A Mod-Traditional Dining Room by Sharon Taylor Designs

Most American families don't use their dining rooms, but the couple who own this beautiful English home DO... and here's why:

Freshly painted walls, and 'Taylor-Made' touches.

What do you think? My clients are quite pleased with it, and so am I!

This dining room was opened up to a small kitchen. Basically, the door leading into the dining room was small and squatty. It was widened and raised, with all trim and molding made to match all of the original 1920's styled woodwork.

While the widened doorway was a really grand and needed update..the two conjoined rooms were still feeling disjointed and not cohesive at all. The kitchen was already painted this beautiful color of blue {the Brit husband's fave oceanic color}, and the dining room had butter yellow walls and yellowish curtains. I convinced them that they needed to "be-Out-with" the yellow and bring on the same vibrant blue as the kitchen. I knew that this would happily marry the two rooms together and give the space one large, sweeping-room effect. {Unfortunately, I have no photos of the kitchen to share yet...but will soon.}

This mod-traditional project is pretty much right in line w/the way this middle aged couple live. They are madly in love after 15 years of marriage and whenever I visit them for their bedroom makeover, the husband is usually cooking dinner on their viking range, the table is set w/lit candles, fresh flowers...and then she arrives home from work with a "Hi, honey I'm home." and a smooch. They have their long dinner chat together and then they take their fast paced nightly walk...arm in arm. {Mod, yet traditional living and very sweet}

The drapes and chandelier are from West Elm. Flowers by Janet Pearson, The Orchid Lady. Black Chair Slipcovers designed by me. We used the chairs they already owned...but they were needing some serious style makeovers since being purchased in the 80's. I had them re-dressed in some classy custom made slipcovers using wholesale heavy duty black denim. The dining table is an antique and the wings on the sides fold down. It seats six comfortably, but could also be used as a credenza or sofa table as well. The rug was found at Tuesday Morning.

Photography by Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio Photography