I did this house a few years ago and it remains one of my favorite Dining Rooms ever. The architect is Robert Sinclair (will post his link later today) a Los Angeles based architect who I think does beautiful work. On this house the gauntlet was really thrown down, I was given this huge, double height space and told to make it dramatic but at the same time warm and inviting. This is what I came up with.The first thing I did was finish the walls in a polished terracotta colored plaster, then I tented and draped the whole room in a fairly rough linen sheer, that acted as a nice counterpoint. I then lit the linen from behind so that the terracotta glowed through the sheer, creating the effect of a warm, glowing tent. To compete with the height I made three huge drum shades, that really fill the space without getting as serious as a crystal chandelier would have. The floor is polished concrete and the buffet is a custom designed piece that completes the whole package.
What I love about this room is that it really captures that idea that a Dining Room is the one room in the house where you can get a bit more dramatic and fanciful, because it is usually an occasional use room. So be a bit more bold about color or texture etc, this is the room to let your imagination go wild. Good Luck!
