38 Dining Room Wall Decor Ideas to Liven Up Mealtime

By
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Published on 01/03/23
dining room wall decor ideas

Urbanology Designs / J Turnbow Photography

Decorating your dining room walls with paint, wallpaper, art, photography, mirrors, light fixtures, and other decor is as important as choosing the right table and chairs to make the room feel both comfortable and inviting. Whether you're looking to create a relaxing, minimalist space; a lively and warm atmosphere to put guests at ease; or a vibrant, colorful, art-filled backdrop for stimulating dinner conversations, check out these dining room wall decor ideas in a range of styles and sizes that will get the conversation flowing during family meals, entertaining, and holiday celebrations.

  • 01 of 38

    Hang Oversized Floral Wallpaper

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Alexandra Ribar

    While it's tempting to make neutral decor choices for high-traffic areas like living rooms and kitchens, you can afford to take more design risks in a dining room. Oversized floral wallpaper from Ellie Cashman Design adds timeless charm and bold pattern to the walls of this dining room from Leanne Ford Interiors that is visible from the adjacent kitchen.

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  • 02 of 38

    Black Out

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Lindye Galloway Studio + Shop / Photo by Leslie Brown

    Black is a soothing color that grounds a space and makes it relaxing to spend time in, like this dining room from Lindye Galloway Studio + Shop. Just be sure to balance out dark tones with metallics, pale wood tones, or white accents so that it doesn't feel like a sensory deprivation chamber or a night at a dark dining restaurant.

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  • 03 of 38

    Prioritize Pattern

    dining room wall decor

    Design by Living with Lolo /Photo by Life Created

    Vibrant patterned wallpaper in shades of blue and white adds a nice contrast to light brown and beige tones in this dining room from Living with Lolo.

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  • 04 of 38

    Keep It Traditional

    dining room decor ideas

    Design by Courtney B. Smith / David Duncan Livingston Photography

    Interior designer Courtney B. Smith went old school in this formal dining room, with traditional patterned wallpaper decorated with eclectic furnishings and a large black iron and crystal chandelier.

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  • 05 of 38

    Consider Sightlines

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Zeke Ruelas

    This dining room from Emily Henderson Design is visible from the living room through a wide arched opening. Dark navy paint on the far wall adds depth and dimension that defines the space. An oversized framed map on the wall is centered in the middle of the arch with a pendant light hanging above to create well balanced sightlines between the semi-open spaces.

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  • 06 of 38

    Match the Wallpaper and the Drapes

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Forbes + Masters

    Forbes + Masters chose dramatic hand-painted walls and window treatments in this neutral-toned dining room that carry the pattern all around the room.

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  • 07 of 38

    Float the Wallpaper

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Courtney B. Smith / David Duncan Livingston Photography

    You don't have to cover the whole wall with wallpaper or a wall mural to create a showstopping focal point in your dining room. This dining room from interior designer Courtney B. Smith treats the wallpaper like an unframed painting hung on the wall, with plenty of white space around it to keep it feeling light and airy.

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  • 08 of 38

    Build Suspense

    dining room wall decor

    Folding Chair Design Co. / Jenn Verrier Photography

    Folding Chair Design Co. built a dining room wine wall that is both practical and decorative. Bottles are suspended thanks to floor-to-ceiling suspension cables that make them seemingly float. To ensure that your wine wall isn't an accident waiting to happen, be sure to build secure storage, or call in a professional. And keep in mind that exposing your bottles to unpredictable temperatures and natural light isn't ideal for wine collectors, but is just fine if you enjoy wine with dinner and tend to drink your stash as fast as you restock the wine rack.

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  • 09 of 38

    Don't Forget About the Fifth Wall

    dining room wall decor

    Jules Interiors

    Jules Interiors hung a series of large-scale nostalgic black-and-white photographs of old school movie stars on the walls of this dining room, then dressed the ceiling—otherwise known as the fifth wall—with bold striped wallpaper to create a bold graphic effect.

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  • 10 of 38

    Paint a Half Wall Border

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Urbanology Designs / J Turnbow Photography

    If you're tired of the white walls in your dining room but don't want to go to the trouble and expense of repainting the whole room, get yourself some painter's tape and add a color border, a simple DIY project that won't even require a ladder. In this light and spacious dining room, Urbanology Designs painted a wrap-around painted navy half wall border that adds visual interest and makes the space feel cozier and more grounded while seated around the table. Airy pendant lights anchor the table without blocking views. A pair of framed prints that straddle the two sections of the wall and a leaning ladder on the opposite wall that stretches beyond the wall border help bring the eye up and make the color blocking feel cohesive.

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  • 11 of 38

    Make Every Wall a Gallery Wall

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Tyler Karu Design and Interiors / Photo by Justin Levesque

    Even those with stand-alone dining rooms tend to reserve them for Sunday meals and special occasions (if they're not borrowing them for makeshift home offices). An off-duty formal dining room can sometimes feel like an empty stage set. One way to ensure that your dining room feels alive, and to give yourself and your family and friends a reason to poke their heads in even when dinner isn't on the table is to treat them like an at-home art gallery where you can hang artwork, kids art, or family photos, or a combination of the above. Tyler Karu Design + Interiors turned every wall of this 1700s farmhouse dining room into a gallery wall. Antique French chairs, a modern table, and sculptural knotted rope pendant lighting completes the eclectic look and makes this an ideal place for catching up on emails or doing giant puzzles and craft projects.

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  • 12 of 38

    Embrace Asymmetry

    dining room wall decor

    Urbanology Designs / Matti Gresham Photography

    In a modern minimalist space, it can be tempting to simply leave dining room walls blank. This minimalist dining room from Urbanology Designs offers a compromise, with asymmetrical wall decor focused to one side that includes a sconce, abstract painting, potted olive tree, and leaning decorative ladder, leaving plenty of negative space on the other end.

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  • 13 of 38

    Plant a Living Wall

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Maite Granda

    This Florida dining room from Maite Granda has a floor-to-ceiling living wall that brings some scene-stealing, feel-good outdoor vibes into the contemporary space. If you don't have the budget for a floor-to-ceiling green wall, adding plants or a preserved moss wall hanging will create a similar if less dramatic effect.

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  • 14 of 38

    Add a Mini Gallery Wall

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Bartone Interiors / Lissa Gotwals Photography

    This dining room from Bartone Interiors has a wall of windows, leaving a slice of side wall free for adding a colorful mini gallery wall of framed artwork that energizes the space.

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  • 15 of 38

    Add an Antique Floor Mirror

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Joshua Smith Inc. / Photo by Lisa Romerin

    A large-scale French antique floor mirror with aged mercury glass leans casually against the wide wall of this dining room from Joshua Smith Inc. to give the monumental gilded piece a slightly more casual air. The mirror reflects light and doubles the space, while giving your most narcissistic dinner guests a view of their favorite subject.

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  • 16 of 38

    Install a Monumental China Cabinet

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Erin Kelly

    This sleek dining room from Leanne Ford Interiors mixes a clean palette of black, white, and wood accents, while a modern update on the classic china cabinet featuring black metal and glass grid doors occupies the far wall. The side wall features a casual modern abstract print that adds balance while keeping with the black-and-white color scheme.

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    Add Decorative Sconces

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography

    This cozy bungalow dining room from Jessica Nelson Design is wedged into the back wall of an open plan kitchen, with banquette seating beneath the window and a pair of decorative sconces on the wall that serve as both lighting and decor, adding balance with the ceiling pendant and flattering ambient light.

    The 13 Best Wall Sconces of 2023
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    Decorate Around Awkward Windows

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Genevieve Renee Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs minimized the awkwardly high-placed windows on the walls of this high-ceilinged dining room by creating a striking feature wall using two shades of blue that steals focus while adding color and graphic design to the mix.

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    Add Light Layers

    dining room wall decor

    Urbanology Designs / Matti Gresham Photography

    Urbanology Designs decorated the clean white walls of this sophisticated contemporary dining room with light touches, from the black-and-white photograph to the modern lighting to the tall tree branches in the corner, and a leaning mirror on the side wall that help the room feel finished while keeping the focus on the main event that is the sculptural black table with its curvy velvet end chairs.

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  • 20 of 38

    Pair Dark Paint with Bright Metallics

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Tyler Karu Design and Interiors / Photo by Erin Little

    The walls of this dining room from Tyler Karu Design and Interiors pairs deep midnight blue paint with bright gold-toned accents like a dark floral painting with a gilded frame, a winning combination that is easy to emulate. Feel free to use other dark paint colors like chocolate brown or charcoal gray, and warm metal accents such as copper or rose gold if you prefer.

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    Add Contrast

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

    Warm gray walls make the colors of an abstract landscape painting spring to life in this dining room from Louis Duncan-He Designs.

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  • 22 of 38

    Carve Out a Niche

    dining room wall decor ideas

    A Beautiful Mess

    A Beautiful Mess built an arched niche into this dining room wall, painted in a feel-good shade of pink. Thick wood floating shelves display a collection of tableware that can be rotated as desired, and the countertop can be used for seasonal displays or as a buffet table when entertaining family and friends.

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  • 23 of 38

    Darken the Background

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Ryann Miller For Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

    This dining room from Emily Henderson Design is painted in a deep shade of matte teal that creates a rich background for an eclectic gallery wall of vintage-inspired prints and paintings on the wall above the small dining table.

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  • 24 of 38

    Stay Neutral

    dining room wall decor

    Urbanology Designs / Matti Gresham Photography

    Urbanology Designs hung a neutral-toned gallery wall beneath the adult loft bed in this cozy dining area, with plenty of white space left to keep things feeling light and airy.

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  • 25 of 38

    Hang Wallpaper Panels

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Candace Mary Interiors / Photo by Martin Vecchio

    Candace Mary Interiors added framed wallpaper panels to this green, black, and white dining room that are framed out by wood detailing, giving the pattern space to breathe.

    The 11 Best Wallpapers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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    Do a Half Wall

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Atelier Davis / Photo by Heidi Harris

    A wall-to-wall sideboard anchors a half wall styled with art in this vibrant dining room from interior designer Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis.

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  • 27 of 38

    Create a Vignette

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Becca Interiors

    A round porthole mirror and pair of metal sconces hang on the white painted shiplap wall over a raw wood sideboard in this coastal dining room from Becca Interiors, a simple formula that works with any style and can be iterated in countless ways.

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  • 28 of 38

    Personalize It

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Christy Q. Photo

    When choosing art for your dining room walls, or any walls, be sure to select images that are meaningful to you and your family. The Trinidad and Tobago tourism poster hanging on the wall of this dining room from Cathie Hong Interiors was the inspiration for the color palette of the entire home, which combines the clients' love of midcentury modern design with their Caribbean heritage.

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  • 29 of 38

    Go All-White

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

    Louis Duncan-He Designs used creamy shades of white and neutral tones in this serene dining room, layering the main wall behind the dining room table with dimensional wall slats, sconces, and a tonal painting.

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    Keep It Subtle

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wilding Photography

    A feature wall doesn't have to be the focal point of the room. This serene dining room from Louis Duncan-He Designs has a quiet woodland wall mural that adds softness and lets the dramatic coffered ceiling and modern pendant light take center stage.

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  • 31 of 38

    Change the Temperature

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Think Chic Interiors

    This neutral-toned dining room from Think Chic Interiors has a dark wood and marble topped dining room table, smoky blue chairs, a brass Jonathan Adler pendant light, and a bright abstract oversize painting that adds an eye-catching dose of color.

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  • 32 of 38

    Hang Some Plates

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Alvin Wayne

    If you think that hanging plates on the wall is old-fashioned, check out this NYC dining room nook from interior designer Alvin Wayne, who hung botanical wallpaper in an oversized pattern and earthy tones of brown and green, then layered a diamond-shaped arrangement of plates on top, highlighted by a smattering of Fornasetti plates featuring the legendary Italian opera singer Lina Cavalieri. This is a great way to display thrift shop china or that formal set of dishes you inherited from your childfree aunt that have been sitting in storage forever.

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  • 33 of 38

    Add Floor-to-Ceiling Bookshelves

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer

    This dining room by Marie Flanigan Interiors features a wall of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that provide endless reading material while adding color and life to the room, making it the perfect backdrop for lively meals or working from home.

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  • 34 of 38

    Add Wainscoting

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Nile Johnson Interior Design

    This traditional style dining room from Nile Johnson Interior Design has wainscoting along the main wall that is painted white to match the trim and ceiling, while soft green wall paint adds color to the top half of the wall.

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    Hang a Gallery Wall

    dining room wall decor

    Design by Velinda Hellen For Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

    The highlight of this dining room designed by Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design is a nostalgic gallery wall that adds color, warmth, and interest to the white walls of the airy space.

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  • 36 of 38

    Make It a Triptych

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Photo by Heather Dunbar

    Louis Duncan-He Designs hung a triptych of unframed abstract paintings that add a touch of color and a graphic focal point in this bright and contemporary neutral-toned dining room.

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  • 37 of 38

    Hang a Large-Scale Map

    dining room wall decor

    Fantastic Frank

    A colorful large-scale vintage map of Finland makes for striking wall decor in this Scandinavian loft dining room from Fantastic Frank. The map creates a focal point that takes advantage of the tall ceilings and minimizes the awkwardness of small high-placed windows.

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  • 38 of 38

    Hang a Series of Photos

    dining room wall decor ideas

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    Whether you're an amateur photographer who loves to showcase your travel photos or someone who loves the idea of hanging a bunch of photos on the wall but don't have the patience or the eye to assemble a gallery wall, hanging a series of photographs possibly with similar colors or themes and definitely printed and framed in the same size hung in neat rows is an easy way to fill a blank wall, like this serene dining room from Desiree Burns Interiors.