Dining room wall ideas to set the mood for relaxing and entertaining

When it comes to dining room wall ideas, we know what you’re thinking: can’t we just tear the wall down? In the era of open layouts, dining rooms tend to be dining areas connected to the kitchen or living room.

But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook: whether it’s four walls or just one, selecting the right wall decor for your dining room can add anything from dimension to drama.

DINING ROOM WALL IDEAS

As simple as picking a striking coat of paint, or as technical as adding a moody sconce, think of this as your chance to make your space shine. Below are just a handful of designer-approved ideas to make your dining room a decadent idyll.

1. PICK WALLPAPER FOR THE WIN

When more is more, patterned wallpaper ideas can evoke wall-to-wall maximalism. We wanted to treat this room as a transitional space, so utilizing wallpaper in a black-and-white motif was our way of tying the dense, botanical wallpapers and deeply saturated rooms in the Victorian to the minimal, plastered finishes found throughout the new addition.

2. BE BOLD AND LEAVE THE DINING ROOM WALL BARE

Nine times out of ten, a blank wall needs some flavor. But sometimes leaving a wall bare is the best thing to do.

3. PANEL WALLS TO ADD TEXTURE

Just like the ingredients on your plate, texture will transform any dining room’s palette. You can achieve this in a variety of interesting ways, from limestone washes to grasscloth wallpaper. The wall paneling is original to the house and I love it for the texture and character it effortlessly provides.

4. OPT FOR A NEW TAKE ON THE PLATE WALL

For a timeless dining room wall idea, the traditional plate wall is having a modern moment. Thanks in part to the renewed interest in handmade ceramics, anything from decorative porcelain and family heirlooms to hip new ceramics are making walls pop with hanging plates. It's essentially the new gallery wall alternative.

5. CREATE LAYERS WITH DINING ROOM WALL SHELVES

When in doubt, functional decor works overtime in any dining space. An eye-catching credenza will do the trick—everyone needs storage, after all—but you can take it to the next level with shelving, or even a bookshelf filled with trailing house plants. n the adjacent wall there is a large original piece of art, and this shelving was a way of layering in visual interest without taking away from the art

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A BLANK WALL IN THE DINING ROOM?

Unless you’re leaving a dining room wall bare, think of a blank wall as your chance to create visual interest, or a conversation starter. “A blank wall in a dining room is: an opportunity to create a design moment, a keystone to pull the design together, a key spot for a pièce de résistance.

HOW DO YOU DECORATE A WALL ABOVE A KITCHEN TABLE?

For a wall adjacent to a kitchen table or casual breakfast area, some decorative ideas include more classic choices of artwork or family photos. You could also install something fun and playful such as an upholstered push pin wall for photos, artwork, children’s drawings, mementos, etc.