We need to redo our dining room. We had had a lovely carpet in there, but we need to start using our dining room on a daily basis for dinner. Our family of 5 doesn't fit in the kitchen anymore and carpet wasn't practical for 3 kids under 7. So here is our colorless dining room! dining room 1 ( photo / image / picture from roberca1's Garden ) dining room.2 ( photo / image / picture from roberca1's Garden ) We want to add color and liven it up but I am unsure where to go. I had originally thought about picking patterned drapes and pulling a color from there, but decided that a patterned drape me be limiting down the road. I was thinking about picking a nice wall color (nothing too dark or crazy though), making the trim white and maybe adding a chair rail. Does this make sense? Then where do you go with drapes?? We'd like our drapes to be able to provide privacy in the evening so nothing sheer. Any ideas on colors, drapes and any brand new ideas are welcome. We are planning on keeping the existing furniture. I know the clock is too fancy but my grandfather made it. THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Yes a chair rail would be nice and perhaps wainscoting below? and that far wall where clock is, I would make the feature wall and paint it, any color of your choice but very different! the color of drapes or one to compliment each other and the tiny corner shelf would go, replaced by some greenery or a tree in that corner, and I would create a nice vignette on the server.
I'd get a nice piece of flat, hard-weave carpeting in a nice color to put under the table (easily vacuumed and spills wipe up without any trouble); get some colorful plates to hang on the wall over the sideboard, and put a tall vase or Ginger jar on the sideboard. Don't go with patterned drapes--the room is too small and patterned drapes would only look busy. The wall color is fine--soft, makes the room light, and can be worked around with other colors. The clock is a focal point, not too fancy at all, and family history trumps decorating ideas every time!
What color are your dishes or place mats or tablecloth? Choose a color from one of those to coordinate the drapes with. The walls I would make a medium beige, it would warm up the room and be a perfect neutral color as a background for the decorative color or colors you choose for accessories. The drapes could be a textured pattern in one color, that would add interets but a geometric, floral or multicolor pattern might be too busy for a dining room. To coordinate with the style of furniture you have, you might find some shutters for the lower half to 2/3rds of the window and put a lighter curtain on the top section. The shutters would provide privacy with the top part more open to let in natural light. Maybe instead of leaving the clock in that corner, put it on the wall to the left of the kitchen door, it's a section of wall that is too small for much of anything else. Not sure live plants would work in that room since the only light source is a small window covered by drapes, but an artificial one in each corner of that end wall would soften the corners. Live plants do drop leaves without enough light and then there is the pot full of dirt that little ones may find too tempting The top of the server would be a perfect place for candles, not just one big one with a floral ring around the base. But find a set that includes different size candles and stands for display. And have dinner by candlelight with the kids once in a awhile, they will love it. If you can, keep a vase of fresh flowers there too or maybe a houseplant or two. Photos and pictures in groupings are always more appealing on walls than having one on each wall. Maybe have different size prints made of your favorite family photos and group them around the mirror (which I would remove since I don't feel mirrors are necessary in rooms other than baths or bedrooms, but that's just me ) The frames could be all one color or different colors to coordinate with the drapes and other decor colors...whichever you like. What is the 4th wall like? We can see only 3 and a very small part of the wall opposite the mirror. That little corner shelf, looks like it might have a statue of some significance on it. You could find two more of those corner shelves and create a display of other items that are important to you.
The fourth wall is basically just the opening into the living room with maybe two feet of wall on each side. Loving the ideas!!
Well, adding color to your dining room is a good idea. Firstly, you must cover the table with a well-designed and bright colored table cloth. You can place baskets filled with fruits and other accessories on the table. Lighting is another area where you need to work in order to liven up the dining room.
Hey at first I can recomend you to repaint the room. Maybe something red or yellow. It is your choice. Then you should put some plants in it. You must change the curtains and put some colorful on their place.
