Envision the perfect evening in your dining room. Likely, this will include guests chatting and laughing, lingering after a delicious meal. The room is warm and inviting, but what color should it be to create this ideal mood? Choose a color that suits the surrounding rooms, your décor, and most importantly your personality, to craft a dining room that people do not want to leave.
Take in the Room's Features
Consider the size of your room. A light paint color on the walls can create a sensation of roominess in a small room. On the other hand, if your dining room is too large, try a dark color to create a cozier feeling.
Are there architectural details that should be highlighted? You can paint crown molding, arched windows, and woodwork a contrasting color--lighter or darker. Traditionally, woodwork is painted one shade lighter than surrounding areas, or painted white for a crisp look. Alternatively, traditional wood stains may best suit your home. If your dining room has a chair rail, you can use the same color above and below the rail to place the focus on the rail. If not, use a lighter shade on top to draw the eye upward and create a sense of height. Do the opposite--darker paint above--if your room has high ceilings and you desire a cozier, more drawn-in feeling.
Take into account the natural lighting of your room and test a paint color at different times of the day before committing to it. Consider using a testing method shared by Sherwin Williams designer Becky Spak. To begin, see if you can purchase a sample of the paint. Then apply it to a large piece of foam board. Move this board around your room during different times of the day to test it in your dining room's lighting. Also compare the color to your furniture, floors, window treatments, and other décor.
Use focal points or décor as inspiration for your dining room color. Take into account permanent pieces like a fireplace or the flooring. Also examine any special art or decorations you would like to be focal points of your dining room. Consider having a color custom mixed to complement your décor.
Surrounding Rooms
How does the dining room connect to surrounding rooms? You may want to create a sense of flow and choose a color similar to or complementing that of nearby rooms. Sherwin Williams recommends changing the hue and shade but staying with the same color palette.
Open floor plans can be cause for confusion when choosing paint colors. You do not have to paint each room the same color with an open floor plan, says Deborah Baldwin of "This Old House." Color stylist Tami Ridgeway recommends using muted hues to allow the colors to flow well. Try using colors that are softened by a hint of gray. With an open floor plan, consider using bright colors for accent pieces instead of wall color.
Color Associations
Shades of red and orange have been recent trends in dining room colors--and it is for a good reason. Red and orange hues can increase appetite and also increase laughter, according to Michele Dawson of Realty Times, making a winning combination for a positive dining room atmosphere.
If an entirely red room is too much for you, consider creating a focal point by painting just one wall a more dramatic color. Do so on a wall with few windows, or one opposite another focal point like a fireplace, to add balance to the room.
Still, there are other warm colors that create a comforting and social dining room. Gold, creamy yellow, and terra-cotta with their yellow undertones tend to create a sense of warmth. When these colors are coupled with the soft lighting of a dining room, the feeling of warmth increases, according to Susan English, specialty painter quoted by "This Old House." Other possibilities are a wine, burgundy, or a dusty rose color. Any earthy colors will provide a sense of tranquility and comfort.
Finally, paint color guidelines are meant to be broken. No matter what you choose, make sure it is a color you personally enjoy.
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