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6 Grey Dining Room Ideas

If you want to create a setting that’s very on-trend in the dining room, then grey is the way to go. You can choose a moody dark grey or a light pastel shade, with each adding their own sense of drama and sophistication. A darker tone complements furniture and accessories in vivid colours, while a lighter grey can be used in place of white as a backdrop to add more depth to the space. If you want to create a grey dining room that’s sure to impress your guests, these 6 design tips will help.
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Grey Dining Room Ideas

1. Experiment with shades of grey

Are there really 50 shades – or more? Some paint suppliers would probably have you believe so, but whether you prefer light, dark or a mixture, it’s easy to create a stunning grey dining room.

At the lighter end of the spectrum, try a light grey with hints of pale blue for a calm, cooling environment. Add some warmth with oak dining tables and chairs and other natural rustic elements. Shelves made of reclaimed wood, candles and homemade table décor will help here.

Dark grey can create a cosy, intimate atmosphere, but if you’re worried about it being too overpowering, try adding wall art to help break up the colour – anything with white or red makes an impressive contrast that will draw the eye. You could also try a grey textured wallpaper, rather than paint, with some lighter colour running through.

Layering different shades of grey adds depth to a space – choose different hues for the walls, furniture and accessories. Wood tones give the room added warmth.

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Grey Room with Clock
Grey Room Gold Clock

2. Mix grey with gold for glamour

The dining room should have a sense of occasion to it, and gold details will definitely give a taste of opulence – ideal if you like to turn meals into occasions. The colour works well against a strong backdrop too, making it the perfect addition to a darker grey dining room. Go with a dark charcoal grey on the walls, so the gold really stands out.

As gold adds that hint of luxury, you could complement your gold detailing with a marble dining table as the main focus of the room. It will add a feeling of extravagance, and the hints of grey will work with the colour on the walls too. For seating, choose grey dining chairs, or button back upholstered chairs to continue the luxury feel.

Start to work the gold in with the accessories you choose. Look for shelving units with gold detailing, wall art or photos in gold frames, a statement clock or a chandelier. Gold can be included in your choice of table décor too – think place mats, the edging of dinner plates and glints of gold in candle holders, napkin rings and table runners.

Be particular with your lighting. Not only can the fixtures themselves be gold, but the light can pick out and amplify the gold elsewhere in the room.

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Grey Angeles Dining Set

3. Add a daring pop of colour to your grey dining room

For grey dining room ideas that really stand out, use bright, warm and zesty colours as an accent against your sophisticated neutral backdrop. A vibrant yellow or a shimmering green could work well here.

To introduce a spot of yellow, try working from the ground up with a yellow rug, and a glass dining table set on top for a touch of elegance. You could also go for yellow leather or upholstered chairs, perhaps paired with a white dining table and a grey wooden floor.

Other warm colours – reds and oranges – could be treated in the same way, with smaller items such as vases, lampshades and table cloths introduced as accents. If using green, you could try fabric dining chairs in this colour, and even a green rug.

While a bright colour against a dark grey looks impressive, try a pastel shade for something cosy but less dazzling. Perhaps a muted pink or blue for your curtains and table cloth.

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Detroit Dining Table

4. Pair grey with wooden furniture

While grey serves as an excellent backdrop to allow other colours to shine, it does the same with different materials and textures too. If you’re looking to add warmth and depth to your grey dining room, then wooden furniture could work.

Try wood flooring starting point, or enter the wonderful world of wooden dining sets. These come in a wide range of styles, sizes and configurations, with a varying numbers of chairs. An extendable dining table is a good idea if you seat large numbers less frequently.

The industrial look is very on-trend, and will work very well in a grey room, with its dark metal accents complementing the grey on the walls. Furniture with sharp lines and straight edges will give a modern feel, or consider a dining bench as another talking point.

Wood can be worked in through your choice of accessories too, from mirrors with wooden frames to plants with twisted wood stems. Also consider a floor lamp with wood features.

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5. Use grey as an accent colour

If you’re worried that painting the walls grey could seem a little dull, you can still create an inviting look by working the neutral into your space as an accent colour. That way, your grey dining room ideas can be reflected in your accessories.

With grey being so popular currently, there is no shortage of furniture in this shade to include in your dining room. A grey rug and grey dining chairs will help to get you started, and you can always go with a glass dining table, which seems less imposing than one of another colour, or try a marble dining table instead, which offers a mix of white and grey.

Furnish the rest of the room with grey sideboards, display cabinets and shelving units. Look for grey cutlery, crockery and even natural slate placemats to carry the theme through.

You could include some other grey accent pieces, such as a lamp or a vase. Think about black-and-white imagery as your choice of wall art.

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Low lighting
Low lighting

6. Get creative with lighting

With grey being the colour of shadow, it makes sense for some creative lighting to play a role in your grey dining room ideas. Lighting can help set the mood and introduce a feeling of intimacy – perfect for an evening of entertaining.

There are multiple light sources to consider. A chandelier hanging over the dining table can be a very popular choice for a dining room, as it makes an interesting feature, adding a glam element while reflecting light to every corner of the space. There are some very striking designs available.

If you have a low ceiling, you might prefer a simpler set of lights. LED ceiling lights are popular, as they last a long time and are better for the environment than conventional lighting. Pendant lights against a wall can add interest, or go with a standing floor lamp.

Whichever solution you choose, there are ways to maximise the amount of light. A high gloss dining table will be good at reflecting light, as will a large mirror.

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