Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW The homeowner and his wife had lived in this beautiful townhome in Oak Brook overlooking a small lake for over 13 years. The home is open and airy with vaulted ceilings and full of mementos from world adventures through the years, including to Cambodia, home of their much-adored sponsored daughter. The home, full of love and memories was host to a growing extended family of children and grandchildren. This was THE place. When the homeowner’s wife passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, he became determined to create a space that would continue to welcome and host his family and the many wonderful family memories that lay ahead but with an eye towards functionality. We started out by evaluating how the space would be used. Cooking and watching sports were key factors. So, we shuffled the current dining table into a rarely used living room whereby enlarging the kitchen. The kitchen now houses two large islands – one for prep and the other for seating and buffet space. We removed the wall between kitchen and family room to encourage interaction during family gatherings and of course a clear view to the game on TV. We also removed a dropped ceiling in the kitchen, and wow, what a difference. Next, we added some drama with a large arch between kitchen and dining room creating a stunning architectural feature between those two spaces. This arch echoes the shape of the large arch at the front door of the townhome, providing drama and significance to the space. The kitchen itself is large but does not have much wall space, which is a common challenge when removing walls. We added a bit more by resizing the double French doors to a balcony at the side of the house which is now just a single door. This gave more breathing room to the range wall and large stone hood but still provides access and light. We chose a neutral pallet of black, white, and white oak, with punches of blue at the counter stools in the kitchen. The cabinetry features a white shaker door at the perimeter for a crisp outline. Countertops and custom hood are black Caesarstone, and the islands are a soft white oak adding contrast and warmth. Two large built ins between the kitchen and dining room function as pantry space as well as area to display flowers or seasonal decorations. We repeated the blue in the dining room where we added a fresh coat of paint to the existing built ins, along with painted wainscot paneling. Above the wainscot is a neutral grass cloth wallpaper which provides a lovely backdrop for a wall of important mementos and artifacts. The dining room table and chairs were refinished and re-upholstered, and a new rug and window treatments complete the space. The room now feels ready to host more formal gatherings or can function as a quiet spot to enjoy a cup of morning coffee.

他の地域にある小さな北欧スタイルのおしゃれなLDK (青い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、ベージュの床、クロスの天井、壁紙) の写真

ヒューストンにあるカントリー風のおしゃれなLDK (青い壁、磁器タイルの床、表し梁) の写真

シカゴにあるお手頃価格の広いトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、カーペット敷き、ベージュの床、クロスの天井、羽目板の壁) の写真

メルボルンにある高級な広いコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、表し梁、壁紙) の写真

A comfortable, formal dining space with pretty ceiling lighting Photo by Ashley Avila Photography
グランドラピッズにある中くらいなビーチスタイルのおしゃれなダイニング (青い壁、折り上げ天井、濃色無垢フローリング、茶色い床、羽目板の壁) の写真

This semi-circular dining room has tiled niches on two axis.
シカゴにあるラグジュアリーな広いモダンスタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、暖炉なし、茶色い床、折り上げ天井) の写真

Those coffers! We painted the spectacular coffered ceiling in a custom white, wallpapered the walls in this lovely soft blue York wallcovering, and painted the vintage sideboard in Farrow and Ball's "Wimbourne White". Designed by Bel Atelier Interior Design.

他の地域にあるおしゃれなダイニングの照明 (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、格子天井、パネル壁、白い天井) の写真

セントルイスにある高級な広いエクレクティックスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、タイルの暖炉まわり、茶色い床、格子天井、壁紙) の写真

他の地域にあるお手頃価格の中くらいなモダンスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、暖炉なし、折り上げ天井) の写真

Modern Formal Dining room with a rich blue feature wall. Reclaimed wood dining table and wishbone chairs. Sideboard for storage and statement piece.
ワシントンD.C.にある高級な広いトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなLDK (青い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、暖炉なし、茶色い床、格子天井、羽目板の壁) の写真

ローリーにある高級な広いトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、格子天井、羽目板の壁) の写真

Elegant formal dining room with exposed wood beams and farm-style chandelier. The herringbone wood floor adds a classic touch.
シカゴにある高級な広いカントリー風のおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、茶色い床、表し梁) の写真

ボストンにある高級な広いトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、木材の暖炉まわり、表し梁、パネル壁) の写真

The kitchen may be the heart of a home, but the dining room is where the family gathers to enjoy special occasions, create and pass on traditions, and savour each other’s company free from distractions. The family behind this particular dining room enjoys doing just that. When they are not traveling the world, Matthew and Anna (names changed) love to cook meals at home with their teenage daughter, entertain family and friends, and live amongst their cherished travel souvenirs and heirlooms. Their dining room, however, was far from the perfect backdrop for these experiences. Before: Dining Room: When Matthew and Anna contacted us, they imagined a space that would comfortably seat 8 to 10 people and incorporate their beautiful inherited dining table and sideboard in a fresh, modern way. Above all, they wanted a dining room that they would feel proud to share. They worked with us to design, lightly renovate, and furnish their dining room and adjacent living space. Now, the room is nothing short of inviting and elevated. Classic Yet Contemporary Dining Room: Viewed from the living area, the dining room is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Matthew and Anna wanted dark blue for the walls, and we couldn’t have been happier to find the perfect shade for them. By leaning darker, this rich blue creates the perception of depth, making the room feel enticing, comfortable and secluded. The previous built-ins were underwhelming and lacked function, so we designed wider, taller, double sided cabinets that integrated the existing bulk-head, and then accessorized the shelves with the family’s travel finds, books, and decor. Topping these units with brass art lights not only blends contemporary and traditional styles, it also draws attention to the dining table’s modern show-stopping chandelier. You can’t miss it. Inside the dining room, the effect is equally impressive: enveloping yet spacious, warm yet cool, classic yet contemporary. We incorporated their heirloom pieces seamlessly into the design thanks to the 1:2 ratio. For every traditional piece, we introduced two more modern or contemporary pieces — clean lines, subtle curves, and lustrous brass hardware. The result is a collected yet updated look. In any room with dark walls, lighting is of the utmost importance. We placed a mirror adjacent to the window to reflect natural light throughout the room, and we kept the trim and ceiling white for brightness. To provide maximum versatility, we provided multiple light sources that can be adjusted to create different levels of light to suit any mood or occasion. These include: pot lights and a chandelier on dimmers, a sculptural trilight lamp on the sideboard, and art lights on the bookcases and above important art pieces. The built-ins have another surprise waiting inside this special dining room: Double-sided built-ins: dining room shelving and living room shelving. Rather than keep them white like we did in the living room, we painted the back wall of the book cases the same dark blue as the walls in the rest of the room. This reduces the contrast with the surrounding walls and emphasizes the white outline of the cabinets. We also love the dark blue walls’ role as a beautiful backdrop for this family’s treasures. The brass accessories and hand-painted vases and bowls feel like part of the experience. Of course, what is beauty without function? It may not look like it, but the base storage is only accessible from the dining room side. The units include deep cabinets for storing serving ware, as well as another delightful surprise: silverware drawers lined in luxurious navy velvet! Lastly, we designed this beautiful nook for their heirloom sideboard. From afar, the wall looks as if it has texture and perhaps a touch of shine. Up close, you will notice that it is actually navy blue wallpaper with tiny golden dots. This unique touch accentuates the brass in the room touches throughout the space.. The room feels curated, contemporary, and full of character. Words of Praise: Anna and Matthew were thrilled with their new dining room and with the design process itself, which is always the highest compliment. They said: “Working with Lori and her team at Simply Home Decorating was a great experience. The design they came up with was both beautiful and practical for our family. Renovations can be stressful but working with Simply Home made the process much more pleasant. “Simply Home's project management and their longstanding relationships with reliable trades meant we could relax, knowing that everything was taken care of. If an issue arose, the entire Simply Home team was quick to address it. They were excellent at communicating with us—we never felt like we didn't know what was going on. We would highly recommend working with Simply Home Decorating.” Thank you, Matthew and Anna! We are honoured to have been part of your journey and wish your family many happy memories in these new spaces. Now, is it your turn? Are you ready to uncover the hidden potential in your home? If so, contact us here to start the conversation or download my guide Uncovering the Hidden Potential in Your Home below to learn more about what we can do for you.

サンフランシスコにある高級な広いトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、暖炉なし、折り上げ天井、壁紙) の写真

ボルチモアにあるトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (青い壁、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、三角天井、羽目板の壁) の写真

高級な広い地中海スタイルのおしゃれな独立型ダイニング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、折り上げ天井) の写真