Your dining room isn’t finished the moment you’ve moved in all your furniture. No room feels fully complete until it’s been adorned with decor—and the same holds true in your dining room. Yes, you may have hung art on your walls or put a pretty mirror in your space, but have you considered what decor should live on your table in between meals and dinner parties?

Thankfully, dining room table decor ideas are abound—and the options are so vast and varied that you can easily find one that suits your space. There are colorful tablescapes, sleek centerpieces, and everything in between. And the best part: dining room table decor is temporary, so you can experiment with one idea today, and try another tomorrow. Scroll on to see some of the boldest, prettiest, and most delightful dining room table decor ideas we could find. 

01 Turn Your Candlesticks Into a Centerpiece

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Candlesticks make a classic addition to any dining room, and if yours are particularly pretty, let them serve as your centerpiece.

Pair a light wooden table in a sleek white room with black candlesticks and white candles to match. The bold centerpiece will attract the eye without disrupting your minimalist palette, adding contrast and cohesion to your space in equal measure.

02 Match Your Decor to Your Table

Most of us seek contrast in our centerpieces, and we look for bowls, vases, and candlesticks that will complement our dining room tables. But, why not look for pieces that will match it, instead?

A black bowl can look surprisingly eye-catching on a black dining room table—adding visual interest while maintaining the sleek, sophisticated palette you’ve managed to curate.

03 Make Space for Fresh Flowers

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Fresh flowers are the cherry on top of any well-decorated space—and they make a stunning centerpiece. Sure, it can be a little frustrating to cycle through dining room table decor weekly, or slightly less frequently, if your flowers are particularly long-lasting. But, when the upside is a fresh, new centerpiece that looks and smells great, the tradeoff is worth it.

04 Cluster Your Favorite Pieces

When you place items close together, they look related, and this rule of thumb will make crafting creative centerpieces a whole lot easier. Simply cluster your decor together tightly enough, and suddenly, the whole will look greater than the sum of its parts.

05 Play With Asymmetry

Many of us place our centerpieces in the middle of our dining room tables. After all, the word has center in its name. But, playing with asymmetry can be just as fun.

Place your centerpiece off-center, and watch as your space is transformed. Just be sure you’ve placed it off-center enough to look intentional—not accidentally unbalanced.

06 Don’t Limit Yourself to Just One Option

Don’t force yourself to choose between vases, bowls, and candlesticks if you don’t want to—simply stock up on all three. You can cluster them in the center of your table, or spread them out across it. Either way, you’re in for a dining room table that looks dynamic, textured, and uniquely your own.

07 Mix and Match Your Vases

Vases are a no-fail addition to any space that could use a little decor, and if you have a few stunning options worth showcasing, display them all at once. Mix and match vases of different sizes and colors, and remember that you don’t have to fill all of them with plants.

If the vases echo colors that are already in your home’s palette, they’ll fit right into your space. And if they don’t, look for options that will complement your dining room decor.

08 Play With Color

Your dining room table decor can be exactly as sleek or fun as you want it to be, so stock up on options that suit your space. If your dining room is full of vibrant colors, don’t let that stop at your centerpiece. Stock up on equally bold vases, and allow them to make your palette even more dynamic.

09 Keep Your Favorite Books at the Ready

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If you do a lot of reading at your dining room table—or honestly, even if you don’t—it can be worth it to keep a few of your favorite books nearby. Opt for a small stack of your go-to reads, or keep a couple coffee table books on hand.

You can pile them next to your centerpiece, place them underneath it, or use them to replace the one you currently have on display.

10 Try a Modern Table Runner

Table runners are a go-to choice for dining room decor, and there are plenty of ways to make the classic accent feel more contemporary.

Start by opting for a thinner, shorter table runner that echoes the sleekest colors in your space—yes, black is on the menu. Then, pair it with some low-profile dinnerware and some modern decor, and voila, you’ve got a surprisingly sleek tablescape on your hands.

11 Pair Function With Form

The best decor is both pretty and practical, so look for ways to integrate both into your space. Pair a lush plant with an appetizing snack tray, and watch as your dining room begins to feel even warmer and more welcoming—just be sure to replace the snacks on your snack tray. Otherwise, the decor choice isn’t actually that practical.

12 Put Your Boldest Vase on Display

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Vases make excellent centerpieces—and bold vases make particularly great ones. If you have a statement-making vase you’re looking for an excuse to showcase, put it out. You can put a plant in it, cluster other decor around it, or leave it on its own.

13 Don’t Be Afraid to Go Bare

If your dining room is incredibly statement-making as is, don’t be afraid to leave your table bare. There’s no rule that says you have to have a centerpiece, especially if it doesn’t suit your space.

If your dining room chairs, chandelier, and wall decor are already working together in perfect harmony, perhaps the boldest—and most thoughtful—design decision you could make is to leave your table exactly the way it already is.

14 Keep It Simple

If you’re navigating a smaller space like a dining nook, don’t unnecessarily weigh yourself down with decor. Yes, you want your space to be pretty—but you also want it to be functional.

Look for ways to add smaller pops of visual flair—you might be surprised to discover how much of an impact a teeny-tiny vase can make.