Do it Now: Some Thoughts and Words from a Chronic Procrastinator & the Red Dining Room

The Clock that I Need, from the Blog - Come Full Circle

As I sit here, looking on the Internet for that perfect color and idea that I want to present to a client for a dining room re-design, I came across this image quite by accident.  I need this clock...badly.  If I procrastinate any more with this client - I may lose her. I have the idea for her dining room in my head already - but I don't think I have ever seen it.  So - I started searching for something close.  The client is pretty color fearless (thank goodness!) and she'd love to have a red dining room. 

Beautiful use of red and orange by the design team at Nahemow Rivera

This image may help her see an entire room - but her space is not as grand as this and she has 9 foot ceilings. An entire red room would close up her space too much. 

Here is another beautiful dining room, but again there's quite an expanse of white moldings and built-ins that allow the room to be light and bright despite the rich color

A beautiful pinkish red dining room by Mark Morris Design Group

Again in this beautiful room, the tall ceilings and windows allow the use of a deep saturated color.  So I have been thinking that the red hue could be beautifully used on the upper portion of the room - and we could create a beatiful cream or white painted wainscot treatment below.  It's a very formal and traditional look for a dining room. That would work - but then I remember that she purchased a large wrought iron chandelier and perhaps this this treatment might be a bit too formal.  The client has a young family and the room will be used for homework on weekdays.  Nothing like trying to clean scuff marks off the light colored wainscoting (not to mention the banging chairs!).

So I think that I have to come up with a durable finish for the wainscoting - perhaps a beautiful deep, rich semi-gloss red.  To create a lighter feeling, I'd like to have vertical panels above - that feature a grasscloth wallpaper in a honey tone (or I could do a faux grasscloth, if the cost of the wallpaper is too dear).  That way my client's room will look taller and the room won't look as closed in and the look will be less formal - and more durable. 

Not a dining room - but this is closer to the idea of the wainscoting and panels (below and above).  The above picture shows a longer horizontal upper treatment, whereas I would like to create vertical panels on the upper portion.  Having a lighter tone with the grasscloth inserts would help lighten the room - plus the client would like to have a yellow, honey toned living room, which is adjacent to her dining room.  The colors of both rooms would go beautifully and the red wouldn't be coming out of nowhere.

I had also suggested to my client that we should do something special with the ceiling.  Perhaps a gorgeous design to tempt your eyes upwards...

Ceiling design by artist, Kay Allen

Or I could paint and antique a beautiful Anaglypta (raised wallpaper) and trim it with molding to create a faux tin ceiling panel (only in a copper and perhaps with verdigris) that would keep it traditional but more informal.

Anaglypta wallpaper, from Southern Living

I can see some beautiful gold and red striped silk panels (or faux silk, if we're being more practical) to finish the first few parts of this room. 

So, now I think that I'd better call my client.  Blogging has helped me figure out the room for my client - and I have some visuals that will help her to see what I'd like to do in her room.  All without sketching (which I still may have to do!)...but at least now I have killed two birds with one stone - a blog post and a mood board!

Wish me luck!