If you have dark, traditional DR furniture

amother

Burgundy

Tue, Sep 20 2022, 8:47 pm

Personally I wouldn’t hang traditional art as the room is already very old fashioned.

To lighten and modern it up I would hang airy white linen curtains, fresh greenery/vines. Maybe some white candles nicely arranged with some greenery on the buffet top.

Basically soften the dark wood, with airy whites and green plants.

Soften the floor under table and chairs with a rug like this
https://rugs.com/ivory-5x8-ore.....D_BwE

If you have a sofa or arm chair add some light fresh and neutral throw pillows.

If the room layout allows add a trendy floor lamp in the corner

Wall art I would do black or wood frames with white inserts and a small print like the ones in this pic
https://www.sierralivingconcep.....e-set

amother

DarkKhaki

Tue, Sep 20 2022, 9:01 pm

I have same dark brown dining room/living room as op. What color throw pillows can I do for my brown leather couch to add some life?

amother

Burgundy

Tue, Sep 20 2022, 9:12 pm

amother DarkKhaki wrote:

I have same dark brown dining room/living room as op. What color throw pillows can I do for my brown leather couch to add some life?

I’d go for a mix of several airy designs.
Some options.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1.....D_BwE

https://www.potterybarn.com/pr.....D_BwE

This one is very pretty, pair it with a light solid one.

https://www.potterybarn.com/pr......5630

This one I like the sage green or eucalyptus if you brought in greenery it will tie it together nicely

https://www.potterybarn.com/pr.....0.656

For a nice professional look, try to get some solid, some printed alternate sizes/shapes and some textured while some flat. Do not do matchy on both sides.

amother

Tue, Sep 20 2022, 9:26 pm

my walls are light and neutral, and I do have a chandelier - tarnished gold with crystal, it's very pretty but not helping to cheer up the room.

I should get some plants, I'll look into real ones. white accents is also a good idea for the buffet.

Librarian

Tue, Sep 20 2022, 11:08 pm

mother to be wrote:

I have a cream/beige tablet with some nice faux flowers.
Add more LED lights. It makes all of the difference.

Brightening up your lighting situation is inexpensive and makes a big difference! Great advice!

Lashes

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 12:55 am

amother OP wrote:

How do you keep the room looking airy and beautiful?
What color tablecloth do you keep on your table during the week?

my chairs are dark brown with cream colored upholstery. my floors are dark too.
the room needs a major facelift without replacing the expensive basics like furniture, I can't scrape....

any tips?

I'd say go with a soft light pink tablecloth.

Also, remove any large paintings or the like from your walks, unless if it's really light and clean.

Lastly, lighting is a big piece! You need bright light, but please don't do white because it will be awkward for this room. A warm white will be nice!

amother

Ruby

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 1:17 am

A large mirror will definitely lighten up the room as well as making it look larger. You'd be surprised.

I have two fixtures in my bathroom, a 3 bulb over the mirror and a ceiling single bulb in a plain frosted shade, that I never bothered getting DH to replace after it burned out.

Then I sat shiva & we covered the mirror. I immediately asked DH to change the ceiling bulb as the room suddenly looked so dark!

Simchos by all, just sayin'....

amother

Chambray

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 8:40 am

amother OP wrote:

Do you have spotlights or just the chandelier. I would add more lighting

amother

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 3:09 pm

I have a chandelier and lots of spotlights. on shabbos the room is bright. during the week it looks dingy. I want to modernize the room without getting rid of the furniture and chairs. might not be possible.

I feel like I need to order 10 tablecloths to see which will flow and compliment the furniture. I'll look for a mirror.

I wonder what chair covers would do. I cant see myself liking it despite it being pretty at simchos.

HindaF

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 7:41 pm

I grappled with the same issue and have managed to put together a dining/ living room area that I love, based on some online "research"( looking at pictures of traditional dining rooms lol). Basically the key is to break up all the brown with white accents. Lower half of walls are white, white picture frames on one wall, large mirror( trimmed in light metalic), white throw pillows, ivory window furnishings and a white tablecloth on shabbos really looks best. Midweek I leave it bare with a modern gold and white centerpiece. I also have a white and black chandelier. You can add other pillows in diff light shades but there should be about 30/40% white for that freshness you need to offset the somberness of heavy furniture.

amother

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 8:12 pm

HindaF wrote:

my problem is that my couch is gray so it really doesn't match with the rest of the room. Sad

idk how to tie all these colors together.

HindaF

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 8:24 pm

amother OP wrote:

my problem is that my couch is gray so it really doesn't match with the rest of the room. Sad

idk how to tie all these colors together.

What else do you have in your dining room aside from the grey couch? What colors are your chairs? Your walls?

amother

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 8:26 pm

HindaF wrote:

What else do you have in your dining room aside from the grey couch? What colors are your chairs? Your walls?

chairs dark wood w cream upholstery and light mushroom colored walls. really light, doesn't affect anything.

HindaF

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 8:45 pm

amother OP wrote:

chairs dark wood w cream upholstery and light mushroom colored walls. really light, doesn't affect anything.

Perfect. I dont think the grey couch will be a problem. I would try to find 2 cream/ ivory accent chairs to put across the couch. Get 2/3 assorted ivory textured pillows( 1 velvet, 1 fuzzy etc...) also maybe a cozy ivory throw. Pull it together with a standing gold lamp with a white shade in the corner. Ivory sheer curtains or ivory zebra blinds. Ivory artificial flowers in the center of the table. White and gold picture frames. If you like silver better then gold then do that instead for the metlic finishes throughout the room. A transitional type painting above the couch that had alot of white and a bit of pastel muted colors. Maybe some grey. Modern rectanular chandelier that has an airy crystal type vibe

amother

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 8:53 pm

HindaF wrote:

wow, you're good at this. now come shopping with me, pretty please?

HindaF

Wed, Sep 21 2022, 10:46 pm

amother OP wrote:

wow, you're good at this. now come shopping with me, pretty please?

Would love to! But really you can do it yourself! Start slow with one or two items and build from there. Not sure what your budget is but if youre like me, you really dont want to spend more than absolutely necessary. I bought from Malmart, Home Goods, At Home, Burlington and Amazon. I tried stuff out and then returned if I didnt like the way it looked. Try to enjoy the process of making your home a wonderful place to be😊