Upgrade Your Dining Room Decor with Simple Elegance

For many of us, the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life means our houses see more chaos and traffic than a rush-hour train station. The idea of an oft-used space like the dining room looking buttoned-up with sophisticated decor is almost laughable.

But lately we’ve noticed a return to formality: More homebuyers are seeking out properties with a formal dining room, and current homeowners are warming to the idea of bringing more refined furnishings into their dining area. Some experts chalk it up to a stark reaction to the years we spent being casual and cozy indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

So with the spring season right around the corner, now is a great time to focus on adding a bit of elegance to your dining room decor. To inspire your aesthetic overhaul, here are five trending looks:

1. Mauve velvet chairs
Jewel-tone velvet dining chairs have had a hold on the design world for a while now. The trend toward using velvet dining chairs in shades like mauve is driven by a desire for warmth, coziness, and a touch of glamor. These chairs pair well with a variety of dining tables, from traditional to modern, and work particularly well with brass or gold accents. They also bring sophistication, elegance, and depth to the overall design of the room.
Get the look: Smarten up your dining room with a few mauve side chairs.

2. Chinoiserie wall art
Create an elegant focal point in your dining room by adding some Chinoiserie-style wall art. The trend toward using Chinoiserie wall art is driven by a desire to bring a touch of Eastern-inspired beauty and elegance to the home. These pieces pair well with a variety of decor styles, from classic to contemporary, and work particularly well with light-colored walls. The intricate and colorful designs are inspired by traditional Chinese motifs and provide a timeless and classic style.
Get the look: Create a classic vibe in your space with framed prints.

3. Grass-cloth wallpaper
The dining room is a popular place for homeowners to experiment with wallpaper. And the grass-cloth wallpaper adds visual interest and sophistication to an otherwise dull space. Made from plants dried in the sun, grass-cloth wallpaper surrounds your room in warmth and texture. Its popularity is easy to trace since the biophilic design trend has been going strong for a few years with homeowners seeking out additional ways to bring the outside in. You can achieve the same look for less with a printed wallpaper in a grass-cloth pattern.
Get the look: Embrace the great outdoors this spring with faux grass-cloth wallpaper.

4. Large stone vase
If your dining room is lacking a central statement piece, seek out a stone vase. An oversized textured stone vase works well to create balance with another textured object in the room like a light fixture, furniture, or big spring flowers. It’s a natural look that feels right in a room with other earthy materials like linen, rattan, or even a beige area rug.
Get the look: Balance out your springtime bouquet with a handcrafted terra-cotta vase.

5. Blown-glass pendants
An elegant dining room doesn’t have to be stuffy! Get creative and add an artistic oomph above your dining table with blown-glass pendants. Blown-glass pendant lights are a functional way to bring an artistic element into your home. A homeowner with an eclectic style will be drawn to the opportunity to hang vivid colors and shapes over their dining room table.
Get the look: Find the perfect expression of your artistic vision by shopping collections of blown-glass pendants on Etsy.