Modern dining rooms can achieve both style and substance. Browse our pick of the best modern dining room designs and find a look that suits both your style and your use of the room. If you can’t find a modern style that suits your scheme, take a look at our country dining rooms and traditional dining rooms. And if you’re undecided, you can find your dream look with our pick of dining rooms for every style.
The open-plan kitchen-diner feels light and airy thanks to a high vaulted ceiling and French doors leading to the garden. To aid the light essence the colour scheme is bright with a white ceiling, pale pink walls and soft grey floor tiles. A statement turquoise blue pendant light and seascape wallart add a splash of vibrant colour.
Dark grey walls provide the perfect backdrop for simple, striking furniture, glam gold accents and lots of festive sparkle – ideal for grown-up entertaining. A modern clock is wall art and a timepiece in one.
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Buy now: Beatrix dining chairs, £119 each, Cult Furniture
Buy now: Bars wall clock, £199, Dwell
A band of neutral paint on the lower part of the walls creates warmth without reducing the room’s light, airy feel. Lay a row or three of plates along floating shelves. This is a no-fuss way to put your collections on display in a dining or living room.
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Buy now: Walls painted in Silt intelligent emulsion; and Rolling Fog intelligent emulsion, both £48.50 for 2.5L, Little Greene
Buy now: Mustard stripe rug, £325, Cox & Cox
Buy now: Curtains in extra-wide Linen Ash, £33m, Tinsmiths
Buy now: Lorn dining table, £799, Croft Collection at John Lewis
The pink tones in natural woven rattan make then the perfect companions for chalky pink – plus they add a touch of the tropical, to complement the sunny yellow.
Black details – like the shelves and seating – are best for a bold look. Choose grey or white for a softer focal point.
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Buy now: Walls painted in Verdure Yellow marble matt emulsion, £46 for 2.5ltrs, Mylands
Buy now: Black rattan dining chairs, £200 each, Graham and Green
Blush pink comes alive in summer sunlight, its earthy tone blending beautifully with other natural colours – from soft creams, whites and wood tones to vibrant leaf greens.
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Buy now: Chevron off-white wide sideboard, £850, Debenhams
Buy now: Similar Navanita large size macrame woven wallcovering, £65, La Redoute
Mixing modern, design-led pieces like the contemporary table and pendant with classic farmhouse chairs creates a chic space with plenty of soul. Pale green and white walls keeps the mood cool and calm. The key to a calm look is restricting colour. We stuck to white and aqua, with a couple of yellow touches sneaking in! Natural wood furniture is essential for adding warmth to this fresh colour scheme.
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Buy now: Masque 105; Feature wall in Glass IV, both pure matt emulsion, £46.50 for 2.5L, Paint & Paper Library
Buy now: Dublin six-seater table, £395; Talia chairs, £95 each, Habitat
This scheme has a distinctive 196os look about it. This dining room features an eclectic combination of vintage pieces mixed in with some that are more modern or industrial. A unique and characterful feature wall has been created with a selection of art, prints and photos – it looks particularly effective against a deep blue backdrop. The teak dining table has been paired with mismatched chairs to complete the eclectic vibe.
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Buy now: Similar dining table, Preloved
Paint a dining room all white for the perfect complement to Scandi design; no frills, no fuss, no flounces. This lets you add character with accessories and furniture, like the huge glazed dresser here, which stops the room looking too functional.
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Buy now: similar dresser, £1,165, La Maison Chic
Buy now: Corazana yellow triangle throw, £24, B&Q
Introducing bold florals to your decorating scheme may feel a little daunting, but the key to showing them off to their best advantage is restraint. Here, a large floral print on the dining chairs makes a striking statement against a backdrop of carefully coordinated plains.
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Buy now: Washington dining chairs, £645 each, Robert Langford
Buy now: chairs upholstered in Meadow cotton mix, £72 per m, Osborne & Little
White, wood and grey create a sophisticated palette in this dining room. Decorative touches, such as the pink artwork and orange breakfast bar stools, provide warm bursts of colour. There’s a hint of orange in the painting so this creative pairing works really well.
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Buy now: Opera dining table, from £4,250, Bauline
Buy now: similar dining chairs, The Sofa & Chair Company
Expert arrangement means every item catches the eye, from the wallpaper via the mannequin to the plant. A pendant placed above the dining table creates a focal point high in the centre of the room, too. It’s an eclectic mix, but it really works.
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Buy now: Sanderson Dandelion Clocks wallpaper in Slate, £46 per roll, John Lewis
An extension has opened up the ground floor layout in this property. It now ticks all the boxes for modern-day living, with its dining area, lounge and kitchen all in one room. Bifold doors provide easy access to the garden, too, and the views make the space seem even bigger.
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Buy now: table, £1,428, Matthew Hilton
Buy now: industrial leather dining chairs, £130 each, Rockett St George
This dining room is quite minimalist. There isn’t a lot of furniture or decoration, but what there is really packs a punch. From the exposed brick wall to the huge Belle de Jour artwork via the ghost chair and pink vase, every piece serves a stylish purpose.
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Buy now: Ghost chair, £259, The Conran Shop
Add some brightness to a white kitchen with colourful accessories. This striped tablecloth wasn’t a large purchase but it makes a big impact in this scheme. Modern white chairs work really well here, too, keeping the look sleek.
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Buy now: tablecloth, £30, John Lewis
Buy now: similar chairs, The Conran Shop
If you’re planning a kitchen-diner extension, consider a glazed roof. During the day, it will make you feel like you’re sitting out in the garden – and at night, you’ll be able to dine under the stars. An exposed brick wall creates a stylish feature that doesn’t try to hide the original exterior.
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Buy now: Chair 9 chairs, £222 each, Gubi at Nunido
Natural light floods the open-plan living space, thanks to the glazed wall at the rear. For artificial light, there are multiple pendants. The lamps have been carefully mapped out to provide an even distribution of light, without sacrificing their random arrangement.
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Buy now: Series 14 One Ball adjustable pendants, from £315 each, Bocci at Holloways of Ludlow
Buy now: Julian Chichester Chagal armchair, £1,542, Marlborough Interiors
This basement area is a winner all round. A stunning glass staircase that is a great feature in its own right leads to the kitchen above, while the dining area also offers direct access to the garden. The room is large, so a bird-print wallpaper creates a natural separation of the living space. All in all the scheme perfectly takes advantage of the space below the main house.
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Architecture: Alex Tart Architects
Buy now: Pattern Jay wallpaper, £31 per m, Scandinavian Surface at Photowall
No room for a dining area in your kitchen? Then make use of a small corner in the space just outside. Folding doors are a clever touch, as they allow the kitchen to be closed off, but also create a free-flowing feel when open. If you don’t want to knock through or can’t afford structural changes, this is a great option.
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Buy now: Dusted Fondant paint, Dulux
Create a relaxed dining space with Scandinavian-inspired styling. Neutral walls, hits of grey and natural elements all play their role in achieving the look. The dining furniture here is mismatched in an intentionally well-planned way, with smart black chairs on one side of the wooden table and wire chairs on the other.
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Buy now: similar sheepskin rug, Amara
Buy now: similar wire chairs, Cult Furniture
Boost a simple scheme with sculptural lighting. The hexagon-shaped pendants here are unmissable and their gold colour shines out against the neutral colours. They’re also a good match for the large window, which has a similar shape at the top.
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Buy now: Etch brass pendant lights, £340 each, Tom Dixon
Buy now: Baron dining table, £1,790, Amode
