Romantic Revival: Tips for Dramatic and Formal Dining Rooms

There’s something romantic about homes with a formal dining room—they’re a key selling point for many home buyers. Perhaps it’s the thought of having a single room completely devoted to eating and entertaining, or the idea of enjoying a sit-down dinner with your family and friends. Whatever the reason, here are some ideas for bringing dramatic style to your home’s dining room and other eating spaces.

Light and Dark

 From the custom metal-front cabinets to the silver nail-head trim on the chairs, this dining room is rooted in sleek sophistication. Overhead, an Italian chandelier crafted from Murano glass anchors the center of the room, where a solid yet sleek dining table stands grandly. Navy blue upholstery with a silver trellis design on the chairs brings dignified color to the space. The gray faux bois-inspired wallpaper bridges the gap between the light and dark tones.

Linear Diversity

Create a casual environment that exudes grand style with a formal dining room that is open to your home’s kitchen. A wide archway in this space promotes mingling from the kitchen to the dining table, ideal for relaxed entertaining. The stone-clad walls and a brick-and-wood beam ceiling in this home emanate old-world Tuscan style, as do the antique-style table and chairs.

Vivid Formality

Formal dining rooms can occasionally come off as stiff and cold, but you can avoid that problem in your home by using bold color as a cheer-giving antidote. In this dining room, emerald green silk wallpaper wraps the space with easy-on-the-eyes color. Tangerine-colored velvet chairs are unexpected, yet make a statement. The high-gloss gray moldings and gunmetal taffeta panels ground the room in sophistication.

Then and Now

In older homes with period details, such as elaborate trimwork and leaded glass windows, finding ways to preserve the heritage while bringing the home into this century can be challenging, but success can be found in balancing. In this Victorian-era home’s formal dining room, the trimwork and built-in hutch were painted crisp, modern white. The introduction of a silver-leafed, streamlined table also brings 21st-century modernity, and sofa-style benches in a yellow medallion print introduce playful color. Tone-on-tone damask wallpaper nods to the home’s history, as do the chandelier and floral-print rug.

Comfortable Elegance

Dining rooms don’t have to be oversized to be formal; even a basic nook can exude elegance. In this dining nook, light and dark colors and subtle yet sophisticated details elevate the space’s style. The dark wood-paneled ceiling and hardwood floor contrast with the light blue walls and white trim, perfectly balancing dark and light tones and adding a homey vibe. The elegant pattern on the upholstered chairs and the chandelier adds a more formal tone.

Neutral Texture

This neutral dining room is simple in color but intricate in design. The monochromatic color scheme is made more interesting with different shapes, positions and textures on the stone-covered wall. Texture is also added to the room with the subtle design on the rug and the patina of the chairs and table. A grandiose chandelier and bronze-colored detailing on the base of the table add an elegant shimmer.

Symmetric and Proper

Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry bookending this dining room creates a balanced, formal look. An extravagant chandelier hangs in the center of an oval table, surrounded by perfectly positioned white-slipcovered chairs, made more formal by curved wood arms and nail-head trim.

Dark Tone Variety

Various materials combine to create a formal and exquisite look for this dining room. Neutral tones on the darker end of the spectrum balance with the natural light from the French doors to create a warm, inviting space. Velvet-upholstered chairs, a sleek wood table, a metal chandelier and long, flowing draperies work together to add to the warm, yet formal tone.

Old-World Elegance

Architecture and accents give this dining room an elegant, old-world look. The wood chandelier, ceiling beams and stone wall with inset arched mirrors contribute to the room’s age-old appeal. Old-world-style furniture continues the theme, and two different types of upholstery material give the chairs unique flair. The backs are covered in a caramel-on-black Jacobean floral print, and the seats are clad in matching brown leather, proving that elegance is in the details.

Royal Touch

Gilded accents give this gray-and-white formal dining room a regal touch. White walls and wood flooring set the stage for metallic gray and gold details. French doors are framed with floor-to-ceiling slate gray draperies hung from gold curtain rods. A light gray patterned tablecloth and gold accents on the mirror and place settings add to the room’s elegance. The crystal-and-gold chandelier puts a finishing touch on the regal tone.

Natural Class

This nature-inspired dining room combines warm, neutral tones with earthy prints and finishes to create a classic, country French look. Mustard-yellow walls bring warmth to the formal setting, while the foliage print on the chairs nods to nature. The carved details on the table and elaborate candle chandelier ensure that the intricate ethos of country French style is at the forefront of the room’s design.

Inspired Style

Mixing modern style with antique accents creates a dynamic, high-end look in this dining room. A chic combination of black and white with metallic accents keeps the color scheme simple yet sophisticated. Overhead, a frosted-glass drum shade surrounds a detailed chandelier, fusing elements from both elegant and modern design sensibilities. Gilded, carved mirrors and sculptural urns round out the room’s elaborate detailing, while a neutral textured rug finishes the room with a modern geometric design.

Standout Comfort

Located between the kitchen and living room, this dining space is designed to stand out from the rest of the house. With white walls as a backdrop and chestnut-colored wood floors in the surrounding rooms, the neutral area rug and dark-toned furniture ensemble set the dining room apart. Velvet-upholstered chairs surround a sleek, dark table and add a sense of comfort to the space, while a crystal chandelier formalizes the room.

Handsome and Simple

Stately doesn’t have to be fussy. In this dining room, classic wood furniture, a neutral color palette of golden beige and taupe gray, and a selective use of accessories lend a more masculine look. Flared seat covers and a curvy serpentine light fixture soften the look to ensure the design doesn’t stray into the severe.

Misty Blue

Pale blue walls and accents add variety to this elegant dining room. Gold, bronze and ivory tones balance the cool blues with gilded warmth. Wooden chairs upholstered in champagne-colored brocade surround a stone table with a grand garden statuary as its base. Ivory draperies are lined with blue and gold at the bottom, reflecting the powder-blue color of the walls and the bronze and gold wall decor.

Grand Arch

The formal tone of this dining room is accentuated by the barrel-vault ceiling and the crisp, basic color palette of creamy white and gray. The arched leaded-glass window above the hutch mirrors the rounded ceiling, and a curvy and elaborate chandelier also guides the eye upward to the arch.

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens. Used with permission. © Meredith Corporation. http://www.meredith.com. All rights reserved.