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40 Dining Room Colors for Any Style, From Elegant to Dramatic

Dining room with walls painted in neutral beige color with oval table and wicker chairs in middle

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

When it comes to picking the perfect paint color for the dining room, don't waste the unique opportunity this space offers. Most dining rooms are not used nearly as often as other parts of the home like bedrooms or kitchens, and when they are used, it's often for more celebratory occasions like dinners or parties.

All of this means you can have a little fun picking out a dining room paint color. A bolder color will be seen less often if it's in the dining room, making a wall of deep red or pastel green a bit more understated and easier to blend with the style of the rest of your home. Of course, you can stick with classic neutrals like cream or white too, especially if your dining room is smaller or you just prefer a calmer look.

Either way, take some time to discover the best color for your dining space. Here are 40 great picks for dining room paint colors.

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    White Dining Room

    dining room colors white

    Arbor & Co.

    Good old-fashioned white can be a great color for any dining room. Pick a cooler shade of white to brighten up your space, or pick a warmer shade to make it extra-cozy.

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    White-Paneled Dining Room

    dining room colors white panel

    House Nine Design

    If your dining room is covered in paneling or wainscoting, paint it white. White will give it that classically clean look, plus it will keep the paneling looking fresh and modern, rather than dingy and dated.

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    Warm White Dining Room

    dining room colors warm white

    Arbor & Co.

    Warm white brings in a little bit of character and tone to your dining room, and it will match with nearly any style. Warm white is a great pick for rentals too, as it's such a pleasant neutral.

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    Cool White Dining Room

    dining room colors cool white

    Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

    A cool white dining room is modern and bright, and it pairs well with black accents like dining room furniture or trim.

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  • 05 of 40

    Greige Dining Room

    dining room colors greige

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    Though greige is one of the sillier sounding paint colors, it's popular in homes all over for a reason—it looks great with all kinds of styles, and it adds more character than just white paint would.

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  • 06 of 40

    Greige and Navy Dining Room

    dining room colors greige and navy

    House Nine Design

    For a classy yet down-to-earth look, pair greige paint with muted navy accents. The dining space by House Nine Design above is a great example of how to do this.

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  • 07 of 40

    Cream Dining Room

    dining room colors cream

    Becca Interiors

    Like the warm tones of beige, but not ready to fully commit to it? Try out a cream-colored paint, like the shade Becca Interiors used in the dining nook above.

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  • 08 of 40

    Blue-Beige Dining Room

    dining room colors blue beige

    Margaret Wright

    For a slightly retro dining room paint color choice, try out a blue-beige. This color has the easy matchability of greige with a little bit more personality, thanks to the addition of blue.

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  • 09 of 40

    Beige Dining Room

    dining room colors beige

    Becca Interiors

    Beige paint is another classic dining room pick, and it meshes especially well with lots of wood or other rustic accents like wicker or rattan.

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    Warm Beige Dining Room

    dining room colors warm beige

    Light and Dwell

    For an easy, old world look, give your dining room a few coats of a warm beige. This soft and inviting shade brings character and style to wherever it's added.

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    Green Beige Dining Room

    dining room colors green beige

    Becca Interiors

    A subtly green beige is a great way to give your dining room a barely there indoor-outdoor look. Pair it with some rich green accents for the best effect.

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    Monochromatic Beige Dining Room

    dining room colors monochromatic beige

    Becca Interiors

    If you're struggling to pick your favorite shade of beige for your dining room, take a page out of Becca Interiors' book and use multiple shades throughout the space. Pick one beige as the main wall color, then use additional shades as trim or cabinetry color.

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    Muted Terracotta Dining Room

    dining room colors muted terracotta

    Studio Peake

    Muted terracotta brings a subtle southwestern look to the dining room without having to lean too heavily on adobe or desert themes. Pair it with pops of bright color to make the space feel upbeat and lively.

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    Beige Brown Dining Room

    beige brown dining room colors

    Tyler Karu

    Beige brown is one of the darkest shades of beige you can use, and it's an excellent color pick for dining rooms that are formal or very traditional.

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  • 15 of 40

    Rusty Brown Dining Room

    dining room colors rusty brown

    Arbor & Co.

    Rusty brown may seem like an unusual paint choice for the dining room, but it can be a great color pick for older homes, as the brown adds lots of historic character.

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    Sage Green Dining Room

    dining room colors

    Light and Dwell

    For an extra-trendy paint color pick, try out sage green on your dining room walls (or cabinetry if your dining space is in the kitchen). Use sage green alongside brassy or leather accents for an all-around stunning look.

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    Brownish-Pink Dining Room

    brownish pink dining room colors

    Tyler Karu

    Unusually colored brownish-pink combines the historic look of brown paint with the subtle playfulness of pink. Add it to dining rooms where you want classic style that's not too stuffy.

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    Pink Dining Room

    dining room colors pink

    Mary Patton Design

    A pink dining room doesn't need to look like a Barbie Dreamhouse. Instead, pair it with carefully chosen textures and accent colors, like rattan and muted teal for a one-of-a-kind look.

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    Red Dining Room

    dining room colors red

    Studio Peake

    For a glamorous and statement-making look, try out red in the dining room/ We love all the character the red walls provide to the dining space above by Studio Peake.

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    Brick Red Dining Room

    dining room colors brick red

    Light and Dwell

    Brick red paint adds plenty of charm and character wherever it's added, especially in the dining room. To make this paint really pop, pair it with wood and beige accents.

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    Muted Green Dining Room

    dining room colors muted green

    Becca Interiors

    Muted green paint brings easy and down-to-earth style to the dining room. We love how Becca Interiors used on both the walls and the cabinetry in the space above.

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    Washed-Out Green Dining Room

    dining room colors washed out green

    Light and Dwell

    For a unique dining room look, try some washed-out green or ombre green paint on its walls. Though the dining room above from Light and Dwell uses wallpaper, a similar look can be achieved with some carefully applied paint.

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    Pastel Green Dining Room

    dining room colors pastel green

    House Nine Design

    Pastel green provides playful and bright color to any space, including the dining room. Use pastel green all over your walls, or go for a half-and-half approach by painting the lower half of your walls pastel green and the top half a lighter green or white.

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    Gray Green Dining Room

    dining room colors gray green

    Mary Patton Design

    This deep gray green brings grown-up elegance to the dining room, and it's an easy color pick for formal or highly visible spaces. Pair it with some white or cream accents so it doesn't feel too dark.

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    Slate Blue Green Dining Room

    dining room colors slate blue gray green

    House Nine Design

    Looking for dining room paint that adds color without distracting? Try out a can of slate blue green. House Nine Design used it in the oversized dining room above, and it provides personality to an otherwise-neutral room.

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  • 26 of 40

    Muted Teal Dining Room

    dining room colors muted teal

    Mary Patton Design

    Teal doesn't need to look garish or out-of-place in the dining room. Rather, a muted shade of the color provides personality and elegance. Don't believe us? Check out Mary Patton Design's dining room above for proof.

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    Dark Teal Dining Room

    dining room colors dark teal

    Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

    Another way to use teal in the dining room is to cover your walls with a few coats of dark teal paint. Dark teal brings rich color and vintage style to all kinds of spaces, including the dining nook from Emily Henderson Design above.

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    Aquamarine Dining Room

    dining room colors aquamarine

    Erin Williamson

    Aquamarine is another unexpected dining room color pick, but it brings with it tons of playful personality and eye-catching looks. Using an unexpected color like aquamarine will work best when it's paired with expertly styled tables and wall art, to ensure it looks intentional rather than childish.

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    Slate Blue Dining Room

    dining room colors slate blue

    Tyler Karu

    Slate blue has been a very on-trend color the last few years, and it can certainly be a great color choice for your dining room too. Pair it with lots of light-colored wood, like oak or bamboo, for a laid-back, California look.

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    Navy Blue Dining Room

    dining room colors navy blue

    Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Zeke Ruelas

    Looking for a time-tested dining room paint color pick that blends well with all kinds of styles? Try navy blue. Navy blue looks great all on its own, but it looks even more stunning with pops of bright white or dark wood accents.

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    Cobalt Blue Dining Room

    dining room colors cobalt blue

    Tyler Karu

    For a blue that's the bluest of blues, try cobalt blue. Cobalt blue paint can cover your dining room's walls in rich color, and it looks just as home in casual breakfast nooks as it does in formal dining rooms.

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    Light Gray Dining Room

    dining room colors light grey

    Tyler Karu

    Light gray is an easy color pick for dining rooms in a contemporary or traditional style. We love how Tyler Karu paired it with lots of gold frame accents in the dining room above.

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    Soft Lilac Dining Room

    dining room colors purple grey

    Erin Williamson

    For a paint color pick that's subtly playful, like out a soft lilac in the dining room. This unexpected pick brings a fun twist to the stereotypically formal dining room.

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    Taupe Dining Room

    dining room colors brownish grey

    Erin Williamson

    If you're on the hunt for a neutral paint color that's stylish but still flexible, look no further than taupe. It complements all kinds of styles and accent colors, and it looks like you tried a little harder in the wall-color department than good old-fashioned white.

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    Gray Dining Room

    dining room colors grey

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    Classic gray brings airy style to the dining room, while still grounding it in some color. We like how Desiree Burns Interiors used gray in the dining room above alongside rattan, cream and bright white accents.

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    Blue-Gray Dining Room

    dining room colors blue grey

    Erin Williamson

    Blue-gray paint can work well in all kinds of dining rooms, even midcentury modern-inspired ones like the space above from Erin Williamson. For a blue gray that's more blue than gray, look for slate blue instead.

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    Muted Navy Dining Room

    dining room colors muted navy

    Tyler Karu

    Muted navy is moody like little else. Add it to dining rooms where you want to up the drama, or use it in homes with heavy Colonial or Victorian influence.

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    Dark Navy Dining Room

    dining room colors deep navy

    Margaret Wright

    For a dining room that's almost black, try painting your walls a shade of deep navy. This rich color packs quite a punch, so be sure to add other elements of bright color so that your space doesn't feel too dark.

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    Dark Gray Dining Room

    dining room colors dark grey

    Erin Williamson

    True black can feel a little overwhelming in a space unless it's done very carefully. As an alternative, use a deep, dark gray that gets as close as it can to the line of 'black' without crossing it. Use it as an accent wall color if you don't want your whole dining room awash in dark colors.

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    Black Dining Room

    dining room colors black

    Mary Patton Design

    For a dramatic, one-of-a-kind dining room paint color pick, try out true black in the dining room. However, tread carefully—black can easily look overwhelming if it's not done well. Use black in dining rooms with lots of natural light and alongside generous accents of white and cream.

FAQ
  • What is the best color to paint a dining room?

    Dining rooms can be painted in all kinds of colors, but there are a few that stand out among the rest. Sage green and navy blue are popular dining room paint picks for when you want to add elegant, understated color. For a dramatic dining room look, try out deep gray or dusty red paint. If you're hoping to keep things neutral and bright, try a soft white, cream, or greige. Or, if you want to add fun color to your dining room, paint the walls in light pink or pastel green.

  • What color should not be used in dining spaces?

    Though there is no one color that should be avoided in dining spaces, there are a few helpful guidelines to follow when choosing a color for your dining room. First, avoid dark and deep colors in extra-small dining rooms or ones with little natural light. It will be hard to fully appreciate a richly toned paint color when it's in a tight or dark space. Second, pick a color that works well with your dining room furniture. White walls and white farmhouse furniture can make your dining room look washed out, but white furniture alongside gray or cream walls can look much better.