Dining Room Home Projects

The before? Nice. But the after? Stunning.

It's little, but now it's mighty.

Built-ins make everything better.

It's helped make it a joyful place to spend time.

Some of these glamorous upgrades can work in any room.

Secondhand finds look first-rate in this dining nook transformation.

Here's proof that little changes add up to big results.

The "after" has a smart storage solution you'll want to steal.

This redo's full of smart money-saving ideas.

Wait until you see the new light fixture.

Hand-me-down furniture is a super welcome gift—but it can take some elbow grease to make it work with the rest of your decor.

The "after" feels way brighter, bigger, and more welcoming.

On the floorplan, it’s listed as “Auxiliary Room,” a vague definition that falls far short of inspiration. What to do with this space, with no windows, no definition, and to be honest, no saving grace? Not to worry. Enter gentleman designer Matthew Patrick Smyth, who manages to turn slightly vague into totally specific. Through the lens of the talented Mr. Smyth, it’s part Kasbah but pure Kismet. And it stole the show at Hearst’s Designer Visions.

I got tired of my boring "blank slate" dining room—so I made it a colorful haven.

No half-hearted gallery walls here!

This project adds instant warmth and character.

The after will make your jaw drop.

All the inspo you need to wallpaper your kitchen.

This fresh redo proves dining rooms don't have to feel like a Downton Abbey set piece.

The shakeup took the space from blah and bland to totally vibrant.

This renovation made the space way more usable year-round.

Project by: Christina of andchristina Location: Philadelphia, PA Last year my boyfriend (now fiance 🙂 and I bought our first house (a rowhome in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia) and we’ve spent the last few months transforming the first floor, mainly the kitchen (check it out here!), and also building this breakfast nook in the main living area.

Project by: Katherine Location: Wichita, KS When we moved into our almost century-old house five years ago we were in the throes of planning a wedding (in the backyard of that house) and so a lot of things got the quick and dirty treatment. The dining room was one of those things. A coat of paint on the walls, a craigslist table and chairs, and a CB2 light fixture and call it good! This past fall, my father-in-law gave us a massive amount of books and along with them, several shelves.

Project by: Kate Location: Des Moines, Iowa My husband and I moved into our little house in Des Moines (in a historic area called Beaverdale, full of houses from the ’30s) in July, and were very excited to start bringing some personality into the place! We liked the olive green walls of the living room and dining room, but realized shortly after hanging stuff up that we needed more color in the space.