A dining room with lovely and well thought out design and decorations creates a warm and inviting atmosphere perfect for family get togethers, meals with friends or elegant dinner parties in your home. Here are some creative and helpful tips for decorating your walls.

Although the color of the walls depends on your personal preference, warm colors are popular choices in dining rooms. Earth tones or neutral colors are safe choices and can easily be used as a backdrop for beautiful decorative pieces that you want to make the focal point(s) in the room. White can make it look crisp, classic and clean; red tones can help enhance the appetite; and black supposedly suppresses it.

photo credit: quimby

Giving your walls a fresh coat of paint is a relatively easy way of dramatically transforming your room. You can also add a different texture to the walls by rolling, sponging or using a tool like a notched trowel. And you don’t have to limit yourself to one color – paint stripes or use spray paint to combine different colors and make it look airbrushed.

Wallpapers are making a big comeback, and there are thousands of different designs to choose from. Plain or very discreet patterns serve as wonderful backgrounds for paintings whereas boldly colored and patterned ones are entire wall decorations in themselves.

Wall hangings such as tapestries, quilts, and carpets with intricate and elaborate designs add texture and rich and vibrant color to the room. They also make the room feel warmer and cozier (and help cover up any imperfections on the walls).

Designer moldings such as cornices, brackets, and wall niches make perfect finishing touches. They add a classy and elegant look to your walls and come in many different styles and materials. Common designs are leaves, ropes, beads, and Greek keys, while the most common finishes are plaster, wood, or veneer. Pilasters can be used as a wall divider if you want to paint each side of the wall with different colors and can also be used to “frame” large mirrors.

Finding the right dining room wall decor will add beauty and value to one of the most important rooms in your home – one that you share with family and friends. Creating an inviting and cozy space where everybody lingers for hours over dinner, whether it’s a special occasion or not, is not only fun to do, it will give you years of enjoyment and pride.