Adding some whimsy to a "dated" red dining room with fabric?
We eat in our dining room every night. I still like the red more than other colors at this time and have been trying to find another color for years to redo it with to no avail. I still love red dining rooms it seems. I have black toile fabric on seats on a window seat that after many children and cats needs to be switched out. I want something a little bit lighter and fun. I have grey and turquoise or more accurately sea foam colors in the adjoining living room and want to add some turquoise to the dining room too.
I found this bird fabric for very cheap and I like it for it adds a bit of whimsy to the heavy room but not sure if it looks wrong. Here it is wrapped around the seats and window bench, which is being rebuild in a few weeks so I need to decide in the next few weeks. We are also replacing the chandelier as soon as I can decide on one I like best.
Thoughts( pillows go with present toile fabric and will be replaced after I finalize my fabric choice)
View from living room. Rug is temporarily but will not be replaced til last child turns five...
View from kitchen
Comments (17)
8 years agoRelated Discussions
I hate my dining room! Would this curtain fabric work?
Comments (32)I love the drapes you have! I think the problem is the wall color. The soft gold in your great room would work well with both your drapes and the fireplace tile. Or maybe a warm, soft terra rosa, glazed or color-washed? But personally I like the gold. Ivory or a paler version of the gold would also work. Do some big sample boards - just some old cardboard will do - but at least 2'x4' or 3'x3'. Your windows read very high-set - that stands out as not being the usual placement - you can experiment with the height the drapes are mounted and see if a different proportion pleases you better - maybe a little higher, even almost to the ceiling. The drapes are puddling, and maybe they have a hem that could be let out - they could go higher. Or sew on a contrasting band of terracotta on the bottom. (or whatever color the inner curtains are - hard to tell in pictures sometimes.) The bit of wall between the window and the crown molding is so narrow that it might be better not to treat it as the wall but as panelling, like over the mantel. All you would have to do is frame it with short vertical pieces of flat molding over the window casing verticals, just glue it on. Paint the molding to match your trim and either do the recesses the same or to match your over-mantel recesses. A bigger rug out to six inches of the walls. Something easy to clean and with a pattern - you have children eating there. My youngest is nine, we still have spills. Low pile, no loops, not fuzzy. Something to occupy the walls will make the room feel cozier - a long window seat with a bench cushion and pillows, and cabinets underneath. Do you ever have many people to a sit-down dinner - an L-shaped banquette would give you lots of seating. Kids could play there, do their homework, look out the window, keep you company as you worked in the kitchen - put away homework and toys in the cabinets - presto clean. Also your linens and servingware not used every day. Accessories with more weight and color, more dimensionality than the plates on the wall and the pictures and things over the hearth. It really is a good dining room, good bones, good molding, good view, good fireplace, good flooring, spacious. It won't be hard to love. The fireplace is your starting point because you can't change the tiles. Then either wall color, rug, or rug, wall color, working with the tiles. THEN drapes and upholstery. Then accessories. Paint is your cheapest element. Even if you hire someone to paint, you can buy the cans and do big sample boards yourself or directly on the wall. You don't like the color? Worst that happens is you're out the cost of the sample can. So it's worth experimenting, because it will set the mood of the room....See MoreOpinions Solicited: Fabrics to update Dining Room
Comments (34)Tinam, you are right that it's all about the region one lives in.....red may be trendy in some areas and not others. I was kind of hoping to hang on to it until it was in again :-) I like the idea of a stencil, rorah, as that way I could get exactly the right colors--- but mtn has got the red completely right with that Cole and sons wallpaper. I like it, it is a bit toned down but the gold is fantastic, as in the coral and gold paper. Maybe I am just longing for bling and don't realize it! I have to admit I am also liking the idea of a very white or shades of cream room, although that is completely unlike me. Lots of ideas to consider here and I appreciate all the input. Creating a room that is lovely and welcoming and comfortable and elegant is not an easy task! Many thanks! I will post later after I have seen what ID #1 has to say. And VERY good news--- finally got the bid on the basement renovation and it is about 50% less than my "worse case" scenario and about 20% less than my expectation, so I am seriously excited and we are starting right after Christmas! Not getting the handmade brick made a huge difference in the price of the flooring. Luckily, I found a locally made brick I like even more, the brick size is better and they are doing a run just for my basement, then slicing off 1/2" for my floor. The rest of the brick will be pulverized and recycled into more brick. This stuff is so reasonable I am now going to brick the service hallway on the other side of the house AND the wine cellar!...See MoreDining Room Design Using Heirloom Dining Set
Comments (16)I love that furniture and wouldn’t paint it ... it has beautiful lines, nice details, lovely color, and more depth as is than paint would. I think it works better for a transitional dining room ... it brings the traditional to the mix. I’m a fan of painted furniture, but more for pieces that don’t have original, redeeming qualities (although there are some beautiful examples posted here for sure). There’s nothing wrong with embracing sentimental value, unless it’s something truly hideous. :) I would wallpaper the big wall the bar is on. Of course there are a million photos in searches ... here’s some: https://www.houzz.com/photos/wallpaper-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~a_3406-20866 You really could go in any direction: bold, colorful patterns, grasscloth in natural or colors, a muted color/pattern. I like your idea of sconces with the bar. You said you have gray in your house, too, which made me think of these rooms using vintage furniture in an updated style: Not vintage furniture here, just showing the wall color and other elements: I hope you’ll keep us updated!...See MoreIdeas on what could be updated or changed to improve this dated room?
Comments (21)You’re so blessed to have this large space! Love that it’s not matchy-matchy. Later on: Paint the ceiling the ivory color; white ceiling reflects dark gray shadows. Walls and mouldings look good in same ivory. (Check out crown mouldings situated on the ceilings instead of the wall and flush-ceiling chandeliers.) Agree with Trace-china cabinet opposite the window. Then replace it with the wider, dark buffet. Tall slender buffet lamps and a large, tall modern art piece would be a great contrast to the room and ”blend” height from the china cab & new drapery—kids could probably come up with a real conversation starter! Two upholstered dining chairs would be pretty in front of the windows—extra seating. If you need the smaller table, stain it dark or (if no sentimental value) paint it a crazy accent color from the kids’ art and use it between the chairs??? I’d use the sideboard where the dark buffet is now. Darker stain later? (Metal conduit=cheap strong curtain rod; maybe spraypaint it to match the new lamps.) Why is my heart saying to whitewash the sideboard and put it in front of the window during gatherings for a dessert table? On that note, It’s time for me to leave. I’ll see myself out....See MoreRelated Professionals
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8 years agoroarah, check out eBay for Thibaut fabrics, There are a lot of listings, many for enough that you'd need to cover the cushion. This is an exceptional bargain, as it's a discontinued one. But 2.75 yards of Thibaut Camelot for $10.80!
You probably don't want red, but what a bargain. I have taken a pic from online as I think the auction pic is off in its color.
roarah thanked My3dogs ME zone 5A- 8 years ago
- 8 years ago
8 years agoMy random thoughts:
The new fabric seems too light and doesn't have enough oomph for your wall color.
I don't think you should necessarily match the window seat cushion to your chair cushions. Maybe 2 different fabrics, and if you want to tie them together visually, use the dining-chair fabric to make toss pillows for the window seat.
I would take the turquoise "idea" from the adjacent room but punch it up to something closer to a dark teal. I think that will work much better with the red and black.
Not necessarily these fabrics, but this depth of color. (Or even deeper on the teal -- just couldn't find darker samples quickly.)
Do the drapes stay? TBH, I don't think they're adding anything to the room.Finally, have you ever considered painting the wall molding red (wall color) instead of white? I think those white lines create a level of busy-ness that is sort of distracting. We have similar woodwork in our DR, and originally had it painted white, but changed it years ago and I like the room much better that way. Just my two cents, which you are welcome to ignore. :-)
roarah thanked Sueb20- 8 years ago
- 8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
- 8 years ago
- 8 years ago
I have used this in the past and like it very much. I made a pillow this winter in the dark brown colorway. Portfolio Lutron Vintage Fabric $22.50 per yard
Lots of colors to pick up in the room.
Or the fabric that I made my spring/summer office panels from last year - 'Latika' in the 'circus colorway -
$19.95 a yard at Fabric Guru, or $62.86 per yard at Online Fabric Store!
Richloom Madrid in 'Persia' $23.95 yd at Fabric Guru
roarah thanked My3dogs ME zone 5A - 8 years ago
This may not be the right red.. http://www.sailrite.com/Covington-Whimsy-Mardi-Gras-Fabric?gclid=CKrDlO2Hm9ICFdgGgQodelUAyA
If you are artistic you may be able to come up with your own pattern.. maybe let your kids design it.
palimpsest