精致生活係列之二 餐廳篇 2 ZT

Bold and Beautiful

Designer Rachel Horn highlighted the strong architectural elements of this dining room in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico by painting the walls a rich red.

Fine Dining

White slipcovered furniture and sea-grass floor mats give this dining room a clean, relaxed look.



This homeowner found gems in Palm Beach and South Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, which she describes as "magical places with many great antiques shops."

A New Old House

Dwayne and Trina Carruth, who designed and built this residence, discovered the black iron light fixture that hangs over the dining room table while on a trip to San Miguel, Mexico, and purchased it as a housewarming surprise for the homeowners. Each room in this home contains a nice blend of earth tone woods, leather, and fabrics from places such as Peru, England, and Morocco.

 

If you love to bring home art from your travels, consider these tips. Group the collections: Smaller items should be displayed in interesting vignette settings. Tuck some treasures away: With larger collections it's good to keep in mind that everything should not be displayed all at once. Change items out periodically, while leaving some pieces tucked away in storage. This will refresh the look.



Provide a background with a neutral color palette. The spaces will seem larger and less cluttered with a sense of continuity through the home.



Give more substantial pieces their own spaces. Larger pieces, such as tribal masks, can be hung on walls throughout the home.

Cool and Contemporary: Family Room

Bold color contrasts reinforce this family room's spare, contemporary lines. The cantilevered gray mantel appears to float in front of the red wall. Bold terra-cotta red surrounds and frames the fireplace wall, which is cast concrete tinted olive gray. The concrete hearth extends along the wall to the right to become a window seat. A plasma television hangs on one wall to free up floor space. Four area rugs were bound together to form a large abstract design that anchors the space.

Reclaiming a Family Homeplace

These homeowners tried to keep as much of this original 1922 adobe house as possible. "The dining room floor tiles are original and beams from the living room were moved into the dining room," says one. The dining room furniture, which belonged to one of the homeowners' grandmother, is from the 1920s and looks like it has always been there.

Cool and Contemporary: Dining Area

The star of the dining area is a square table with a terrazzo-like top made of shards of recycled Chardonnay bottles embedded in polished concrete. Director's chairs have leather seats and backs, a more formal fabric than the usual canvas. The mustard-colored walls contrast with the richly grained palm-wood floor. The chandelier is crafted from metal and amber-colored glass, and its organic shape gives it a modern flair.

Blue in Common

This dining area, just off the kitchen, also opens into the living room and the den, with blues that tie the rooms together.

Dining Decorations

Open shelving and a nook above the mantel with tongue-and-groove backing give this dining room a custom look.



Formal plates mingle with whimsical decorations.

Soft Dining

White panels frame this dining room, distinguishing it from the adjacent living room. The fabric softens noise and helps with acoustics in the large expanse.

Personality Plus

Coupling textiles in exotic styles with ornately designed furnishings, these homeowners crafted a bold space that encourages all to share in this cultural exchange. Dramatic shades of vivid reds and sunny yellows complement the deliberate, whimsical patterns that decorate the fabrics and walls. Details of wood add rich, earthy hues. The furniture includes vintage pieces and reproductions in the historic styles of Persia, China, and North Africa.



Inspired by the fabric on the draperies and armchairs, this homeowner had an artist paint a mural along one of the room's ivory walls.

Warm and Colorful Dining Area

United by long window panels, rich yellow walls, and black accents, this dining room feels contemporary but still has warmth. Designers divided one wall diagonally and applied a rich colored glaze on the lower section, leaving the upper part its original color.

Refreshingly Simple

Simple, terra-cotta window treatments keep inherited antiques from looking "grandmotherly" in this dining room.

Merged Spaces

In this home, one large, airy space contains the kitchen, dining room, and sitting area.



The backsplash above this stove is tiled in a cutom glazed tree-of-life mural.

Art Suggesting Life

A painting of oysters from a Paris flea market overlooks this dining area. Slipcovers add a sleek, elegant feel to the dining chairs.
A painting of oysters from a Paris flea market overlooks this dining area. Slipcovers add a sleek, elegant feel to the dining chairs.

French Country Meets Arts and Crafts

New Orleans designer Patrick Dunne left the charming Art and Crafts windows of this dining room unadorned and filled the room with choice antiques, not of the same period, but equally at home.

Old-world Romance

In this dining room, tufted cushions and slipcovers dress painted chairs. The antique table underscores the formal mood established with a crystal-layden chandelier and antique candelabra.

Bright Herringbone

A herringbone pattern of red terra-cotta field tiles set off vibrant decorative tile on the floor of this dining area.

Mingling Pieces

English pine antiques mingle with new rush-seated chairs in this kitchen's eating area. A Majolica collection and beach finds rest on the hutch.

Perfectly Appointed

Designer Jane Schwab and this homeowner started with a beautiful striped silk fabric that was ideal for the window treatment. From there, other elements fell into place, including the decorative French screen that stretches across the main wall. A round dining table works well in the space. Jane repurposed the homeowners' existing dining chairs, bringing in new fabrics--a blue lampas print for the Chippendale-style chairs and a bright yellow linen for the slipper chairs.



A French reproduction chest doubles as a buffet when needed. An ornate gold mirror and two lamps complete the vignette.

Harrod's Creek Idea House: Dining Room

This dining room area combines the casual with the elegant in a relaxed way. Vibrant throw pillows rest in each chair for added comfort. Two square plywood tables, skirted in tone-on-tone silk, are paired with rattan chairs. The two tables can be pulled together for more traditional dining or to serve as a buffet for casual entertaining. A large recess in the wall holds a hutch for storing and displaying serving pieces.