If you look at color psychology, blue might be considered a controversial choice for a dining room. Where warm colors like red, orange and yellow are meant to increase your appetite, blue might just suppress your hunger — whether that's for better or worse is up to you...
However, blue has its own benefits. It's a color that’s said to lower heart rate and blood pressure, meaning it's a good dining room color idea for making a space relaxing — a sanctuary for spending evenings with friends.
With that in mind, we’re on the hunt for the best examples of how this color is used in the dining room, and how to elevate these spaces beyond simply painting the walls.
Take a look at what the designers pair blue with in design-forward dining rooms, from the mix of materials to the color combinations, and more.
1. Use a Complementary Color to Blue
Blue can sometimes feel a little cold on its own, so you should consider other additions to your palette to warm things up.
In this design, Julee Wray of Truss Interiors, turned to color theory to choose rust accents from the other side of the color wheel. " I believe blues are calming and rusts are rich and grounding," Julee says. "When you combine the two it creates a feeling that’s magical."
Brass and wood accents do the same job in warming things up, helping this space feel cozy and welcoming.
Price: $199.18
Quantity: Set of two
With a textured boucle finish in a bold rust, these highly-rated, well-reviewed chairs are a steal for under $100 each.
2. Curate a fresh-feeling for breakfast spaces
If your dining space is more for early morning breakfasts than late nights around the table, a fresher, more uplifting blue color schemes might be appropriate. This mint-y green color, used by interior designer Ghislaine Vinas, makes for an intriguing pairing for the pale blue rug and bright blue artworks, for a design that has delivers on both energy and calm.
"I love an unexpected use of blue and green together in a scheme," says Livingetc.com's editor Hugh Metcalf, "and the mint green here is inspired color that goes with the blue. The pairing feels fresh and energetic — it's exactly the space I'd want to sit and eat my breakfast in the morning."
3. Color Drench in Blue
Dining rooms are great spaces to be dramatic with decor, especially if they're used more for entertaining than everyday life. It makes them the perfect space to indulge in the color drenching trend, even in a deep and rich color like the dining room above.
Have you ever seen a room so boldly blue? This electric shade feels almost over-pigmented, but gives the scheme real depth. Painting the walls, doors, furniture, ceiling and trim in the same color works to both simplify the scheme, but still highlights interesting details like the crown molding in its own way.
I also love how the strictly monochromatic approach makes the pink accents pop even more.
4. Tie a scheme together with a feature wall
This space had ample natural light, s interior designer Bynn Esmond could use a contrasting dining room wallpaper idea to create a balance of spaciousness and intimacy.
"We chose a blue-black cork wallpaper for an accent wall," Bynn explains. "The rich texture adds a dramatic backdrop, setting the stage for an elevated and intimate dining experience."
The warm glow of the wall lights do wonders for the ambience and the luxury velvet chairs elevate the space to another level, offering comfort at the table for hours.
Price: $99.22
Quantity: Set of two
These 4.5 star rated wall sconces will bring ambience to a blue dining room, with gold finishes that pair well with darker shades.
5. Bring blue into the upholstery
A blue dining room doesn't need to mean painting it head to toe. For interior designer Frederick Tang, this meant giving this otherwise neutral space a kick of cool blue thanks to some artwork and the choice of textile for the banquette seating.
"This dining space feels very well put together, almost tailored, and I think that's in part down to color choices," says editor Hugh Metcalf. "This smart navy blue combination really helps to highlight the fabric — both the tweed-boucle and leather look elegant in expensive in this timeless shade."
6. Ground your dining space with a painted ceiling
In an open concept kitchen-living-dining space, this painted ceiling idea is such a clever trick for bringing back in zoning to give your dining area a sense of separation. The design, again by Frederick Tang, works to frame the table, and as visual cue that brings the ceiling height down a bit, to help make the setting feel a little more intimate.
7. Use gray-blue as a grounding neutral
Certain shades of blue can work as a wonderful base, without feeling too 'colorful' — ideal if you want to enact some more interesting design details on top of the wall color choce. This bold yet understated dining space by Maison Vilucchi showcases a beautiful black-and-white wall mural idea set into the molding, with wall lamps built into for added detail.
"The ceiling height was a bit low and the room narrow, so we decided to take advantage of it and paint the whole room," Tancred Vilucchi, founder of Maison Vilucchi explains. "Chosen as the dominant color, this rich blue helped us to tie up the different hues of honey, yellow and gold, and the different fabrics to create a warm, cozy atmosphere." This blue-gray is a color that has presence, but still feels neutral enough for other elements to take center stage.
8. Give a dining room a coastal vibe
Blue is a good color choice if you're trying to channel coastal interior design into your dining room scheme, too.
Paired with a few nautical-inspired decorating ideas, like oars as wall decor and stripey tableware, this dining space by Susie Novak gives a strong nod to its waterside location, without feeling too theme-y.
9. Use blue to layer in pattern
This blue and white dining room by Vernich Interiors is ideal for pattern-lovers. The choice of blue for this room is a little more on the classic side, especially paired with vintage furniture and patterns, but it works well for a more formal dining room. "We wanted to incorporate blue’s timeless elegance while complementing the antique furnishings and historical charm," says Connie Vernich of Vernich Interiors.
The lighter shades of blue create a bright and airy space, balancing the room’s formality with a modern take. "The intricate patterns of Thibault wallpaper and fabrics tie together these various elements without overwhelming them. Blue’s timeless elegance complements the antique furnishings and historical charm, enhancing the room's vintage feel."
10. Match textiles for a cohesive blue look
This dining room by Perry Walter, founder of Walter Studio Interior Design, offers a vibrant blue, modern aesthetic amongst an otherwise all-white space.
Designed custom, the dining chairs are upholstered in a rich blue performance fabric, complemented by gradient striped outdoor fabric backs and warm wood build. These serve as the centerpiece of the space. "The layering of blue continues with the graphic blue and white drapery, creating a dynamic and visually engaging atmosphere," says Perry. The room's color palette, featuring a harmonious blend of blues and greens, is further enhanced by abstract landscape artwork.
Is blue a good color for a dining room?
As mentioned earlier, we know blue is best to lower stress levels, as a reminder of nature and being close to water, but is it a good color to feature heavily in a dining room? It seems the answer is yes.
"Blue is always a great idea when decorating a dining room, especially when remodeling," Tancred Vilucchi says. As a timeless color that never goes out of style, "It is a perfect introduction when combining lots of colors and textures as blue offers countless different shades that can fit any decoration theme."
