The dining room is where you and your loved ones can get together for a delicious meal and a refreshing conversation. Since this is where you create memories, it is essential that a dining room's design be perfect to facilitate discussion and bring people together.

​Several designers were interviewed about dining room design blunders and how to avoid them to help create a harmonious space.

​7 Common Dining Room Design Pitfalls And How To Avoid Them

Here are some mistakes you need to know and how to avoid dining room design mistakes:

​1. Using Big Round Table

When adding a round table to the dining area of your home, ensure that it is not too large to facilitate conversation with all the people coming to dinner. Choose a smaller round table to avoid interrupting your discussion with people passing food around.

​According to interior designer Cristina Kim (founder of Christina Kim Interior Design), if you use a round table, it can feel intimate and cozy at the same time. But, if the round table measures 6 in diameter, passing some food or conversing with other people may become difficult.

​2. Using A Small Rug

Setting a rug in your dining room that is too small for the seat's legs will make the room appear smaller and more segmented in form. This is especially true if your dining room has hardwood or tile flooring.

​According to Kim, every time you pull out a chair, it will feel like a mistake that you chose a rug that is too small to fit all the legs of your chairs. The transition from wood floors to rugs will feel awkward, and the room will look choppy and smaller than it is.

​3. Using The Wrong Size Of Furniture

The furniture's size and shape significantly impact the degree to which the space feels expansive and comfortable while retaining a sense of coziness and intimacy. A space that is well-balanced and inviting must certainly have the appropriate scale.

According to interior designer Charles Almonte (founder of Charles Almonte Architecture | Interior Design), considering how big the room is compared to the furniture is crucial. This is not just for consuming rooms; it is a basic rule of interior design. He added, "A dining vignette that’s too small for a room will feel Lilliputian. A dining table that’s too big will make the room feel claustrophobic and unwelcoming."

​You might also like these:

• A Designer's Insights On 6 Simple Ways To Transform And Elevate Your Living Room
• The Six Home Design Pitfalls That Prevent Decluttering
• 6 Outdoor Patio Furniture That Designers Don’t Like

4. Using The Wrong Shape Of Table

According to interior designer Ellie Mroz (founder of Ellie Mroz Design), selecting the appropriate  table shape for your dining room can help encourage conversation with your family and/or friends. Consider the room's shape when choosing the best table shape: square, oval, or oblong. Mroz also advises considering the size of the table and chairs to ensure sufficient space and easy movement within the table.

​5. Having A Matching Dining Room Set

If you want to express your personal style in your dining room, it is recommended not to purchase from one place only. Almonte says mixing and matching is fine when not buying a dining room set. It gives the room its style. Add new, old, and rare items to mix things up. The other people at the table will talk about it.

​6. No Flow Of Traffic

If you do not provide sufficient traffic flow for visitors, they will be unable to move around comfortably and have difficulty getting in and out of their chairs. According to Kim, leaving enough space around your table and chairs is crucial for people to move around. It doesn't matter how big the table is if your friends can't move around the room effortlessly.

​Almonte recommends, "Buying a dining room set is so impersonal; it’s okay to mix and match. It gives the room a personality. Mix it up with antiques, vintage, and new pieces. It’ll be a conversation starter around the table."

​7. Having Built-In Seating

Built-in seating, such as banquettes and benches, leaves no room for flexibility regarding accommodating guests in terms of seating arrangements. According to Almonte, this feature doesn't work well with the rest of the space's needs. People are only allowed to sit around the table in specific numbers. If you want to add one or two more chairs to the dinner table, move the big bench out of the way.

Which of these mistakes have you made in your dining room? How did you make your dining room layout better?

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!