Have fun with your dining room

If your dining room is fading into the background, here are some inspiring ideas for adding colour and impact.

 

It's the room where you entertain family and friends, or celebrate the big and little events of your life. When it comes to colour, you want a warm and cosy, yet energetic atmosphere conducive to a fun dining experience.

A warm and inviting dining space is created with vibrant shades of red and orange against a background of neutral grey walls that allow the colourful accents to stand out and wow. The recent trend for larger-than-life mirrors, frames, artwork and lamp shades adds a playful touch and makes a bold and stylish statement in any dining room.

Paint the room in a colour that adds sophistication and depth, or try paint techniques such as colour wash or a suede finish, or textured walls for a custom look. If you have never tried paint techniques before, practice on a poster board to achieve the perfect look before moving onto the walls.

ABOVE: A pair of oversized, modern pendants illuminate this lofty dining room to create a cosy and elegant space filled with soft greys, warm tans and a splash of pale green.

Walls dressed in a cool ice blue with silk window treatment create a soothing backdrop when contrasted with bright orange and white accents. Framed watercolours - in a riot of colour and pattern - add extra punch to this space.

 

 

When designing a space for dining, concentrate on four things: de-clutter, paint, fabric and lighting. Keep the room simple with a dining table, chairs and server/buffet to create a perfect foundation.

Beautiful drapes and fabrics in a dining room are a must have. Custom window treatments can be expensive, but there are many home stores that offer beautiful ready made panels and drapery hardware at affordable prices.

ABOVE: Entertain with a touch of Indian flair. Carved and painted wood panels on the walls add a backdrop to a tabletop layered with plates, napkins and chargers in varying colours, textures and patterns.

If you're looking for something different, create a dining room that looks like a page in your favourite design magazine.

Mix DIY projects with smart buys. Create a warm and inviting space for entertaining with a soft yellow paint colour on both the walls and ceiling. Enlarged black-and-white family photos add a photo wall with a graphic punch while a dark-stained table and upholstered chairs create an elegant and comfortable place to linger over a home-cooked meal.

Gone are the days of the requisite dining room set consisting of a perfectly matched table and chairs. Instead, mix furniture styles, fabrics and finishes for a look that is less contrived and more welcoming. An antique dining table combined with modern seating works well to create an electic blend of old and new and a relaxed sense of style. The key to this kind of look is to start with a great table and then find the chairs that play off the style of the table.

janice anderssen - images: angelo surmelis - troy beasley - christopher grubb -

 

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