As with any compact space, a small dining room can be a challenge to decorate. First, you need to figure out how much square footage you actually have to play with. Then, you’ll need to consider whether your existing dining table, chairs and other furniture are a good fit for the space you have available. Once all that’s sorted, you’ll then need to think about selecting a colour scheme. Here’s where things get really tricky.
Colour plays a big role in how we perceive a room. Bright colours and illuminating neutrals tend to be the preferred choice for smaller spaces that need some help looking their best. However, even then you’re only giving the illusion of space, rather than creating it.
That being said, an inspired colour scheme can more than compensate for tight dimensions and an awkward layout. The right shade can lift our spirits, affect our mood, and actively encourage how we use and interact with a space.
Are you finding it impossible to choose a paint colour for a small dining room? It’s time for you to get acquainted with some of our favourite paint colours that work exceptionally well in smaller dining rooms.
Tester Pots
Snow Storm
Snow Storm
Snow Storm

If your dining room needs opening up with a non-demanding wall colour, consider giving Snow Storm a try. This snowy mauve hue is ideal for tiny spaces, with this light grey paint colour bringing all the same benefits as a standard neutral. Here, however, there’s the added perk of understated notes of purple.
You can use those purple notes as inspiration when putting the finishing touches to your reimagined dining room. Try adding soft furnishings in the same shade, or experiment with a contrasting colour to add some visual interest to your room. If you want to add warmth to your dining room, pink and purple pieces are the way to go.
Distant Star
Distant Star
Distant Star

Looking for the perfect shade to create a calming backdrop in a small dining room? How about Distant Star? This astral blue is ideal for those spaces that are too compact to handle too much colour but has an icy elegance that will transform a tired room into something really special.
As well as being elegant, this barely-there blue is very versatile. You can keep your colour scheme simple and pair it with pure white, or introduce other soothing shades for a serene space you’ll love spending time in.
Possibility
Possibility
Possibility

An orange palette can work wonderfully in dining spaces. However, it’s not always easy to incorporate citrus tones into a smaller dining space. Possibility provides you with the perfect solution, with this pale apricot paint colour adding warmth and dimension to your space, without overwhelming it.
With its delicate blend of pink and orange shades, this stylish shade has real depth. There’s also a hint of cinnamon here, providing you with real scope if you’re thinking of experimenting with autumnal hues. If you still want to make a statement with a bold accent colour, consider using a grapefruit-infused shade for a feature wall or focal point.
Oasis Sand
Oasis Sand
Oasis Sand

Even the tiniest dining room can be turned into a sophisticated space for entertaining with a low-key colour choice like Oasis Sand. This sun-kissed light peach hue is a gorgeous choice for dining room walls, with its peachy pigment bringing warmth to make your space feel more inviting.
What’s more, it works well with almost every type of furniture style. Looking to freshen up a traditional decor scheme? Here’s the perfect paint colour for the job. Thinking about a more modern dining room makeover? Use a darker shade along this premium peach to achieve some understated elegance.
Country Porch
Country Porch
Country Porch

Are you crazy about citrus shades? Just because your dining room is on the small side, don’t assume that these paint colours are off the table. A tangerine-infused shade like Country Porch has all the versatility of a neutral paint colour and can be used just as generously on your dining room walls.
Its muted tones make it the perfect partner for rooms decked out in darker shades and dusky notes. However, you’re free to experiment with contrasting colour choices. If it’s not zesty enough for your liking, don’t be afraid to bring in more saturated citrus colours for a feature wall.
Spice Delight
Spice Delight
Spice Delight

Decorating a dining room with limited square footage can be challenging enough. If your dining space also receives little natural light, you’ve got another design hurdle to overcome. A paint colour like Spice Delight is the perfect solution to both problems.
This sun-kissed yellow shade will brighten up the smallest and darkest of dining rooms. However, it’s subtle enough that it won’t saturate a compact space and works incredibly well alongside other sunny hues. It’s a timeless addition to any room palette, serving as a stylish backdrop to contemporary furniture and retro pieces alike.
Windswept Beach
Windswept Beach
Windswept Beach

Finding the right colour for small formal dining rooms can be difficult. If you’re eager to bring some regal character to your dining space, think about using a shade like Windswept Beach. This shaded purple is fairly light, making it a suitable choice for smaller rooms that can’t accommodate anything too rich or overwhelming.
This enticing hue is subtle enough that you can use it to decorate an entire room, while there’s enough purple pigment to bring the colour character your space is crying out for. As with more intense purples, this pale tone works well with all manner of decor schemes, from an antique wooden dining table to more ultra-modern dining chairs.
Pecan Sandie
Pecan Sandie
Pecan Sandie

If you want to add some personality to a smaller dining room, a playful colour choice is the way to go. Pecan Sandie fits this bill nicely, with this light tangerine underscored with a refreshing sherbet twist.
While it shines bright on its own, it works exceptionally well alongside similar shades like apricot, peach and taupe. Whether you plan on using it as an all-wall colour or as part of a tonal scheme, this subtle citrus hue is bound to become a firm favourite.
Fine Fabric
Fine Fabric
Fine Fabric

If space is very limited, you need to think carefully when selecting dining room colours. When it comes to the most compact of spaces, a pared-back neutral yellow like Fine Fabric is the answer to your interior design dilemmas.
With hints of beige, this paint colour can be used just as liberally as any neutral, while a subtle touch of green adds even more depth. With so much going for it, it’s little wonder that this open neutral is so versatile. You can use it alongside all manner of room decor and furniture styles, safe in the knowledge you’ll have a beautiful backdrop for mealtimes and entertaining.
Pacific Pearl
Pacific Pearl
Pacific Pearl

Don’t want to use pure white when decorating those dining room walls in a smaller space? With Pacific Pearl, you don’t have to. This beautiful paint colour is a good fit for dining rooms with limited square footage, giving the illusion of space and helping bounce light around.
It also delivers as far as versatility is concerned. If you’re thinking about feature walls to incorporate a splash of colour into your dining space, this sophisticated take on pure white paint will accommodate. Pinks and purples will work particularly well alongside this paint colour, but it’s so versatile that your options are hardly limited.
Can Dark Paint Colours Work in a Small Dining Room?
Yes, but as accent shades on a feature wall. Unless you have an abundance of natural light coming in. Still use with caution in this case too though.
Dark walls can work in a small dining room, but you need to be careful about how you introduce them. Reserve dark dining room colours for a feature wall, rather than on every wall to avoid overwhelming a small space and making it feel claustrophobic. There are some exceptions to this rule, however.
Is there an abundance of natural light flooding in throughout the day? If your small dining space has a large window, double aspect, or even a skylight, you may be able to incorporate dark furniture and intense colours.
If you want to make a bold design statement with contrasting colours and dark shades, you may decide that you’re happy to accept the gloomy consequences of a dingy room. Just make sure you’ve invested in sufficient lighting beforehand.