Christine wanted help making her dining room into an elegant, sophisticated space and the only thing she REALLY wanted was a display cabinet for the pretty china she had packed away. How many of us have pretty dishes we either inherited or received as wedding gifts? How many of us actually use them? How many of us are not sure where we stored them? I like to use my pretty dishes for holidays and special occasions, but that means they need to be accessible. I was totally onboard with Christine’s request.
Elegant and sophisticated are easily done with black and white. I started by reupholstering the dining chairs in a subtle black and white fabric and painting the chairs and table base black. I replaced the light fixture with something more substantial, tying together the wood grain and the black of the table. Of course, I added my signature black curtain rod and sheers, then I chose a buffet with the table colors again, but with added texture.
I placed artwork above the buffet with black frames and natural coloring that added a pop of green. The buffet also hosted black iron candle holders and my favorite Luminara candles. I really like changing up the textures and I was able to do that with the rattan table runner and the sage and tan striped napkins. I love that Mikasa dishes and Lenox wine glasses are elegant in almost any setting. Finishing off the table, I found a beautiful black textured vase at Pottery Barn and filled it with olive tree branches which tied into the artwork nicely.
I absolutely love the display cabinet I found in black with glass doors top to bottom. AND it was just slightly taller than the door opening, which helps with the height of the vaulted ceiling. I added a touch of life, color and texture to the corner with the olive tree in a basket and the classic elegance is complete. It’s amazing what a little bit of black and white can do!
Send in your own Design My Dilemma to get a makeover for one of your own rooms. Submit a photo of a room in your home that needs a change to: info@karenconrad.net. Include a statement giving permission for your photo to be posted on our platform and what your desire is for the room.
Tell me what you think,
Karen Conrad Metcalfe
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