Cottage Style on a Shoestring

» countryhausfrau - help me make my dining room go with the rest of my cottage

Hello:

My home is a farm in rural South Carolina and I have decorated in a cottage style.

My dining room is small, 12x12 with a set of double doors on one wall, the other walls are as follows: a double width arch into the living room, a wall with a large mahogany hutch containing white porcelain and lladro figurine collection, and last wall opens into kitchen with a plate collection and a small bench underneath (this wall also leads down a hallway. The table is a mahogany duncan phife surrounded by four cream tone-on-tone damask skirted parsons chairs.

Trouble is EVERYTHING in this room is off white.The only color is in the pale pastels of the figurines and a Roger Tory Peterson birds of north america plate collection which has green and 24kt borders.

The adjoining rooms (LR and KITCHEN) are pale yellow walls, white wood furniture & cabinets. Counters are wedgewood blue. LR furniture is a blue,yellow and white cabana stripe, Curtains are white lace with blue and yellow toile and solid blue valance. Accent colors in Charleston watercolors and throw pillows are various shades of blue, cream, dusty pink and sage.

The dining room looks too formal and stiff. I love the light breezy feel of the kitchen and LR and the pastel colors. I can't get anymore of the toile fabric to use in the dining area because I made the LR curtains out of discontinued sheets. Any ideas for wall color and window treatment to put some life in the dining room?

Thank you.

Lindsey

-- posted by countryhausfrau

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» Lu - Re: help me make my dining room go with the rest of my cottage

In response to message posted by countryhausfrau:

Well it sounds like you have a lovely cottage home! To add some color to your dining room, you might try finding a colorful tablecloth or runner on your table. Small, colorful pillows could be added to your skirted chairs, although they may need to be removed for comfortable sitting while dining.

For your walls you could try an airy paint technique, such as sponging on two shades of yellow (a flat as the base, a slightly dark yellow glaze sponged on top).

Another way to introduce some color into the room is to paint the woodwork, or by adding a bit of stenciled design. For instance, you could stencil on a "frame" for your plate collection or artwork.

As far as window treatments, I often purchase irregular white sheets then paint on my own design using stamps or stencils.

Good luck, and let us know how your dining room turns out!

-- posted by Lu

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» countryhausfrau - Re: Re: help me make my dining room go with the rest of my cott

Thank you for your nice compliment. It IS lovely - to me! Most of my guests seem pleased.

As for the boring dining room I have decided to wallpaper the dining room in a mottled paper with several shades of blue> it kinda looks sponged.It won't cost me anything because it's leftover from a project in my last house.

I'm going to put a rose, blue, gold and cream floral down the sides of the exterior doors AND the doors into the other rooms. They will be mounted on decorative poles and "frame" the openings, but not cover them. That way three of the walls will have color and pattern. Also I am making a coordinating centerpiece for the table.

All of your suggestions were taken into account and gave me inspiration. Again, thanks!

-- posted by countryhausfrau

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