Stop Using These 5 Dining Room Clichés – Designers Reveal What’s Making Your Dining Room Look Dated in 2026

It feels like we've all been having a very up-and-down relationship with dining rooms. At first, a formal space was a must-have feature, then casual dining in the kitchen was most stylish, and now, a blend of the two is the most fashionable.

And as dining room ideas have changed, evolved, and become more multi-functional spaces, there are a few features and design decisions widely considered clichés – they are out of style and outdated.

The dining room might not be the highest-traffic space in your home, but it gets plenty of stage time during the hosting season and is often one of the rooms your guests see most. That’s why it’s key for this area to look timeless yet on-trend, functional yet aesthetic, relaxed but still occasion-ready.

So what are the dining room clichés designers warn will make your space look dated in 2025 and beyond?

1. Banquettes in Formal Dining Rooms

It's fair to say we've all become slightly obsessed with banquette seating. It feels a bit cooler, comfier, and adds additional storage, which is always a bonus. But in a formal dining room, designers say it feels misplaced.

'Banquettes in formal dining rooms are losing steam. They look great in photos but rarely work in real life, especially when guests are climbing in and out during a dinner party,' says interior designer Ellie Christopher.

'Fully upholstered dining chairs are making a comeback. They add softness, texture, and a sense of ease. I also love the idea of giving heirloom pieces a modern update: slipcovered dining chairs in linen or cotton instantly tone down the formality and feel fresh again,' she explains.

Reupholstering an inherited or vintage chair is a great way to modernize antique furniture and give it a more unique look that feels tailored to your style and lifestyle. And the fabric you choose is key.

'For families, laminated or wipeable fabrics like leather keep things beautiful and livable. The goal now is a dining space that’s elegant but approachable – somewhere people actually want to linger.'

If you want something timeless and comfy, the Threshold™ Ingleside Open Back Upholstered Wood Frame Dining Chair from Target is a great choice, or for something a little bolder, Lulu and Georgia's Haddan Slipcover Dining Arm Chair is fully upholstered with a range of fabric patterns and colors to choose from.

2. Oversized Chandeliers

In years past, no formal dining room was complete without a beautiful lighting fixture – usually a grand chandelier. It created a sense of decadence and status that made the dining room feel more formal. But it's a look designers are gravitating towards less and less.

'Large and heavy chandeliers are on their way out for dining rooms. The days of having a chandelier with dripping crystals to create a very formal look in a dining room aren’t what people are looking for now,' says Yena Jung, of By Yena Designs.

Something more unexpected and contemporary in style can create a beautiful design feature that feels far from dated. This Curie Polished Champagne Chandelier from CB2 is a perfect example of a modern interpretation of a chandelier, or for something more subtle and soft, Bruck Lighting's Federica Pendant from Wayfair is so chic.

'Many formal dining rooms are being turned into completely new spaces like play rooms, laundry rooms, but more commonly, dining rooms are being combined with semi-open concept kitchens. You don’t need statement kitchen pendant lights and a heavy dining room chandelier in a combined space,' she explains.

In fact, open plan spaces can instantly feel overwhelmed with too many statement lighting features, and can take your dining space from elevated and luxurious to completely overwhelmed. So, instead of embracing the traditional, oversized designs, Yena recommends choosing more unique designs.

'I’m using more artistic chandeliers that are asymmetrical and odd-shaped. I’ve also been adding color to the light fixtures, where traditionally you only ever saw glass, black, white, silver, and gold. Light fixtures bring warmth to a room, but doing a fixture in a dark mulberry color or aged bronze brings another dimension and something more interesting to look at besides too many hanging crystals.'

3. Single-Use Dining Rooms

There's a reason separate dining rooms fell out of style – most of us simply weren't using them outside of one or two holiday meals. As such, they became dumping grounds and dust collectors, rather than the hub of the home we expected them to be. And it's a cliché that designers say it's time to give up on.

'The single-use formal dining room is on its way out. Today’s dining spaces are evolving into multifunctional rooms that reflect how people actually live – not just where they eat a few times a year,' says Sandy Baisley and Natasia Smith, co-founders of Re-Find.

It's a bit like when fashion people say an expensive coat or luxury perfume shouldn't be saved just for best, but worn and loved all the time. And your dining space should be approached in the same way – designed to be used every day and enjoyed. And multi-purpose is the way to do it.

'We’re designing dining rooms that double as home libraries, lounges, or game rooms – places you want to spend time in. The key is comfort: plush chairs, layered lighting, and a mix of textures that invite you to linger long after the meal is over,' they explain. Blending dining with these unexpected rooms creates a natural evolution – once you've finished eating, dining can flow into evening entertainment.

Introducing multiple functions to your dining room doesn't require a full remodel. You can simply add some bookshelves, such as the Ashwood Road 5 Shelf Bookcase from Walmart or the Higgs Bottom Arch Cane Paneling Bookcase from Anthropologie, for book and game storage, or even add a casual seating area at one end of the room.

4. 'Museum-Piece' Designs

In many ways, the dining room is the one space where people often default to what they think it should look like, rather than curating a space that feels like their own, is comfortable for family meals, and is filled with personal details. But it's something designers say we should absolutely change as we head into 2026.

'One trend we see fading is the overly formal, museum-piece dining room, the kind that’s used twice a year and feels stiff. Heavy matching furniture sets and generic builder lighting are losing steam because they don’t reflect how people live today,' explains Rebekah Murphy, co-founder and principal designer at Murphy & Moore Design.

In essence, it's become a cliché to fill your dining room with clichés, rather than designing a space that reflects your interior design style and the way you and your family would actually use the space. But it's exactly how Rebekah says you should be approaching your dining room design.

'Homeowners are embracing character-driven, lived-in elegance: dining rooms that feel collected, personal, and integrated with the rest of the home. We’re seeing historic architectural details, interesting color stories, statement lighting, and a mix of vintage pieces become central to the space,' she explains.

'Instead of perfection, people want patina, warmth, and rooms that invite conversation. A beautifully layered dining room with thoughtful millwork and sculptural lighting feels far more relevant for the way families gather now.'

5. Matching Dining Chair Sets

It's become very well-known that in a bedroom, you should never decorate with a full matching suite, where the wardrobes, drawers, and bedside tables are all the same. And this same ethos applies to the dining room – all-matching furniture lacks character and misses the cohesive mark.

'Formal dining rooms with perfectly matched chair sets are falling out of favor,' says Kate Hartman of Kate Hartman Interiors. 'In their place, we’re seeing intimate, banquette-style nooks that feel softer, cozier, and far more conducive to lingering over long, elegant meals.'

A banquette is a chic choice in an open-plan space, but in more formal dining rooms, chairs are still a favored choice. In these instances, either introduce a different chair at each head of the table (this Halbrook Dining Chair Set of 2 by Sarah Sherman Samuel is perfect for this) or go for a fully mismatched look.

Shopping vintage is a great option for this look – your dining room will instantly feel collected and characterful, as long as you maintain a common thread for each chair, whether it's the material they are made from or the upholstery color and pattern. Chairish has some brilliant examples, including this selection of 1950s Vintage Dining Chairs.

In short, dining rooms are supposed to be lived-in, characterful spaces, rather than the showroom designs you are so used to seeing. It's about ditching the features you think you should introduce, replacing them with pieces you love, and adhering to your unique style. Remember, this is a room for spending quality time, not a time capsule of traditions passed.