80 Elevated Dining Room Ideas Perfect for Entertaining in 2025

In this Jeremiah Brent–designed Vermont home, there are two dining tables instead of one. For larger groups, the tables can be pushed together, but when it’s just the owners, one piece calls for a more intimate meal.

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When the weather allows, there are few things nicer than dining outdoors. A dining set from RH, made to withstand the elements, helps to create an alfresco dining room that is always ready for guests. This space, designed by Lauren Nelson and architect Geddes Ulinskas, showcases this dining room idea beautifully.

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In a small layout, a large dining table can impede the flow of traffic and look too bulky. To avoid this, designer Meghan Shadrick opted for a corner banquette instead. “Banquettes work wonders when the dining area is small and interferes with traffic flow in and out of space,” Shadrick says.

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Here, designer Minette Jackson chose a woven wallpaper to soften the outdoor-adjacent, formal dining room. “The room opens right out onto our back patio, so I felt the room called for an organic element to temper the more formal pieces,” Jackson says. “I used a neutral paper weave to add an earthy element, while the silk DeGournay panels and vintage stools give a luxe factor. I do love to entertain, and we eat here often!”

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Perfecting the art of mixing prints requires using different colors and scales, something designer Colleen Simonds knew she would need to calm the busy wallpaper in this dining room idea. “The color and glaze on the lamps help balance the tones in the wallpaper,” she explains. The brown rug, chosen for its pops of color, grounds the entire room.

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If your dining table is long rather than round, odds are you’re going to need more light fixtures to ensure every seat can see their plate. Rather than recessed cans, designer Janelle Patton, founder of Lark Interiors, chose a pair of matching, dramatic chandeliers.

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Outside of the dining table, which is usually centered, dining rooms often lack a grounding element. In this dining room idea, designer Alexander Reid chose a contrasting, black china cabinet to draw the eye. “I love a touch of black,” Reid says about the custom cabinet. “It makes everything around it pop.”

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Recreate your favorite dining establishment by mimicking hospitality design in your own home. Key elements include moody paint colors, low lighting, and soft seating. Take a note from the team behind Of Place Studio and combat a dark wall hue with light wood tones.

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In this dynamic dining room by Lauren Nelson, botanical wallpaper is the star of the show. To offset its formality, it has been paired with a midcentury light fixture and a modern marble table. You don’t have to adhere to strict design styles when you mix and match eras skilfully.

If you’re lucky enough to have a floor plan with personality, like Serena Dugan’s New York home, let it inform your design choices. In this dining room idea, the painter allowed the fireplace to take center stage, keeping the rest of her furnishings minimal and in line with the home’s slightly ’70s aesthetic. A tonal painting on the mantel ties every element together.

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It’s not every day that dining chairs can be a focal point in design. However, in this dining room by Palmer Weiss, the room’s fixtures were kept neutral to allow the green pattern to get its moment. Brass cabinet knobs mirror the brass nail detailing on the upholstery.

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If the goal of your dining room is to pack in as many loved ones as possible, it’s time to try bench seating. Take inspiration from this setup by design duo French & French. Pleated upholstery allows the benches to still feel formal while maximizing both comfort and seat space.

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The top of your dining table may be where all the action happens, but for pedestal-style tables, the most stunning detail is often reserved for the base. Showcase the unique silhouette by choosing slim chairs with plenty of negative space, as designer Tina Ramchandani did with these metal-frame seats.

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Your dining room doesn’t have to be directly off the kitchen. Take inspiration from this dining room idea by architect Pfeffer Torode and reposition your floor plan to the most sun-filled space. The walls of windows also keep this often formal space from feeling too stuffy.

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While a grand dining room works well for those who love to host, an expansive dining table can feel cold for smaller groups. Inspired by restaurant booths and yacht interiors, designer Michael Ellison instead opted for two smaller booths so this family could dine easily, with guests or not.

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Take a note from Rita Chan’s California home and incorporate your home bar into the dining room. This way, guests don’t have to go far to get a refill. This also provides valuable storage for serveware and special-occasion pieces you only want to pull out when company is over.

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By having the formal dining table connected to the living room, guests (and little ones) aren’t forced to remain at the table to feel like they’re still a part of the conversation. And if you’re lucky enough to have a gorgeous view (or 100-year-old stained glass windows!), opt for a simpler dining set, as seen in this dining room idea, to let them take center stage.

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Rather than have all your dinner guests spread out across the dining room along a large, rectangular table, opt for a square table to bring them closer together. This version, designed by BHDM Design, still sits eight, but now everyone is equidistant. And no one is left on the end away from the bustling conversation!

Limiting color lets the architectural details in your space shine. In this dining room, Magnolia styling director Ashley Maddox and designer Hilary Walker used a subtle palette to keep the focus on the cantilevered soffit and clerestory windows.

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Cut to the ultimate center of attention: this circular four-seater tête-à-tête between two dining tables. “Having two tables allows a bit more coziness and intimacy,” says Jenna Gross of Colordrunk Designs, who designed this space for House Beautiful’s 2023 Whole Home. “In a room this size, it could get stuffy really fast.”

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