Hi Gina,

As you say you like to entertain, I think blinds or curtains are a really important addition for you to create a homely, inviting feel.

Living room blinds and interiors · More Info

Curtains will create a cosy feel, but if you'd like something sleeker then Perfect Fit blinds might be a good choice. These simply clip into uPVC window frames, so you have a blind for each individual pane, and are available with Pleated, Venetian or Roller blinds. Why not pick up on the pops of yellow and gold you already have?

Conservatory blinds and interiors · More Info

Hope that helps,

Zoe

Hi.

Have you ever considered a real interesting eye catching piece of art work to really brighten up an area I think a select piece of art would really make the space stand out, add interest, colour, texture and add a great talking point to the room....

Please check out my website if like the idea and please get in contact, commission work is also welcomed so if you like a particular style I can do in a select colour palette and size but with this it can only be done as a original piece and not a print.....but all prints i can do to the same size or smaller than my original paintings, so lots of options.

Www.GuigsART.co.uk

You need to soften up the room a bit. I don't know what type of walls you have in between the brick but it looks like concrete? The chandeliers are AMAZING... everything about the room is fantastic. Add some color... artwork... mirrors. Looks like fun!

Yes, jazz up those walls - a really bold wallpaper with mirrors would be great. And try a glitzy runner on the table for when it's not set - or a row of objects along the centre of the table. You deserve to feel it's glamorous even when there isn't any glass, china or cutlery on show.

If it were my room, I would paint it all in white, obviously not the brickwork. I would then look at some transfers to go on the walls, something quite subtle but just to add a bit of interest, you can get some really lovely ones. I think if you put pictures along the walls, unless you fixed them securely people would knock them walking past the chairs. If you decide to go with a transfer, it will then become clear to you what would look nice on the shorter wall opposite the window. The white colour would make it look more spacious.

wow,what a great room. keep walls a light colour to keep space around table to a maximum. the wall between the brickwork crying out for a graffitti type mural,,white wooden slat blinds on doors and windows.artwork on remaining walls industrial look. pale grey walls a big favourite of mine.

Big mirror again but perhaps elliptical to pick up the shape of the chandeliers. Art something striking but maybe subtle in colour picking up on the table and surrounding colours with maybe a hint of orange, maybe abstract picking up on the spikiness and triangular shapes found in the pineapples. I quite like the starkness is that what you want or do you like the idea of say adding more orange and giving it a bit busier more vibrant feel and therefore making it warmer/hotter.

Sorry not orange yellow to go with the pineapple and grinders.

I think a large round mirror on the wall opposite the windows would add a different shape element to an otherwise "square/oblong" room, and would also reflect on the outside seasonal colours too! Although I do like the chandeliers, the colour and cast of shadows unfortunately does nothing for the ambient space I feel is needed for dining purposes! Could you not sell them and re-invest in something else? I feel the shadow effect would play havoc with anything you put on the walls! Sorry if I have upset you!

@marivon1 - great point re adding more round objects. And sadly I do agree re chandelier shadows on the wall. I will look into the cost of replacing them I think. Any ideas of alternative ceiling lights would be appreciated...

@ Pat Oliver Interior Design ... thanks for your great comment. Yes I would like to make the room feel less long and narrow and I love your tips re mirrors and striped curtains.

Thanks everyone for all your fabulous ideas - I feel much more confident about tackling this room now!

How to do curtains in this room baffles me - anyone got any good tips? I'm not a fan of short curtains so I'd probably have to do blinds on the short windows. The sills stick out quite far too.

If you made the table 3/4 the width it is now it would make the room much more accessable

Updated pictures of dining room with all walls painted beige and table sort of set to show how long it looks!! (are black mats a mistake or should I add more black elements to the room...?)

@roger0201 making the table 3/4 of the width it currently is would also mean that our guests would be rubbing noses over their meals :)

Access isn't really a problem however @goodfellow196 was correct to say that hanging pictures on the walls could potentially be a problem as they might get knocked off.

Hi Gina, as well as the round mirror, maybe round table mats and coasters too? Would also pick up on the round shape of the chandeliers (if you don't sell them obviously!) Lots of alternative light fittings out there that would look great in this room. A possible solution for the curtaining - How about full height floor to ceiling from left hand side of small window to corner, and corner to right hand corner? Both can be drawn back to each end so as only to have two curtains for the day time, and drawn fully to create a "curtain wall" by evening/dining periods? Hope that last sentence made sense, difficult putting into words sometimes what you are trying to portray visually! Yvonne

Gina! Me again - another item I find very useful at home - instead of hanging pictures on the wall in one room, I have the Ikea long slim shelf with a slight lip, can't remember the name, but you free stand art work, photos etc on them and can change however frequently you need, say for the seasons etc. This would mean that artwork wouldn't be knocked off the walls if people were passing by. They come in black and white and two or three different lengths and can be cut to size if needed. I think they would look good in your room too! Yvonne

@carol7881 - I can't work out how to contact you but you are welcome to send me more details on your products - please email anderson.gina@outlook.com :)

@marivon1 great idea re curtains, thanks. And also v good idea re picture shelves... I have seen those in Ikea. maybe on the wall opposite the windows, stripes across that wall might make the room feel wider? Black ones might tie in with my mats better too... hmmm ideas ideas!

Update!

By a stroke of luck (!) my dining room lights have slowly stopped working one by one... so I am in the process of getting a refund which gives me a £350ish budget for new lights. :) Honestly, I like the room better now the old lights have gone, even though it's so dingy in there. The bling just didn't suit the room.

I am going to get the fittings moved so that the lights hang more centrally over the table rather than one in the centre and one at either end. I am wondering about getting just two silvery pendants, what are your thoughts guys?

I think I will relegate the gold pineapples to my bathroom and keep any metallics in here to silver as I have silver cutlery.

I have also been wondering about wallpapering that end wall but I don't know what with... until I have some ideas I can't really think about curtains/blinds.

All input greatly appreciated!

Hello Gina,

Great room you have here, especially for entertaining! I love those brick walls. Personally I think you should have a big clock on the wall between those two stone walls, maybe a black one. Glad those lights are going coz I really don't think that anything 'glitzy' links with the stone feature. You definitely needs something at the window, how about Roman Blinds? Then you wouldn't have the problem or whether to do short/long curtains etc. They would also be good for bringing some colour into the room and you could get some nice candlesticks to sit in the centre of the table that match the blinds. What sort of style is the rest of your home as it obviously needs to link with that! The other wall looks quite blank at the moment aswell but one part of me is thinking that you could maybe add 3 pictures in a row but then I'm thinking that the last thing you want is for it to look cluttered, plus once it is full of people, you probably won't notice if there is a blank wall. Hope this all makes sense, is only my own random ideas! Look forward to seeing the end result!

Hi Gina. Good news on the lights! I would probably stick with 3 lights, it may help with the room shape and guests may be able to better see?

Here's some of the lights I've been wondering about...

Two might be sufficient instead of three?

@minnie101 - thanks so much for your response. I've just measured in there, the room is not even 2.5m wide and the table is about 1.1m so there is around 70cm of space between the table and the walls..! So not really space for anything on the walls unfortunately, it would just get knocked off. I love the mirror idea though, maybe I could paint the end wall dark grey or with chalkboard paint as you suggested (to match my slate mats) and put a mirror on that wall... although this might make the room feel even more long and narrow? Actually if the mirror was firmly fastened to the walls perhaps it could go on the long wall between the two stone sections. Love the pics you sent, the first one is a similar set up to mine (albeit not quite so narrow!)

With regards style... I always struggle to put style into words. I've learnt from trial and error that nothing bling will go in there! I think I need to stick to natural textures to work with the stone walls, slate mats and linen chairs. Having said that, I'm not a fan of all beiges so perhaps some industrial elements would help.

Some pics of my house below which might help?! We haven't been in here long so it's not quite as "finished" as I'd like!

The house looks lovely. I remember your bedroom now (even if that's sounds slighty strange!). I do think the house could take a look such as above. I like all of your light choices but I do think semi-flush would work better personally (just can't find any Atm). Out of interest is this room the same height as the living room? Yes, if you put a mirror on the end ŵall it would accentuate the length. I've just tested 70cm gap and although fine for walking it's when someone has had a drink and pushes their chair back which is the worry. I saw these antique tiles ages ago (out of stock atm) but I wonder if this could work? You could even added beading to create a frame between each tile if you're creative or just round the edge?

http://www.my-furniture.co.uk/6-x-antique-mirrored-square-wall-tiles-bevelled-30cm-x-30cm.html

Or I might look to see if I can find some kind of safety mirror

@minnie101 thanks so much for your kind words :)

definitely going to look into the mirror idea. Wondering about this one...

Also tempted to agree re semi-flush lights - best to keep the room as open as possible I guess. The ceiling height in there is quite low - much lower than the lounge - I can reach the ceiling with my fingertips!! I never really seem to come across any flush lights I like - any ideas anyone?

Latest idea - 2 or 3 of these...

http://www.next.co.uk/x571228s1#352802

What a huge table! If I were going for a change of look I might consider changing the windows next to the double doors to full height so that it streamlined that end of the room. The remainder looks like it's a case of which accessories fit your style. What about colours on one wall or ceiling - if you like yellow perhaps a yellow ceiling might work. I'm curious, why do you have so many settings at table?

Josephine - we have that many settings because we regularly entertain that many people :)

I'm thinking a dark grey on the end wall and totally flush nondescript ceiling lights to take attention away from the low ceiling....

Good idea, what about spotlights or is that too boring for you?! ;) We've got them in our dining room and they're great, you can put them in any pattern you want on the ceiling...what do you think??...

I wondered about spotlights but think flush lights might be cheaper!! Am getting prices on both options now as we speak :)

Hi Gina. These were about the best i found yesterday in terms of industriał semi-flush lights and they also have a semi-flush brass pendant. I did see a few other nice ones but we're about £400 each. It just seems so difficult to find nice semi-flush lights (and bathroom pendants) I'm sure there's a business opportunity there! It's a shame ŵall lights are out of the question as they would work well in here. Recessed lights are a good option if you have the space in the cavity (I didn't for my low basement!) but I would then try and add, if there's room, a couple of nice floor lamps

http://www.industville.co.uk/collections/vintage-antique-industrial-urban-retro-reproduction-lamps-home-bar-and-restaurant-lighting/products/copy-of-vintage-adjustable-swivel-spotlight-wall-light-flush-mount-double

You wouldn't believe it, but I almost ordered those very lights last night!! I then noticed that the bulbs that they recommend are only 8W... which I don't think would be enough light. So, I'm currently getting prices on having spotlights fitted. If it's too expensive (we aren't planning to stay in this house long term so don't want to spend too much on things that I can't take with me!) then I might just get three of the really nondescript white flush lights from Ikea. Hopefully they would provide a nice diffused light and nobody would really notice them... they'd look at my lovely grey wall and industrial mirror etc instead!!

Thanks so much for all your help! much appreciated.

Lol! I Think they're max 60w btw? Good luck on whatever you decide, would be good to see the pics!

Will update you with pics as soon as I make any progress :)

Welllll... I have replaced the lights with very basic Ikea flush lights and painted the end wall dark grey.

I like it much better already. Am planning to put something (not sure what that elusive something is!) on the grey accent wall, and possibly a line of frames on the long wall. I'm going to lose the pineapples (I have another location for them) and probably get something else to go on the 3 windowsills.

All set for 18 guests tomorrow!!

@Karen W - I realise that it's a bit stark right now but I now have a blank canvas that I actually like and can work with! Am looking out for a nice oil painting for the end wall.. or perhaps I'll put up a few clipboards? Husband wants a big blackboard but I'm not so sure!

Will keep on posting updates! Meanwhile my downstairs half bath has had a mini reno and I'm starting to think about redecorating my study...

Dear Gina - curious - what kind of menu's do you serve up for that huge table of people. And do you plate up first, or put serving dishes on the table? You must a very calm and competent organiser!

@turquoisetree53 - not calm :) I usually arrange the food onto three large boards and let everyone help themselves... last night my husband BBQ'd a huge lamb joint and we served it with flatbread, yoghurt dip, roast veg, salad and fries... followed by a watermelon vodka sorbet... followed by baked peaches and ice cream... :)

I would be the first to admit that progress is SLOW but ... progress nonetheless!

I'm thinking that I will find some other art to go on the long wall and get frames made in the same style for it.

Still wondering about the mirror idea for the smaller beige wall but not sure whether the room will just look too busy (and whether guests want to be able to see themselves eating?!)

Comments please!

@jonathandb1972 - I have replaced the lighting and painted all of the walls already.

Here's an idea to redisign your dining room.

9 years too late Nicole!