How should you decorate a dining table when you're not using it? 8 decor ideas for between mealtimes

There are endless ways to decorate a dining table when you're not using it, and inspiration is all around you. After all, the dining table isn't just a place to sit down and eat. When not in use, a large, empty tabletop will feel incomplete, and in an open-plan room especially, the table can become a spot to display curios, plants, flowers and more. 

How to narrow down your options, then? We asked design experts for how they like to style a dining table for their clients, and from colorful tablescapes to sleek centerpieces, and everything in between, here's how they suggested getting experimental with dining room ideas. 

Aditi Sharma Maheshwari

Aditi Sharma Maheshwari is an architecture and design journalist with over 10 years of experience. She's worked at some of the leading media houses in India such as Elle Decor, Houzz and Architectural Digest (Condé Nast).  Till recently, she was a freelance writer for publications such as Architectural Digest US, House Beautiful, Stir World, Beautiful Homes India among others. In her spare time, she volunteers at animal shelters and other rescue organizations.