Ideas for Creating a Mid-Century Modern Dining Room

Do you ever get bored of seeing the same interior design in your dining room over and over again? If the answer is yes, now is the time to make some changes. Freshen up the space where you eat your meals and entertain your friends and family. Creating a mid-century-style dining room can be a challenge. But when you find the right furniture and accessories, and you see the whole picture, you’ll be astonished at how good it looks.

It’s filled with geometric shapes, everything has a purpose and there’s a contrast between textures and materials.

Dining Table

The table is the focal point of the dining room, and it should be the piece that brings everything together. There is a wide array of gorgeous dining room tables that will fit into your mid-century interior design. They come in many shapes and sizes to accommodate as many people as you need.

They vary in material, but the most common ones are wood, metal and glass. Sometimes it’s a combination of wood and glass, or metal and glass, but either way, they look amazing. In the wood section, teak, mahogany, oak, cherry and walnut prevail. It’s due to the very rich aesthetic, dark tones, and durable and bold structure. The paler shades of oak and beech are used more in chair frames.

A lot of manufacturers use reclaimed wood to create these tables, and this gives them an even more sophisticated and unique look. The most traditional shape is rectangular. It’s a classic look that can vary in size and can fit from 4 to 12+ people in one sitting. Round-shaped ones are not uncommon as well. They usually fit into bigger rooms and look glamorous and very distinctive.

No matter the shape and material, the classic dining room tables bring out a sense of comfort and togetherness. They’re simple, defined and most importantly, functional. You won’t find any ornamentation on them or extra features. The sleek silhouette and long legs are everything you need.

For the seating arrangements, you can buy matching chairs. They usually fit seamlessly on the side of the table. If you’re a big family or like to host big parties for your friends, choosing benches instead of chairs might be a wiser choice. This way you can seat more people and still have the same mid-century modern vibe.

Feel free to mix and combine different woods with the table and the chairs or benches. The different tones will give the dining room an informal, comfortable look. If you want to add an extra touch to the atmosphere, you can accessorise the table with greenery, some type of succulent or another full-green plant. You can also add elegant, clean plate sets or bottles and even candles.

Rugs

An easy way to add patterns and colour to your dining room is through the rug. While some people like a bold style, others might choose one that can seamlessly blend in with the interiors. There are many different styles, colours, and materials available for carpets with a mid-century modern influence; your choice will solely depend on your preferences.

If you’re looking for an artistic rug for a more contemporary twist, keep an eye out for vibrant colours, patterns like chevrons or stripes, and abstract designs. But if you’re more into adding a traditional feel to the place for a nice eclectic outcome, you can lean towards Persian, shaggy or vintage rugs.

Make sure the rug is in the right size. This depends on the size of the room and the rest of the furniture you have. As a rule, the rug should go under the table. Also, when you move the chairs to sit and stand up from the table, they should stay on the carpet as well.

Just like the dining room tables, the rugs should be comfortable, simple and functional. A rug made of jute or sisal will give you a nice neutral base to work from. It’ll make the other elements stand out and connect to the outside environment. If you want to make a contrast to your minimalist interior design, go for bolder geometrical motifs.

Lighting

The lighting is very important in every room. It can make or break the whole atmosphere if you don’t do it right. The dining room’s mid-century modern lighting fixtures should be elegant and very classy. Pendants are one way to go. They’re also a big trend and very versatile. Tinted pendants will add a nice hint of colour. You can even use different shades to make a bigger impact.

Smaller glam pendants look wonderful above a dining table. They give it an upscale look. You can combine 2 or 3 pendants if the table is longer and bigger. Wall lights can also be a nice touch to the atmosphere. They can be placed all around the room and give it a calming, private feeling. If you have a side table in the room you can add a table lamp as an accent light.

Spherical pendants will also work. They’ll get a good visual of the space. Sometimes a combination of bigger and smaller spheres looks good over the dining table. Of course, there’s no dining room without the classic chandelier. It’ll always be the first choice for many people, and for a good reason. It’s a timeless piece that can make a statement and it’s highly functional at the same time.

Artwork

Mid-century artwork is embracing colour. It should be bright, bold, and structural. You can pick paintings with playful themes, strong lines and a palette of pastel colours. They will complement the rest of the furniture and blend in perfectly.

You can often find pieces that have spheres, circles or boomerangs painted on them. But if you don’t like classical paintings, you can buy posters from that era and have a retro-futuristic look. Minimalism is one of the features of mid-century designs and artwork is not an exception. Focus on clean lines and bright shades, nothing overly detailed.

Wallpaper

The most common patterns for this type of interior design are bold colours and big shapes. If you already have enough colour, a black and white one will also work. You don’t have to layer the whole room with it. Just one wall is sometimes enough to make a statement. Geometrical designs, stripes, zig-zag lines, flowers, and leaves are just a few of the choices you have. Some people even embrace the newspaper print, tile-like or some kind of brick or metal look.