Key Takeaways
- Dining rooms are one of the best rooms for trying new things with your decor.
- Sculptural lighting, statement walls, and moody colors are some of 2025’s biggest trends.
- Designers are also noticing a trend toward using the dining room as a multifunctional space.
The dining room is the single most underrated space in a home, and as an often-forgotten area typically used for special occasions—if at all—it’s one of the best to experiment in through furniture, decor, and color.
This year has brought us some stunning home decor trends so far, and our design experts say there are still plenty more emerging. They’re here to reveal the top 2025 dining room trends—and their takes on whether formal dining rooms will continue to be a part of our homes at all.
Sculptural Lighting
Design by Niche Interiors / Photo by David Duncan Livingston
As a fairly traditional space, formal dining rooms often come with an antique chandelier. But interior designer Jennifer Jones says to make the space more on-trend, you’ll want to install something that feels like a modern art piece.
“Basic, traditional chandeliers are so 2018,” she says. ”Bold, unique lights are trending, with an emphasis on large scale designs, unique materials and contemporary shapes.”
Some of our designers’ favorite ways to shake things up are through sculptural shapes, outdoor-inspired motifs such as petals and leaves, and natural materials including rattan and capiz shells.
Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest decor ideas, designer tips, and more!
Statement Walls
The dining room is the perfect place to play with design, and according to designer Kasandra Rafter, that starts with incorporating trending elements on our walls, such as mural-style wallpapers and hand-painted details.
”Forget plain painted walls—dining rooms are becoming immersive experiences with bold wallpaper, textured finishes, and even fabric-wrapped walls,” she says. ”Whether it’s a striking scene or a modern take on a vintage pattern, this trend adds personality and depth, and makes the dining room feel like a true design moment.”
Dark and Moody Tones
If you do prefer a solid-colored dining room wall, don’t worry. This cozy and atmospheric trend is made for you—and will come as no surprise, considering 2025’s colors of the year.
”The dark and moody look is popping up in dining rooms, and I am so here for it,” Jones says. ”We will be seeing more spaces embrace rich colors and darker hues such as charcoal and black.”
“We’re seeing a demand for deep, dramatic hues—think inky blues and warm, earthy tones,” Rafter adds. ”Layering textures like velvet, leather, and aged woods will further elevate the space, creating a luxe, cozy ambiance.”
Thoughtful Furniture
A dining table and seats are the focal point of any dining room, and designer Elissa Hall has noticed her clients paying much more attention to finding meaningful pieces of furniture to take center stage.
”An appreciation for story-telling, locally sourced, handmade furniture is on the rise in this age of mass manufacturing,” she says.
Whether you opt for a custom-made table, a thrifted dining set, or a DIY bench, curating items just as unique as you are will instantly catch guests’ eyes and spark conversation.
Entertaining Essentials
Last year saw the return of at-home dinner parties, and these gatherings will need the perfect setting. That’s why Rafter is predicting a rise in fashionable-meets-functional hosting elements in our dining room designs.
”We’re transforming dining rooms into intimate, vibey entertaining spaces,” she says. ”More clients are requesting wine walls, built-in bars, and curated bar carts, turning a rarely used room into a stylish destination.”
Multifunctional Spaces
Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions
A majority of us currently view the dining room as a space reserved for holidays, but all of our designers believe this year will see the area being revived and repurposed for more frequent use.
”People are thinking about how they use dining rooms in new ways,” Jones says. ”Many clients are asking for multi-function dining rooms that serve as a home office space, as well as a formal dining area.”
Dining table placement within our homes is also becoming more multifunctional, with designers seeing dining zones incorporated into open-plan living areas for daily dinners and homework sessions, instead of squared away in a separate room.
Are Dining Rooms on the Way Out?
Although we may be seeing a decline in modern homes designed with separate ones, our experts say dining rooms as a whole aren’t going anywhere; they’re just evolving.
”Traditional use of a designated dining room has been pushed aside by lifestyle changes including a desire for informal meals and the needs of remote work,” Hall says. ”But, even though it’s changing, the formal dining room is far from gone.”
To keep a dining room relevant, it’s key to keep things versatile. Make use of practical and ergonomic seating, aim for adjustable lighting that works for both evenings and work-from-home days, and cultivate as cozy of space as possible—both for drinks and dinners with guests, and your own daily moments.