I was smitten with this dining space as soon as I saw that giant “e” – What IS it with me and big, vintage letters?? I adore the graphic look and think it would be such an incredible find to stumble upon one at a salvage shop or even a yard sale. Alas, I have yet to come across one in my hunts. Never give up!
But I digress…For today’s “All in the details” feature, we’re going to break down this funky, retro dining room and get to the bottom of what makes it work.
STYLING
Although this room is kept simple, the styling really solidifies both the color scheme and the tone (we’ll call it “’70s flair”). A simple vase of flowers, vintage, eclectic table settings and that big beautiful letter on the wall are all it needs to make the room feel lived in and full of character.
LIGHTING
Is it just me or does the lighting seem a little competitive in terms of style? Not in a bad way, mind you, but one seems contemporary/minimalist/industrial (dining room) while the other (living room beyond) seems to lean a bit more towards the traditional side of things. Frankly, I think this is an awesome idea if your tastes linger between both styles. To unify the look and make sure the odd juxtaposition isn’t so jarring, the homeowners/designers chose two fixtures made of glass and chrome finishes. It works!
RUG
Here’s my issue over animal skin rugs – I can’t tell if it’s just a fad or if it’s a fabulous design idea that’s here to stay. I am really loving the look of these organic, raw (not in a disgusting way) textiles, but am not sure how to work it into our house. Not to mention, the cost of one of these bad boys is often out of reach for my stingy finances. The only one I’ve found worth considering because of budget is this one from Amazon. What do we think? Back to our designer dining room though, I think the rug is really wonderful – It breaks up all of the hard surfaces and lines (i.e. brick wall, round table, wooden chairs) without seeming out of place.
FURNITURE
I give major props to anyone who can make a mismatched dining set seem intentional from the start. This traditional pedestal table is painted in a bold Kelly green to give it a more modern flair, and then is paired with four bistro chairs stained a dark brown. The combination is fabulous and brings the feel of the dining room down from stuffy to comfortable. I feel like this space is casual enough for game night, but chic enough for a dinner party.
COLOR
One of my favorite color combinations is yellow and gray – So of course, I am instantly drawn to the color in this space. However, while I usually pair my yellow/gray scheme with teals and mints, the homeowners here chose to pair it with a rich green. The effect is warm and inviting and a place where I think anyone would want to pull out a chair and stay a while. In the peek of the living room beyond this dining space, you can see that the gray has been replaced with creams, allowing the yellow/green colors to pop in a totally different way.
Feel free to share your OWN thoughts in the comments section below. What’s your favorite part? How could you use these details in your own home?
For all of my top inspirational spaces, click here.
