The Hour

When trying to brighten up your home it can be difficult to know what kind of look to go for. Interior designer John Amabile had some tricks and tips on how to maximise the impact of a dining room. Speaking from The Hour’s show home he said:

“Elements will be wall art or mirrors, corners that need some storage or surfaces and when it comes to table settings it’s just like cooking; it’s all in the preparation. The rest speaks for itself.”

If your dining room is quite small, adding a mirror will bounce light back into the room. Cheap table settings can be bought in bric a brac or second hand shops and can breathe new life into the tableware. Instead of having everything matching, try mixing it up a bit with individual place settings to create a stunning and unusual look.

“If your dining room has alcoves or chimney breast recesses use that area as essential surfaces for lighting,” John said. “A side board or the consul table will do the trick.”

“Sometimes dining rooms aren’t used every day, and this is the perfect excuse to be really bold with your fabrics and wall coverings. Be dramatic.”

Using a round dining table instead of a square one seats more people and takes away the problem of being squashed up next to the table legs. A mix of dark and light shades and adding crystal and shine will make your dining room look like the best restaurant in town.

For more information on John Amabile see his website. See the Cala Homes website to find out about property development or to buy a new home.

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