Small Dining Room Design Ideas

Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan dining in Sydney with white walls, concrete floors and grey floor.

A floating daybed doubles as seating for the dining table. Overhead is a Yanzi suspension pendant by Artemide. Photo by Derek Swalwell.
This is an example of a small contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with white walls, porcelain floors and grey floor.

Adding custom storage was a big part of the renovation of this 1950s home, including creating spaces to show off some quirky vintage accessories such as transistor radios, old cameras, homemade treasures and travel souvenirs (such as these little wooden camels from Morocco and London Black Cab).

Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan dining in Sydney with grey walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

This is an example of a small contemporary dining room in Sydney with white walls, brown floor and medium hardwood floors.

Photo of a small eclectic dining room in Sydney with blue walls and vinyl floors.

An inner city sanctuary in Surry Hills providing cantilevered concrete benches, innovative planting solutions and an outdoor log fireplace for year round entertaining. True indoor/outdoor living with our second landscape design for this young family.

Melbourne apartment dining room by Interior Designer Meredith Lee. Photo by Elizabeth Schiavello.
Photo of a small contemporary separate dining room in Melbourne with white walls, carpet and grey floor.

Photo of a small contemporary open plan dining in Melbourne with blue walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

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

New Yorkers are always on the prowl for innovative ways to make the most of the space they have. An upper east side couple, challenged with a slightly narrow L shaped apartment sought out Decor Aid’s help to make the most of their Manhattan condo. Paired with one of our senior designer, Kimberly P., we learned that the clients wanted a space that looked beautiful, comfortable and also packed with functionality for everyday living. “Immediately upon seeing the space, I knew that we needed to create a narrative that allowed the design to control how you moved through the space,” reports Kimberly, senior interior designer. After surveying each room and learning a bit more about their personal style, we started with the living room remodel. It was clear that the couple wanted to infuse mid-century modern into the design plan. Sourcing the Room & Board Jasper Sofa with its narrow arms and tapered legs, it offered the mid-century look, with the modern comfort the clients are used to. Velvet accent pillows from West Elm and Crate & Barrel add pops of colors but also a subtle touch of luxury, while framed pictures from the couple’s honeymoon personalize the space. Moving to the dining room next, Kimberly decided to add a blue accent wall to emphasize the Horchow two piece Percussion framed art that was to be the focal point of the dining area. The Seno sideboard from Article perfectly accentuated the mid-century style the clients loved while providing much-needed storage space. The palette used throughout both rooms were very New York style, grays, blues, beiges, and whites, to add depth, Kimberly sourced decorative pieces in a mixture of different metals. “The artwork above their bureau in the bedroom is photographs that her father took,” Moving into the bedroom renovation, our designer made sure to continue to stick to the client’s style preference while once again creating a personalized, warm and comforting space by including the photographs taken by the client’s father. The Avery bed added texture and complimented the other colors in the room, while a hidden drawer at the foot pulls out for attached storage, which thrilled the clients. A deco-inspired Faceted mirror from West Elm was a perfect addition to the bedroom due to the illusion of space it provides. The result was a bedroom that was full of mid-century design, personality, and area so they can freely move around. The project resulted in the form of a layered mid-century modern design with touches of luxury but a space that can not only be lived in but serves as an extension of the people who live there. Our designer was able to take a very narrowly shaped Manhattan apartment and revamp it into a spacious home that is great for sophisticated entertaining or comfortably lazy nights in.

Design ideas for a small traditional kitchen/dining combo in Boston with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Small transitional dining room in Nashville with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and no fireplace.

Photography Anna Zagorodna
This is an example of a small midcentury separate dining room in Richmond with blue walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Small country dining room in Portland Maine with grey walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and beige floor.

Include open shelves to showcase some nice items and don't be afraid to add a pop of color. Blackstock Photography
Design ideas for a small kitchen/dining combo in New York with grey walls and dark hardwood floors.

Small beach style open plan dining in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors and no fireplace.

The Eagle Harbor Cabin is located on a wooded waterfront property on Lake Superior, at the northerly edge of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, about 300 miles northeast of Minneapolis. The wooded 3-acre site features the rocky shoreline of Lake Superior, a lake that sometimes behaves like the ocean. The 2,000 SF cabin cantilevers out toward the water, with a 40-ft. long glass wall facing the spectacular beauty of the lake. The cabin is composed of two simple volumes: a large open living/dining/kitchen space with an open timber ceiling structure and a 2-story “bedroom tower,” with the kids’ bedroom on the ground floor and the parents’ bedroom stacked above. The interior spaces are wood paneled, with exposed framing in the ceiling. The cabinets use PLYBOO, a FSC-certified bamboo product, with mahogany end panels. The use of mahogany is repeated in the custom mahogany/steel curvilinear dining table and in the custom mahogany coffee table. The cabin has a simple, elemental quality that is enhanced by custom touches such as the curvilinear maple entry screen and the custom furniture pieces. The cabin utilizes native Michigan hardwoods such as maple and birch. The exterior of the cabin is clad in corrugated metal siding, offset by the tall fireplace mass of Montana ledgestone at the east end. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and snow protection; and metal siding for maximum durability. Sustainable interior finish materials include bamboo/plywood cabinets, linoleum floors, locally-grown maple flooring and birch paneling, and low-VOC paints.

Inspiration for a small country kitchen/dining combo in Salt Lake City with white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.