Splurge or Save? Get Swept Away with these Two Dining Room Looks
Summer is here and that means it’s almost vacation time! Are you a beach person or a mountain person? I enjoy both but definitely prefer a woodsy cabin over a sunny cottage. There’s a plethora of art available on the internet that will transport you to your favorite getaway, wherever that may be. Some of my favorite websites for art are FY!, Society6, and The Poster Club.
I’ve put together two dining room looks, in two very different price points, which feature framed art inspired by crisp sea water and fresh mountain air. The high-end dining room features ocean photography that complements - but doesn’t compete with - the whimsical “Korallang” wallpaper (this wallpaper pattern has forest animals mixed with coral – elements from two beautiful but very different places on earth).
For the more budget-friendly dining room, I moved the pattern from the walls to the floor. The cost of this printed area rug is significantly lower than the cost of materials for wallpaper, plus there’s no installation labor involved for a rug. Keep in mind, the rug will be covered by your table and chairs, so you won’t see the pattern as much as you would if it were on your walls, but it’s a great way to add a whimisical print and soft aqueous colors to the room, without the huge expense of wallpaper.
For the trim color, I chose Sherwin Williams Moody Blue 6221, which complements the wallpaper. For the option without wallpaper I chose SW Shell White 8917 for the walls above the chair rail. Or if you prefer to flip the colors and use Shell White for the bottom half of the wall, you could use SW Dutch Tile Blue 0031 for the top half… it’s a lighter blue that is very similar to the background color in the wallpaper.
Product links for both looks are provided below. If you would like me to put together a custom look for your dining room, complete with mood board, floor plan, and shopping links, check out our design packages and select Tier 3. I also do custom packages for clients who already have the room halfway there but need help with the finishing touches.
What drives up the price/makes it more expensive?
Vintage/Antique, One-of-a-kind, Hand-made, Hand-painted, Hand-dyed, etc.
Made-to-order “slow furniture”
Textiles such as Silk, Leather, Wool, Linen
Light fixtures with a metal finish that is hand-applied, has plaster work, curved metal, and/or features like fabric shades for each bulb
Custom-made drapery, custom rods cut to size, with added details like curtain rings and drapery wands (a pole that hangs off the rod and you use it to pull the curtains closed, rather than tugging on the fabric)
Solid wood furniture with details such as herringbone inlays and soft-close drawers
Chairs with caning, rattan/wicker, and performance upholstery fabric
Furniture is pre-assembled (mostly) and delivered on a large truck
Original Artwork, Custom frame sizes, Higher Quality Frames with Glass and Custom-Cut Mats
Hand-knotted or hand-hooked rugs
Popular Brand/Higher Markup
What keeps the cost down?
Mass produced “fast furniture”
Textiles such as Polyester, Cotton, Rayon, and Polypropylene
Light fixtures with color that is powder-coated (sprayed on)
Ready-made curtains available in standard widths & lengths, adjustable curtain rods
Furniture made with engineered wood (plywood, MDF) frame with wood veneer
Assembly required (shipped in smaller package via courier, with all or some parts separated)
Artwork is mass printed (not original paintings/drawings) and shipped with acrylic instead of glass, with lesser quality frames
Power loomed rugs; Digital print rugs (pattern is surface printed, not woven)
PRO TIPS:
When buying dining chairs, make sure there’s a comfortable amount of space between the seat height and the underside of your dining table. Look at the product specs and you’ll see the “clearance under the table to the floor”… subtract the chair seat height from that, but keep in mind if there’s a seat cushion it will probably sink a bit when you sit on it. I like to have 8-9” of space so people can sit with their legs crossed (same goes for the height of your office chair in relation to your desk, and the space between your counter stool and the countertop). If you only have 6” of space then you won’t be able to cross your legs.
Also, if you are buying different chairs for the ends of the table, make sure the proportions are similar to the side chairs, although the end chairs can be a little taller than the side chairs. If it’s the other way around (side chairs are noticeably taller than your end chairs) it will look unbalanced.
With wallpaper and paint colors, always get a sample/swatch to look at in your home before purchasing. Colors on the internet often don’t look the same as how they appear in real life, plus the lighting in your home affects the color too. The same goes for area rugs – even with inexpensive area rugs I recommend getting a swatch first (because who wants to go to the trouble of shipping a big 8x10’ or 9x12’ rug back to the vendor? Not me!)… vendors including Loloi will sell you a swatch of the rug so you can see and feel it in person. You will be surprised how different a rug texture is in person vs how it looked on a website – especially with Loloi rugs. Their “Cloud Pile” quality is fantastic, but many of their other rugs are very flat and not soft at all… which is absolutely fine for a dining room but not ideal for a living room or bedroom.
SHOPPING LINKS:
All pricing includes product and standard delivery fees but does not include tax or installation labor. Prices and availability are subject to change per the vendor/manufacturer.
SPLURGE (@ $32,000 total product cost)
Nova Dawn Oak Dining Table
Libby Wicker Arm Chair with Linen Cushion
Nova Oak Dining Chairs Set
Hampton Large 36” Round Chandelier with White Plaster Finish
Alberto Two-Tiered Sconces with White Plaster Finish
Caracole Silver Taupe Sideboard Cabinet
Gray Wool/Viscose 9x12’ Handmade Area Rug
“Korallang” Green Wallpaper
Sherwin Williams Moody Blue 6221 Trim Paint in Semi-Gloss Finish
Pleated Drapes in White Tangier Weave with Privacy Lining, Custom Sized
Waterfall Woven Wood Shades, Inside Mount, Cordless, Unlined, Custom Sized
Brass Curtain Rod, 0.75" Diameter, 48-88" Length, w/ Ball Finials
Brass Curtain Rings and Drapery Wands
"Bocahenge" Framed Photography Print, 30"H x 42" W
SAVE (@ $7000 total product cost)
Grazer Expandable Dining Table
Iman Rattan & Pine Arm Chairs
Set of 4 Natural Oak Side Chairs
Calla Metal Leaf 4-Light Chandelier, 29.5"W x 31.5"D, with White Powder-Coated Finish
White Totem Sconce with Linen Shade
Oak Sideboard in Gray Finish
Loloi Rifle Paper "Courtyard" Printed Area Rug in Sage, 8'6" x 11'6"
Sherwin Williams Shell White 8917 Wall Paint in Matte Finish
Sherwin Williams Moody Blue 6221 Trim Paint in Semi-Gloss Finish
Pleated Drapes in White Belgian Linen, 96"x 50", cotton lining
Woven Wood Shades, Inside Mount, Cordless, Unlined, 35"x64"
Project 62 Brass Curtain Rod, Adjustable Length 33-66”
“Mountain Air” Framed Art Print, 30” H x 42" W
