Family photos in dining room: a designer’s faux pas or is it ok?
Cortney
6 years ago
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Comments (47)
Olychick
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agomarymd7
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Dining room makeover
Comments (11)You've got style integration (and to some degree functional integration) problems: In the DR area, three different period-ish pieces (sideboard, corner cupboard and handsome table). Of the three pieces, it is the corner cupboard which seems to odd man of the three. I like the side board and table together better, than any other combo. Neither of the two other tables you showed would solve this, better. I think each would actually make things worse, unles you were abandonning the other pieces completely. To my eye, it's the sketchy pediment, diagonal window trim (Georgian-ish) of the corner cupboard which falls away from the more Edwardian-era interpretations of the table and side board. How does the room work without the corner cupboard, fat candleholders and the chandy? If you don't use the table primarily for eating, how about this: center the room on the glorious window. Right now the room seems to ignore the central window and instead be broken in two disparate halves. How about putting the sofa to look directly out on the view? Put the table, sans chairs, behind it. Is it narrow enough to work in the room as a behind-the-sofa table? Lovely with a good reading lamp on it, and maybe a cachepot, with some book in low stacks perhaps. Or maybe the sideboard would serve as a sofa table? Remove or redeploy the "corner china cupboard". How about a low bench along the window, with some seating capacity? You could arrange a reading and conversational nook along one wall. What other furniture might be relocated from other parts of the house to break up the all matched set-ishness of the two areas which don't blend enough with each other? It seems as if you don't need, or use the formal dining room function. If so, it's wasted resources to kowtow to the fantasy of it. (You can rearrange furniture to recreate the DR function if you need to do so when you're ready to resell.) I'd try enlisting someone to help you move pieces around the house, as a first step, while you noodle on whether you'd be OK with 86'ing the whole DR vignette, if you aren't using it in the that way. I hope you're not offended with my comments on your DR furniture. I had a similar assemblage, especially the china cupboard, that I struggled with for years. I finally had to admit that the china cupboard was the problem. Once I got over my mental picture of what I "needed" in my DR (which we used for daily meals, so had to keep), and moved it out, the room immediately looked better with just the table and sideboard. But eventualy I repurposed the side board, too, and replaced it with simple chest of drawers. The sideboard has been (since banishment from the DR) a front hall cupboard (worked very well at that), a TV stand, and later as a supply cupboard in a sewing room. Now it is in storage. My china cupboard lived in a seating area (not totally happily) for bit, then got moved to a guest room (much better use, but without china, just some leather-bound books and the odd bit of silver jug). It's not a very valuable piece and I am not contemplating painting it and using it a guest bath. It is mahogany, which is my only hesitation with painting it. Still working on that decision. When we first start out, we buy stuff that attracts us, makes us feel grown up, seems to be work, etc. I know in my case (looking back at it over 3+ decades) I was trying to recreate rooms I particularly admired. But I was doing it without really knowing how to get there. Time teaches that. But only if you are willing to be flexible and change up things that don't work out. Looking back I can also recognize (now) that some of the things I found so charming (in my mental exemplars) were themselves transitional solutions to problems of space, resources, etc. Bake your hubby's favorite pie or cake and bribe him for an afternoon of lugging stuff around the house. My stuff often turns out to work better assorted into different rooms. And aside from the pastry, there's no cost at all. HTH, L....See MoreNew family room. Blank slate.
Comments (43)juliekcmo, I don't know if the kitchen is coming across very accurately in pictures. It is a very french country white in real life, not the light wood look that it appears in these pictures. With that, it reads a little more on the formal side to me. Either way, I just like more formal style. I agree, I need to think about the pool deck, pool and greenery. I"m not a fan of red so I'm trying to bring out the pinks I think... Thanks kswl and mtnrdredux. In defense of my tan, it is not really a peach. It was repainted some time between 2009 and now b/c I've seen pre-2009 listing pics from before the current owners had the house and the walls were different colors. If I have to repaint, I can do that... I guess... But I am really hoping I'll get the furniture in and it will look OK w/o repainting. I truly don't want to go through all that mess if there is any way to avoid! Old listing picture, as an example. This was before the new owners replaced the floor. The house was only built in 2005 and has already had a kitchen remodel, new floors and a fireplace remodel!...See MoreCrown molding faux pas
Comments (9)Thank you tatts and Flo Mangan for the info on peel and stick. I was wanting to put it on the family room fire place right opposite to the kitchen as a short cut, in grey color so to reflect the marble theme of the kitchen. I get it now, these won't be safe to use. Perhaps real tiles then. A floor guy should be able to do it I suppose, before I get the painters to start their job. Thanks a lot :)...See Morelong, skinny living room/dining room
Comments (23)Yes Pink Peony, I know I asked for suggestions and loved all of yours!!! Eventually, I would love to work towards implementing a lot of what you suggested! But, on my budget I need to take baby steps. I ask for ideas to see my final ‘dream room’ and then keep the concept in mind so that anything I do stays in the direction of that goal. I do LOVE that colour scheme but, for now, I might just have to work with the furniture placement and perhaps buying ivory colour chairs to start. Then, later I can ‘toss’ the love seat from the window and replace with comfy chairs and perhaps then change the wall colour in the dining room and switch up the coffee table and wall art to match. Chalk paint might me a great idea for my existing side table cuz it really is a nice (antique!) table!...See Morecrystalpea
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