Designers Share Six Tricks to Make a Small Dining Room Feel Larger

This article was prepared from the source material provided, which included design tips and quotations from three interior designers.

Interior designers say a small dining room can be made to feel larger without structural changes, using six specific techniques that rely on furniture choice, color, and lighting. The recommendations come from Mary Roberts, co-founder of Dunn & Hall Interiors; Megan Baker, founder of Megan Baker Interiors; and Michal Rubin, founder of MR Interiors.

Roberts suggests using open-back chairs, noting that heavy furniture makes a small space look smaller. She says chairs with openness keep the visual plane less cluttered, and bright, fun hues—whether patterned or solid—can serve as a focal point.

Bench Seating and Drapery

Baker favors a bench seat, which she says transforms a wall into a cozy seating area and opens up the flow around a small dining space. She also recommends adding drapery if there are windows, calling it the perfect way to frame a small space and make it feel larger and more luxe.

Roberts suggests wallpapering the ceiling—treating it as an extra wall—with a smaller-scale pattern so the ceiling accents the space without dominating it. The same print can be used on the other four walls or just the ceiling.

Rubin recommends color drenching, which means painting all walls and trim—from doorways to baseboards—in a single color. She says this gives the effect of a larger, continuous space.

Lighting Makes a Difference

For lighting, Rubin specifically recommends a Sputnik-type chandelier, explaining that its arms point in different directions and help guide the eye, keeping it moving in a smaller dining room. She notes that renters can make this upgrade too, as affordable Sputnik-style chandeliers are easy to install and take along; the original fixture should be kept safe for reinstallation before moving out.

Baker adds that homeowners should not choose a small light fixture just because the room lacks square footage. She says a large-scale pendant or chandelier will make any small dining area feel like a full-size dining room.