Dining Room Design: Sip and Savor with Style

It's a BRAND-NEW project, and we are so excited to share it with you! The dining room was only part of this gorgeous home design, but as the holidays approach, there's no better time to share this beautiful gathering place. Whether you are having a small gather or hosting this year, there's plenty to be said for making it a beautiful, inviting space (especially this year, as a lot of us are staring at our own rooms more than we have in years past). This project was unique in that it was a true fusion of traditional, classic elements with a modern, inspired style. So come along for a seat at the table, and we'll tell you all about this gorgeous space.

Dining Room - Cat French Design Southern Village Chapel Hill

Function + Beauty

The dining room may not be the most highly trafficked room in the house, but for many of us it's actually one of the rooms we enjoy the most. It's where so many memorable times, great meals, and special occasions take place. And, it is often one of the first rooms we see when we enter a home, and can even set the tone for the rest of the home. This means we want it to be not only highly functional as an eating/entertaining space, but ALSO have that eye-catching, can't-stop-staring gorgeous look. Here in the studio, we are always excited to create a beautiful dining room design, and there is so much to love about this modern-traditional stunner. Like many of our clients, this lovely homeowner had some special pieces of furniture that she wanted to keep in place- in this case, a large dining room table, rug, and a beautiful china cabinet.

The Dining Room Challenge

Integrating existing pieces isn't always as easy as it might seem, especially in the context of a multi-room project. When it's completed as part of a full home design, the overall objective is to create a beautiful, cohesive design flow throughout the series of connected spaces. Creating a visual aesthetic that makes sense means carefully (and strategically) making a plan that will bring those existing pieces into the vision with purpose and intention. We always ask clients, "what's your design challenge?", and so often they tell us that figuring out how to design around existing pieces is at the top of the list.

Dining Chair - Cat French Design Chapel Hill

When the Bones are Good

Bringing in bold, rich blue to tie in the classic rug with the rest of the house was a great place to start. This gorgeous dining table was a keeper for this couple, so we honed in the design powers on how to elevate it into a fresh look. When the bones are good, outfitting those chairs with brand new fabric can elevate the entire space. This beautiful custom upholstery brought vibrant, fresh texture and tone to the entire space. We love how the clean color pops with the rug and adds just the right amount of modern against the classic elements.

Blue Reupholstered Chairs - Cat French Design Chapel Hill

Light Matters

Let's talk about that LIGHT! Y'all, we could do an entire post just about this fixture. A creative design choice for a modern-traditional blend, this beaded chandelier brings SO much design dynamic to the space. We created this as a fully custom piece, and everything from the beading to the color to the textured wrap we chose by hand. The classic shape echoes the traditional-style elements in the furniture as well as the beautiful wainscoting and trey ceiling. The bold blue of the beading brings in an element of modern trend, along with just the right hint of flair and playfulness. We couldn't love it more.

Navy Beaded Chandelier - Cat French Design Chapel Hill

Peripheral (Design) Vision

While we love a chandelier that makes a statement, the right wall decor can truly enhance and elevate a space even further. The impact of a stunning light fixture paired with creative wall art is one of our favorite ways to layer in depth, dimension and beauty to a room. We share some in this post about how large art can transform a space, and for this dining room, a unique, eye-catching piece was in order. But, wall art doesn't always have to a framed print or a painting on a canvas. There are so many creative, unique design options to explore, whether that's bringing in something completely new, or looking for a way to bring in an existing piece to an updated, fresh design. These homeowners have fabulous taste, and we were thrilled to see they had this beautiful structural art piece waiting in the wings. The layers, shape, and flow are both nuanced and gorgeous, with the delicate gold detail adding a touch of glam we love for formal dining.

Dining Room Decor - Cat French Design Chapel Hill

A Place at the Table

We love to say in the studio "design is in the details", and it couldn't be more true when it comes to finishing touches in the dining room. That place setting is where so much style can live. These unique touches not only polish and complete the space, but bring purpose to the entire room and create that inviting feel that we love. A little bit of classic blue paired with some modern, sleek gold edging makes this a beautiful table set for any holiday gathering.

Dining Room Table Setting - Cat French Design Chapel Hill

Tablescape - Cat French Design Chapel Hill

There's SO much more to show you! We love every room of this incredible home design, and we can't wait to share more. In the meantime, you can see more images from CFD projects on our Portfolio Page. For more in-the-moment happenings of this busy design team, catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram @catfrenchdesign. Have questions about your own space? We're here to help. Reach out to us at hello@catfrenchdesign.com or via our Contact Page.