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jdiskin79

Transitional dining room decor

6 years ago

looking for advice on how best to fi



inish my dining room....because it is looking rather bland! Specifically want to complete the room with drapes and styling the buffet table. Tips on how best to bring in color and/or prints? Should I ditch the ivory rug I have and get a colorful print instead?


Considering floral drapes from Anthropologie but I don’t know if they go well in a dining room.


I would really love any help you can provide bechase I’m totally stuck!!! thank you!

Comments (27)

  • 6 years ago

    Your problem is you need to pick a style. That area rug is formal and contemporary. That buffet has a rustic quality to it. The chandelier doesn't fit with the dining set. Your art work doesn't match with anything in the space. And is that a cactus? You're all over the board that's why it doesn't look right. So I would stop what you're doing and get someone with some decorating sense to help you. I would keep the area rug, the chairs and the table, and then work to build off of that. And do not hang mirrors in dining rooms, and especially not over a mirrored piece of furniture. That's where (appropriate) art should go.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks - I hadn’t hung the mirror and knew it didn’t work so will scrap it. I’ll look for artwork but I don’t think I can get rid of the buffet unfortunAtely so need to work with it.

  • 6 years ago

    Jess, you can make what you have work. Can you give us a shot of the whole buffet wall including the table and chairs? Is there a shorter wall that might hold the bar cart, maybe the end opposite the windows?

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you so much! I moved the cart as you suggested And took down the pictures (They will be moved). do you think I should go with a more neutral curtain or something with bolder color or pattern? Any other suggestions?



  • 6 years ago

    OK, now I have a much better sense of the room. It's possible you can put the cart back next to the fireplace, or it might stay by the window, but I would hang one piece of art only above it. Your "Antiquities" sign might work, though it's a little wide.


    Give us one more shot, this one of the fireplace wall. The mirror might work there and echo the buffet. And you might try your three framed prints over the buffet, spacing them close enough so they take up about 3/4 of the width.


    For curtains, I quite liked that yellowish-tan check from Anthropologie, though you'd have to actually see it in the room. Another good choice would be curtains that echo the shade on your chandelier.

    Jess D thanked groveraxle
  • 6 years ago

    In my opinion, the SCALE of your table is large, so you need to repeat another item that is at a larger scale. A single large art, or drapes with large ( +12”) flowers, etc.

    Jess D thanked ulisdone
  • 6 years ago

    Yes, it is quite a large room and a large table. I agree about the large piece of artwork. Something like this?

    https://www.minted.com/product/art/MIN-QMP-GNA/verdant?ccId=632883&color=A&org=title&feature=Browse&event=sku_click&sku=MIN-BBX-GNA&pop_rank=109&source=image&t_api=1&shape=


    What do you think about these type of drapes?

    https://www.potterybarn.com/products/riviera-stripe-blackout-drape/?pkey=ccurtains-drapes%7Cpatterned-drapes-curtains


    I am also thinking it may help if I paint the walls a different color.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Two items disturb me...........the yellow cast on the chandelier shade ^ the lack of contrast with the window panels. I might have selected the other color way.




    Jess D thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • 6 years ago

    Thanks. Is your advice to get rid of the chandelier? I would love to bring some color into the room in the right way. I am NOT a fan of yellow. The rest of my house has blues and grays. The shade is definitely ivory but looks yellow in the pictures/when lighted for sure.

  • 6 years ago

    I assume at some point you will add chairs? ;-)


    Nomad Black Weave Metal Boat Basket | Pier 1 Imports · More Info


  • 6 years ago

    lol yes, good question! they have been back ordered from Williams Sanoma for months (has been a horrible experience to deal with the company)

  • 6 years ago

    What about a piece of artwork like this? Very expensive, but trying to get an idea of what may work.


    https://www.mcgeeandco.com/collections/all-artwork/products/open-ocean

  • 6 years ago

    Maybe a modern windsor or a wishbone chair:



    Jess D thanked groveraxle
  • 6 years ago

    This doesn't seem to go with the vibe of the room:


  • 6 years ago

    I thought I posted this earlier, suggesting you echo the chandelier shade with the drapes:


  • 6 years ago

    How wide is the buffet?

  • 6 years ago

    I'm not loving the table runner.

    Do you have pictures of the chairs you have on order?

    You might like this take on table runners that also act as placemats.



  • 6 years ago

    This piece is 52" square. Gonna be too big.


    Jess D thanked groveraxle
  • 6 years ago

    I do like that idea for table runners!


    These are the chairs. I can definitely cancel the order though. I am thinking I should get something more modern. https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/fitzgerald-side-chair-upholstery/?pkey=cdining-chairs-stools%7Cdining-chairs-casual&isx=0.0.3783


    The buffet is 70'' wide.

  • 6 years ago
  • 6 years ago

    The PB curtains:

    I was hoping you'd picked this chair:

    Chatham Side Chair | Williams Sonoma · More Info


    Jess D thanked groveraxle
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Your table creates a very strong vibe, and I would like to see some genuine art, not something that can be had in three different sizes. Try e-bay for original oils and acrylics that have soul and impact that you can't get from "popular" art. Look for a large painting to go over the console and three smaller oils for the other wall. Paintings sold by artists can be quite reasonable. Art is always a worthwhile investment which will last you the rest of our life.

    Jess D thanked ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
  • 6 years ago

    I love those Chatham side chairs. Does it matter the seat Is 2 inches lower than the head chairs? Would you do black or the gray?

  • 6 years ago

    Chairs need to be the right height for people sitting at the table. You don't want the chair too low or too high. They should probably be all the same height.

    Jess D thanked leelee
  • 6 years ago

    Thanks. Most of the chairs I am finding I like are 18in seat height whereas my head chairs are 20in. Maybe I return them.

  • 6 years ago

    Perhaps the upholstered head chairs end up being 18" when you sit in them? In any case, any chairs you choose need to be comfortable and fit at the table.


    Jess, since there's nothing in your ideabook, I'm a little confused about what look you're going for here. The table, buffet, framed vintage prints, and centerpiece suggested rustic modern to me which is why I think the Chatham chair (or the two other cheaper ones I showed above) would work well. You could do either the wood or black; black would be a little bolder.


    For now, how about hanging the trio of prints over the buffet until the perfect piece appears?