As much as we love a good “before and after” there is so much involved in the renovation process we would like to share. Our job as designers is to reveal the hidden potential in each client’s home. For this space in particular, our clients wanted a dining room they could entertain in; one that felt intimate yet functional for their family. Although each project’s design journey is different, we generally come up with our designs in three steps: Existing Conditions, Concept and Spatial Qualities, and Details. Today, we’d like to invite you behind the scenes of our design process before we share the final reveal of this space.
1. Existing Conditions
After getting to know our clients, we take the time to document the existing conditions by taking measurements and photographing the space. We think it’s important to note that all designs should be site specific. What we mean by this is that what works in one home may not be suited in another. We love the challenge of working within the confines of an area and creating a design that harmonizes with the unique qualities of every home. In this dining room, the three main existing conditions we knew we would change were, simplifying the threshold, removing smaller arched niches, and bringing in a cool and calm color palette.
2. Concepts and Spatial Qualities
After existing conditions are documented, we like to breakdown the spatial qualities of the site and establish a solid concept and layout for the space. In this dining room, we focused on the two axes of symmetry that traverse the room in both directions, and took advantage of the niche centered on the large wall. This design was particularly fun because our clients wanted the custom build in the niche to become a wet bar. We designed it to fit perfectly within the confines of the niche and tied in the wood tones and natural stones that are prominent throughout the rest of the home. The herringbone pattern defined the floor area for the ten person dining table, and added a grounding layer of texture and pattern. Last but certainly not least, we squared the original threshold and created a clean and established entrance for the space.
3. Details
Once the structural and main design elements are decided, we move onto the details like color palette, lighting, and textures to name a few. We wanted the dining room to feel intimate, and made it a pocket of color in an otherwise neutral home. We fell in love with Sherwin Williams’ Samovar Silver which was the perfect blue with a subtle grey undertone. The color felt soft yet refined and we knew it would pair beautifully with the newly painted wall color throughout the home (Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace). We decided to keep the wallpaper in the ceiling tray and painted the walls and ceiling Samovar Silver. Now that everything is painted, the wallpaper adds a beautiful texture and is not as distracting.
If you are designing your home and are unsure of where to start, try envisioning how you intend on using the space and collect as much inspiration as possible. Gather pictures of artwork, color palettes, patterns and textures you love to help you discover your design personality. There is no wrong place to begin. We hope this provided some insight into our design process, we are so excited about this room coming together over the next few weeks. Stay tuned!
Keep Creating,
The Timeless Oak Team
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