On to the dining room. My dining room is small and cozy. I’ve added lots of color in here. Small spaces seem to come alive with color, more intimate, dramatic and fun. Great for conversation.
My tomato cage topiaries have found a permanent home for the holidays (finally). They seem to work well on my rustic Mexican sideboard and bring a Christmas feel to the room. I’ve added lights, gold berry picks and gold star on top (shells are no where to be found).
(click on photos to enlarge)
My color palette for the table was inspired by a set of beautiful… Wedgwood, Asia pattern china, my Mother-in-law gave to us. It’s black and gold with a geometric feel, in a stylized Greek Key motif. It has an Asian flare but would compliment any style of design. Some egg cups with red ornaments were placed, as the cherry-on-top of the layers of dishware. I teamed the china with my black and white damask plates as chargers. It adds a larger scale pattern to the mix (and I just like them a lot).
I used a gold tablecloth to repeat the gold in the plates. A bit more damask was added as a table runner. Then it was accented in red. I like to arrange the napkins in different ways. There are no rules, so have fun folding them anyway you want. Mine were simply folded and set longway between plates. It adds a punch of color right on the plates themselves.
My centerpiece is a ceramic soup terrine, the lid and ladle are a part as well. The flowers were cut from my red Bougainvillea vine that flourishes on my fence ( I use them for every holiday it seems, fresh and always available). I’ve also added red, black and white ornaments to the tureen plate for a little bling. White ceramic candlesticks add to the atmosphere (now I just have to remember to light them).
Looking up. The chandelier gets some attention (like Penney wrote so wonderfully about in the previous post). I’ve added a red berry garland and some greenery in the arms of the fixture. Then tied on, with red cord, some coffee cups that go with the china. In the cups I’ve placed a black and white glass ornament for a little more interest and because it’s fun and unexpected.
I do alot of mixing and matching. To freshen and update my old things, I’ll add a few new accents, like coordinating plates or chargers, a new color of napkin and table runner, vase or centerpiece, unique place setting gifts, or anything that will dress up the table in an interesting way. Like I said, there are no rules that aren’t made to be broken. So break a few and loosen up (the etiquette police will not come to arrest you).
Enjoy your deliciously decorated dining space, no matter how big or small, it’s all how you paint your creative culinary canvas that reveals your great style (just hope the meal is as good as the decor).
Love to hear your dining room dilemmas or successes. Any thoughts???
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1. when will home goods come to austin texas??
by gale — 12/12/08 at 11:09 am #
2. What a beautiful table! You did a great job!
by tardevil — 12/12/08 at 11:22 am #
3. Beautiful! I love all the little touches. The big print on the wall is amazing.
by Stacey — 12/12/08 at 11:22 am #
4. Hi Gale
Although we have no current plans for a new store in the Austin, TX area, we have forwarded your request to our Real Estate Department for their review.
We appreciate your inquiry and look forward to seeing you in one of our other locations soon.
Sincerely,
JoAnn,
Homegoods
by HomeGoods Customer Service — 12/12/08 at 11:50 am #
5. Thank you so much Tardevil,
I see you’re a fan of more than decorating. It’s great to see your passion for your school, and for anything in life that brings you joy!
Thanks so much for taking a moment to cheer us on.
by Cathy — 12/12/08 at 3:27 pm #
6. Hi Stacey,
Thank you, yes, the big print adds a bit of interest to a small room. A good contrast of size and scale. It’s just leaning on the sideboard, but seems to work in the room. I picked it up at a model home resale store.
Keep your eyes open for anything that might add a punch.
Join us again soon.
by Cathy — 12/12/08 at 3:38 pm #
7. Hi there Cathy! OH, I would be in sooo much trouble if I ever went into your home! I just love your taste! I was wondering in your latest pics, where did you pick up the rug in your dining room (I want one just like it for my kitchen but haven’t had any luck!) and what color is that on your walls?
Thanks!
Danielle
by Danielle — 12/12/08 at 8:09 pm #
8. Unbelievable…glad to see some of that damask….
Cool idea with the coffee cups with bulbs in them hanging from the chandolier.
One Christmas…I used cups too….I filled them with a silk arrangement…small ….and pulled the cloth napkins through the cup handles and set them on top of each place setting…looked good.
I learn so much from you….
Merry Christmas….
by Julie — 12/12/08 at 11:42 pm #
9. are those cups really hanging on christams tree??
by dalia — 12/13/08 at 1:54 pm #
10. What a beautiful display for a festive meal. You left no stone unturned. Love the unexpected touches like adding the ladle in the decorating & the Christmas ball tumbling from the cup on the chandelier!
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
by Stephanie — 12/13/08 at 3:53 pm #
11. Thank you so much Danielle
It’s fun to decorate with lots of color and pattern. I’m glad you like that too. Never boring.
As for the area rug, I bought it a few years ago from Home Decorators Collection. It’s an all wool needlepoint style. I don’t have anymore info on it though ( I even went and looked under the corners for a tag, none there). It was a name with “Morning Glory” in it.. HOLD-ON, I just found the old tag in my file. It’s made by Trans-Ocean, Siena, Pattern # 9878748, color name, Morning Glory Black. I knew I had that somewhere!
It did come in lots of sizes. I hope you can find it still.
The wall color was a custom paint mix, but a real close match to it is Benjamin Moore Paint color “Rouge” 2084-30. It’s a red with rusty pink undertones, if that make sense. I’ve enjoyed the color, a little different.
Have fun decorating and write again soon.
by Cathy — 12/14/08 at 1:15 am #
12. I really like the coffee cups hanging, and I love the ornament in the coffee cup. Maybe someday I will have all that great china to decorate with. It all looks great and very festive without being obvious!
by Rachel — 12/14/08 at 1:23 am #
13. Hello Julie,
Thanks you so much Julie, I learn so much from all of you. Your ideas are cute with the napkins and cups. It’s fun to experiment with table decorations…the sky’s the limit…coffee cups hanging from the chandelier, why not?
I hope your ready for Christmas. I’m getting there and I just might make it.
Always great to hear from you!
Merry Christmas back to you,
LYC
by Cathy — 12/14/08 at 1:36 am #
14. Hi Dalia,
No, those cups arn’t hanging from a Christmas tree, they’re hanging from a chandelier. But, a collection of coffee or tea cups would look adorable hanging on a tree. Thanks for a good idea, I may have to do that next year!
Take Care!
by Cathy — 12/14/08 at 1:45 am #
15. Hello Stephanie,
Thank you so much. You are very observant. The lid and ladle are hard to see in the picture, but they are there. Why not use them as well. Those cups hanging just seemed too empty without something else in them, so the ornaments seemed to do the trick. It’s fun to try things, you never know what you’ll come up with…if it looks a little odd, someone will tell you… but you can do it anyway!
Thanks so much for taking time to write. Enjoy the Holidays!
Hope to talk again soon.
by Cathy — 12/14/08 at 2:02 am #
16. Cathy,
Love your approach to color and decorating. You’re in So.cal, do you have a website I could visit?
by jane — 12/14/08 at 1:57 pm #
17. Hello Rachel,
Thank you, and I’m glad you like the coffee cups swinging from the chandelier. There’s lots of fun ways you can decorate a table without buying all new stuff…just use what you have in a new way and add a few new pieces to update or change a theme. You don’t need fancy china, just find dishware that coordinates by color, vary your patterns and scale of designs and it will look great.
Thank you so much for your nice remarks. Please write again and Happy Holidays to you.
by Cathy — 12/15/08 at 3:24 pm #
18. About those wonderful rugs… can you give me some advice as to how to decorate a room with one. I’m redoing the family/breakfast area, and love a patterned rug similar to yours. How do you go about matching the valance? I’m wondering what type of pattern to pick, or do I stick with a solid? (the couch is red) thanks.
by jane — 12/15/08 at 3:41 pm #
19. Thank you so much Jane,
Yes, I’m in the So. Cal. area. I do not have a website at this time. Most of my business comes from referrals so the need for a website has not been a priority. I’ve enjoyed writing for HomeGoods and sharing my insight through their site, and would be happy to answer any design or decorating questions you might have here.
Let me know if I can help you with anything. I’ll look forward to talking with you again.
by Cathy — 12/15/08 at 3:42 pm #
20. Hello Jane,
Good rug question! Many people like to start decorating a room with the area rug first. Especially if it’s a patterned one. Why? because if you find a rug you like, the colors and patterns are finite. You can’t change them to go with the room. But you can change paint colors, solid color fabrics and other elements to blend with the rug. So, a good place to start decorating a room, is with the area rug first.
I like to place a patterned rug in a breakfast/family room areas, because those areas of the house are used more than others. There are usually activities, spills, kids and pets that expose the rug to wear and tear, a patterned rug will not show as much wear as a solid color one.
Usually traditional style of furnishings use traditional patterns of rug, but not always. Contemporary styles are more simple, less pattern, more texture, or strong color, or bold patterns. You definately can mix styles for an eclectic feel.
Not knowing your style, and with a red sofa, and in a breakfast/family area, you have many choices. If you have kids and pets, find a patterned rug with some of your red color in it. Pick another color out of the rug to paint your walls, and another color out of it for draperies, pilllows and accents. Let the rug be the jumping off point for all the colors in the room. It really makes finding a color scheme easy.
I hope this gave you a few ideas to work from. Let me know how things turn out.
by Cathy — 12/16/08 at 1:51 pm #
21. This is the first time I got on your blog. I really like your table under the windows. I wished I could do that but my windoew are up higher. I have slider windows. Although I think I could try that. Interesting things that I have not thought of. Good Work. Keep them coming.
by Shirley — 12/17/08 at 9:41 pm #
22. Welcome Shirley,
So glad you joined in. Glad you enjoyed the post and ideas. Yes, by all means try a few different arrangements you might be surprised at what you design. Things you might not think will work, just might. Decorating is all about personel style, jump in and have some fun!
Please write back again, I’d love to chat more!
by Cathy — 12/18/08 at 7:41 pm #
23. I received as a gift Home Goods almond flavored coffee , where in the St. Louis/Rolla, Mo area can I buy this and other flavored Home Goods coffee
by eva — 1/17/09 at 1:45 pm #
24. Hello Eva,
I would check back at HomeGoods in your area for more of the same coffee. Or see if the manufacturer has a web site or address you can write to, for places to purchase it in your area or online.
Good luck with your search.
by Cathy — 1/20/09 at 6:23 pm #