Need help 'lightening' my dining room....

11 years ago

I need help with my dining room....our home is open concept, with the dining room open to both the living room and kitchen. The other rooms are light and very modern. I fell in love with the dining chairs and bought them on a trip to Denmark, but I feel like they look so dark and lost in the space. Any suggestions???

Featured Answer

OldGrayMare

11 years ago

I know you love the chairs, and Danish furniture is so lovely. (My sister has lived in Aalborg for almost 30 years now). I think you can keep the chairs in that color, however here are a few ideas to help "lighten up" the space.
have no more than 6 chairs around the table
Get either a light (clear?) linear chandelier (could the old one go in a bedroom or a bathroom?)
A large rug in the lightest color you can tolerate having under a table, although I like the idea of a colorful Kilim too. Carolins is correct about the size rug needed. As for color, as long as there is a tiny bit of blue in the rug (not even the same shade as in the art on the wall) it will help focus on the art, and the rug will not only "work" it will "wow"!
Please post more pics as you change things up....it's really a gorgeous home you have there.

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Comments (15)

marilynellis
11 years ago
It's a light and bright room but the grey upholstery is absorbing it all. Reupholster the chairs or slipcover and add a colorful rug underneath to define the space
sandradclark
11 years ago
It is a beautiful dining set. Add a large Kilim, Ikat, Persian or oriental type area rug to ground it. They are all timeless and they will go with any style furnishings. Go to a good rug dealer and select several & they will bring them all out to try in your room. That is the best way to select a quality rug. Good luck.
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Simpli Linea
11 years ago
Add a long linear table chandelier, that way you will light up the whole room and it will be in keeping with the beautiful style that you have already created. You could also use a line of pendants. Best of luck.
Shannon
Original Author
11 years ago
Here are a few more photos of the space (excuse the mess- in the middle of our weekend cleaning), showing a rug I already had...I love the rug, but don't think it works with the wallpaper??
Shannon
Original Author
11 years ago
...and a few more....
Carolina
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Shame the the latest photos you added don't enlarge. But I can see that the rug you have is too small. I love the dining table, chairs, painting on the wall. I like the lamp, but it is way too heavy looking above your dining table.

Wouldn't it make more sense to move the sectional so that it's in front of the TV? I'd be tempted to turn it around 1/4 so that one side is with it's back towards the windows and the other side is with its back towards the dining area. And then make a cosy corner with the two chairs where the sectional now is?
Shannon thanked Carolina
Carolina
11 years ago
You need to add 48" to the length and the width of your table to get the appropriate rug size :-)
rickster88
11 years ago
Wow you have lovely furniture! May I suggest you remove two chairs in the dining room? It looks congested with 8 chairs. It might lighten down the heaviness of the chairs. If that still doesn't work I would reupholster with beige-ish or a tinge of grey fabric.

I too would pull out the sectional. It feels so unnatural when it is crammed in a little corner. No one watches TV at such odd angles and you need the sectional to fill up the space between the dining and living.

I'm also sorry to say but the wallpaper is ruining the cool furniture you have. The grey wall looks like it might do well but you need lively art on it.
Jeff H
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Love the open floor plan. I would suggest to turn the table 90 degrees to current position. The rug is too small, nothing worse than the chair 1/2 on the rug and 1/2 off the rug. Carolins suggested 48" or 2' per side, I think that is still too cramped. Place a chair at the table as if you were getting up and down from the table. You want to make sure all the legs are on the rug.....I think 36" per side would be closer to what you are wanting, that's a total of 6' LxW. Try adding some remodelers can lights or a longer bar light with 3 pendants
Shannon thanked Jeff H
Shannon
Original Author
11 years ago
I know the rug is too small- already had it and wanted to see how the colours worked there. The wallpaper does not have the garish sheen to it that shows in the photos- it''s very subtle and much more matte tone on tone. I have tried the sofa in front of the tv- it feels too cramped. We actuallt do watch tv as it is know and it works as the tv swivels. I will try a lighter shaded carpet and add more photos. I am not too keen to replace the light as I made it as well as my painting, but it is something to think about....
Shannon
Original Author
11 years ago
-Oh, and most importantly, thank you for your input:) Keep it coming.....
groveraxle
11 years ago
The light and painting are both gorgeous. However, the painting works, but the light does not. I agree that a linear pendant would be great for this space.

I agree with others that your TV area arrangement is off. The chairs seem too far from the sectional; the furniture pieces don't relate to each other, so the space feels disjointed.
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Shannon thanked groveraxle
rickster88
11 years ago
Shannon, I like your pendant. Keep it. Everyone is right about the size of the rug. Having said that fitting a larger rug in will most definitely construct a lot of the passage way and make everything seem crammed. Turn the table lengthwise.

P.S could you let us know how you made the pendant - materials and such? It's very pretty.
Shannon thanked rickster88
Shannon
Original Author
11 years ago
When posting my original post I somehow posted both from the UK and US- hence I now have 2 threads (?) I added the latest photos to both, but they only enlarge on one (again (?)). If you click on this thread you can enlarge the latest photos...... https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/need-help-lightening-up-my-dining-room-dsvw-vd~2742301