Adding Architectural Detail in the Dining Room

The details of the room are what make it memorable, from the walls to the floor and everything in between. This is especially important in high traffic areas, such as the living room or dining room, which make the longest lasting impression on visitors, guests, family members, and friends. Adding architectural detail in the dining room can be a great way to introduce sophistication to the home or dress up an otherwise neutral space within your house.

Baseboards and Molding

Touches at the top and bottom of the room make a much larger and longer impression than you might initially think. Baseboards and molding add architectural detail to the room, especially designs that match what you have in other rooms. This adds to the home's cohesive flow as well, as the eyes catch the things that match and do not coordinate very quickly from once space to another.

Chair Rails

A chair rail is a great way to use architectural details to break up monotony in the room, especially in a dining room where there is little space to add furniture pieces. Make sure that the chair rail either matches or coordinates with the molding and baseboards so that the room still has a finished and polished look. There are many interesting chair rail designs to choose from, in many interesting colors and shapes for a contemporary or traditional dining room. Most are made from wood, but a few are made from other materials.

Ceiling Beams

Changing the flat surface of the ceiling adds a perfect architectural detail in the dining room, and it can be a great way to scale down a large dining room to make it look much cozier. Many home improvement retailers can give you tips on what types of beams work best for a particular ceiling, and use contrasts to make the color more interesting. For instance, if your ceiling is light colored, use a dark-colored stain for the beams to break up the look of the ceiling and add architectural interest in the dining room.

Lighting

Recessed and spot lighting are great ideas if you want something interesting to add to your architectural details. The recessed lights are modern and sophisticated, and add the perfect touch of lighting in any room. Spotlights can highlight the most beautiful features or focal points in the room, so they are a great idea if you have something that you want to showcase, such as ceiling beams. Adding a group of lights, such as a row of spotlights, can be a great way to highlight several key points in the room, from the ceiling to artwork, and can help you create conversation starters.

Color Palette

You might not think that color has a big effect on the architectural details in the room, but it actually plays a huge role. Experts recommend using striking color contrasts to show off the architecture, such as dark furniture with light flooring. The walls should be on one end of the spectrum with the flooring on the other, and the ceiling can exhibit one or both shades for the perfect coordination.

Jessica Ackerman from WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, has skills in all areas of contemporary wall art and metal wall wine racks.

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Adding A Southwestern Theme

What needs to be explained is: "What is a southwestern theme?" Originating from the southwestern United States, the idea combines Mexican, Spanish and American influences. The focal point is the landscape - a dry, desert land with reddish outcroppings, dotted with cacti and boasting glorious sunrises and sunsets. The buildings are part of the landscape, their earth tones blending with and not fighting the natural world.

In order to transplant this vision into your home, it is necessary to utilize the vivid and subdued colors associated with the southwest. The palette to draw from is the earthtone colors. These vibrant hues of brown, oranges and vermilions are integral to the design project.

The most obvious use of them is in accessories, on furniture, as floor coverings and one the wall. Although it is tempting to paint an entire wall an earthy brown or soft orange, resist. It might be overwhelming. Instead, hang a woven orange and brown rug or wall hanging in a focal point. Use a neutral color for the wall but apply a soft solid border in the middle or at the bottom of the wall.

Expend the rest of the color throughout the room in throw rugs and floor coverings - spot, rather than wall-to-wall carpeting is more in keeping with the theme. Keep an eye on the detail.

Carry on the theme in furniture coverings. Don't upholster, use blankets and other forms of draping the furniture. On coffee tables or kitchen tables or beds use the one or two stripe theme - orange stripes on a brown background or the converse, a solid color or a native or Mexican pattern.

The fabric chosen should reflect the brightness of the desert, the earthiness of the theme. Blankets resembling those decorating donkeys or worn as serapes are sources of inspiration and indicative of the direction the theme can take.

The theme is not to be a complex one. The design, the shapes, the colors, the furnishings are simple, rustic and earthy. The materials are rugged and natural, wool, wood, iron and honed stone. Simple in color and design, the fabrics are also rough hewn, home made or at least closely resembling home-made material.

The textures are also rough. The art objects handcrafted as opposed to machine made. Terra cotta and clay tiles reflect the theme best since they are truly southwestern. You will probably not go so far as to tile your roof, but you can place tiles on the floors of kitchens and basements and living rooms or almost any room of the house. You could also use them to build an interior southwestern theme wall or combine several of them to create a decorative plaque on the wall or small section of the floor.

Into this setting, place the right furniture. Your choice should be oversized and rustic. Wood such as knotty pine is a popular choice. Leather, cotton or bright fabrics in the appropriate colors can soften the seating. Choose adobe red, cactus green or the dusty colors of orange with bright yellow to act as accents.

One color you can also add is turquoise. Turquoise is used in jewellery but can be utilized to add a splash of intrigue and highlight certain sections.

Do not forget to add finishing touches. Placing cacti and other succulents around the room in bright potters' planters and positioning decorative iron and pottery pieces will put the final finishes to a southwestern theme.

About the Author: Hunter Pyle wrote this article to talk about whether or not painting or wallpapering is right for you. I found Get Organized or Kitchen and Much More have a lot of ideas and items to get you started.

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