These 5 Dining Room Features Are Always Eyesores

Dining room design is about striking the right balance between functionality and style, and it’s not always as simple as it may seem. Too often, dining rooms can be left feeling flat, uninviting, or impractical because of bad design choices.

According to interior designers, here are the top five design blunders they often see in dining rooms.

Meet the Expert

• Tehilla Bennett is the owner and principal designer of Teela Bennett Design, a full-service interior design firm based in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Rachel Blindauer is the founder and principal interior designer at Rachel Blindauer Designs, an interiors and furniture design studio based in Sarasota, Florida.

• Melanie Bryant is the founder and principal designer of Melanie Bryant Interiors, a premier boutique residential interior design firm serving clients in Mississippi and beyond.

Overly Matched Furniture Sets

Matching dining sets aren’t as common as they once were, and designers agree that they can make a space feel predictable, flat, and too catalogued or staged.

Fully matching sets, such as the table, chairs, buffet, and china cabinet, are the biggest culprits here, although designers say that matching tables and chairs can still have the same effect.

Instead, go for a more lived-in and collected look by mixing different materials, textures, and tones throughout the space.

“Mixing a wood or metal table with upholstered chairs adds texture and personality, and I like using a different style or fabric for the chairs at each end of the table to create subtle contrast,” says Tehilla Bennett, owner and principal designer of Teela Bennett Design. “A buffet in a different wood tone or design can really round out the space without making it feel mismatched.”

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Undersized or Outdated Light Fixtures

When asked about design eyesores in the dining room, lighting issues were the most common answer among designers. These included outdated or overly generic fixtures or fixtures that are not the right size for the space.

“A light fixture that is too small or generic can throw off the balance of the entire room,” Bennett says. “Lighting should always feel intentional. A bold chandelier or pendant that suits the scale of your table can really help define the space.”

For longer tables, Bennett recommends installing a row of smaller hanging light fixtures to add functionality while keeping the space balanced.

While Bennett cautions against sticking with generic fixtures (it’s time for those builder-grade lights to go!), Rachel Blindauer, principal interior designer at Rachel Blindauer Designs, says that overly ornate and dated fixtures are also a design faux pas in dining rooms.

“Chandelier styles from a bygone era—think heavy, gold, or overly intricate designs—can quickly date a space,” she says. “Rather than lighting the room, these fixtures can feel like they dominate the space, imposing a formality that often feels disconnected from the warmth we seek in dining areas.”

Instead, look for modern, sculptural light fixtures that create a sense of drama without overpowering the space.

Bad Lighting

Similarly, bad lighting was a common theme among designers. Here, they’re referring to the actual light levels rather than the fixtures.

Overly bright, white lighting is a big design no-no. It can leave a space feeling sterile and uninviting, which is the last thing you want when hosting guests for dinner.

“I feel like I’m being interrogated in a dining room with overly bright lighting and no dimmers,” says Melanie Bryant of Melanie Bryant Interiors. “I am ready to eat and immediately GET OUT.”

Instead, dining rooms should feature soft, layered lighting for a comfortable and inviting ambiance. Think soft white bulbs, multiple light sources, and don’t forget those dimmer switches.

The Single Painted Accent Wall

Accent walls can be a great way to add a pop of interest, texture, and color to a space. However, it’s important to do them right to make them look intentional and well thought out.

Simply choosing a contrasting color and painting or adding wall panelling to the wall without coordinating it with the rest of the space can leave a dining room feeling disconnected, especially in a room meant for gathering, Bennett says.

“In my experience, a more immersive approach works best,” she says. “Wrapping the entire space in wallpaper or paneling gives it a cohesive, finished feel and helps the dining room feel like a destination rather than an afterthought.”

If you do a dining room accent wall, find ways to balance the space so the wall doesn’t dominate the room’s attention. Also, remember that accent walls generally work best in large, open spaces rather than small rooms.

Rugs That Are Too Small

Rooms featuring undersized area rugs are among interior designers’ most universal design pet peeves, and the dining room is no exception.

Not only does a small rug create visual imbalance, but it can also cheapen the space’s look, no matter how fabulous the rest of the design is. However, choosing the right size rug for your dining room is about more than just aesthetics; it can make or break the space.

“A dining room rug that’s too small makes the entire space feel top-heavy,” Bryant says. “Even worse, getting your chair hung up on the edge of the rug makes for a bad tripping hazard. Add a full plate in there and the dinner is on the floor.”

Generally, your dining room rug should comfortably fit your dining table with at least 24 inches of space on all sides. This should allow ample space for the chairs to be pulled out without any legs hitting the floor.

Read the original article on The Spruce