20 Fantasyland Dining Room Designs That Delight

Darzy OMG! These are ALL so fantastic I can barely contain myself! Penny for your Thoughts is no beautifully artistic and creative! Two words...Ah - mazing! But, where would I want to sit? In the Boho Artistry room. Problably only because I relate to global eclectic. This People's Choice Award is going to be a tight race!

fivecats Thematic spaces require too much work -- and money -- to implement and maintain. And then there's the very good chance you'll get tired of it. I'm too practical a gal for them.

LoriVa The rhino in the first picture isn't Lego - it's from Cardboard Jungle. Awesome decorating tool. You can paint them colors to camouflage or contract color as a pop. They have all kinds of animals and even a skull.

John David Edison Interior Design Inc. Incroyables! Each one of these designs is beautiful in its own right.

Liza Hausman Lori - the rhino really is Lego - built by a member of that design team over many weeks - it will be auctioned off for charity

buffyfaulkner These are all so amazing. This is my new favorite ideabook. Thank you for the beautiful photos so much to see and love. If I had to pick my favorite it would be "once upon a time" I want to be there. But so any creative and useful ideas in everyone's work. Thank you again

olldroo Creativity here is absolutely amazing and lots of great ideas to take away. Love the Fall Festival of St. Michael in theory but too much for the Capricorn in me.

P-L-E-A-S-E can we lose the dead animal heads!!!

vee22 Omg these are ALL hideous childish and awful. This is a joke, right? Tell me it's a joke!

adbrody1 Adore Diane Keaton Bedroom - please advise where the night tables come from?

mxyzptik IMO , These dining rooms all look like they actually are a thrift store not came from a thrift store.

Carol Boho Artistry . . . color and comfort!

4udolly The photos are not lighted very well so that we can see them by photo. I realize that in person they would need a certain ambiance. These are very creative but not practical. I like the idea of converting the obsolete dining room for a different use.. . .my fav was Breakfast in Bed. Second I liked Dinner at Tiffanys. It was tasteful and not so gaudy as many of the others.

logicbutton These dining rooms are obviously to interior design what haute couture is to fashion - more for show than for everyday use - but unlike most haute couture, almost every one of these rooms is something I could see myself in. There is no way I can choose.

astraea Seriously?! I can imagine indigestion & nightmares, from most of these designs, although I voted for "Dinner at Tiffany's". These might be good for a 1-shot special party .. like Halloween, but sitting & eating in these rooms on a regular basis .. I can't imagine anyone I know wanting to do that. Rooms without windows, that look like a stage set with garish lighting; who designs this stuff?! I like light & a view.

kellykel What's with all the negativity? So you don't like them. There are some who do. No, they're not traditional and definitely not very practical, but they're fun, artistic and show off the designer's creativity. Lighten up.

RED PEPPER KITCHEN+BATH This display puts an exclamation mark on the death of the dining room as we knew it. I wouldn't want to eat in any of these spaces for fear of something dropping in my food or simply loosing my plate in the overwrought details.
Great fantasy for the month of Halloween though.

astraea @Kellykel - don't you think that rooms we live in should be "practical"? When did "practical" become a no-no design-wise .. synonymous with "boring"? I like "creative & different", but I'd like to see how many people here would actually use more than a few of these dining room designs in their homes, on a daily basis?!

darcifoster This is way too far out there for the average home owner

darcifoster update on comment.......dinning rooms are terrible

kellykel I don't think there's a "should" when it comes to your own home. Everyone has the right to want and like what they like. To tell someone that they shouldn't want a design in their own home is ridiculous. So you don't like it. That's absolutely fine. But if the homeowner is happy with it and that's what they wanted, who are you to tell them that it shouldn't be that way? And if these are showpieces, then I think the designers have displayed just how creative they can be. Nothing wrong with a little creativity and originality once in awhile.

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR I am one of the designers participating in this show. Serving Up Style - Designers Fighting Lupus, is an awareness raising event intended to draw in the crowds so that they can learn more about Lupus and Molly's Fund while at the show. Since the whole point here is to draw crowds, the display is to interior design what runway shows are to fashion. Meant to be fun, interesting, thought provoking, and above all -- attention getting. For my own particular display I decided to create a dining room that is quite realistic, while pulling out all the stops on color. I have been hanging out at the show meeting and greeting people coming through and was pleasantly surprised to hear how many thought that yes, they just might actually like a fuchsia table and chairs in their dining room. Fun!

Here is a link telling you more about the show:
http://www.servingupstyle.org

This link is to Molly's Fund, the beneficiary of proceeds from the fund raising:
http://www.mollysfund.org

If you or someone you know has Lupus, I hope the information will be helpful to you.

Just for fun, I'm attaching a few more photos of my own dining display -- The Fine Art of Design. If you are in Portland, Oregon, you can still see these in person today until 6:00pm.

kellykel You did an excellent job. I love all the creativity displayed here and as someone who has a close friend who suffers from Lupus, I'm thankful for the hard work you've done here.

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Pangaea. Love the fuchsia, where did that pomegranate print come from? That is awesome. Well done! Charmean

sheilabou So sorry if my comment will offend, but for my taste, all of these are awwwwful. If someone actually likes these, then that's ok too as we can't all like the same things right?

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR kellykel -- Thank you so much for the compliments! I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I knew next to nothing about Lupus before I decided to participate in the show. The effects and symptoms are devastating.

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR Charmean -- Thanks! The photographer who does my interior photos of design projects, Jeffrey Freeman, also is a wonderful food photographer. He took this photo specially for the display since I wanted to give a nod to the food aspect of the room without actually having to put food on the display. Pro Photo Supply in Portland generously donated their services to print it on canvas and we put it on stretcher bars ourselves. It is 8' long and 2' tall.

mhm60 These are flights of fantasy and are, therefore, fantastic! I am attracted to some more than others but I love the creativity in each room. I couldn't live in a single one... But that doesn't mean I can't love the ideas and pull my own ideas from these pictures.

blackthorne2 The only thing that these dining rooms have in common is their over-the-top garishness!

hduvall The only dining I would want to do would be in the "Dinner at Tiffany's". As far as the others go, they might be artistic, but no wonder no one uses dining rooms anymore! My dining room is traditional and used every week. Surely, no one would want these dining room themes in their house?? They would be a neat experience to go somewhere at a restaurant or other dining area.....but at a home?? If this is what you visualize as dining, no wonder dining rooms are seldom used and you stay on the couch. Sorry, I love to browse this site but this particular one was too much.

sjmom Better than Weight Watchers for a diet because you're so busy looking at the room the food grows cold and the appetite wanes. Very creative all, and maybe it's me but dinner conversation should be focused on those dining, not the decor. Having said that, I could see my husband and me enjoying the romanticism of the "starlit picnic feast" of the castle.

umoja The rooms are all show rooms but the breakfast in bed is a lot more realistic for the average person. Very calm and soothing and well put together.

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR If someone is going to literally toss their cookies because of my design, I hope they'll step out of the room. It's a $13,200 100% silk rug on loan for the show. :0)

umoja -- Yes, wasn't Diane Keaton's room lovely? I think I'd not only eat breakfast, but lunch and dinner too in that bed!

andieeh Dear me these are ridiculous and atrocious!!!

Casart Coverings I am blown away by the creativity of these fabulous "fantasy" rooms, which is the topic of this post. Whether you can see them in your own home or not, they are meant to take you away, make you think of something beyond the usual and as Pangaea reminds us bring a worthy cause the effort. They are all successful for this reason. It's interesting to me how many use murals and graphic design details to make their rooms memorable. Why even sticky notes can make an impressive impact.

Lindsay Sykes Sip, smell and smile, a little simpler than the extravagance of most of the others, and as such realistically attainable for me, I can see myself sitting at the table, sipping a glass of cabernet-sauvignon, I just want a big window or split door leading out into vineyards, a kitchen garden - oh, and cheese.

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR Casart Coverings -- Thank you so much. And yes, the giant photos were very helpful. When you have to build everything in front of black curtains and want to give the illusion of real windows and doors, graphics are very important. The intention of my design was to evoke the feel of an artist's converted warehouse loft in Portland's Pearl district. My photographer, Jeffrey Freeman, took a photo of Lovejoy street at night and it was printed on a 4' x 8' sheet of foam core. We built a frame in front of it to look like the old metal warehouse windows. The "view" was instantly recognizable to locals transporting them to a high rise in the Pearl in their imaginations.

Jennifer Myers, Diane Keaton, Modurne Fine Furnishings and Urban ID all used large format photos to create their views to great effect. The Room Stylers and Wendy O'Brien both engaged the services of a wonderful local artist and muralist, Lorie Wolff, to create their outdoor views.

Some background in theater stage sets would be very handy for an event of this type.

Nancy Isenburg With the singular exceptions of Keaton's inspired use of the space, the balance of the rooms are reminiscent if scary movie sets or nightmares after an over large dinner!

lindac223 To those naysayers, what purpose does a formal dining room serve now?!! Have fun, be creative. It is a gallery of sorts, these make me ooh and aah. Wish I could be there up close and personal. Gets my creative juices flowing. I am currently turning my own dining room into a library, board game room. It is going to be fabulous. The young people come to my home and immediately notice it as a useful space again.

windseye What fun! Many of these rooms have very traditional bones. Interesting to see what clever lighting, accessories, and removable wall murals can do to enliven dining rooms which are otherwise very predictable and structured spaces.

jeanneahad OMG! One is worse than the other! I wouldn't be able to hold food down in any of these rooms!

olldroo How many people did not read the title here? It says "FANTASYLAND". Like as in "Dismeyland" or do they not have fun there too. Well done to all the designers for showing their great talent and their sense of humour.

Mary Ellen Doyle This is fascinating interior design. An escape from reality.... Yes, you might not want to live there, or dine in these rooms everyday... but, isn't part of the "dining out" experience the surroundings, the ambience, the experience? I would be delighted to enjoy a lovely meal with good friends in any one of these rooms. The designers gave their time and talents to create these fantasy rooms for a charity show.... BRAVO!!

patmay1122 These rooms were wonderful! They are "fantasy". Just like people who get so uptight with novels and their themes. They are FICTION. Not to believed to be enjoyed. If not, don't look, or don't read. I loved all the ideas. Such creativity. PS I suffer from Lupus and am so greatful to all for participating. Hugs from Pennslyvania!!!

Michelangelo Decorative Painting No rhyme or rhythm.... the scale, the proportions, the color pallet- just wrong.... One may say: "original", " "unusual", "unique"- maybe.... but simply painful to look at.....

DenErik Hmmm....perhaps I misunderstood the intent of this showcase for charity. I thought the designers purposefully thought outside the box to design a fantasy. I voted based on the room I felt was the most creative concept and how it was executed in an visually aesthetic manner. These designers are accomplished and I am sure this was delightful for them to do compared to selecting granite, tile, wood flooring, back splashes and the list goes on. I highly doubt they were anticipating these designs for a client....well perhaps the luxurious bedroom design for a diningroom. I would love that bedroom for my home but didn't vote for it because it was not in the realm of creating a fantasy and thinking outside the box. So for those of you who shared rather insensitive critiques, I would like to remind you these designers put their heart and soul into doing something wonderful to enhance the lives of those who are living with Lupus. Please at least recognize all the thought and effort that went into giving people something to look at that allows their minds to open up to the realm of possibilities. Thank you to each and every one of them from an admirer in Canada.

kellykel Wonderful post, Denerik.

DenErik They must have had so much fun doing these rooms where they didn't have the usual constraints. Every one of the design installations had something I could pull from for ideas that I could modify for our own home. Loved the use of newspaper, sticky notes, lego, outdoor spaces, luxury with art and items like pennies. It is like an interior designer's runway of decor similar to the runways of fashion. Amazing work and really hard to choose. Fantastic idea for a charity fundraiser! What a great way to give their time and talent for one of the many worthy causes out there.

astraea Houzz was recommended to me for real-life creative ideas by a bathroom designer/contractor. I'm not a fine or graphic arts student, or a theatrical/movie set designer. I'd be happy to see some "far out" ideas, for temporary holiday (i.e. Halloween) decorations, but not for basic living accommodations. I think that the more people insist that we should be more "creative" and "open-minded", liking such impractical designs, the more other people feel a need to "push back".

olldroo Sorry, Astraea, for once I can't agree with you, which is very unusual as I am normally totally on your wave length. We have seen in the past how people look at a beautiful, high end room and lament they can't have it because it is out of their budget, they don't look at how they can achieve something similar within their budget. Same as people slavishly following a colour scheme without considering the aspect of their room - for which you had a wonderful example.

Moving past the fact that is is a brilliant opportunity for designers to really let loose, and the fact that this is all so really over the top, I see it as a way of showing Houzzers that there is no limit to creativity and imagination and to be fearless to strive for what you want to achieve in your personal space. I don't have a problem with encouraging people to be more open minded and think outside the square, how else do people grow?

Looking at this and saying it is too over the top - end of story - is no different to looking at a high end room and writing it off as too expensive. It is all about breaking things down for what you can take away from it and helping people to look at things in an open minded way to break down the possibilities. It is also about not taking things too seriously and enjoy what you are doing.

calkelley Well, this has certainly been the most controversial ideabook I've seen!
I agree this seems very much like a fashion show. In all the kooky, far out, sometimes totally bizarre runway outfits, someone is watching how a gathering in a skirt hugs a shape, or a material cut an unusual way can add interest and those little details can spark a ready to wear outfit. But some of the runway designs would rarely be seen in public on a real person!

Personally, I can't get behind many of the rooms. I agree with Michelangelo - the proportions, scale or color seem off. And those things are there for a reason for most of us - it all works to make a more pleasing arrangement.
But then you have modern art that throws those elements out and wants you to be off balance in your assessment. Controversial. Impractical. Designed for strong reactions - good AND bad.
So while it's easy to accept the 'gorgeous,' 'awesome, and 'amazing' remarks, it's just as valid to have the 'garish,' 'awwwwful' and 'hideous' comments. Strong unusual design will generate strong, unusual words.
No one is saying Lupus is wrong. I didn't see one personal attack on a designer or the disease. They just hated the designs (or many of them). And I have just as much right to state that as does someone who said it was their favorite.

PS - but come on - really?!!! a stiff breeze and your post-it wall is now your post-it table, floor, dog and food! To say nothing of the fact that it would be impossible to clean

astraea groovygranny - I agree with you about "finding elements" in any design, that can be applied to our own situations, I just felt that most of these rooms went beyond that point, where "designer self-indulgence" totally outweighed anything we homeowners could have taken away as useful.

olldroo Astraea - granted you have to dig deep in this case, but one idea I got from Michaelmas was the pots of Kale, I like how sculptured they are and how they could make a good centrepiece on a dining room table. Then another thought hit - potted herbs, something different and the perfume they could add to a meal.

mrskk I do, respectfully, dislike all of these, except perhaps the breakfast in bed one. Although they try to be "fun" - and I can understand the goal of that - this look makes me think of a brothel or a bad dream more than a dining room. It seems like madness with the excuse of "creativity" - would it not be more challenging to come up with something appealing within the confines of the room's purpose, even (especially) if it is for a good cause?

Gretel Branton nope- none of these would get my vote for a dining room- more like a theme restaurant where you go to a different nook every time

sneeky Lol and this is the world we live in !! You have to marvel at the human race some times and ask the question. How is it possible that I belong to the same species.

I think you guys have done a great job in your designs well done.

cynthiatalla Amazing! Adorable dining rooms that are elegantly designed. I enjoyed and loved all the photos.

DenErik Some of the designs I would not want in my home but there are some elements I could see incorporating or adjusting to work for us. Other designs were in my eyes, quite tame for the theme of fantasy but spoke to me and my tastes.

I can totally see "A Penny for Your Thoughts" in not necessarily my home but in one of the beautiful over the top hotels in Vegas. Now "Dinner at Tiffany's" is now the inspiration for our boring diningroom. Well at least as close of an approximation that is affordable for I am sure this quality of furniture is costly. Love that star burst mirror! To have "Breakfast in Bed" as our bedroom would be absolute bliss in my eyes. If my dining room was big enough I would love to have "Merry Mary", the Victorian style decor with the wallpaper, furniture and the chandelier imitating the shape of a carousel. I think I would pass on all the carousel horses...well except for one....it is the whimsical nature I love. I also have an idea from "Where Does the Butterfly Go When It Rains". The stone castle reminds me of Scotland or Ireland. If I had an acreage I would seriously take this from the inside out to enjoy a picnic instead of a building a gazebo.

Although we agree to disagree on how the designs either are liked or not, I am so enjoying these posts and all the photos on Houzz. It is the inspiration, differing viewpoints, questions being asked, debates being born that got me at least thinking about my surroundings and what drives my tastes. Good learning and sharing!

Designer's Edge Kitchen & Bath Wow. I can't believe there are people missing the whole context of this event held at our Fall Home and Garden show. I was there yesterday working as a volunteer at Serving Up Style 2012. As a designer myself, I know many of these designers and they are generous people with good hearts. This is an event the Portland community looks forward to and it has grown over the years as more volunteers have participated.

First: These are NOT intended to be real dining rooms--they are for entertainment, fun, fantasy and enjoyment. All of these "rooms" were set up and constructed inside the Expo Center and all of the hard work was done not only to make people smile, and add enjoyment to the Home and Garden Show--but to raise money for Molly's Foundation to fight Lupus.

These 20 vignettes took a lot of donated time and hard work to put together. In addition to the design teams, there were carpenters, painters, lighting people plus furniture stores, art galleries and on and on that also donated supplies and their time to this. All for charity.

Everyone had a smile on their face after going through Serving Up Style yesterday--children in particular had a great time and an innocence to appreciate the whimsy. They were entertained.

When teams of people try to do something to give to their community and raise money for charity--months of planning, their own time and money, and grueling work pulling an event like this off at a Home & Garden show they deserve our respect & thanks and they have mine and that of Molly's Foundation.

hduvall Unless you clicked on the link in the opening paragraphs, you wouldn't know anything about the fundraiser. I know I didn't until everyone started saying things about why the designers were doing this. I didn't click on the link, I was just responding to the paragraph that was written.....not the event it was used for.

patmay1122 I applaud all of the wonderful and creative work that went into these "FANTASY" vignettes. I think they showed great ideas. And I loved the meal suggestions. What fun that would be. It's too bad the "point" of the rooms was missed. I hope the creators take the negative criticism with a "grain of salt".
I would have loved to have seen them in person.

vealdesign Designer's Edge, thank you for the clarification. It is unfortunate that the introduction to the photographs did not include this information. Anyone who has ever created a space for a show house or, God forbid, a vignette in a convention hall such as this, knows that it is a ridiculous amount of work. A RIDICULOUS amount of work. And then it all has to come down. They are saints.

dragonlady97213 From the number of photos added to ideabooks, it looks like there are plenty of folks that appreciated the design work. Mad props to everyone involved in putting the event together to further the work of Molly's Fund and lupus research.

tashabug I thoroughly enjoy all of these creative and inspiring spaces. They are a real treat!

shirataliaariel These are magical! The hot air balloon room is fantastic. Whimsical and beautiful and absolutely delightful! The dining room underneath the adults' dining room is so imaginative. The newspaper as wallpaper is genius - and pretty! And the blue chandelier in the 'Beyond Nourishment' room is a dream. I loved them all!

Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc. Thanks so much for this venue to express our creative spirit...one without a client in mind, but yet a chance to work with what products we can get loaned or donated to this amazing event. Our team worked on our set for months in advance and so many individuals and manufacturers donated hundreds of hours in concept, design and building of our different elements. Our doors were a design we came up with earlier this year and built by a wonderful Oregon Company - Wild River Doors. The beautiful sideboard is a custom designed piece built by a wonderful company, Black Rabbit Construction and the chairs we designed are built by Brian Kawal and upholstered by Trio Furniture.

And yes, the rhino head is truly a masterpiece in LEGO it is an original and has no glue or other elements holding it together. I hope you'll enjoy some of these additional photos.

Thanks to all the teams and supporters of this great event.

sharonb43 I can honestly say there is not one of those I would want in my house. Way too over-the-top!!

trasgorshek Ok, I keep coming back to relish in the photos but I am truly perplexed how any creative person could not absolutely love and enjoy these spaces. Garrison Hullinger's design has floors made out of pennies and the light fixtures are made from water bottles for crying out loud. How can you not appreciate the ingenuity and absolute creativity that goes into these vingettes. I think maybe the purpose of these spaces got lost in translation. Maybe people or scanning the photos and not reading the text? I sincerely hope that's the case because these spaces are positively interior design art at its best, when designers are set free without limitations to create a fantasy space. BEAUTIFUL!

Kuypers design Group Ltd Over the top, beyond the edge, into the abyss.

phenderson LOVE ALL OF THE ROOMS

Whitney F I think it is events like these, that allow design people to work completely "outside the box", that help evolve a creative field to the next level. Think of "concept" cars at car shows; you'll never see one being driven around your local suburban mall, but you may see "elements" of the design the next time you're at a dealership. Shows like these are great for stretching creative concepts - like yoga for designers. Wonderful IDEA book - full of ideas - I challenge everyone to try one or two.

Teri Fronabarger I love "Where does the Butterfly Go When it Rains" it reminds me of setting on the grass at Pisa, Italy studying the tower.

susannels Way too busy for me but to each his own!

Michelangelo Decorative Painting Ok, ladies... what do you call "BOX -" the education, the experience, the knowledge and rules of the colors, proportions, scale.....? F...... orget it all lets go outside of it and create an f.........abulous abomination of the unusual items and call it " original" !!!! bone appetite !

olldroo Would newspapers on a wall actually work?? I would assume you would have to put a clear coat of something over them. My dining room will be basically black and white - white carpet and curtains and black furniture and I was considering pops of buttercup yellow so the newsprint would really add some interest.

katie32123 Fun, fun, fun to look at but I couldn't actually bring myself to eat in any of them. :-)

mrskk I agree..."thinking outside the box" here is not working! Does it matter how many hours of sweat and toil these took? I don't see the connection. Just because it is for a good cause doesn't make it good design.

Brock Designs Even though there are so many different opinions on the designs - what people like, what they don't- the truly amazing thing is that everyone with an opinion here has now heard the word LUPUS.

I am one of the designers at Urban I.D. - the Dinner at Tiffany's Room. My sister was diagnosed with LUPUS at the age of 24 and died at a very early age of 36. We applaud the efforts of Houzz to bring awareness to our annual event for the sake of the Lupus Foundation and Molly's Fund.

We are extremely proud to have worked alongside so many talented designers in the Portland area. This is a unique design community - most of us are friends with each other and have great working relationships. The hope of every designer in this show is that each of you will take one minute to look up Lupus on your computer and see how many people it affects. Then, if so inclined, we also hope you will help us spread awareness so we can find effective treatments and a cure.

Thanks for your opinions - all of them.
Lori Brock / Brock Designs at Urban I.D.

http://mollysfund.org

Pramono Soemandiono faboulos..things....:)

abodwell interior design- Brittney Fischbeck jeez, I don't want to be rude, but every single one of them is terrible! perhaps it is because I hate themes in general...... yuck. In any case....for a good cause. and that is always a great theme.

Diana V. McLean Great work. I work as a set designer in T.V. production and it's always great to see such creativity. Keep it up!!!

Timothy I love the creativity.

calkelley Lori - congrats on your People's Choice award! And you are right - it is an ideabook that you don't just leave thru and forget. As I said, like modern art - it is a form that inspires strong feelings. And at the beginning of everyone of those is a thought about Lupus!
I am sorry for your loss. My father had lupus but we didn't necessarily know very much about it

mcd53 vee22, thank you because I could not even think what to say. I have a niece with lupus and my husband is in renal failure from uncontrollable high blood pressure, so I really get that though.

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design This showcase was especially fun to peruse . . and your comments, Lori Brock, were well said - thumbs up to all who participated and your many contributions to this important cause.

Brock Designs mcd53 - so sorry to hear about your husband and your niece. Our thoughts are with you.

deelittlefield I am interested in learning more about the installation of the wall made with pennies. I am amazed at the warmth it adds to the room as well as how the light reflects off the whole wall. The wall looks "puffy". Is there just one layer of pennies on the wall?