Darecations Wall Art for Dining Rooms: landscapes and travel photos

The dining room is often the most neglected theater in a home. We spend hours agonizing over the comfort of the chairs and the durability of the table, but the walls frequently remain an afterthought or a repository for generic “filler” art. As an interior designer and architect, I view the dining room walls as critical vertical planes that influence the acoustic quality, lighting atmosphere, and psychological mood of your meals.

When you introduce “Darecations” style art—bold landscapes and personal travel photography—you aren’t just decorating; you are creating a window to another world. From an Evidence-Based Design perspective, viewing nature scenes, even photographic ones, lowers cortisol levels and aids in digestion by shifting the nervous system into a “rest and digest” state. For plenty of visual inspiration on how to execute this look, make sure you scroll down to the Picture Gallery at the end of the blog post.

However, hanging personal travel photography requires a delicate balance to ensure it looks curated rather than like a temporary mood board. It requires understanding scale, frame finishes, and how the art interacts with the furniture below it. In this guide, I will walk you through the architectural logic and styling nuances of bringing your adventures into your dining space.

The Science of Scenery: Evidence-Based Design in Dining

In the world of Evidence-Based Design (EBD), we study how physical environments affect human well-being. One of the strongest findings is the impact of biophilia, or our innate connection to nature. In a dining room, where the goal is social connection and relaxation, landscape photography acts as a psychological anchor.

When we look at wide, open vistas—mountains, oceans, or sweeping deserts—our brains register a sense of safety and possibility. This is often referred to as “Prospect and Refuge” theory. You are sitting safely at your table (refuge) while looking out at a wide view (prospect). This combination subconsciously reduces anxiety and encourages lingering conversation.

Designer’s Note:
I often see clients choose chaotic, high-energy urban street photography for dining rooms. While artistic, high-contrast urban chaos can actually induce subtle stress. For a dining space, I almost always recommend “slow” imagery: long-exposure water, rolling hills, or distant horizons. These images mimic the physiological response of looking out a window, which is vital if your dining room lacks natural light.

Scaling and Sizing: The Architectural Rules

The most common mistake I see in DIY interior design is “the postage stamp effect.” This happens when a piece of art is too small for the wall or the furniture it hangs above, making the room feel disjointed and cheap. In architecture, we look at the relationship between positive space (the art) and negative space (the wall).

When hanging art above a dining buffet, sideboard, or console, you must respect the rule of two-thirds. The artwork (or the collection of art) should span roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the width of the furniture piece below it. For example, if your sideboard is 60 inches wide, your artwork should cover about 40 to 45 inches of width.

What I’d do in a real project:

Single Statement Piece: If I am using one large “Darecation” print, I will frame it oversized with a wide white mat to increase its footprint.

Triptychs: If one print isn’t wide enough, I split the image or use a series of three related travel photos. I space them 2 to 3 inches apart. This gap counts toward the total width.
Vertical Alignment: In a dining room, people are mostly sitting. Therefore, I hang art slightly lower than in a hallway. The center of the artwork should be at eye level for a standing person (roughly 60 inches from the floor), but if the ceilings are low, I cheat it down a few inches to connect it better with the table.
Clearance: I leave exactly 4 to 8 inches of breathing room between the bottom of the frame and the top of the sideboard. Any higher, and the art feels like it is floating away; any lower, and it gets blocked by serving platters.

Curating Your Travel Photos: Cohesion over Chaos

We all have thousands of photos on our phones, but not all of them belong on a wall. The difference between a “photo album” look and “fine art” lies in curation and editing. When selecting Darecations photos for a dining room, you must treat yourself as the art director of your own life.

Cohesion is key. If you have photos from a safari, a ski trip, and a beach vacation, hanging them side-by-side in their original colors will look cluttered. To make disparate locations work together, you need a unifying visual thread. This is usually achieved through color grading or framing.

Common Mistakes + Fixes:

Mistake: Using different filter styles on different photos.
Fix: Apply a consistent preset to all selected photos. Desaturating the colors slightly or converting everything to high-contrast black and white instantly unifies images from different continents.

Mistake: Printing low-resolution phone images at large scales.
Fix: Check the PPI (pixels per inch). For a large print, you need at least 150-300 PPI. If your photo is grainy, print it on canvas rather than photo paper; the texture of the canvas forgives resolution issues much better than glossy paper.

Materials and Mounting: The Pet and Family Factor

As a designer who specializes in pet-friendly spaces, I have to be realistic about materials. A dining room is a high-traffic zone. Chairs get pushed back, dogs wag tails against walls, and food spills happen. The framing materials you choose matter just as much as the image itself.

If you have large dogs or active children, avoid glass. Glass is heavy, breaks into dangerous shards, and attracts nose smudges that are visible from across the room. I almost exclusively specify high-quality acrylic (often called plexiglass) for large framed pieces. It is lighter, shatter-resistant, and often has better UV protection for your photography.

Safety Mounting Checklist:

The Two-Point Rule: Never hang a large frame on a single nail. It will constantly shift and look crooked. Use two hooks spaced apart, or a French cleat system (Z-bar) for absolute stability.
Security Hardware: If you live in an earthquake zone or have rambunctious pets, use T-screws (security hardware) at the bottom of the frame. This locks the art to the wall so it cannot be bumped off or knocked askew.
Canvas Considerations: Gallery-wrapped canvas is excellent for acoustics because it is soft and absorbs sound, unlike glass which reflects noise. If your dining room echoes, choose canvas prints to help dampen the clatter of silverware.

Lighting Your Landscapes

You can spend thousands on framing, but if the lighting is poor, the art will die. In a dining room, lighting sets the mood. You rarely want the main chandelier to be the only light source, as it casts shadows on the walls and creates glare on the glass.

In architectural lighting design, we use “wall washing” or specific picture lights to highlight texture and color. For landscape photography, proper lighting brings out the depth of the horizon and makes the “window effect” believable.

Lighting strategies I use:

Picture Lights: A hardwired or battery-operated picture light mounted to the frame adds immediate sophistication. It creates an intimate glow that is perfect for dinner parties.

Beam Angle: If using recessed ceiling cans (pot lights), ensure they are adjustable “gimbals.” Aim the light at the center of the art. The light fixture should be positioned so the light hits the art at a 30-degree angle to minimize glare.
Color Temperature: Ensure your art light matches the room’s light. I recommend 2700K (warm white) or 3000K (neutral white). Never use 4000K or higher (cool blue) in a dining room; it makes food look unappetizing and the art look sterile.

Finish & Styling Checklist

Ready to hang your Darecations art? Here is the step-by-step workflow I use on installation day to ensure a professional result.

Step 1: Measure the Furniture. Measure the width of your dining table or sideboard. Multiply that number by 0.66 to get your target art width.
Step 2: Mock It Up. Before putting a single nail in the wall, cut pieces of Kraft paper or newspaper to the size of your frames. Tape them to the wall with painter’s tape.
Step 3: Check Sightlines. Sit at the dining table. Look at the paper templates. Do you have to crane your neck up? If so, lower them. The view should be comfortable from a seated position.

Step 4: Select the Frame. Match the frame to the room’s style, not the photo’s style. Use wood frames for warm/organic rooms, and thin metal frames for modern/industrial spaces.
Step 5: Install Hardware. Use a level. If hanging multiple pieces, use a spacer (like a block of wood) to ensure the gap between frames is identical every time.
Step 6: Anchor the Vignette. Once the art is up, style the sideboard below it. Add a low bowl or a stack of books to bridge the gap between the furniture and the frame, connecting the two elements.

FAQs

Can I mix black and white photos with color photos in the same dining room?
It is risky. Generally, I advise sticking to one or the other on a single wall to maintain visual calm. If you must mix them, try to keep the frames and matting identical to provide a sense of structure. Alternatively, place color photos on one wall and black and white on an opposing wall, rather than mixing them within the same gallery arrangement.

How do I handle a very long dining room wall?
A single picture often looks lost on a massive wall. In this case, I recommend a “grid gallery.” Take 6, 8, or 9 matching square frames and hang them in a tight grid (2-3 inches apart). This reads as one giant architectural installation rather than small scattered pictures. It is a powerful way to display a series of travel details.

My dining room has bold wallpaper. Can I still hang photos?
Yes, but you need “visual quiet” around the art. Use extra-wide white mats (4 to 6 inches) to separate the photograph from the busy pattern of the wallpaper. This creates a breathing space that allows the eye to focus on the image without being overwhelmed by the background pattern.

What is the best frame color for landscape photography?
For nature scenes, natural wood (oak, walnut) is fantastic as it reinforces the organic theme. If you want a more modern, gallery look, a crisp white frame on a white wall allows the image to “pop” without a heavy border. Black frames are classic but can sometimes feel too heavy for airy, ethereal beach or sky photos.

Conclusion

Your dining room is more than a place to eat; it is a place to share stories. By incorporating “Darecations” wall art—landscapes and travel photos that hold personal meaning—you spark conversation and invite guests into your world.

From an evidence-based design standpoint, these natural scenes provide a necessary mental respite, helping to lower stress and improve the atmosphere of your meals. Remember to respect the scale of your furniture, choose safety-conscious materials like acrylic for pet-friendly homes, and light the work properly to give it life.

Don’t be afraid to go big with your prints or bold with your locations. The best dining rooms are those that transport us, even if we are just having Tuesday night spaghetti.