In our experience at House Designer, we are often approached by clients who describe their design style as modern and contemporary. When designing a contemporary dining area, we aim to create an elegant, stylish interior whilst retaining the warmth of traditionally designed spaces.
Here are some contemporary dining rooms we have designed.
Whilst contemporary design often focuses on sleek, neutral elements, it is important not to lose the comfort and tranquillity provided through texture and colour. Continue reading to learn the top design tips for modern dining.
• Elevate with Statement Lighting

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The choice of fixture lighting is one of the most important furniture decisions in your dining room. Think about the mood you want to create – would you like your dining room to feel relaxing and personal? Consider hanging a pendant light directly above your dining table. Or would you prefer a spacious and bright vibe? Then try adding subtle spotlights or LED tracks.
Accent lighting such as wall sconces or table/floor lamps can also help to create the desired effect.
A statement chandelier hangs above the dining table in this contemporary space.
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• Add a statement sideboard

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If your dining room is large and spacious, then a sideboard is a great addition to the space. It is guaranteed to add visual interest as well as functionality. Firstly, of course we should consider the practical elements. It allows you to store any tableware such as plates, glasses and cutlery, neatly away without causing any clutter.
Placing parallel table lamps beside a wall mirror is always a wonderful look. It creates the feeling of balance and harmony in the space and can make a real statement in your dining room.
• Consider Wall Art

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Wall Art adds the perfect finishing touches to your décor. If you have chosen a neutral palette throughout your dining room, adding a painting or photograph will add colour and texture to avoid the space looking clinical. An oversized piece above the sideboard always works wonders.
• Get creative with patterns

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Contemporary style has a different meaning to everybody, however many clients we work with at House Designer consider this to be neutral and subtle. This gives the perfect opportunity to experiment with pattern in your space. Whilst being mindful not to oversaturate the space, adding pops of texture and colour through wallpaper or a patterned rug can really personalise your dining room.
We designed this contemporary dining room with these design principles in mind. Painting the walls in a neutral white shade allowed us to experiment with colour and pattern via the other furniture items. Pops of navy blue are present in the accent chairs and wall art, whilst the large area rug ties all design elements together through pattern and colour.
• Mix and Match

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Using different materials and textures in your dining room can really make the space look interesting. Maybe mixing gold metal finishes with wooden accents? Or even mixing black and white to create a high-contrasting black décor?
In this previous example, we paired a luxe marble dining table with an eclectic mix of dining chairs. Patterned dark wood chairs were used alongside dark velvet to create a unique, yet contemporary dining area in this open plan space.