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Accessorize a Traditional Dining Room for Charm and Grace
From the sparkle of a napkin ring to the grandeur of a tapestry, traditional accessories are the life of the dining room party
Houzz Contributor. Based in Cambridgeshire, U.K., Julia Pockett is founder Director of Sujiivana Design Ltd (http://www.sujiivana.co.uk), an on-line emporium of home accessories and of interior design services. Specialising in affordable design, Julia has worked on projects including full property refurbishments, individual room designs and home staging.
Houzz Contributor. Based in Cambridgeshire, U.K., Julia Pockett is founder... More »
In most traditional houses, the dining room is a separate room. Today's homes tend to have a more open layout, but don't let an open plan put you off traditional style.
The dining room is my favorite room in the house to decorate and accessorize. Because it is often used for entertaining, it offers a great opportunity to go to town on creating drama and ambience — in fact, conversations about your wonderful room can get the dinner party going. Traditional dining rooms are often a little more formal, filled with crystal, candles, fine china, silver, flowers and fruit displays. Preparing the room for a dinner party gives you the opportunity to get creative with these elements. Different flowers, fruit and table linens are all relatively inexpensive, so if your dinner party guests come often, mix it up!
The dining room is my favorite room in the house to decorate and accessorize. Because it is often used for entertaining, it offers a great opportunity to go to town on creating drama and ambience — in fact, conversations about your wonderful room can get the dinner party going. Traditional dining rooms are often a little more formal, filled with crystal, candles, fine china, silver, flowers and fruit displays. Preparing the room for a dinner party gives you the opportunity to get creative with these elements. Different flowers, fruit and table linens are all relatively inexpensive, so if your dinner party guests come often, mix it up!
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| This room contains all the traditional accessories I love. The wallpaper is reminiscent of the days of the Raj and adds that sense of drama that's great in a dining room. |
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Another way of adding drama is through pieces of art. A tapestry is a lovely choice. Pick one with a scene for interest and go big to fill an entire wall. A tapestry can add a sense of medieval style — in this room, it's carried through the style of the chandelier and the chairs, too.
See more decorations for traditional dining room walls
See more decorations for traditional dining room walls
Silverware makes for a classic traditional dining room accessory. Sure, it needs a little more care, but when polished it reflects sparkling light beautifully. Go with a full candelabra for a very traditional choice — it can be dressed with flowers and foliage for a dinner party. Carry the silver through to a vintage coffee set displayed on a sideboard for a beautiful and practical accessory.
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| Your dining room should still have a touch of personality and humor. This little figure usefully adds light to a sideboard and offers a talking point, too. |
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by Becker Studios
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| This may be controversial, as many of my friends say they'd rather not look at themselves when dining, but large mirrors are a traditional accessory choice for a dining room. They are perfect for reflecting candlelight, and when you have a room full of guests, the reflections can be captivating. You don't always need to position them over the fireplace. Here, the mirror works beautifully, as it reflects the glow from the fireplace in what would otherwise be a fairly plain room. |
by Inside Inc
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A full matching dinner service is a real investment. If you are lucky enough to own a beautiful set that you adore, then the larger, less used platters and serving dishes will look great on display. I once designed a traditional dining room around a much-loved dinner service. If you love it, show it off.
| Table settings are a fantastic way to introduce subtle changes to your room and give you a little variety. White linen and clear crystal may be traditional choices, but here the table has been laid using purple napkins and glasses, which look stunning, picking up the purple in the artwork. |
| Napkin rings can also help accessorize your table, and they come in so many different varieties. Most are not too expensive, so you can afford to have a few sets to chop and change. I like a dinner table to sparkle when I'm entertaining, so I love these. I also have a set of brightly colored floral rings for less formal occasions. Another little tip for spicing up a plain napkin ring set — insert a sprig of lavender or maybe a small bunch of herbs for something more rustic. |
| Flowers are a natural centerpiece for a dining room table. Give thought to vase shapes and sizes to ensure that the scale and size of your display are right. Think long and low for a dinner party on a rectangular table (you want to be able to see your guests) but large and tall for an undressed table. The possibilities are endless, so keep a few vases to choose from. |
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Traditionally, a formal dinner party would end with fruit. Often placed on a tall bowl with a pedestal so that the grapes could trail down, traditional fruit displays were works of art. Fruit can also serve as an accessory in your dining room. Choose a bowl that suits your room — I love the seashell here, as it's really appropriate for the room's setting.
Comments
Sobeida Manan the fact that the big mirror is in two different dinning rooms got me curious, are these staged?
8 months ago · Like
walnutree @sobeida I thought the same thing, but the mirrors are actually different. They are similar, but different.
5 months ago · Like
Sobeida Manan @walnutree, funny I looked at it many times trying to find a difference, I just came back to look after your comment, and yes they are different
5 months ago · Like
capuanha So true!
3 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Sept. 20, 2012.
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