Dining Room Styles
When designing their home, people sometimes leave their dining room as an afterthought. Here’s why you shouldn’t do that! Your dining room is essential for entertaining, as well as showing off your style choices. Let me show you what I mean.
![A glamorous transitional dining room view, through the living room, showing hints of bright pinky-red recliners at the far right and left of the image. Between we see a glamorous dining room with heavy, dark brown chairs with nailheads and a ring detail on the back. The head chairs are a different fabric, textured in purple. Coppery grasscloth wallpaper complements a triptych artwork on the rear wall showing real lotus leaves finished in copper. A rectilinear glass chandelier lights the space, adding to the sunlight filtered through brightly-colored sheers that match the living room chairs.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Transitional-Dining-View-From-Living-Room-580x429.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer
This Oakland condo was purchased by a female doctor who wanted a little more glam in her dining experience, and to still feel welcoming to both men and women.
![Closer view into a transitional dining space featuring a heavy wooden table surrounded by dark brown dining chairs with silver nailheads and a metal ring detail on the backs. The head chairs are finished in a textured purple fabric. The back wall is a coppery textured grasscloth that complements the copper triptych artwork of lotus leaves. Above the table hangs a rectilinear glass chandelier, while light is filtered from the windows to the left through patterned sheers in a pinky-red color. The table has 3 vases, the outer ones containing greenery, and the centerpiece is a purple flower arrangement to match the head chairs.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Transitional-Chandelier-580x387.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer
A heavy wood dining table is a bit of a masculine piece, so balance it out with some shine, like the copper triptych artwork. That way your space appeals to all genders.
![Close-up view of a glamorous transitional dining room showing a thick wooden dining table, dark brown dining chairs with nailheads and a ring detail on the back. Coppery grasscloth wallpaper complements a triptych artwork on the rear wall showing real lotus leaves finished in copper. A rectilinear glass chandelier provides sparkle overhead. Live purple flowers are the centerpiece on the table, with greenery in vases either side.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Transitional-Triptych-580x870.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Eric Rorer
You can come home from a long day at the office and still throw a glamorous late-night dinner party with very little effort in a dining room like this, adding a little texture and sparkle to your evening under a fabulous chandelier.
![Contemporary dining room as viewed through the living room, showing on the left of the image, clean, modern lines of an industrial light-colored glass dining table with dark twisted metal legs topped with two bowls of greenery, surrounded by four light blue leather dining chairs, under a contemporary glass chandelier, offset by knotty rustic cedar wood wall construction and white oak flooring, plus a contemporary custom-designed fireplace in the living room to create a cozy focal point. The living room is finished with a small stool on top of a furry rug in front of the fireplace, while the fireplace itself is finished with a black-and-white artwork that matches the one in the dining room space.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Contemporary-Dining-View-From-Living-Room-580x387.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Paul Dyer
If you don’t like a lot of fuss, then a contemporary-style dining space might be for you.
![Close-up of a contemporary dining room showing white glass elements on the statement-piece round chandelier, an extendable white glass dining table, leather dining chairs in a light blue color, and a black and white patterned artwork hung on the back wall. A sliding glass door to the right of the image brings light into the space, while the knotty cedar wood walls feels cozy and natural.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Contemporary-Chandelier-1-580x836.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by Paul Dyer
This dining room is streamlined by clean designs with an industrial charm, as you can see in the modern glass table with twisted metal legs, surrounded by blue leather dining chairs. Leather and glass are a very modern style choice. The table also expands, so you can seat up to 8, and the knotty cedar wood wall construction, like a ski lodge, keeps it feeling cozy.
![Looking into a traditional dining space in the style of Americana or historic arts and crafts, shown by the wood flooring, wood trim, wainscoting and picture rail. The recessed ceiling tray is painted a crème color, to differentiate it from the curved cove painted in melon color and the walls in a sky blue. A rock crystal chandelier hangs above the dining table, covered with a blue table cloth, and the wooden chairs have custom padded seat covers in a light-colored pattern. Roman shades in off-white finish the wood-trimmed windows, while a wooden storage unit is tucked into the arched alcove to the right of the space. Light is filtered through full-length sheer curtains on the left.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Traditional-View-From-Kitchen-580x387.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by David Duncan Livingston
If you are drawn to natural elements with some history, a traditional dining room is a good style choice for you.
![View into a traditional dining room, showing a table with tablecloth, custom seat pads on 4 wooden chairs, natural grass woven roman window shades, wood flooring and wood paneling with sky blue wall paint color and a melon-colored arched wall niche with a wooden storage unit.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Traditional-Dining-Table-and-Chairs-580x387.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by David Duncan Livingston
The beauty of the natural wood and the craftsmanship really come through in a traditional dining space like this one. Going without a rug is in keeping with the style, and makes it easy to clean up after your meal.
![Closer view inside a traditional dining space featuring wood trim and wainscoting. Artwork is hung from a picture rail with black grosgrain ribbon. A rock crystal chandelier hangs above the dining table, covered with a blue table cloth and set for breakfast. Light is filtered through full-length sheer curtains with a box pleat on the right. Straight ahead is the doorway into the foyer, and to the left is the doorway to the kitchen, all finished in warm wood trim.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Dining-Room-Style_Traditional-Chandelier-580x387.jpg)
Design by Kimball Starr / photo by David Duncan Livingston
Splurge on something like a Schonbeck chandelier made from gorgeous rock crystals, to continue the natural elements and complement the woodwork. This dining room would be perfect for someone who appreciates the classics.
So there you have it, three different dining room styles to announce the look and feel of your home, and the lifestyle you prefer. If you’re not sure which style is best for YOUR home, why not request a complimentary consultation with Kimball Starr today?