Dining room dos

A plain, neutral wall colour is a perfect backdrop for a lively, vibrant painting. The colours in this artwork pull the palette of the room together, while its size creates a bold visual focus that suits the proportion of the room. It also provides a guide to placing the furniture, which is perfectly situated to enjoy the artwork.

The painting links elements in the room through a repetition of colour and proportion. For example, the proportion of the red block in the painting is similar to the red side tables.

Line and texture in the painting adds visual interest and richness to the room, while the vertical lines bring height and attract the eye to the dining table.

Like colour, repetition of shape is a simple and strong way to link objects in a room. Circles (table, stools and decorative elements like the pendant light, candles, plates and coasters), cones (stools, candles, pendant light and base of the table), blocks (red side tables and painting) and organic shapes (rug, dining chairs and pendant light details) have been repeated in various sizes and limited colours. This adds unity and a quiet energy to the room.

The hide on the floor roughly defines the dining table space and is large enough to accommodate the chairs.

This room has a relatively simple arrangement of furniture, with everything radiating out from the table. Furniture and decorative elements along the walls create a boundary and leave the centre of the room open for the dining furniture. There’s enough space for people to move easily around the furniture and the room.

Since repetition gives an object more visual weight, even the most ordinary objects, such as coloured candles, can make a powerful impact en masse.

Consider lights as displays in themselves. This pendant light grabs your attention with its cascading paper-flower patterns. It also provides ambient lighting to an otherwise empty corner of the room.

The dinnerware forms part of the colour palette. It’s appropriately playful.

Dining room don’ts

While the individual pieces in this room are fairly current and could work well in different contexts, the overall feel here is haphazard and unloved.

The rectangular rug fails to reinforce the intimacy of a round table above and it’s too narrow for the chairs to fit onto. The directional stripes are also at odds with the arrangement of a round table.

Avoid making a feature out of a small item on a big wall, like this clock.

Just as a desk lamp belongs on a desk, leave the office chair in the office.

Generally, the dining chairs should all match, or at least form a cohesive theme of line, colour, form and style.

Fold-up chairs should only be used as spares — they’re uncomfortable, unattractive and not as strong as purpose-built dining chairs.

Don’t place high flowers in the centre of a dining table, as they obstruct conversation. The same goes for candles and other tall decorative pieces.

Don’t use a sarong as a curtain. The exception could be a decorative sarong that fits perfectly in the space and goes with a bohemian theme.

Don’t use window treatments that are too short. You may have saved a few dollars buying something on sale, but it’s not worth the saving if it doesn’t fit perfectly and cheapens the space.

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