Serve it Bright: 15 Ways to Add Color to Your Contemporary Dining Space

The idea of a contemporary dining room often conjures up images of a neutral setting where color is scarce and clean, straight lines create a sophisticated space. With the dining room increasingly becoming just an extension of the living area, most homeowners want a refined, modern dining area that can visually blend in with the open plan living. But this does not mean you have to sacrifice on color completely. Your dining space can still remain as classy, contemporary and curated as ever and a change of style is definitely not a must.

Classy-and-spacious-dining-room-idea-in-blue-with-large-wooden-table — Classy and spacious dining room idea in blue with large wooden table

Pendant-lights-with-golden-glint-usher-in-color-along-with-metallic-magic-217x155

Eclectic-collection-of-colorful-chairs-is-a-great-way-to-energize-the-dining-room-217x155

The popular perception that adding color to the dining room disturbs its distinctly contemporary appeal is far from the truth. You do not need to bring a plethora of bright hues to give the dining room a cheerful edge. Understated and exquisite, here are 15 dining room inspirations that showcase how you can brighten the urbane dining space without going overboard. Enjoy!

Working with Shades of Blue

Blue is one color that works pretty much in every contemporary dining room. The many shades of blue are ease to incorporate and its natural hue allows it to easily blend in whit both white and trendy gray. You can use dashing chairs in blue to enliven your existing dining room without changing too much in terms of wall color or other décor in the room. If this seems like a commitment that is far too permanent, then start off with gorgeous vases and beautiful china that bring color to the dining room display.

Beautiful vases in the backdrop accentuate the visual ipact of blue chairs in this black and white dining room

Shades-of-blue-and-gray-come-together-beautifully-in-the-contemporary-dining-room — Shades of blue and gray come together beautifully in the contemporary dining room

Once you are sure about the shade of blue you love, then you can shop for carpets, lighting fixtures and dining table chairs that usher in the blue magic! Of course, those who adore the color can try out the monochromatic dining space in blue. But it is definitely not a look that all of us can pull off. When it comes to cool shades of grayish-blue, it is almost impossible to go wrong in the contemporary dining room.

Booth-style-seating-coupled-with-blue-chairs-and-a-dashing-table-in-the-contemporary-dining-room — Booth style seating coupled with blue chairs and a dashing table in the contemporary dining room

Monocromatic-dining-room-in-blue-with-gorgeous-glass-pendants — Monocromatic dining room in blue with gorgeous glass pendants

Bright and Bold

Maybe blue seems a touch too refined and far too close to all that gray you already have in your dining room. Not to worry, as red offers a fiery substitute that simply cannot be missed! Yes, many of us tend to shudder at the idea of using red while decorating our home. But its brightness and romantic charm offer uniqueness that no other color can bring to the table. Whether it is bright red banquette seating, bold chairs in magenta, walls clad in deep red with matte finish or an eclectic collection of colors accentuated by the presence of scarlet, you cannot ignore the majesty of red!

Comfy-red-banquette-style-seating-along-with-a-bold-backdrop-creates-a-stunning-dining-area — Comfy red banquette style seating along with a bold backdrop creates a stunning dining area

Colorful-chairs-and-a-bright-backdrop-set-the-dining-space-apart-in-an-open-plan-living — Colorful chairs and a bright backdrop set the dining space apart in an open plan living

Gorgeously-eclectic-dining-room-with-multi-colored-chairs-and-a-vivacious-rug — Gorgeously eclectic dining room with multi-colored chairs and a vivacious rug

Cheerful Pops of Yellow

Few colors seem as refreshing and visually engaging as yellow when used in neutral contemporary spaces. Just bring a lone yellow chair to the dining room filled with white, black, gray or beige and you will instantly see the energy levels in the room shoot up! Yellow has this invigorating effect in any room it adorns and can be both polished and ravishing at the same time. While using yellow accents, chairs and lighting fixtures in the dining room is not all that uncommon, having a dining table with yellow tabletop is indeed a rarity.

Exquisite-dining-room-with-light-blue-drapes-yellow-chairs-and-a-snazzy-chevron-pattern-rug — Exquisite dining room with light blue drapes, yellow chairs and a snazzy chevron pattern rug

Subtle-pops-of-yellow-along-with-the-vivacious-dining-table-top-steal-the-show-here — Subtle pops of yellow along with the vivacious dining table top steal the show here

Couple-of-chairs-in-yellow-brighten-the-dining-room-in-neutral-hues — Couple of chairs in yellow brighten the dining room in neutral hues

Painting it Understated!

Moving away from a completely neutral color scheme in the dining room does not necessarily mean adding bright primary colors to the mix. Try out trendy metallics instead, which bring both visual and textural contrast to the dining space. Additions like the copper pendants from Tom Dixon also serve as timeless pieces that will serve you well for years to come. A gorgeous piece of wall art in the backdrop, a bright rug that delineates the dining area or even just a few comfy chairs in brown can do the trick.