The Popular Dining Room Trend Disappearing From Homes

A dining room is a gathering place for hosting family and friends, enjoying beautiful meals, and making meaningful in-person connections. Therefore, it's so important that the way you design the space not only looks gorgeous but also fosters this sense of warmth, hospitality, and kinship. But this is where a once-popular design trend and the desire for a space that welcomes and warms were at serious odds – while the chic, ultra-modern dining spaces that seemed to grace every magazine page in years past looked high-end, they really lacked the qualities that makes an entertaining space feel special, cozy, and personal.

The issue with super contemporary dining spaces is that the clean lines and simplistic, minimalistic approach can often slide into one-note, stark, standoffish territory pretty quickly when the design is not balanced correctly with warmth and texture. This is, in my opinion as an interior designer, why the trend of ultra-modern dining spaces has faded – too many people executed the look poorly and were left with entertaining spaces that felt cold, unwelcoming, and uneventful, like a catalog page that lacked a point of view rather than a home. So people are ditching this uber-contemporary design trend, opting instead to create curated, layered, memorable dining spaces that feel warm, inviting, and elevated. Without further ado, let's chat about some of my favorite ways to bring your been-there-done-that, one-dimensional contemporary dining room to another level with charm, elegance, and a unique perspective.

In the same way that matching dining room furniture sets make your space look outdated, having all of your furniture in the same ultra-contemporary, serious style similarly falls flat. The mundane consistency and lack of personality leave these dining rooms feeling impersonal, uninspired, and unsociable. Instead, people are ditching this often severe, uneventful look and incorporating some personality with a more eclectic mix of silhouettes, colors, and furniture styles that gives a collected, cozy vibe to the space. The blending of furniture styles, as well as the inclusion of traditional antiques and vintage treasures, adds a unique, quirky element that's never lacking in visual interest and character. These items bring a lighthearted softness, intriguing depth, and typically a major conversation starter to a previously fairly soulless space. And for a room that is supposed to be centered around human connection, this is a huge step in the right direction. Finally, the addition of color and pattern to your dining room only adds to the artistry and vibrancy, so if that's your cup of tea, don't be shy.

It's also imperative to inject one-of-a-kind personal touches into the room to make it memorable and special, especially in spaces decorated with neutral tones and aesthetics as opposed to dining rooms that express personal taste with color or unique furniture silhouettes. Make the space tell your story by showcasing your favorite artwork and displaying treasured items. Your guests are there to spend time with you and your family, so create an entertaining space that brings them into the fold with open arms and a unique point of view. And honestly, adding a little of your brand of weird to any space does absolute wonders in my opinion!

If you're a modern, neutral person at heart, don't panic just because I'm throwing around words like "traditional," "vintage," and "color" – these choices aren't the only way to update your generic, uber-contemporary dining space. The key to freshening up these stark, serious spaces, especially when you aren't interested in adding color or eclectic variety, is to focus on warmth and texture. These elements are essential for creating a space that feels inviting, cozy, enveloping, and interesting, whether the space is all-neutral or vibrant with color.

No matter the final color scheme, I always begin creating a dynamic palette with a layered foundation of a variety of neutral shades, especially those with warm undertones, and wood tones to make a space feel less stark or one-note. Additionally, play with a mix of materials and textures to make a space feel even more visually interesting and full of depth. Add softness and elegance in textiles to smooth the edges of the look, whether that be on upholstered dining chairs, beautiful table linens, or full luxe drapery. Plus, an arrangement of flowers or greenery somewhere in the space never hurts to make it feel elevated and connected to the outdoors. Bringing in textural variety and warm, cozy palettes will instantly make a space feel inviting and high-end.

When everything is all one shade of neutral, furniture silhouettes match in shape and/or color, or the aesthetic vibe is uniform, an ultra-modern, sparse dining space will fall flat and feel dated. Bring it to life and create a design-forward, welcoming dining room by layering in personality, warmth, and texture in whatever aesthetic suits your home.