30 Dining Room Storage Ideas You'll Wish You Saw Sooner

Dining room storage may seem low on your storage priority list, but dining rooms often mean extra dishes, tablecloths, platters, and plenty of other things that need to have a a place to go. These are some of our favorite dining room storage ideas, no matter your style.

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Use Specialty Storage

Cathie Hong Interiors

Bring in all types of storage to your dining room, including specialty storage like wine coolers and bar cabinets. Look for a wine cooler that will fit in well with your dining room to ensure it doesn't clash.

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Add Cabinetry

Cathie Hong Interiors

Cabinetry isn't just for kitchens—use cabinetry in the dining room to store extra dishes, table linens, and anything else you may need.

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Add a Sideboard

Interior Impressions

When in doubt, a small sideboard can provide plenty of dining room storage. Look for one that matches your decor and dining table to add plenty of style.

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Go Vintage

Cathie Hong Interiors

The world of dining room storage—and all the hutches, credenzas, and cabinets that occupy it—is one that is full of fantastic vintage finds. Look for a vintage storage piece to add to your dining room.

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Add a Shelf

Cathie Hong Interiors

Need just a little bit of storage? Consider adding a small floating shelf to your dining room to keep a few extra dishes on.

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Repurpose Extra Closets

Mary Patton Design

Extra closets or pantries off dining rooms can do more than just store food or dishware—they can also become storage solutions for whatever you need them to be, like a home office or craft room.

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Match Cabinetry

Mary Patton Design

When choosing dining room cabinetry, consider matching existing cabinetry in the home, whether in the kitchen or bathroom. This will ensure that your dining room storage feels like it blends well with the rest of your home.

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Choose Pieces in Different Styles

Mary Patton Design

When choosing furniture for dining room storage, don't be afraid to choose pieces in different styles, like Mary Patton Design did in the space above. It will give your dining room a complex and stylish look.

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Match Your Wall

Mary Patton Design

For dining room storage that feels like it's barely there, go for pieces that match the color of your wall to create a seamless, monochromatic look.

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Store More in Bar Cabinets

Mary Patton Design

Your bar cabinet can store more than just alcohol and its accompanying accoutrements. Use it to store some of your favorite decor or specialty dishes too.

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Add a Corner Cabinet

Mary Patton Design

For a minimalist approach to dining room storage, add a narrow corner cabinet that can hold the essentials and nothing more. The top of the cabinet can also act as a great place for a vase or piece of statement decor.

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Repurpose Empty Space

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

If you've got an empty corner in your dining room and you're tight on space and storage in the rest of your home, consider using it for storage that will serve the rest of your space, like a secretary desk to hold office supplies or dresser for off-season clothing.

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Use the Space Below

Ashley Montgomery Design

Just because your dining room is more of a breakfast nook doesn't mean it can't have storage too. Use the space underneath benches or seats to store away out-of-season dishes and platters.

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Look for Fun Storage

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

Storage furniture doesn't need to be boring—look for fun, statement pieces that embrace great design and provide a place for a few of your favorite things.

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Add a Wall of Cabinets

Cathie Hong Interiors

If you need ample storage in your dining room and you'd rather not fill it with furniture, consider installing a small wall of cabinets. This works well on half-walls near doors and entryways, and the cabinetry can fit plenty of things.

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Use Storage Surfaces

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

When creating storage in the dining room, be sure to use the tops of your storage pieces to keep a few pieces of decor or art. This will help enliven them and ensure they're adding style to your dining room too.

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Try See-Through Storage

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Veronica Crawford

Sometimes, you have no desire to see what you're storing, while other times, you want to show off your cool stuff. If that's the case, add a glass cabinet to your dining room for see-through storage.

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Store Your Records

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

To store records in your dining room, look for square cabinets that will store the records with no wasted space. You can keep decor atop the cabinets, or store the record player.

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Use Nearby Storage Space

Interior Impressions

If your dining room is in an open-concept space, use nearby shelving and cabinetry for your dining room storage needs.

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Repurpose Bar Cabinets

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

A standalone bar cabinet can be used to store liquor and supplies, or it can be used for whatever else you may need to store, like dishes or table linens. Look for a vintage one to add tons of style to your space.

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Use Small Pieces When Needed

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

If you only need a little storage, look for a small piece of furniture that will fit your needs. A small console table, like the one above in the dining room by Emily Henderson Design, does the job nicely.

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Remove Closet Doors

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Zeke Ruelas

To create lots of storage in your dining room and give it a unique look to boot, remove the doors from a nearby closet to give it an open and airy look.

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Use Your Built-Ins

Cathie Hong Interiors

Lucky enough to have some beautiful built-in storage? Use it to store some of your prettiest dining room items to ensure it stays looking like the eye candy that it is.

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Pick Storage That Fits Your Space

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Tessa Neustadt

It's important that your dining room storage fits your space. For example, pick a long piece to fit an extra-long wall, or something narrow and tall to fit a smaller wall.

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Consider How You Store

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Tessa Neustadt

If you're using a glass cabinet for dining room storage, how you store items inside the cabinet matters just as much as how you place decor and other things outside of it. Take the time to make sure it looks good.

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Add Walls of Built-Ins

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

If you've got the wall space to spare (and the budget to match), consider adding a wall or two of built-in cabinets, like Emily Henderson Design did in the stunning dining room above.

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Store Things Near Your Kitchen Island

Ashley Montgomery Design

If your dining area is relegated to the bar attached to the kitchen island, keep some storage nearby to organize whatever you may need.

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Match Your Trim

Interior Impressions

Want to ensure your dining room storage is functional and stylish? Paint your cabinetry and furniture in the same color as the trim or accent walls that are in your home.

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Add a Narrow Cabinet

Interior Impressions

If you only have the space for a little cabinetry, consider adding a narrow floor-to-ceiling cabinet. You'll still get plenty of space, and only use a small footprint.

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Add a Mirror

Design: Emily Henderson Design / Photo: Sara Tramp

Considering adding a bar cabinet to your dining room for extra storage? Add a mirror above it. It will add a little extra glam to your space, and it will make it look bigger.