My Bright and Open Dining Room

Hi Everyone,

I’m so excited to give you an update on my bright and open dining room now that we’ve been in the house a couple of months. Although this space isn’t fully completed, many have been asking me to source certain items so I’ve decided to go ahead and simply include what I have whether finished or not. ;)

The first you’ll notice when entering my home is that there is no formal entry. As a matter of fact.. you’re walking ‘into’ the dining room, living room and entry all at once. It’s an open, shared space but the high ceiling allows for a much larger than life overall appearance and feel.

My approach to decorating my dining room was to try and keep the open space elegant yet minimalist at the same time. This room backs to the garden with every wall and window with no wall separating it from the rest of the house. I found there simply wasn’t much space to add a whole lot without crowding the space so my plan was to keep this room as clean and simple as possible in design… necessary for our small home to remain looking clutter-free.

To continue with the classic style of my home I kept all textures in both the furniture pieces and fabrics in neutral yet upscale in look and tone. This way they compliment the rest of the house rather than distract, leaving room for the future garden to act as the star of the show.

While my previous dining room had enough wall space to allow for a large buffet/hutch to house my dishes, this house does not. Rather, we’ve added a built-in glass cabinet that sits directly adjacent to the dining room to fill those needs. It serves it’s purpose and it’s the most elegant piece.  

Surprisingly, I’m really enjoying the dining room as is… It feels purposeful and even better, it’s free of ‘stuff’.  I kept almost everything in the home decor category the same as my last house since I had just completed a dining room redo prior to moving.  I’m comforted in knowing that I still love what I chose. Not surprising.. Jeff is thrilled too. Ha! 

Having downsized with this home we didn’t have the space for two tables so we let go of the kitchen table concept and instead enlarged our island to fill those needs. The substitution is perfect as most meals consist of only my husband and I with our daughter away at college.  The only real time we use our dining table is when hosting a dinner party or when family is visiting and we need the extra space.  I’ve never really needed two tables often… With just the one, our formal dining room is used more than ever before.

In keeping with my love for all things garden related, the only artwork in the dining room is the flower botanicals hanging on either side of the French doors. There really isn’t any other place to hang art other than right next to the front door and I’m planning to use that space to add a mirror to reflect the garden..

image via ~ RH Child and Baby

More Botanicals ~

By tearing down the kitchen wall we lost an integral spot to place a buffet or more art. To make up for the loss we switched out a window in the dining room to make room for another set of of French doors. This allows us the opportunity to let the garden play a much more active role in the space.. as living art.


Pictures of the dining room before we removed the wall…



It was such a darker space with that wall.  I can’t tell you the difference it makes now that it’s gone!

If you’ve been following me on Instagram then you’re already aware of how much I love indoor/outdoor spaces. With our beautiful weather, California is prime for year round garden entertaining. I personally can’t wait for the warm summer days and balmy nights when we can leave the french doors open.


The glass beaded chandelier and large oval table are soft in appearance with their curvy rounded shape and both fit beautifully in our new home. The gray washed oval table is especially appreciated as we need to walk around it to gain access to the garden. The shape lends a much more inviting feel and no one bangs their hip on the table while walking past.

In order to elevate the space a bit more I’ve placed a pedestal with a large tulip arrangement at one end of the room and a large urn filled with green leafy branches at the opposite end. Both provide a fresh bit of color without competing with the botanicals on the wall. Not too long from now I’ll have more than enough color with the garden. :)

Surrounding my table are 4 French style Aidan Gray caned back chairs and a couple of Ballard Designs white slipcovered parsons chairs. I love how easy life is with a slipcover. Not only are they easy to clean but they lend a relaxed atmosphere to an otherwise formal space. 

Last but not least I’ve placed an old tray with a large glass urn filled with seashells in the middle of my table. The glass urn is no longer available but I’ve found a few alternatives below. I love including texture whenever possible and seashells filling a large bowl is one of my favorite ways, no matter the time of year. 

Well… that’s about it except for one last detail.  A rug.  The jury is still out on whether I need one.  I do love the ease of opening the french doors without a rug getting in the way but I also like the possibility of adding another layer of texture. I’ll let you know what I decide over time.  I may just go that route during the winter months.

Hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about my dining room and why I’ve gone in the less is more direction… I should be receiving my new living room furniture soon and can’t wait to show you what I’ve ordered. (It’s taken so long I can barely remember myself… Lol)

xx 

Other Sources ~

Floors – Pravada Floors – Chateau Blanc

Paint – Benjamin Moore – Chantilly Lace in Matte Sheen

Marble (Kitchen) – Lincoln Calacutta

Backsplash (Kitchen) – Lunada Bay – Shinju