Ros's dining room project stemmed from her children moving out of their family home and she wanted to reclaim the space. It was a blank canvas as the room was changing from a second lounge for the boys and Ros knew that she wanted a fresh look and feel. The priority was to make the space feel cosy and intimate for entertaining because they love to cook!
When starting a project, I like to get to know my clients, what they love and how they live so that I can create a space that feels right for them. One of Ros’s biggest hobbies and passions is cycling, and she had recently completed a cycling trip around the Scottish Highlands which became special to her. Ros lit up when she chatted about this trip, so I knew the concept had to stem from there.
I took inspiration from the incredible pictures that Ros showed me from her trip. I loved how jarring the tarmac, cloudy skies and metal bikes felt next to the organic fields and flowers. This became my foundation for the concept – from colours and textures to lighting and accessories.
The colour palette was pulled from the scenery. The cool and bright grey sky formed a great basis for the scheme and the black from the tarmac contrasted so extremely against it. By adding in the earthy terracotta, beige and green from the landscape, the warmer tones could be layered up to make the space feel more intimate. The finishing touch was adding in wood tones that work as neutrals and pull the scheme together.
Similarly, the textures also reflect the landscape and combine the smooth and angular iron with soft and organic textiles. The key to combining the warm and cold, angular and soft was to balance each moment throughout the space. I enjoyed layering up each vignette – from the dining area to drinks cabinet, reading nook and bay window with textiles and accessories that reflect Ros and the scheme.
I love how this room feels bright yet cosy, functional yet relaxed and perfectly balances the bright and stark with warm and cosy. The terracotta wrap, green velvet chairs and dimmable central lighting give an intimate feel for dinner parties whilst the cool, bright white and iron accents make it feel fresh throughout the day.
Ros loves gardening and creates beautiful arrangements of her home-grown flowers, so it is great to see the room evolve over time with new, organic colours and shapes coming through.
If you’d like to find out more about this project, you can read the case study here.