13 Christmas dining room decor ideas for a festive scheme

For most people, the dining room is at the heart of the holiday celebrations – especially if you're hosting Christmas dinner. And while so much focus goes into your table settings, your Christmas dining room decor is just as important.

While you want the room as a whole to feel cohesive with your Christmas table decor, there's no reason you can't make a statement elsewhere in the room. Whether you spruce up a mantelpiece, focus on the ceiling, or base your festive scheme around your existing dining room decor.

If you're struggling for inspiration, we've turned to designers to discover their favorite Christmas dining room decor ideas to bring festive cheer to this less-considered room of the home – and there's something to suit every space and style.

13 Christmas dining room decor ideas to inspire your space

From Christmas decor on the walls and ceiling to adding an extra sense of coziness, there are plenty of ways to prepare your dining room for the holidays. Don't confine the decorations to just the table – these ideas will convince you the whole room deserves a look in.

1. Create cohesion with foliage

The table is at the heart of the dining room, so when you're decorating the whole room, try to create connections between your tablescape and the rest of the scheme.

'My foundation which carries throughout the house including the table is always plenty of seasonal greenery – mixing both faux and real for effect. On mantelpieces, on windowsills, and along the table - often as a centerpiece,' says Chrissie Rucker OBE, founder at The White Company.

'I love to layer in some storm lanterns with candles (and if you wind in fairy lights - battery operated are a great option here), add a few foraged pinecones or tree decorations and the look is so festive.'

2. Decorate with red ribbons and wreaths

It can be easy to focus solely on the table when you're decorating a dining room for Christmas, but there are so many elements of the space that can be elevated for the festivities.

In this McGee & Co dining room, wreaths and ribbons have been used throughout to create a holiday theme, but in a natural and almost pared-back way to avoid the space feeling cluttered.

Wreaths hung in less expected places like the window and backs of chairs add a unique feature, white ribbons hung from the light fixture to match the wreath creates cohesion.

3. Go for a rustic, natural theme

Take inspiration from nature and create a calm, comforting space by pairing furniture and tableware in natural materials with winter foliage and candlelight.

'When decorating I love a combination of natural materials and finishes. From timber, stone, and sisal floors or rugs to touches of greenery that bring hints of the outside world in. And if possible, it is always great to have fresh flowers and a fire,' says Chrissie.

A rug and table linen in the same tone and texture have been introduced in this space, create a calm but cozy atmosphere. Seasonal sprigs and candles on the mantlepiece and table offer a nod to the holidays.

4. Match patterns for a Maximalist Christmas scheme

There's something incredibly cozy and stylish about a room featuring different components in matching patterns. In a Christmas dining room, introducing a tablecloth in the same color and pattern as your wallpaper adds a warm, comforting atmosphere.

This is a perfect Christmas dining room idea for anyone who wants to create a more maximalist Christmas scheme. In this space, a red floral pattern repeat paired with green accents instantly creates a festive palette that works with the existing decor.

5. Complement a colorful dining room

Dining rooms that are reserved for Christmas and special occasions can be fabulous places to embrace bold dining room color ideas.

Pairing dining chairs in rich berry-toned velvets with peridot green walls, as done here by Oka, is a great way to create a head-turning jewel-toned scheme, plus, upholstered dining chairs will offer wonderful comfort for guests.

When it comes to festive decor, to prevent a vibrant scheme from becoming overwhelming, choose pared-back decorations such as dried oranges and simple bunches of berry-laden foliage. For a nod to the colorful palette try adding bold dinner candles.

6. Hang your centerpiece from the ceiling

A festive centerpiece is a joyful thing – but not if it gets in the way of you either seeing your guests or being able to reach for the gravy.

‘If space is a concern, why not string a centerpiece above the dining space, leaving more room for food, drinks, and party games,’ says Claire Hornby, head of creative at Barker & Stonehouse.

‘Hanging fresh greenery and twigs accented with glittery baubles and twine will offer a natural twist, whilst a gathering of fairy lights and layered candlelight on the table and chairs will create a soft, cozy glow.’

7. Make the feast the focus

Here, in cookery writer Skye McAlpine's Christmas dining room, the table has been set sparsely in a quasi-still-life food tableau, allowing for the feast to take center stage.

Simple glass vases provide the base for an abundance of informal florals and foliage while matching glass tableware is stacked with food, all finished with oversized velvet ribbons on each place setting. The rest of the room is decorated very minimally to allow the dining table to become the focus.

8. Choose a simple, unfussy scheme in an open plan space

If you don't have a separate dining room and instead host Christmas in your open-plan kitchen diner, often the most effective table dressing is a simple one to ensure it doesn't compete with the rest of the space.

Invest in a beautiful set of dining furniture and let that be the focus. Decorate the table with fragrant springs of eucalyptus with a simple centerpiece of greenery and choose linens in neutral shades.

9. Embrace a soft, neutral palette 

Christmas decor doesn't need to be overflowing with bright colors. The restrained simplicity of a paneled room makes an elegant backdrop for festive dining. A wooden dining table speaks for itself, topped with woven placemats and organic decor.

For the rest of your dining room, stick to the same theme – this space has been decorated with kraft paper hanging stars and a simple pine centerpiece to complement the gently muted palette.

10. Add decorative swags to seating for a fabulous finishing touch

Fresh or faux, nothing says Christmas like a clutch of green branches and pine cone decorations tied up with a scarlet ribbon.

'For a dinner party, weave bright berries or fresh flowers through Christmas wreaths and place them on the backs of chairs or on the dining table for a lovely natural touch that no one will be expecting,' says Sue Jones, co-founder and creative director of Oka.

Make one for each of your dining chairs and secure them to the back of each seat with ribbons or pins. Repeat this look with a matching mantle garland spiked with red blooms or berries and again with another stretching down the center of your dining table.

12. Spruce up a dining nook with seasonal flowers and candles

Not everyone has a formal dining room – instead, dining nooks have become favorable. If you're working with a smaller nook space, opt for a more simple approach to Christmas decor.

A vase full of seasonal greenery forms a centerpiece here, paired with a few tall taper candles for a cozy ambiance. The two window sills have also been spruced up for the holidays, with short garlands placed on them to complete the natural scheme.

13. Bring a Christmas tree into the dining room

What better way to bring the festivities to your dining room than with a Christmas tree? If you have the space, it's the perfect way to create a focal point in the room and introduce all of your favorite decorations collected over the years.

However, if you don't have the space to fit a full-size Christmas tree into your dining room, why not add a mini tree instead? Place it on a cabinet or a side table so everyone around the table can see it. Or, if you opt for really small trees, use them as a centerpiece or as your Christmas mantel decor.

What can I put on my dining room table for Christmas?

There are all sorts of ways to decorate a dining table for Christmas, from simple touches like arranging candles in the center, to festive table garlands and mini table-top Christmas trees.

For a classic look you can’t go wrong with a centerpiece of fresh seasonal foliage and flowers. ‘Forage or source foliage that will last throughout the season as the base to all your floral arrangements. English pine, holly, twigs, winter eucalyptus – anything that will dry nicely and add a festive scent,’ says Ronny Colbie, luxury floral designer.

‘Once you have the base of foliage you can simply add flowers to suit and change as they wilt. For long-lasting flowers, you’re best off with Amaryllis, Hydrangea, or winter berries. For texture, you can add small baubles and dried fruits.’

Can I put my Christmas tree in the dining room?

If space allows placing a large Christmas tree in the corner of a dining room is guaranteed to bring festive splendor to the occasion.

However, if you only have a small dining room or kitchen diner you needn't miss out – there are plenty of mini table-top and small potted trees available perfect for using as a table centerpiece, styling a sideboard, or placing on a window sill to inject festive magic into your dining space. If it's in a plastic pot wrap it in fabric or hessian.

There are so many fun and festive Christmas dining room decor ideas to inspire your scheme, whether you prefer a natural, pared-back display or a more maximalist design.