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There are many ways to approach a modern dining room, whether you’re designating a formal space to gather or incorporating a seating area into your open floor plan. A well-designed dining space can inspire lively conversation amongst guests, foster dinner parties that last hours, and serve as a backdrop for important decisions made over good food. Here, you’ll find inspiration and tips to create a modern dining room that’s both inviting and timeless. First, we answer questions on dining room furniture, chandeliers, and more that will help you get started on your modern design plan, then we provide dining room design inspiration worthy of their own dinner banter. Pull out a comfortable chair and start getting together your recipe books—we see a slew of grand meals in your future.
Modern design style is known for its simplicity. Clean lines and geometric shapes contribute to an overall uncluttered look. “It’s not to say that modern design style can’t be warm, but it can’t be overdone, it can’t be fussy,” explains Claire Paquin, founder of Clean Design in Scarsdale, New York. “The more simple you keep it, the more modern it will be and the more modern it will remain,” she says. A modern dining room should avoid unnecessary ornamentation and complexity, adds Cori Pfaff of Ashby Collective in Austin. However, that’s not to say that the space should be completely scarce. Statement pieces—like a striking pendant light or a personalized tabletop—and bright colors are often incorporated into modern dining areas.
“A traditional dining room table and chairs is going to be the most functional and longest-lasting setup,” Pfaff says. “You could do an interesting-shaped table for a more modern look.” Adding storage to the space is also essential, and many designers recommend a credenza or sideboard to store your dining sets. “Tall armoires or cabinets can make a space feel more traditional,” says designer Samantha Gallacher of South Florida–based IG Workshop. When choosing furniture, you’ll also want to consider how you plan to use the space for both everyday life and to entertain. For example, designers recommend a dining table that fills the space, but you can opt for smaller dining chairs if you’d like to fit more people.
A modern dining room shouldn’t feel sterile. Warmth can be added through both the finishes and the furniture in the space. “Comfortable chairs are a must-have in a dining room,” says Christina Kim of Christina Kim Interior Design in New Jersey. “You want guests to enjoy a stylish setting but, more importantly, you want them to feel that they can linger.” Details such as velvet fabrics and wood grains can make the space feel more inviting overall. Designers also recommend utilizing multiple sources of lighting so that you can create your desired atmosphere for different occasions.
Statement pieces complement the minimalist simplicity of a contemporary dining room. “Dining rooms are spaces that don’t need a ton of pieces, so pick a focal point and put a modern spin on it,” Kim says. One way to do so is through lighting, she adds, such as a chandelier that has a strong sculptural form or suspension lighting. Less is more in modern style, so opt for eye-catching centerpieces and statement art to add visual interest.
Designer Lauren Svenstrup of Studio Sven recommends thinking of your lighting fixtures as the jewelry of your dining room. She tends to select the chandelier and dining chairs first, then selects a dining table that compliments them. “A sculptural fixture is always our go-to but make sure to factor in the light output—it should be bright enough to hold a conversation, but vibey enough to create a mood when desired,” she says.
This dining room in a Miami home designed by Bria Hammel of Bria Hammel Interiors features modern black windows. “Typically seen in a more modern home, the sleek design and pop of contrast adds a contemporary touch to the room and really creates that wow factor,” she explains. Window coverings are absent, putting the view of the pool and canal on full display through French doors that can be left open or closed.
Another way to provide contrast in a modern dining area is with a statement wall. In this Austin home, Lindsie Davis of Blueberry Jones Design used shiplap to create a clean texture to serve as the backdrop for statement art. The warm brass tones of the lighting fixture help balance the dark walls. The paneling is painted with Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.
Paquin suggests keeping larger furniture pieces—like this glass dining table—neutral and utilizing accent pieces in bold colors that can be swapped out in the future if desired. She added an eye-catching red light fixture and bold window treatment to create contrast in this Rye, New York, home. “Red is a color that stimulates the appetite,” she says of the decision to design around a color that isn’t often utilized in living spaces.
Paint isn’t the only way to jazz up your walls. This coffered wood wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries is both inviting and eye-catching in this modern dining room. Designer Pfaff paired it with a cherry lacquered modern dining table by Meridiani in this Austin home. Her clients, who wanted to give their guests something to talk about, inspired her to create a truly unique space.
Instead of opting for multiple patterns in a contemporary dining room, try repeating the same one for a less fussy feeling. In this Houston dining room, interior designer Benjamin Johnston of Benjamin Johnston Design played up the octagon shape on the back of the dining chairs and repeated it at a smaller scale in the area rug. “Together, you get a sense of subtle continuation that does not feel forced,” he says.
When interior designer and architect Elana Celine, founder of Carta Creatives, was creating the dining room in her Connecticut home, she knew she wanted to incorporate her parents’ table and chairs. “I grew up with this dining table and chairs and I always knew that I wanted it, so I started with those pieces and worked around them,” she explains. While the bubble chandelier is a focal point for the room, she added layers with antique accents, such as a sculpture from Brimfield Antique Market in Massachusetts.
Though formal dining rooms are often separated, the seating area in this Philadelphia home is completely open to the mudroom. Pittsburgh-based designer Betsy Wentz designed the space around the large-scale windows with modern lines and multicolored lockers, which serve as a functional art installation. A simple color palette and natural wood tones seamlessly incorporate the dining table and chairs into the bold space.
This Houston dining room has a focus on strong, simple lines and contrasting materials. The credenza’s clean wood grain contrasts with the lighting fixture’s cloud-like copper glass and the reflective round dining table. “Modern design is a clean, uncluttered look that embraces functionality and the beauty of materials,” explains designer Linda Eyles of Linda Eyles Design.
This dining room—which celebrates a strong midcentury-modern influence—is anchored by a monochrome color palette and layered with natural wood tones. Designer Mary Lambrakos of Lambrakos Studio in Houston, achieved balance through the sparing use of elements and subtle details. “The purity of white-on-white with the natural wood grain allows striking black accents to find equilibrium within the color spectrum,” she explains.
Denise Morrison, founder and principal designer of Morrison Interiors, encourages her clients to embrace wallpaper to step out of their comfort zones. This dining room is located by the entryway in a California home, so guests are bound to walk by upon entering. “We wanted it to be intriguing and beautiful, perhaps causing a pause as a guest is making their way to the front door,” she adds.
A dining area can be the heart of your home. Matt Ransom of Hatchet Design + Build in New York City fit a dining area into a narrow nook by utilizing a custom table setup designed in collaboration with Studio Oink and fabricated by Wild Willys Woodshop. The bench and low-profile chairs allow the dining area to be functional in a small space. Curved lines and geometric shapes add visual interest to the otherwise simple and minimal design.
“Modern design for me is about clean lines, precision, and economy of selections. Each piece or element in the room is important and speaks volumes, ” Kim says. White walls serve as the perfect backdrop for a natural color palette into this Sea Bright, New Jersey, home, which is located right on the ocean. Curved lines—seen throughout the space, from the bold chandelier to the angular dining chairs—balance the unswerving edges of the wood dining table and rectangular windows.
Gallacher chose to carry the dark tone of the wood beams into the dining table and chairs. Green limewash walls give the dining area separation from the rest of the home. “These two elements help create a modern vibe for the space and a great canvas to layer interesting furniture and lighting,” explains the designer.
“Modern design often gets defined as sparse and white, for me it is about clean lines, minimal items, and shapely pieces,” says Kristen Peña of K Interiors in San Francisco. She created depth in this otherwise bright home with a dark jewel-toned color palette. The room is accessorized with a statement bubble chandelier and gold resin wall art.
Each piece in a modern dining room has the ability to be a focal point due to the design style’s minimal nature. In this Denver penthouse, Julee Wray of Truss Interiors created a striking tablescape with a focus on curved shapes. The dining chairs are adorned in custom upholstery by Bernhardt and the table was custom-made in Italy. The designer turned the table at an angle to best utilize the space.
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