Dining Room Style Guide

With the holiday season right around the corner, it's time to update your dining room! We understand - it can be difficult to achieve that perfect space where every piece contributes to the cohesive whole. Take some of these tips into account, and you'll be setting up your dining space with the eye of a true designer.

Modern Farmhouse

The Colonial Plantation Round Dining Table Colonial Light

Traditional family style creates a more intimate setting to encourage interaction across the table. To really stir up the conversation, a round dining table like the Colonial Plantation Round Dining Table Colonial Light is a great pick, since you'll be more directly facing each other. Nobody likes to turn to talk! In addition, round dining tables allow for the placement of an amazing centerpiece to captivate your guests, such as a porcelain vase or some heirloom dinnerware. But, don't go to big with your centerpiece - if it's too big, you can't see the person across from you!

If you're looking for a safer place to store your display pieces, consider a sideboard to provide, not only storage space, but also extra surface area to serve meals. A sideboard is a great way to fill empty space while also displaying dinnerware and other fun, seasonal decorations.

Mid Century Modern

Mid Century Modern is a great option for those torn between traditional and contemporary; it's the middle-ground between the two! Incorporating a unique mix of organic curves and sleek lines with a variety of materials, this versatile style allows for ample creative freedom when designing your dining space.

The London Loft Dining Table Walnut

This style works best with an open dining space. Mid century modern, much like contemporary dining, takes advantage of negative space to bring the airy concepts found in nature into the home.

To accentuate the negative space and the natural, organic lines, would be a dining table with a low-profile base and live-edge table top, like our London Loft Dining Table Walnut.

Industrial Modern

If you're looking for something unique & multi-functional, Industrial Modern is a great stylistic choice. Defined by the re-purposing of various materials, Industrial Modern (AKA Industrial Chic) allows for some creative freedom in using non-traditional items in your space.

The Old Mill 86" Reclaimed Wood Dining Table, paired with Portofino Leather Dining Chair Berham Chestnut

Recast iron and rough textures are your friend with this style. For a centerpiece, consider a piece akin to the Old Mill 86" Reclaimed Wood Dining Table. A table like this is quintessentially Industrial Modern due to its emphasis on the usage of reclaimed materials.

Durability and functionality are paramount to this style, so it's important to choose accents to reflect that. For example, dining chairs like our Portofino Leather Dining Chair Berham Chestnut that feature traditionally hardy materials, such as top-grain leather and iron are a sure-fire way to bring some industrial style into your dining space.

Organic

Organic style is the closest one can get to bringing the natural world into the home, well short of living in a treehouse. The key element of this style is the emphasis on live-edges - the natural edge of the wood. This results in unique shapes that reflect the life of the tree.

One of our unique Custom Live Edge Slabs

We recommend using solid wood as a focal point for this style. The grain patterns, color variations, and earthly shapes inherent in wood are a key element when styling in this manner.

Another important element to consider when using this style is the application of shapes - namely, curves. Curves reflect the shapes commonly found in the natural world - there are no perfectly straight lines found in nature.

Transitional

Transitional style marries traditional with contemporary. While transitional uses the classic lines of traditional style, the colors are usually more contemporary. Transitional style embraces soft lines and comfort without the fuss or ornateness of traditional styling.

The Mozambique 66" Gathering Table Walnut, paired with Renegade Denim Blue Linen Dining Chair

This style offers a lot of freedom and flexibility when it comes to furniture choices. With transitional style, you can incorporate pieces from many other styles to create a design that reflects you.

The main aspect of this style that should not be overlooked is scale. Take heed to not incorporate too many oversized pieces. Large pieces will overpower the focal point of the room - the dining table.

Coastal

One of the fastest growing design styles is Coastal. Coastal design draws its influence from, as one might guess, coastal areas. There are a variety of coastal styles. Rooms decorated in coastal style are characterized by a love of ocean hues and sun-bleached white decor and the incorporation of natural materials and fabrics and natural light.

One of our flagship collections, the San Rafael Dining Collection

This style offers a lot of freedom and flexibility when it comes to furniture choices. With transitional style, you can incorporate pieces from many other styles to create a design that reflects you.

The main aspect of this style that should not be overlooked is scale. Take heed to not incorporate too many oversized pieces. Large pieces will overpower the focal point of the room - the dining table.

Adjustable

If you love functionality, adjustable style is a great choice. The ability to alter the height of a table adds additional use to the piece. For those working from home and want a dining space that doubles as office space, this is the style for you.

The Industrial Loft 48" Adjustable Round Dining Table Weathered Gray, paired with Portofino Leather Dining Chair Antique Ebony

A key element of this style is, of course, the adjustable pieces. We recommend utilizing pieces that display this functionality proudly with exposed gears to show the design at work-such as our collection of adjustable crank tables.

Typically, cast iron is paired with solid wood within this style. This serves two purposes - durability and, of course, aesthetics. Not only does this combination create a rough, industrial aesthetic, but also the materials themselves will stand the test of time.

Vintage

If retro and 1950's Americana is more your style, consider modeling your space after Vintage characteristics. This style takes influence from popular designers throughout the 20th century, from Andy Warhol to the Eames couple. If you're feeling nostalgic about days long past, this style will surely quench that thirst.

The Tunisia 48" Round Dining Table Black Granite, paired with Portofino Leather Dining Chair Vintage White

Any references to past decades is generally suitable for this style - whether it's some pop art from the 80's or a retro-futuristic table like our Palm Desert table.

For colors, sticking to the neutrals and adding in gold accents is typically a good rule-of-thumb, but feel free to incorporate vibrant colors, reminiscent of an Art Deco theme.

The Takeaway

No matter the style you're going for, don't be afraid to go against the grain and break some style rules! The design of a room is a reflection of one's perception of self. Don't feel like you have to follow any one style - mixing and matching can oftentimes culminate in a beautiful, unique space.