Better Homes And Gardens Camrose Round Dining Table

Searching for dining room wallpaper ideas is a real pleasure – in our opinion. Of all the rooms in the home that deserve some indulgent decor, the dining room is out in front. It's the room you're mostly likely to inhabit at night, in low light, and with guests in attendance – so picking a wallpaper for a dining room that sets a welcoming mood is a must.

So, if you are considering dining room ideas for a much-needed revamp, look no further. These are our favorite dining room wallpaper ideas.

Dining room wallpaper ideas

If you're looking for dining room wall ideas that can entirely transform the room, wallpaper is top of the list. For rooms you use in the evenings only, you can afford to choose a darker or more dramatic design; for dining rooms that double up as much-used family spaces – perhaps you're considering kitchen diner ideas – you may want to pick lighter colors that are easier to live with in daylight.

1. Embrace maximalism for dining room wallpaper ideas

dining room with bold leaf wallpaper, wooden table, rattan chairs, tiled floor

Alongside considering dining room color ideas, think: maximalism. This is one space that can take big, bold patterns, especially if they add texture, focus and character to dining rooms with little architectural interest.

'Dining rooms are wonderful spaces for adding wallpaper; they are spaces that often lack color and texture, with the hard surfaces of tables and chairs often dominating. Adding a wallpaper can bring depth and warmth to a space as well as delivering design impact. Consider textured wallcoverings such as Botanic, a design featuring meticulously inlaid threads in a textural leaf pattern,' says Philippe Desart, managing director at Arte.

2. Combine dining room wallpaper ideas with wall decor

damask style wallaper in dining room with table setting, ornate mirror, plates on the wall, gold chandelier, upholstered dining chairs

Whether you hang a tapestry, a gallery wall or a wall of plates, doing so over a subtly patterned, neutral wallpaper, will add a soothing layering that can make your dining room feel luxurious. Of course, hanging plates on a wall is appropriate to a dining space or kitchen, and can create intriguing shapes.

'This dining room is papered in a design by Ralph Lauren – Marlowe in Sterling, and we added a collection of antique plates to dot the walls to create an unexpected feature,' comments Henriette von Stockhausen, founder and creative director at VSP Interiors.

gold wallpaper design on red background, wooden table, red armchairs, bench, table setting

The wonderful side-effect of a metallic dining room wallpaper is that it reflects twinkling candlelight quite beautifully. For rooms you use in the daytime, you may want to pick a silver over white background, but in dining rooms used in the evenings, picking a warm metallic over a deep, warm shade, such as red will make your space welcoming, inviting and glamorous.

'In recent years the dining room has become a much more important decorative focal point within interiors. With people increasingly entertaining friends and family at home, the dining room offers the perfect space in which to make a statement and create a sense of occasion. Highly bold, decorative wallpapers have become very popular, helping to bring character, individuality and personality to dining rooms,' says Tim Walters, managing director of George Spencer Designs.

4. Pick a damask for a traditional look

blue damask wallpaper in classic dining room with blue and white curtains, gold chandelier, mahogany table, upholstered dining chair, mahogany floor

If you are looking for fresh blue dining room ideas with the lightest touch, choose a subtle damask, as in the beautiful room above.

'The wallpaper in this dining room was selected because the client wanted a true elegant, southern dining room. She loved the damask pattern, but many of the damasks looked old and dated for such a young and vibrant family,' says Kim Armstrong, owner and principal designer at Kim Armstrong Interior Design.

'When I stumbled across this beautiful robin's egg blue and white Tierni Damask from Schumacher, it was the perfect blend of classic southern elegance, with a fresh and youthful color palette. I based the rest of the design around this wallpaper, and the direction it laid for the project.'

5. Choose a bold floral dining room wallpaper

dining room with bold wallpaper with gold background, round wooden table, floor lamp, rug

Big, blowsy florals look wonderful in a dining room – pick warm-toned designs in north- or east-facing rooms that get little warm daylight.

'Dining spaces are a great place to experiment with bold, all-over wallpaper designs. Wall mural ideas work really well, as this is one of the spaces in which furniture is pulled away from the wall and the full effect of a scenic design can be appreciated,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.

6. Use wallpaper to zone a kitchen dining room

graphic wallpaper in open plan dining room/kitchen, white table, wooden floor, white kitchen island

'Wallpapers can bring warmth and character to a dining room, adding texture from modern graphic motifs to mid-century styles through to the more traditional damask designs,' advises Patrick O'Donnell, brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball.

'Do commit to all four walls when papering – this will give better cohesion to a room scheme. However, in an open plan layout, think about delineating your dining area – papering just one wall adjacent to your dining table to help individualize the different areas. So, the kitchen, living and dining room all feel like distinct spaces in their own right.'

7. Choose blue and white for a fresh feel

dining room with blue illustrative wallpaper, textured lampshade, table set

If you're looking for small dining room ideas that are impactful and dramatic, pick a pale blue and white scheme.

'Blue can often be seen as a daring and cold color choice for dining rooms, but the classic combination of pristine blue and crisp white can be an effortless way to transform your dining room into a fresh and relaxing interior,' says Stefan Ormenisan, managing director at MindTheGap.

'Wallpaper not only adds depth and pattern to a space but it's also a fantastic opportunity to have fun and embrace larger, bold prints and statement designs, guaranteed to give your guests something to talk about at the table.

'Our Azure mural wallpaper, inspired by ancient handmade tiles, depicts a lavish, painterly Mediterranean scene that's perfect for bringing the spirit of the Mediterranean coast indoors and evoking those holiday memories.'

8. Combine dining room wallpaper ideas with panelling

classic dining room with wallpaper between panels, white table, painted chairs, antique sideboard

Dining room wallpaper ideas and panelling ideas for walls make for perfect partners, creating an architecturally interesting, period feel, even in modern spaces.

'If you have panelling within the room, fill the panels with wallpaper and paint the woodwork in a contrasting hue for a cohesive and layered interior,' advises Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.

9. Put wallpaper on a dining room ceiling, too

wallpaper on walls and ceiling in dining room, retro dining table and chairs, black chandelier

Dining room wallpaper ideas shouldn't be limited to the walls – putting a dramatic design on the ceiling will make it advance, creating a more intimate atmosphere. This works particularly well with darker color schemes – think: grey dining room ideas.

'Add surprise and delight by making use of the fifth wall – the ceiling is a perfect opportunity to extend a design, as we have demonstrated with the tempestuous rolling skies of Nuvole,' says Marie Karlsson, creative director & managing director at Cole & Son.

If you do wallpaper the ceiling, lighting a dining room well is important – this chandelier above highlights the design above beautifully.

10. Choose a ditsy floral for a breakfast room

dining room with floral pink wallpaper, pale wood table, cream rug, retro chairs

Whether you're looking for pretty farmhouse dining room ideas or something light and inspiring for a breakfast room, choose a small scale floral print in your favorite tones.

'Consider the ceiling height when choosing your wallpaper, opting for a smaller scale where you have low ceilings and larger scale more dramatic designs where you have high ceilings or large expanses of wall,' advises Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.

11. Opt for a wallpaper that's a conversation starter

bold wallpaper in dining room with green dining table, chairs, tiles on walls and floors

'Add drama to your home by experimenting with conversational wallcoverings. Similar to powder room wall decor, dining room wallpaper allows for creative freedom in a differing aesthetic to the main interior scheme of the home.

'A space to wow guests and inspire design, this is the ideal place to experiment with large motifs, such as our Alcazar Gardens,' suggests Marie Karlsson, creative director & managing director at Cole & Son.

How do I choose a dining room wallpaper

Any well-decorated home will have an overall style that can inspire the choice of your dining room wallpaper. However, rather than choosing a wallpaper that you might well hang in your living room, take the step towards a braver, more dramatic look. For wallpaper colors, consider when you will use the room, its orientation and the time of day it is generally used. The natural or artificial light will change the look and tones in your wallpaper dramatically – so hang a sample on a wall and view it throughout the day and evenings to see how it looks and whether you like it.

You needn't choose bold furniture and lighting that competes with a dramatic dining room wallpaper design – in fact, pared back furniture and lighting can allow your wallpaper choice to lap up all the attention.

Should I put wallpaper in my dining room?

You should without doubt put wallpaper in your dining room. Wallpaper works in both contemporary and modern dining rooms, and it can add not just intriguing decor details, pattern and color, but also layering in a room that's dominated by the hard surfaces of tables and chairs.