Skip to main content

10 small dining room ideas that cost almost nothing

You don’t need to have a huge dining room to host wonderful meals, but it certainly does help. Nobody likes bumping elbows with their dinner guests or tripping over chair legs. But if you don’t have a lot of space in your dining room, this experience is probably all too familiar. Thankfully, the welcoming and beautiful dining room of your dreams is within reach. We’re not suggesting you move to a new house. With just a bit of visual trickery and the right furniture, you can make your tiny dining room feel spacious and grand — without breaking the bank. Keep reading to learn a few small dining room ideas on a budget.

Modern dining table pushed against a wall
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Use the walls to your advantage

Though it’s typically considered a design faux pas, placing furniture directly against a wall in your dining room may be a viable solution to your space problem. It can free up valuable walking space in a narrow dining room. And when guests arrive, you can scoot the table out to make room for additional seating.

Recommended Videos

Optimize your storage

Storage is always an issue in small rooms. Cabinets and sideboards are often bulky and can dominate the space. If you want to increase the amount of storage in the room, install floating shelves. Not only are shelves generally less expensive than a large furniture piece, but they can also be customized to suit your storage needs.

Swap chairs for a cozy bench

Depending on the dining set you have, even extra chairs can add bulk to a limited space. Swap out a few chairs for a cozy bench to ensure you have plenty of seating around your table. Benches can seat multiple people without taking up extra room. And when you’re done eating, you can tuck the entire thing under the table and out of sight.

Small, white dining room with natural light
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Choose light colors

In general, darker colors make a space look smaller, and lighter colors make rooms appear larger. Try to keep things light in your tiny dining room. If you don’t mind a simple DIY project, paint the room in a light shade. Or simply let the natural light flow in by hanging light-colored and breezy curtains.

Use mirrors to your advantage

Hanging a mirror can instantly make any room appear larger than it is. This visual trickery works twofold. The reflection is excellent at faking extra space. Plus, mirrors bounce light around the room, making it seem brighter and thus larger.

Choose the right lighting

Make the dining room feel bright and cheerful with the proper lighting. Prioritize natural light from the windows and select fixtures that provide soft lighting. Hanging lights are a great option for dining rooms. They can make the room look lighter and, if you choose a stylish and ornate one, it can draw the eye up toward the ceiling, making the space feel taller.

Dining room with Scandinavian furniture
Followtheflow / Shutterstock

Scale down the furniture

When dealing with a small space of any kind, scale is key. If a piece takes up too much space, it can overwhelm the room and make it appear smaller than it actually is. Avoid filling your dining room with lots of large, heavy pieces. For furniture, try searching for streamlined and airy pieces to create a more open feel. With wall art, choose smaller pieces that are more suited to the space.

Find an extendable table

In most cases, your home (and dinner table) won’t be at full capacity every day; your beautiful, large table will just serve to take up space in your already crowded room. Consider trading your current table for an extendable one. You can add the leaf in for special occasions, but you won’t be bumping into the furniture every time you need to pass through the room.

Choose a circular table over a rectangular one

In addition to choosing an extendable table, you should also try to find one that is circular or oval-shaped. Round tables are generally smaller, freeing up more space in a crowded dining room. Plus, the lack of corners allows you to comfortably seat more people around the table.

Put away the clutter

Rooms packed with stuff, both furniture and clutter, tend to look more cramped, disorganized, and small. Start by putting away all the extra things that have accumulated in your dining room. Then, consider moving any bulky and unnecessary furniture out of the room. Keep the floor as bare as possible to make the room feel more spacious.

Making your small dining room look spacious, bright, and beautiful doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or even take a lot of time to do. Push the kitchen table against the wall or choose a circular table with a removable leaf. Allow plenty of light to fill the room using mirrors, light paint colors, and the proper lighting fixtures. Finally, prioritize smaller furniture pieces and decor that won’t overpower the space. With these few minor changes, you can make your room appear much larger than it is, and your guests will never know the difference!

Shannon Cooper
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Shannon Cooper has written about everything from pet care and travel to finance and plumbing in her seven years as a writer…
We love these DIY Halloween decoration ideas
DIY Halloween decorations are all the rage this year
Person with knife cutting a pumpkin for Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner — have you started planning your holiday decorations? While party supply stores have great options, personalized Halloween decoration DIY styles are fun and a cheaper way to deck your halls. Even if you aren't the best artist or crafting expert, you can let your individualism show and create artwork all on your own. Spending some time crafting with the family is also a great way to bond with each other. While movie nights and Netflix binges are fun, it can be refreshing to have a screen-free evening.

Get ready to unleash your inner child with these inventive, beginner-friendly DIY Halloween decoration ideas, so you can create with the whole family.

Read more
10 creative pumpkin carving ideas no one in your neighborhood will have
Make your porch the star of the show with these carving ideas for your pumpkins
Three carved pumpkins sitting on a street surrounded by fall leaves

Pumpkin carving is a long-standing Halloween tradition that's adored by folks of all ages. If you look forward to this spooky season all year long and want to have the best-carved pumpkins on the block this year, you've come to the right place. With stylish, themed, and even dual-purpose designs, these 10 unique pumpkin carving ideas will have your neighbors green with envy.
Pumpkin carving with movie and character designs

When the kiddos on the block see these lovable characters and signature designs from the movies they love, you'll get all the compliments from both parents and their adoring kids for your uniquely decorated fall porch.
1. Mike Wazowski
Since this beloved Monsters, Inc. character already resembles the shape of a pumpkin, you basically just need to carve out his face with his distinctive single eye. Those trick-or-treaters will love seeing their favorite round monster on your porch. You'll probably even hear his name called out with the same adorable chants we heard from Boo and her friends in the iconic movie.
2. Death Star
The ominous starship weapon of the dark side is easily recognizable due to its circular shape, round crater-shaped gun, and the war-torn damaged section on the upper right side. Star Wars fans of all ages will love seeing this iconic relic from the films that are beloved throughout the generations. Check out this outline on how to cut out a Death Star pumpkin.
3. Tinkerbell

Read more
10 festive fall door decor ideas
Whether classic, trendy, or nontraditional, here are some stunning fall front door decor ideas to try this season
Fall wreath and pumpkins on front door on porch

From classic orange pumpkins placed neatly on the front steps to a simple and minimally designed fall wreath, there are several ways you can spruce up your fall door decor. If you’re struggling to find the right look for your space, we have some amazing autumn design ideas for your front door that are classic, nontraditional, trendy, and modern, so you can choose what you like best.
You can’t go wrong with the classics

As you begin curating a gorgeous fall front door aesthetic, you may want to peruse some of the classic looks to gain some style inspo.
Layer up your natural fall decor
A fall front door look wouldn’t be complete without natural autumn decor. Dried corn stalks, pumpkins in every shape and size, gourds, straw bales, bright autumnal flowers, and fall foliage are all examples of what you can use to create the right aesthetic. Frame your door with fall leaves and corn stalks. Layer straw bales on the porch and steps, sprinkled with pumpkins and gourds.
Perfect your fall wreath
A fall wreath on the front door is a simple yet efficient way to celebrate the season. This decor addition can be fun to DIY, or you can purchase a premade fall wreath from your local craft or home goods store. For a classic look, go with a wreath featuring fall foliage, pine cones, miniature pumpkins, or twigs. If you prefer a classy or more modern look, stick with metallic wreaths, twig-woven wreaths, or something with a more subtle, neutral color palette.
Add some plaid
Plaid is perhaps the most classic pattern used in fall textiles. Add some plaid to your front door space by layering your welcome mats or tossing a few throw pillows or blankets onto a porch swing to invite the plaid pattern to your space. You might also consider purchasing plaid-patterned faux pumpkins to add to your front steps lineup.
Fall flowers are great in warmer climates
If you live in a warmer climate, take advantage of the hotter fall days by adding a few potted fall flowers to your front door space. Be sure to use pots in various sizes, colors, and shapes to create a varied effect.

Read more