It’s been a long time since most of us have used our dining rooms for one of their intended purposes-hosting a good old-fashioned dinner party. At some point later this year, we hope, gatherings like this will be possible, but until they are, we know that you could use a little inspiration in the meantime. (And you can always “host” your own intimate gathering without inviting guests, right?) Here, we’ve gathered 15 of our absolute favorite dining rooms from the pages of ELLE Decor over the past year-each and every one is memorable in its own way and will leave you wanting more. So grab your best china and silver and get ready to set the table-we hope these 15 stunning displays of style and flair will help bring you some cheer until we’re all back together in the dining room.
An Upstate Oasis
Instead of a traditional chandelier, ELLE Decor A-List interior designer Sheila Bridges collaborated with artist Elizabeth Parker to design the mobile hanging from the ceiling above the dining area in her upstate New York home.
A Formal Affair
Antique French doors beckon visitors into the dining room of Cynthia Frank’s Manhattan apartment.
Black and Gold
In a Greenwich Village apartment, designer Gideon Mendelson chose dark walls and gold accents for the dining room. It’s a real conversation starter, he says.
Packed with Pattern
Jonathan Adler layered the dining table of Liz Lange’s Palm Beach estate in fabrics from Kravet and block-print cloths from India. The wallcovering is by Peter Dunham, and the ceiling is in a Cole & Son striped wallcovering.
Elegant Entertaining
The dining room of this New Jersey home by ELLE Decor A-List designers Cullman & Kravis features a custom wallcovering by Gracie and a number of antiques, including wall sconces from the Mario Buatta auction.
Going Green
Martin Cooper and Karen Suen-Cooper’s New York farmhouse dining room is decorated in shades of green, ideal for entertaining at any time of year.
Brownstone Chic
The spacious dining room of this Brooklyn Heights brownstone designed by Elizabeth Roberts shows off a wallcovering by de Gournay and a table by Lobel Modern.
Green with Envy
The high-ceilinged dining room of a London mansion designed by Philip Vergeylen has room for three custom chandeliers above the custom dining table as well as hand-carved gilded dining chairs.
A Milanese Occasion
In an early-20th-century townhouse in Milan, which was renovated by Roberto Peregalli and Laura Sartori Rimini of the ELLE Decor A-List firm Studio Peregalli, the dining room features a wallcovering of an Italian landscape.
Pink in Portugal
The vibrant dining room of Filipa de Abreu’s Lisbon home gives pride of place to a jungle-themed mural designed by Marie-Anne Oudejans and hand-painted by a team from Jaipur, India.
Pared-Down Panache
A pendant from Orange Furniture hangs above a dining table from Fort Standard in this duplex in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood by ELLE Decor A-List designer Alyssa Kapito.
Steeped in Style
When it comes to dining room decor, an obvious expert would be none other than event planner Bronson van Wyck. The dining room of his Manhattan apartment includes a table once owned by the British regiment who guarded Napoleon during his exile on St. Helena, as well as maps from an auction at Christie’s.
A Truly Scenic Room
ELLE Decor A-List designer Stephen Sills created an evocative custom mural for the dining room of an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
A Room with a View
The dining room of a Manhattan high-rise apartment by ELLE Decor A-List designer David Kleinberg tries not to compete with the stunning views of Central Park.
The Best of Beverly Hills
In a Beverly Hills home by ELLE Decor A-List designer Michael S. Smith, the dining room features hand-painted walls by Atelier Mériguet-Carrère.