The dining room is one of my favorite rooms.  It is a space for entertaining and for lingering with friends.  There are a few things I consider when designing a dining room.  First, the use of the space.  For the majority of us, the dining room is a space we primarily use in the evening.  Second, it is typically an adult space.  I don’t worry as much about having surfaces that wipe up easily or rugs that can take a beating because little fingers and toes typically stay in the kitchen.  All of these factors make the dining room a great space to take a few more risks.  I like to make the room a little more dramatic and moody than I might make the rest of the home.

Image courtesy of Home Design Etc.

Image courtesy of wearehuntly.com.au

The space in this home is a blank canvas.  It is off the entry, but not a room that you need to pass through to get to the rest of the home.  So, while I would like dining room to reflect the general aesthetic of the rest of the home, it does not need to be a room that transitions well into another space.  Of course we will utilize the same look that we have used everywhere else (clean lines and natural elements), but I would also like the space to make a bit of a statement.  Darker colors, more plush fabrics, and metallic elements do the trick nicely.  The pieces below – the dark paint, velvet chairs and natural brass complete the look.