Dining room decor with art: how to create a sophisticated atmosphere around the table
A dining room is rarely about perfection – it’s about atmosphere. The aroma of food, the mingling of voices, the light falling on glass and china. The right wall art enhances all of this without stealing the show. After helping hundreds of Artiley customers choose canvas prints for their dining room, we’ve learned what really makes a difference: proportions, palette, lighting and motifs that can be enjoyed night after night.
Choose a motif that matches the dining room's pace
In a dining room, motifs that reflect the rhythm of the meal and the conversation around the table work well. Still lifes, subtle abstract paintings and classical references have a natural place. One example is Elegance on the Easel – a warm, elegant canvas painting where burgundy and gold tones create a sophisticated backdrop without being overwhelming. It enhances the table setting, rather than competing with it.
Abstract paintings are also great in the dining room. They can soften sharp lines and create space for conversation. In our experience, when the motifs maintain a cohesive color scheme in earthy or muted metallic tones, the room feels calmer and more upscale.
Scale, proportion and placement
Proportion is crucial to making wall art “fit” in the dining room. A tried and tested guideline is that the width of the painting should be around two-thirds of the width of the table. If you have a sideboard or serving counter, it is often harmonious to let the painting follow the width of the furniture and place the center of the motif about 145 cm from the floor. This lands at normal eye level when standing – but also feels right when you are sitting.
For rectangular tables, a horizontal painting works well. For round tables, a more square or slightly vertical shape can create balance. Two smaller canvas paintings in pairs work well above a sideboard – leave 6–10 cm between the paintings for a controlled, airy impression.
Color, material and table setting
The dining room is a play between wood types, textiles, cutlery and glass. Choose wall art that captures one or two dominant tones in the room – not all. If you have dark oak and brass in the fixtures, motifs with gold tones and warm shades are a natural choice. In Nordic, bright environments, muted gray scales, beige and a dose of deep green become sober. Just Elegance on the Easel beautifully ties in with warm metals and burgundy textile details such as napkins or a runner.
A practical detail we often recommend is to let the painting inspire small, interchangeable accents – candles, linen napkins, a vase. This makes the whole thing well thought out, without the room feeling choreographed around the painting.
Light that lifts wall art
Lighting determines how sophisticated your dining room feels. Go for 2700–3000 K for a warm light and high color rendering (CRI 90+). Aim spotlights at an angle of about 30 degrees towards the painting to avoid glare and sharp shadows, especially if you choose frames with glass. Canvas prints with a matte surface, like many of Artiley's motifs, minimize reflections and handle candlelight perfectly. Dimmers give you the opportunity to switch from everyday to festive.
Change motifs according to the season
We often see great results when clients switch motifs throughout the year: warmer, richer colors for fall and winter; cooler, softer palettes for spring and summer. For a more urban and modern evening feel, you can also be inspired by city motifs – see our in-depth Urban chic: Use city motifs to create a modern atmosphere – and let the dining room change expression without major interventions.
From our experience
For a client with a narrow turn-of-the-century dining room, we first tested a colorful portrait. Beautiful, but in practice it took the focus away from the table setting. When we switched to an elegant still leg in warm tones, and complemented it with a narrow brass strip and dimmers on the wall spotlights, the room fell into place. The sound level was even perceived as more pleasant – large paintings break sound reflections and provide better acoustics than you might think.
Quick checklist
- Choose motifs that support the mood of the table: still life, subdued abstraction, classic references.
- Keep the proportions: about 2/3 of the table width, center point around 145 cm from the floor.
- Color match sparingly: pick up 1–2 tones from wood, textile or metal.
- Work with light: 2700–3000 K, CRI 90+, 30 degree direction and dimmer.
- Let the painting inspire small details in the table setting – not the entire room.
If you want to refine your dining room without a major renovation, thoughtful wall art is the most effective way to start. The right canvas print adds spatial depth, a clear focus, and an atmosphere that will make guests linger a little longer.