Tangerine Dreams

I would never say that orange is a favorite color of mine. Orange has always conjured up images of Tide laundry soap and syrupy soda. However, one look at my website, blog, and logo and clearly, I do like orange! Orange is a color that is life affirming, exciting and warm. It is an energetic color and looks great when paired with neutrals. Tan, cream, and white are wonderful background colors to let orange pop. The following rooms show how gorgeous orange be...no laundry soap or soda in sight!

Kitchen Dining

What do you think of having a dining area in the kitchen? It was popular in the 50's and 60's to have the kitchen closed off from the dining area so you would not see the "mess" in the preparation area. Nowadays it is popular to have big open spaces so the cook is not isolated in the kitchen. I really prefer having the open design in anticipation of the meal. It is nice to smell the food and gather around before the meal is presented. Here are some kitchens that provide the eat-in experience either as a full dining room or a casual eating area.

Sources Unknown

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Marcson Homes Ltd

MJB design group

Splash Kitchens and Baths LLC

Chad Eisner

Newport Coast

Here is a brand new house for sale in Newport Coast. It has 7 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms with over 12,000 square feet of living space. It inspired me to design a dining room just for this house. First here is a glance at the overall look of this home.

Front

Back

Great Room

Dining Room

I thought this dining room needed some softness. It has plenty of hard surfaces and architectural detail so I chose a soft, organic pattern for the area rug. Then carried that idea to the flatware, china and candelabras. The final touch is the jewelry-like placemats which bring some shine to the room. For more on this property go here.

Inspired Dining

Formal dining rooms are usually reservered for special occasions. Thanksgiving, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, or any special holiday are spent enjoying a meal in beautiful dining space. I remember the dining room in my grandparents house had this velvet flocked wallpaper that I loved to run my hand across while sitting in my chair. Children and adults will have great memories from the gatherings in the dining room. Whether your style is casual or formal I think its important to make this special. Here are some dining rooms that look amazing...

Bliss

GRADE

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Michael Abrams

Tuthill Architecture

SliferDesigns

Banquette Please

Who doesn't love to sit in a booth? It's like sitting on the sofa and having dinner brought to you! I think they make great use of eat in dining kitchens. They are so welcoming and cozy. These banquettes look like rooms I would be happy to sit in!

Gray Day

So it's supposed to be summer...but you wouldn't be able to tell by the weather here in the OC. It's been completely overcast and gloomy. But that got me thinking about gray interiors. How do you respond to gray rooms? Do you think they are cozy and chic or austere and lifeless?

Dining in Coto

Here is house listed for $6,995,000.00 in Coto de Caza. It a very pretty home! You can check it out here... Trigo Trail.

I think it needs more furniture overall and a cohesive design direction. Here is a dining room design concept that I think would look great in this house.

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Sources: Furnishings, wallcovering, and rug available through interior designers.
Plates: Haviland
Stemware: Orrefors
Flatware: Diane Von Furstenberg

Chinese Proverb

"The world is large -
Its beauty indescribable. "-Zhuangzi

Here is a collection of Chinese inspired pieces. I love throwing in an ethic piece in living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms. It keeps thing fresh and inspiring.

These pieces are available though designers.

Dorothy Draper's Console and Curio

Pagoda Lantern

Pagoda Vitrine

Fretwork Lantern

Fretwork Chair

Thoughts on Wallpaper

Installing wallpaper can add so much to a room. I love using it in powder rooms, bedrooms, even dining rooms. Its great to use when you don't have a lot of artwork because the wallpaper becomes the art. Even if a you don't like a lot of pattern there are plenty of wallpapers that just add texture.

This wallpaper has little beads on the flowers and stems

This would be amazing in a powder room



Damask

Fleur de lis pattern with an antique mirror background

Vertical Stripes

Soft Floral

These are a few examples available through the trade.

Dining Alfresco

The weather has been so nice here that I was inspired to put together an outdoor dining concept. Earthy, beachy and casual...perfect for southern California!

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Transitional House in CdM

I came across this listing for a new custom home in Corona del Mar. This was built by Spinnaker Development and is for sale for $4,149,000.00. I think they did a great job with the materials and the furniture. I love when a house's exterior matches the interior! The dining room and living room look so elegant but without feeling formal.

The epitome of transitional design.