Dining room wall décor: 25 ideas to add new life to your space

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.3 : Make it an Accent Wall

A focal point crafted through your dining area wall décor isn’t the only option if you want to draw the eye, an accent wall would work equally well. You could achieve this very simply by painting one wall in your dining room in a contrasting colour from the other surfaces, but a great idea that has emerged in modern dining room wall décor is to give one wall a purpose that helps to create that accent effect. From a trendy bar set-up, to glassed-in recessed display shelves for collectables like silverware, teapots or chinaware; they serve the dual purpose of being decorative and functional.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.4 : Invite Nature into the Space

Recent décor trends are all about nature themes; either by including natural colours and patterns into your décor or by simply crafting more open spaces within your architectural design. A glass wall, or more conservatively french windows and balcony doors that lead off from your dining space, are often a favourite of modern dining wall design, as they accomplish this without the inconveniences of actual outdoor dining. This is a great twist on dining wall décor, since you essentially have none, and are merely allowing the outdoors to speak for itself.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.5 : Welcome your Happy Memories

Who can resist indulging in a moment of sentimental nostalgia? And there’s nothing better for this than photographs – filled with vacation pictures, big life moments, and special memories. These mementos of your life can give you a truly charming way to make your dining room feel more warm, personal and family oriented. Choose pictures that aren’t too private and display them in sets along your dining room walls. By inviting guests into these precious memories, your dining room wall design will always be a talking point.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.7 : Play up a Highlight Colour

A great way that you can utilise your dining wall design is to bring the entire room together with the decorative aspects or colours you use. Hang artworks or paint the beams to highlight specific accent notes. Pick out shades that recur throughout your dining room – such as the navy, ocher or mahogany brown in upholstery, furniture, drapes, accent pieces or other elements –  to tie in every detail of the space and help to make your décor scheme look more uniform and harmonious.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.8 : Use Light to Draw the Eye

If you're working with a small dining room, wall décor ideas that help to brighten and expand the space are vital. While task and ambient lighting are the main workhorses in achieving this, more creative lighting solutions can also play their part. Whether it’s a backlit mural of an outdoor scene, a large neon sign that acts as your accent piece or more subtle spotlights that lead you to focus on an artwork, your dining wall décor can help add extra dimension, depth and personality to the room. Choose lighting features that suit your style and coordinate with your overall décor theme for the best effect.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.9 : Add Drama through Texture

If you don’t wish to create visual clutter in your dining hall, wall design elements that have their own texture can negate the need for additional art or décor items while still adding personality and interest to the space. Textured wallpaper, natural materials like wood, stone and brick, or textured finishes created through paint layering can all have this effect. Textured wallpaper and paint layering are both extremely popular options in modern dining room wall décor for this reason.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.10 : Reinvent with Wallpaper

When it comes to using wallpaper in the dining room, your list of options are endless. Today, moisture and heat resistant wallpapers that will not be affected by a dining room's close proximity to the kitchen have made them a trendy choice for those who want a quick, easy and relatively cost effective way to add character to their dining area wall décor. The many designs of wallpaper available let you pick a pattern that speaks to your personality and simply revamp your dining room in style.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.13 : Go Monochrome Minimalist

A minimalistic monochrome palette encourages you to stick to a single colour for your décor, with variations in shade for your accent pieces and highlights, to add interest. This is a good option if you prefer dining room wall décor ideas that encourage a clean and neat consistency across your décor. Don’t overcrowd the room with decorative accents or furniture, instead let the dining set and a few key pieces of dining room wall décor take priority in the space. Match the colour of your artwork frames with those of the doors and windows for a more uniform cohesion.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.15 : Build a Window to Another World

Of course, we do mean this euphemistically, but a well-executed mural can truly seem magical – a path that leads you into a fantasy land. Placed behind your dining table, wall design murals that take up an entire wall produce the illusion of increasing the size of your room and can be custom created to suit your tastes. If you have the time, inclination and skill, this can be one of those DIY dining room decoration ideas that’s really worth the effort, but hiring a professional is a great option for those of us without an artistic bone in our bodies.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.18 : Draw the Eye upwards

Many of us live in rented spaces and don’t have the luxury of drilling holes into walls for paintings, decorative pieces or hanging shelves – or maybe you just find the whole process of levelling, drilling and hanging to be a bother. This doesn’t mean your dining room decoration ideas have to disregard your wall space. Instead of sticking with more traditional dining room wall décor, try placing a tall yet shallow display case along your walls with accent pieces stacked upon it. This will create a similar effect to a focus wall and is easy to change up, depending on season or occasion.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.19 : Pay Homage to the Abstract

If you love vivid wallpaper patterns but feel they’re a little too bold for your space, a blend of paint and wallpaper is a great way to elevate your dining room wall design without going overboard. This is a one of the most suitable dining wall décor ideas if your room has plaster moulding, wainscoting or false panels, since you can leave those areas painted in a neural tone, but contrast it with an abstract patterned wallpaper on the other sections. This will add a unique touch and remove the need for additional accent pieces if you're disinclined to add them.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.21 : Modernise with Geometric Patterns

The in-thing in modern dining room wall décor, or rather wall décor in general, is geometric patterns. From tessellated hexagons that create the illusion of a 3D space, to less regimented uses of geometric shapes, these patterns make an immediate statement. Keep in mind that this might not be the best idea for small dining room wall décor, as a heavy pattern can look quite overpowering in a modest space.

Dining Wall Décor Idea No.25 : Create an Oasis around a Window

Remember that when it comes to any room, including the dining hall, wall design can adopt structural elements, too. Make use of large windows and a broad windowsill by adding herb pots or hanging window baskets so that flowering shrubs can be framed by your window. Add additional shelves around the window for shade-loving plants or smaller garden/nature-themed knick-knacks. Creating a green space through your dining room wall décor is a great way to make the room feel fresher and more open, while helping to boost mental calm.