5 Tacky Dining Room “Upgrades” That Instantly Make a Home Look Bad, Designers Say

It’s safe to say that professional interior designers have strong feelings regarding what they consider to be chic versus tacky. When we asked three experts to comment on dining room design choices that they viewed as less than sophisticated, they didn’t hold back.

Below, our pros highlight five different commonly implemented dining room features that they would strongly prefer that people stop incorporating into their homes. Don’t worry, though, they’re also chiming in with suggestions for what to do instead in order to create a welcoming, elevated, and timeless dining space.

Dining Room Sets

You might be of the belief that a coordinating dining room set makes everything look more put together in the space—after all, no one wants their home to feature a hodgepodge of seemingly random furniture pieces. However, going too matchy matchy is actually not going to add the stylish flair you might expect, shares Elizabeth Burch, the founder of Elizabeth Burch Interiors.

“Furniture pieces all in the same wood tone and finish aren’t an upgrade that I would invest in,” says Burch.

Marlaina Teich, the founder of Marlaina Teich Designs, feels similarly. “Even if it is super expensive, it can come off as low-end,” she says of the matching furniture set.

Burch, like many other designers, feels that a more curated mix of furnishings will look much more sophisticated; the key is to go slowly and only bring home finds that speak to you and complement one another.

“Try collecting pieces over time,” she says. “Mix textures, finishes, and colors for the ultimate cozy, layered look.”

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Accent Walls

Burch is far from the only design expert who is adverse to accent walls and advises skipping one in the dining room.

“Accent walls make the room feel incomplete,” she says. If you want to paint or wallpaper your dining room, go all in.”

Don’t be afraid to color drench, she adds, referring to the popular concept of painting the walls, trim, and ceiling in one, singular hue. Wallpaper is also another excellent option, the designer states.

Picture Frame Molding

You may love the look of picture frame molding, but Callie Windle, the founder of Callie Windle Interiors, doesn’t believe that it belongs in dining rooms containing drywall.

“In an architecturally-appropriate setting, adding a chair rail or wainscoting can be beautiful,” says Windle. “But please don’t follow a YouTube DIY and try to create century-old charm in your 20-year-old house with Home Depot materials.”

If you’re renting and wish to spruce up your dining room walls, wallpaper or paint will add charm in no time, Windle adds.

Too Much Shine

Teich isn’t into the idea of bringing lots of shiny accessories into the dining room.

“I love a little sparkle, but when everything is crystal, mirrored, or glossy, the dining room can look cheap instead of chic,” she says.

You’re much better off mixing together a few different materials for a more subtle look.

“Pairing a touch of glam with natural textures like wood, rattan, or linen keeps things elevated,” Teich says.

Gigantic Wall Art

There’s no need to go all in with gigantic pieces of wall art in the dining room, Teich explains.

“Oversized, custom art can make a statement, but many times, hanging one giant, generic piece of art or mirror often overwhelms the space and can look flashy and dated,” she says.

Again, the key here is to embrace subtlety, the designer notes. Her preferred approach is to either hang a grouping of smaller pieces on the wall or install a sculptural light fixture for a look that is sophisticated but not too intense.