Yesterday got up early penned a post on dining rooms, pressed publish or so I thought carried on my day only to find I hadn’t published at all so I’m attempting it again. No I don’t have a document outlining all my posts for the week, I get up drink coffee sit in my pyjamas and shoot from the cuff. Unprofessional? Possibly, but then this isn’t a blog like most others. I’m not showcasing the latest products from who ever, I’m not scanning in images from the latest mags and giving my opinions I am merely giving as many tips, tricks and know how for you guys to create the coolest rooms on the planet. Advice from hands on experience in the field, and although my attitude may seem a tad devil my care my delivery and the execution on any of my projects is always every time exceedingly calculated. I am deadly serious about interiors I just don’t think you need to be sombre or up your own (you know what) in order to be taken seriously! Or maybe you do, will think some more on that one!
So onto dining rooms. Why are dining rooms so dour I ask myself time and time again? If they are in an open plan environment there is a little more chance they’re cool, if in a room of there own oh dear, dullsville! My theory goes the least amount of time you spend in a room the least loved it feels. So if you have a space that you only entertain in once a week/month/year then the chances are it’s going to feel a tad neglected. Whereas when you spend more time in a room you get to see all its fault (a bit like a relationship no)? and you can sort of work on them, or so the theory goes.
Because the table takes up the largest space and is the main focal point we’ve got to introduce one of two other focals to pull the eye left right and centre. So a fab artwork, a cool colour on a wall, a rug anything that takes the attention away from the table. Also any empty alcoves or walls layer up – whether that’s with an impromptu bar (couple of bottles of plonk, cool little lamp, bunch of blooms, you’ve nailed it) or whether that’s a shelf (one of the coolest buys in this house is a besta burs shelf from Ikea) its all about layers. Layers add intrigue, intrigue creates excitement it’s as simple as that!
Fairy lights are great for dining rooms draped over your bar or shelf, B&Q (yes really B&Q) do the coolest ones this season. Tiny little pinpricks of light, I think they are called glow worm or soft glow but check the box they are the smallest bulbs ever and soft and warm, pretty cool. From the market last week we picked up bare branches which I’ve stuck in pots and draped lights over – too darn cool for school and lovely for dining rooms. Then lots of little pots of herbs, again from the market bunches or rosemary, bay, or anything scented like eucalyptus amazing for this time of year.
OK me done hopefully this will publish. Mr Adler’s holiday pad below, a fabulous very Adlerish dining room. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it feels totally and utterly lived in and loved, hard to achieve for a holiday abode.
Oh and I need to come up with a million quid like immediately. I’ve seen a watermill in Bedford New York which is to die for. In the woods, massive roaring fires in every room was thinking I could relocate and then flit back and forth to London like once a month. I could turn part of it into a school you could all come for the weekend, I could bake…
Lol…… Entertaining and educational!!! Best email I receive each day!! Thanks. Have a great day.
Very kind thank you
abigail, i really don’t think anyone who comes here for a second thinks you’re unprofessional… your off-the-cuff is better than most people’s pre-planned x 100… you shoot from the hip, speak with passion & say it how it is & that’s what we love… well, i should speak for myself, but i’m pretty sure others feel the same! i’ll help with raising that million quid, quite fancy a weekend retreat!
Too sweet Miss Susan x
Hi, I totally agree with your comments on separate dining rooms, the only problem is I have no option in my current room layout. In years to come we plan to knock through to our living room but at this moment in time it’s too big a job. Is there any way at all that a separate dining room can be redeemed and justified from dullsville to fabulousville??
Totally if you embrace the stuff I talked about in the post, so creating layers, more focal points etc it will for sure bring it alive. The biggest tip in non open plan dining rooms is to take the attention away from the table with other focal points (so am mentioned a cool artwork, big mirror, fab paint colour) that sort of thing.
Love that dining room
I agree they need to be more fun!
hello Abigail – a word of advice if you please…! I have bought 2 consoles from ikea – very simple P shape – that are painted orange. My place is total grey-blue dark hues – the consoles will be placed behind the light grey sofa and in front of a 4 metres length wall – should I paint them in shiny black or dark red/bordeaux colour? ps: flat is too small – living room where the sofa & consoles are placed no more than 40sq. – what would you advise? a small antique furniture in the entrance is red/bordeaux – would you go for same for the consoles as the place is too small? or something completely different?
Personally and this is purely personal I would paint the consoles out to go away and then the stuff you put on them will look even more fabulous than if everything if fighting for attention. With vintage pieces that are ornatly carved I paint in bright hues because they are almost a piece of art in themselves, but if there is nothing particularly fabulous about the piece and or they are going behind a sofa I wouldn’t draw too much attention to them. I would suggest painting them a similar hue as the wall colour or darker as you suggest like black and then anything you place on it will feel and look more expensive than it really is. Hope that helps