the Hinsdale Dining Room

Hello! Can you believe the Holidays are just around the corner? Yep we are almost in September, folks! When I think of the holidays I immediately think of family and friend gatherings, because thats what it is all about, right? In that spirit, I want to share my design process for this Hinsdale dining room..

#1 - Main Spirit

Although it wasn't my favorite (at first) I grew to love the mural

When I first saw the space I would be lying if I said I wasn't intimated. The mural painted by George Oakes was commissioned by Colefax and Fowler (you know the famous British design firm) in the 1940's. This whole house was a historical preservation project— so the mural stayed. While the colors remind me of my house growing up in the 80's (sorry mom) I went big and pulled out the blue, Farrow and Ball Cook's blue to be exact, to modernize the space while staying true to the original designer’s vision.

P.S. A really fun tidbit- this project was meant for me! This very dining room was featured in a book I have from Caleb's grandmother’s collection of design books and I had it in my own collection for years before starting on this project. See pic above

#2 - Mixer the famous tête-à-tête

The custom tête-à-tête was the star of the show. I wanted this room to be a space for year-round gatherings that could range from relaxed to formal, with guests mingling around the working fireplace (and that beautiful custom fireplace fender). Because there is nothing worse than being stuck next to the cousin you don't like at the far end of the table all night, I played off of the room’s oval shape and used two round tables rather than one long, formal one. This unique seating arrangement feels more intimate, even for a large group, and promotes conversation for the entire dinner party.

#3 - Garnish

mixing old and new

I knew I would never find an already existing piece of art that would perfectly complement both the historic mural and fit inside the custom trim detail on the fire place. Enter artist SKY HOYT, who took my fabrics and design, as well as the existing mural and created the most magical custom piece to complement this dining room. Her piece instantly gave the room the update it needed-while not taking away from the mural.