Dining Room Before & After

I was so excited about this plan when I presented it to my client.  I typically work with my clients throughout almost their entire homes so the first presentation meeting for the first room or set of rooms is really important in setting the tone for the home  and for determining how we’re going to work together.  As much as I love designing a home in its entirety, I also love for clients to get the chance to experience a room entirely through from conception to completion because after that, the trust between us is incredibly strong as we go through the rest of the home.  Decorating a house can be worrisome for lots of people and so having this trust is key.

When I started working on the plans for this room, I knew I wanted to do a painted blue sideboard and a wood-topped table.  I love a mix of painted and wood furnishings in a room and thought blue would be perfect for my client’s coastal leanings.  All of my client’s inspiration rooms seemed to have slipcovered parsons chairs so we decided to go with those and I had them made with simple linen slips that didn’t reach the floor, to keep things casual.  I thought adding a casual striped dhurrie would bring the formality down another notch and relax everything a bit.   The branch chandelier was one of the most important elements in the room to me & when I presented it to my client (at our first presentation meeting) I really wasn’t sure that she would go for it.  (I’ll be honest, most clients wouldn’t go for it.)  I think I probably hugged her when she said “yes” to it like it was really no big deal.  (Thanks Colleen!!! 🙂

And, although it doesn’t look like it, we did repaint this room.  The color we chose (my favorite go-to ivory, Benjamin Moore’s “seashell” just had the slightest bit of glow to it that the original paint was missing.  It’s something that doesn’t necessarily show in photos, but when you get the right light neutral up on a wall, it makes a room sing.  It was that trust I mentioned that really made this project so special and such a pleasure to work on.  The Bamboo Windsor Chairs initially made my client a bit nervous because she thought they might feel a bit too traditional, and so we held off on them. Once the room was installed without them though, my client was ready for them.  They’re one of my favorite elements in the room and that little addition of warm wood was just what it needed.

I’m off for an installation in DC, but hope you enjoyed!! I’ll be sharing our clients’ foyer soon too. And thank you, especially, to my client, for being so open-minded about everything.  (She’s the one who is an artist and doesn’t know it yet.  See here.  She’s said she’s open to doing more paintings, so if you’re interested, send me an email.)  Have a great day!!