Vicente Wolf

From: Augusto Andres
Subject: Design advice for a dining room

Dear Mr. Wolf,

I have enjoyed your work and draw a lot of design inspiration from your books, blog, as well as features about you in magazines and on TV. I’m writing for some design advice. I recently moved into a suburban tract home and I’m trying to infuse the interior with some contemporary design elements on a budget. I like the way my living room turned out (the photo display was inspired by a bedroom of yours featured on HGTV!) but I’m stuck with what direction to go with the dining room.

I’ve attached a floor plan of the space. My layout is actually opposite of the diagram (living room is on the left, dining on the right). The dining room is 11 x 10 with 9′ ceilings. I heard a designer once say that tension between disparate elements is one aspect that makes a space interesting, so the I used a drum shade and pedestal table to play off the square windows and shape of the room. The circular theme is echoed in the artwork (a graphic print of circles, a photograph of a bowl of cherries). I wanted to create a sense of separation from the living room, so I painted the walls a warm gray rather than painting the whole living-dining space the same color. Further evidence of my feeble design attempts are in the corners– I placed a basket in one and stacked wine boxes and bottles in the other (a nod to nearby Napa Valley). I’m at a loss as to what to do with the main wall of the room. I’ve been going back and forth between either a sideboard or art work but haven’t been able to figure out an appropriate size or scale given the awkward placement of 3 small windows along that wall.

I’d like the room to be vibrant yet inviting, the kind of place where family and friends can linger over a long meal. At the same time, I’d like it to be visually impactful since it is directly across from the living room. I’m not wedded to anything but I do have to keep the table and chairs–there’s no budget for a new set. So I know you’ve got a busy schedule but if you have any suggestions, I’d greatly appreciate hearing your ideas.

Sincerely,

Gus Andres

Vicente Responds:

I know it’s not inexpensive – and I know I do it all the time – but have you thought of a large-scale mirror leaning against that wall? It would certainly reflect the living room and increase the space. Maybe do it the width of the windows and to the top of the window boxes. It would change the space completely as it would reflect the larger window on either side of the fireplace, cover the three small windows and add drama to the space. Aside from the mirror, keep it clean – I would remove the wine cases in the corner, it makes it look like a storage area.