10 Creative Ideas for Dining Room Walls

Black dining room walls create a dramatic color palette. Image: Ramsey Interiors

Our dining room walls are the one space in our home that gives us creative license to do something totally unexpected. Even the tiniest of dining rooms can handle patterned wallpaper and dark wall colors. Yes, your dining room is shared with family and guests, but most often it sits empty. The good news is that because your dining room isn’t used 24/7, you can be more creative with color and decor. We love the idea of making our dining rooms a place where we want to spend more time. Here are 10 of our favorite ideas for creating your dream dining room with creative wall inspirations:

A reclaimed wood accent wall warms up a light and open dining room. Image: Amek Custom Builders

1. Warm up your dining room with reclaimed wood

It’s a challenge to warm up an open dining space or bring character to a plain room. Reclaimed wood accents are on-trend right now and can center an open dining space with color and texture. For a plain dining room, a wood accent wall adds a much-needed architectural element.

Metallic wallpaper brings pattern to a neutral dining room. Image: Timeless Furnishings and Patio

2. Metallic wallpaper adds glam to a neutral dining room

If you’d like to keep your dining room looking neutral, texture and pattern is the secret to keep it interesting. Metallic print wallpaper in contemporary, and graphic patterns bring light into the room and highlight your lighting fixtures. Even the most neutral or minimalist room benefits from a glimmer of metallic accents, as long as you keep your color palette simple.

Pretty paint and tile details add a homey touch to this white dining room. Image: Qualcraft Custom Builders

3. Highlight architectural details with color

Dining room built-ins give you the opportunity to add pretty accent colors without painting any walls. No built-in cabinets? No problem! China cabinets, hutches and even bookcases can be customized with color. You’ll want to choose an accent color that pops from the cabinetry to really show it off. Sprinkle your accent color around the room with table linens and artwork for a professionally-designed style.

Floral draperies soften a cheerful dining room. Image: Martha O’Hara Interiors

4. Add color to your dining room walls with drapes

It isn’t always possible to paint your dining room walls. Whether you’re a renter or you just don’t have time to tackle a paint project, draperies can give you the color you need. Print or patterned draperies can add a lot of color to your dining room, giving you plenty of accent colors for your decorating palette. The best tip for using draperies to decorate a wall is to be generous with them — this means adding an extra set to the rod to fill out the wall. If you’d like to use your dining room draperies as a focal point, install a drapery rod much wider than your window and fill the extra space with additional drapes.

Get coastal-inspired style with bold stripes. Image: One Rundle Trading Company

5. Jazz up your casual dining room with stripes

We love stripes, especially on the wall. Bold horizontal stripes can make a small dining space look larger and give the illusion of architectural details. You’ll want to keep your stripes simple with a few colors, especially if you have a small dining room. Artwork in a striped dining room looks best when it’s simple and large — small or busy artwork gets lost in a wall of stripes.

Mix and match colors and patterns for an effortless eclectic dining room. Image: Summer Thornton Design

6. Mix colors and patterns to fix a boring dining room

Don’t be shy about mixing patterns and colors when you decorate your dining room. You have more creative options for the least-used rooms of your home, so be fearless in your choices. If you want to mix patterns (like stripes and florals) but don’t want to go overboard, a monochromatic color palette can help. Decorating in various shades of the same color gives you a subtle color palette and is accommodating for any type of patterns within that color palette — the best of both worlds.

A beachy mural is a fun way to bring the ocean to your dining room. Image: Anthony Baratta LLC

7. A realistic photo mural opens up a small dining room

A photo mural on your wall can make your dining room look as if it goes on forever. A soothing beach scene mural gives guests a relaxing view to enjoy with dinner. Treat your wall mural as an accent wall, pulling colors for your decorating palette. 

A classic craftsman dining room gets a color boost from a vibrant pink accent. Image: Avenue B Development

8. Don’t be afraid of bold color on your dining room walls

We love bold color, and your dining room is the perfect spot to show it off. Like a powder room, your dining room can handle your favorite color easily. If you aren’t ready to commit to painting every wall in your favorite bold color, let the architectural details of your dining room be your guide. Chair rails, wainscoting and wall molding give easily separated breaks in wall color. If your dining room doesn’t already have wall details that work with two-toned walls, consider adding molding or a simple stripe separating the two colors.

A floral-patterned ceiling is a stunning accent for this cottage dining room. Image: Laura U. Interiors

9.  Create drama with your dining room ceiling

We know that our dining rooms have four walls, but did you know that there’s a fifth wall to decorate? Your dining room ceiling is an important part of your decorating plan. A chandelier is often the focal point for your dining space, putting all eyes on your ceiling. You can take advantage of that extra wall by adding an accent color, reclaimed wood or even wallpaper. The ceiling is your blank canvas. 

Vibrant green accent furniture balances out the contemporary black and white wallpaper. Image: Bonadies Architecture

10. Bold wallpaper + big accent color = dining room rockstar

We love dining rooms with that “wow factor.” It’s easier than you think to create a stunning contemporary dining room in your home with wallpaper and color. One of the easiest ways to create a statement on your dining room walls is wallpaper with a graphic pattern. Black, gray and white patterns give you a clear palette for adding a vibrant accent color. A simple color palette allows your wallpaper to shine and your accent color to play a supporting role.

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