Sophisticated Design for Glamorous Dining

By Jim Connelly & Peter De Sousa
September 2008

The challenge ... create a grand space for sophisticated dining

The rich hues found in the beautiful inlaid wooden floor along with the warm earth tones woven into the dining room chair fabric, and the billowing sumptuous cappuccino silk drapes, informed our decision on the colour palette – creating a sophisticated, timeless design for grand dining occasions.

The open concept design of this home features white wainscoting from the main foyer through to the dining area, and as our clients didn't want to change the flow-through from the rest of their home, we left the wainscoting as is. We designed a faded tapestry wall treatment that we both agreed was in keeping with the elegant style of this large and beautifully custom built home. Our colour selection comprised a rich chocolate, a warm glowing cognac, and a shimmering metallic bronze.

The tapestry finish is a three part process

First we applied a warm cognac tinted latex glaze to create the treatment we call an Antique Fade. When cleverly executed, this application creates a time worn patina and an added luster impossible to achieve with standard builder beige walls.

Step two introduced a wonderful French Damask motif painted over the Antique Fade. We researched historical fabrics for inspiration and crafted a custom template in our studio using a tool called a stencil burner. We purposefully cut the design with “fuzzy” edges to soften the visual effect. We decided to employ a rich and shimmering bronze metallic jewel tone.

The third step transformed the wall into an elegant faded fabric tapestry. The technique used is called a vertical drag. We injected a warm chocolate colour, mimicking the loose threads and imperfections found in antique fabrics.

Focus on features

We are huge believers in feature walls in our designs. In this room however, we opted for a strong design statement by introducing a feature ceiling – and with it, glamorous drama for nighttime dinner soirees.

To achieve this, we painted the ceiling with satin sheen Metallic Champagne and softly treated with a chocolate Antique Fade. Next we painted the plaster crown molding surfaces in a flamboyant Bronze Kidney Bean metallic leaf and then antiqued with a sizzling brown glaze.

The original ceiling medallion was rather plain and lacked any decorative elements. Furthermore, it was not in scale with the large chandelier. To make a stronger statement and to bring the elements into balance, we painted hand created scroll designs on the ceiling with small artists’ brushes around the medallion.

We painted the medallion with Champagne paint and applied the shimmering bronze Kidney Bean leaf to the raised plaster areas, then softly antiqued with a chocolate tinted glaze. Lastly, we highlighted some areas with a Satin Champagne glaze. The centre medallion now has a much more historical visual appearance and, like a jeweled adornment, it richly crowns the grand chandelier.

Pulling it all together

To pull all of the design elements together, we hand created decorative scroll designs in the corners of the ceiling. The end result is a sumptuous ceiling that reflects and sparkles with the jewel tones incorporated in the wall treatment.

The beautifully rich, hand painted art finishes shimmer under the grand chandelier. One feels magically transported to an era of elegant living and glamorous dining.