that is both sophisticated and welcoming, for beach living at its best, without the fuss! --- Our interior design service area is all of New York City including the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, as well as the Hamptons, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, Rye, Rye City, Edgemont, Harrison, Bronxville, and Greenwich CT. For more about Darci Hether, see here: https://darcihether.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://darcihether.com/portfolio/westhampton-beach-home-for-gatherings/

Dining Room

Lineage Architects

Wood and florals continue the outdoor theme of this retreat center.
Inspiration for a large separate dining room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, exposed beam and wood walls.

Butler's Pantry with Dining Room Beyond

DeBaker Design Group, Ltd.

This is an example of a small transitional separate dining room in Chicago with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Camelot New Build

BANDD DESIGN

The down-to-earth interiors in this Austin home are filled with attractive textures, colors, and wallpapers. Project designed by Sara Barney’s Austin interior design studio BANDD DESIGN. They serve the entire Austin area and its surrounding towns, with an emphasis on Round Rock, Lake Travis, West Lake Hills, and Tarrytown. For more about BANDD DESIGN, click here: https://bandddesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://bandddesign.com/austin-camelot-interior-design/

Let the Light In

J Brothers Design | Build | Remodel

This is an example of a large transitional separate dining room in Minneapolis with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Paris 3

blackStones

meero
Design ideas for a large scandinavian separate dining room in Paris with white walls, light hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Built-in Dry Bar

VMAX LLC

Photography Anna Zagorodna
Small midcentury separate dining room in Richmond with blue walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Rénovation d'un appartement Parisien Art déco

Xavier Lemoine Architecture d'Intérieur

Au-dessus de l’espace repas, nous avons installé une suspension décorative et massive. Nous avons choisi une suspension Tom Dixon, collection Copper, aux tons cuivrés. Ce luminaire, particulièrement mis en valeur par un arrière-plan sombre, permet de marquer le coin repas et de le mettre en scène. Les formes arrondies des globes métalliques contrastent avec les lignes plus strictes du reste de l’appartement. Nous avons sélectionné un mobilier aux couleurs chaudes pour la salle à manger, ainsi qu’une assise type banquette pour un côté plus convivial. Les tons de beige, marron et bronze sont très présents dans cette pièce et lui confèrent une ambiance accueillante et cosy.

Designs Featuring Hunter Douglas

Hunter Douglas

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional separate dining room in New York with beige walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Separate Dining Room Design Ideas

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!