Dining rooms are one of those spaces that you either love or want to convert into a home office. But, if youve come to this article, we think theres a good chance you agree with us that having a whole room dedicated to sharing classic home-cooked meals with friends is a sort of magical thing. If youre wondering how to turn your oft-overlooked space into something a bit more, well, magical, then youve come to the right place. We polled some of our favorite designers across the country on what dining room decorating trends theyre most excited about for the upcoming year and... we got some surprising results. From saying goodbye to open floor plans to going all-in on bold wallpapers, its looking like 2025 is the year your dining room will get a major facelift. Find More Dining Room Decorating Inspiration: Jump to:Dedicate a Room for DiningBrie Williams, styling by Matthew Gleason for Country LivingIn this North Carolina mountain home, the light-filled sunroom makes an elegant and inviting dining space.Allow me to metaphorically hold your hand as I say this: Open floor plans are (and, frankly, have always been) not all theyre cracked up to be. I know its incredibly brave to take this stance, but it needed to be said. At their very best, open-concept living and dining spaces are visually overwhelming, and, at their worst, theyre just a hot mess. So, let 2025 be the year we put up more (well-placed) walls, starting with creating an actual dining room. Its not just me who feels this way, either. People are starting to want a separation of kitchen and dining, which is a trend away from what weve seen since the early 2000s, says Nashville-based designer Natalie Hager. Formal closed dining rooms are back in style, and Im here for it. I love having a room 100% centered around a table. We do, too. RELATED: Parenting Hack: Dining By Candlelight Will Make Weeknights Instantly Less HecticFill Your Dining Room With PersonalityBrie Williams for Country LivingMural-like botanical wallpaper, a collection of dining chairs, and shimmery gilt accents combine for one-of-a-kind personality in this South Carolina dining room.In that vein, separate dining areas will experience a bit of freshening up in 2025. Think exaggerated light fixtures (more on that later), daring wallpapers, and exciting paint finishes. You can expect dining rooms to start getting the powder room treatment, meaning an emphasis will be put on making the space feel like a show-stopping respite among the more livable, everyday backdrop of the rest of the home. A dining room brings an opportunity to make an impact with pattern and color, says Houston-based designer Katie Davis. Dont be afraid to make a statement. Her preferred way? I love to use mixed patterns in the same [color] tone to create cohesion and drama. Dramatic wallpapers are also a favorite of designers Max Humphrey and Kara Adam. Max prefers to go for a natural, mural-type look when it comes to picking dining room wallpaper. Using something like a birch tree wallpaper creates this dreamy, fully enveloped escape. Its almost like dining al fresco all year, he says. And, to those who are wary of making such a splash, heed Karas sage advice: A lot of people are worried theyll get sick of such a bold print, but you wont if you love it. RELATED: 6 Essential Maximalism Design Tips to Unlock This Charming Aesthetic InstantlyTake a Collected ApproachStephen KarlischIn this cozy dining space, designer Stephanie Sabbe paired comfy upholstered wing chairs with rush-seated ladder back side chairs. Say goodbye to your grandmothers matching dining room set. Well, parts of it, at least. Whether its mixing art styles or furniture eras, expect to see more perfectly imperfect dining rooms in 2025. Pinterest named this mix-and-match approach to design as one of their top trends for the year, focusing on mixing playful, over-the-top patterns and bringing in lots of layers. Meanwhile, designers are putting their own spin on the trend. Sally Rotenstreich, a Georgia-based interior designer and wardrobe stylist, is going all-in on mixing eras, pairing modern accent pieces with classically rustic standbys. An easy way to introduce this look to your dining room, according to Sally: I love having two different styles of chairs. Youll make a great statement with interesting arm chairs at the head of the dining room table. Designer Stephanie Sabbe did similar in the pictured dining room, replacing the head chairs with happily patterned wingbacks. RELATED: From Furniture to Artwork, Farmhouse Decor Ideas to Create Your Dream Country HomeGo for Statement LightingAlpha SmootIn this dining room, a branching bubble-style chandelier makes a modern statement against the walls hand-painted frescoes. Gone are the days of a simple pendant light or chandelier hanging above a dining table. Multiple designers we spoke to hinted that statement lighting will have a major moment in 2025. In the dining room, details go a long way, says designer Aileen Warren of Jackson Warren Interiors, who loves to use eye-catching modern lighting in more traditional dining spaces. Texas-based designer Brelan Owen Pearson puts an emphasis on scale, recommending you also balance oversize lighting with equally oversize artwork. Regardless of what type of lighting you prefer, its good to know that sometimes bigger is actually better. RELATED: Beautiful Kitchen & Breakfast Nook Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Cook SpaceBring on the MillworkAnnie Schlechter for Country LivingOriginal dentil molding painted a cheery green brings character and dimension to Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcells renovated 1802 farmhouse.If you scrolled for even a minute on either TikTok or Reels this year, then you probably have already seen this trend in action: decorative molding. Adding molding is a game-changer, says Sarah Fishburne, the director of trend and design at The Home Depot. Its an easy way to elevate a flat wall, especially with a rich, bold paint color. While we might caution you against copying the exact style of molding youve seen on social media (not every house needs to feel like a grand Parisian apartment), we love the idea of returning some character to a space that might feel a bit more builder-grade. The best way to do that is by looking to your surroundings. Is your home in a historic neighborhood? Does your town have more mid-century or Colonial houses? Let those factors, along with the style of your house, determine what you want your space to look like before you head to the lumberyard. RELATED: 35+ Wainscoting Ideas to Add Character to Every Room in Your HomeSet the MoodRETT PEEKIn this Arkansas dining room, designer Whitney Romanoff paired historic William Morris botanical wallpaper with millwork painted a rich green that has just a touch of blue.To round out the list, its time we take a serious look at color. If you're going to do anything to your dining room in 2025, be sure its in the appropriate color palette. Moody, saturated tones are set to overtake neutrals this year. If you read our Color in a Country House feature, then you already know that muddy paint colors such as these are loved by designers for their historic and inherently country feel. Muddy tonesthink olive greens, deep chocolates, plummy auberginesreflect the countryside and bring the outdoors back in, says New York-based designer Ariel Okin. Now that all the various Colors of the Year are announced, its clear that muddy colors will be rising to the top of the paint charts in 2025. Pick Your Next Favorite Paint Color:Anna LoganSenior Homes & Style EditorAnna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isnt working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!