The Parisian approach to pairing an extendable dining table with wall art comes down to three things: a table with a slim, elegant profile, art hung in a relaxed but considered arrangement, and a palette that lets both breathe. Choose a table whose shape suits the room when closed, hang art so that its centre sits roughly at eye level for someone seated, and keep the colours quiet enough that the room still feels calm when the table is fully extended for guests.
That is the short answer. The longer one is more interesting, because the Parisian apartment look is less about copying a style and more about a way of living with furniture. Our range of modern extending dining tables UK homeowners choose for flexible everyday dining gives you a starting point, and the art does the rest.
Paris apartments and British homes share a surprising amount. Both tend to have rooms that do more than one job, ceilings with original detailing, and floor plans that were never designed around a large fixed dining table. In a Haussmann apartment, the dining room might double as a study or a salon. In a London flat or a Manchester terrace, the dining area often sits at one end of a living room or kitchen.
An extendable table answers that problem directly. It stays compact for two or four people during the week and opens out when friends arrive. The wall art then gives the space its character, so the room feels finished whether the table is at its smallest or its largest.
The French way of decorating also favours collected rather than matched. A room built up over time, with pieces that clearly have a story, feels more personal than a showroom set. That suits UK homes well, where many of us inherit furniture, pick up pieces at markets and add new items gradually.
Not every extendable table suits this look. The Parisian dining room tends to favour pieces that feel light on their feet. Look for these qualities.
Heavy, chunky legs can make a room feel weighed down, especially when art fills the wall behind. Tapered legs, a fluted base or a softly curved pedestal give the table presence without bulk. A pedestal base also means chairs slide in more easily, which matters in a smaller room.
Pale oak, white marble effect and glass all bounce light around, which helps in rooms with a single window. Marble effect tops have a strong link with the café tables of Paris, and they pair beautifully with black and white photography or gilt framed prints.
A Parisian dinner party is often a spontaneous affair. If extending the table feels like a chore, you will not do it. Butterfly leaves that fold away inside the table are the most convenient option, because there is nowhere to store a loose leaf. Our modern dining table and chairs sets UK collection includes tables with a range of mechanisms, so it is worth comparing how each one opens before you decide.
The art is where the personality comes in. Parisian interiors tend to avoid anything that feels too polished or corporate. Think of the kind of wall you might find in a Left Bank apartment: a mixture of sketches, oil studies, photographs and the occasional mirror.
Simple line drawings of faces, figures or still life objects are closely associated with French artists of the early twentieth century. They work well above a dining table because they are quiet. Nothing competes with the food or the conversation.
A large abstract canvas in soft clay, sage or dusky blue can anchor a whole wall on its own. This is a good choice if you prefer one statement piece over a gallery arrangement. Our modern canvas wall art UK sale range includes abstract pieces in calm, layered colours that suit this approach, and the wider modern wall art UK collection adds glass, metal and framed options if you want to mix textures.
Street scenes, architectural details and portraits in black and white bring a little Parisian romance without feeling themed. Keep frames slim and consistent if you want a cleaner look, or mix black, brass and natural wood if you prefer something more relaxed.
One or two ornate frames mixed into a simpler arrangement add a sense of history. They look particularly good in period properties with picture rails and cornicing.
Hanging art in a dining room has one particular challenge: people are sitting down. What looks right when you stand in the doorway can feel too high once everyone is seated. A useful rule is to hang art a little lower than you would in a hallway, so that the centre of the arrangement feels comfortable at seated eye level.
An extendable table changes the proportions of the room. A single piece of art that looks balanced above a closed table may look small when the table doubles in length. There are two good solutions. You can hang a wide arrangement that suits the extended table, or you can centre the art on the wall rather than on the table, so it works regardless of how the table is set.
The salon hang, with frames grouped closely across a wall, is the classic Parisian choice. Lay the frames out on the floor first, keeping the gaps between them consistent. Start with the largest piece slightly off centre and build outwards. The arrangement does not need to be symmetrical, but the outer edges should form a loose rectangle so it reads as one composition.
If you rent or simply dislike filling walls with holes, lean framed prints on a sideboard or console behind the table. Layer two or three pieces of different sizes, overlapping slightly. This creates the same relaxed, collected feel and can be changed with the seasons.
A Parisian dining room rarely shouts. The palette is usually built from soft neutrals with one or two accents. Here are a few combinations that work well with extendable tables.
Velvet chairs in a muted shade, such as dusky pink, moss or slate, bring softness to any of these pairings. Avoid matching the chair colour exactly to the art. A gentle echo is more sophisticated than an exact match.
Mirrors are an essential part of the Parisian interior. A large overmantel mirror or an arched floor mirror propped against the wall doubles the light and adds depth, which is particularly useful in narrow dining rooms. You can include a mirror within a gallery wall or let it stand alone opposite the window. For more ideas on combining these elements, our guide to pairing dining tables and mirrors in UK homes covers placement in more detail.
Take care not to place a mirror where it reflects the television or a cluttered kitchen worktop. The aim is to reflect light, greenery or art, not everyday mess.
Lighting brings the whole pairing together in the evening. A pendant or chandelier above the table should be hung low enough to create an intimate pool of light, but high enough not to block views across the table. Wall lights either side of a key piece of art add a gallery quality and soften the room. A small picture light above a favourite canvas is a lovely detail if your walls allow for it.
Warm white bulbs keep the atmosphere relaxed. Cooler light can make muted art look flat and grey, so it is worth testing a bulb before committing.
The quality that makes Parisian rooms so appealing is that they never look staged. A few objects on the table, such as a stack of books, a ceramic jug of flowers or a pair of candlesticks, keep the look personal. Rotate them with the seasons. Swap art between rooms every so often. Let the odd frame hang a touch crooked.
When the table is extended for a dinner, clear everything except candles and flowers so there is plenty of space. When it is closed again, bring the books and objects back. That simple rhythm is part of the charm.
A Parisian dining room is achievable in almost any UK home, from a garden flat to a large family kitchen. Start with an extendable table that feels light and works at both sizes. Add art gradually, choosing pieces you genuinely like rather than ones that simply fill a gap. Keep the palette calm and the arrangement relaxed. You can explore our full range of dining tables, chairs and wall art at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Hang it slightly lower than you would in a living room, so that the centre of the piece or arrangement feels comfortable for people who are seated. Leave enough space above the table that the frame does not feel cramped against the tabletop or any centrepiece.
With an extendable table, centring on the wall is often more practical, because the table changes length. If the table always sits in one position and only extends occasionally, centring on the closed table also works well.
A single piece or arrangement that covers around two thirds of the width of the closed table usually looks balanced. For a fully extended table, a wider gallery wall or a pair of large prints may suit the proportions better.
Yes. Without period features, lean more on the art, a large mirror and a table with a sculpted base. Panel moulding kits can also add a sense of architecture to plain walls.
Not if the frames share a colour or finish and the art stays within a limited palette. Keep the gaps between frames consistent and choose a quieter table and chairs so the wall has room to shine.
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