Natural and Elegant Dining Room

I choose to analyse this area for one of my courses on Interior Design. I love the natural materials and neutral colour palette in this dining room. I appreciate the character of the black window mullions and the wine rack element. 

The dining room chairs are inviting and coordinate well with the cozy feel of the area rug and the warm natural flooring. 

I list the Design Elements and Principles we studied and describe how they are all treated and solved in this design. You may find the reading a little dense, and I agree. I found it myself a little complicated to analyse every element on its own. I have an Architecture degree and still every element and principle is executed and experienced on another set of layers that I am familiar with. It was a good exercise to dissect it from an Interior Design point of view. 

You may want to skim the reading and please let me know if you would like to know more about a certain style and if you need help creating an specific mood or ambience in your space. I will be happy to help you with that!

The Analysis:

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

SPACE

• Even with an open concept, there are a couple of elements that help define the space, the wine storage unit and rug.
• There is transparency in the wine storage element as well as the exterior walls, this makes the boundaries defined, however, not heavy.
• The scale of the central lighting chandelier helps center the room and defines the dining area.
• The high ceilings and tall architraves make the room feel spacious. The simple and wide sense of the ceiling supports this as well. 
• The high windows and wine storage element integrate well with the ceiling height.

LINE

• Window mullions and wine rack structure give definition to the boundaries.
• Straight lines on the chandelier above the table and on the window bench give the space direction and make the space feel dynamic leading the eye to the surroundings.

SHAPE

• The elements that define the room are rectilinear, walls, flooring pattern, chandelier, wine storage and rug. They contrast with the curvilinear furniture at the dining table and chairs.
• The high windows and wine storage element integrate well with the ceiling height.

COLOUR

• A neutral colour palette is being used. The tones go from white to black and ranges of beiges, greys and browns are being used.

TEXTURE

• There is texture in the natural wood flooring, on the dining table and bench.
• There is a soft texture on the textiles which coordinates well with the rug.
• The iron elements have a matte finish.

LIGHT

• There is plenty of natural light entering through the windows. 
• The transparency of the wine storage allows for the light to flow and continue through.
• The lighting chandelier has a warm effect of candle light.

PATTERN

• The natural leaf pattern on the rug is casual and brings movement to the area.
• A square pattern is found on the window mullions.
• The glass wine rack would reflect the artificial light at night creating an interesting pattern and texture.
• The arrangement of wine bottles introduces another pattern layer to the room.

BALANCE

• Balance of elegance combined with the true materials used provide the space with elegance and the sense of a space that is approachable.
• There is balance when the natural elements are combined with strong structures such as black mullions. 

LINE

• Straight lines on the chandelier above the table and on the window bench give the space direction and make the space feel dynamic leading the eye to the surroundings.

EMPHASIS

• The armchair style selection also makes emphasis in comfort and invitation.

PROPORTION AND SCALE

• The large leaf pattern on the rug plays well with the proportion of the wood flooring planks.
• The proportion of the wine rack element compared to the dinning set, tables and chair element as a whole, looks larger though it looks good and makes a statement.

PATTERN

• The natural leaf pattern on the rug is casual and brings movement to the area.
• A square pattern is found on the window mullions.
• The glass wine rack would reflect the artificial light at night creating an interesting pattern and texture.
• The arrangement of wine bottles introduces another pattern layer to the room.

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

BALANCE

• Balance of elegance combined with the true materials used provide the space with elegance and the sense of a space that is approachable.

RHYTHM

• The series or chairs arranged at the oval table, along with the empty spaces at the ends of the table create a rhythm.
• There is rhythm found on the glass and iron mullions elements of the wine rack and windows.
• There is also rhythm found at the wine bottles placement, every other shelf placed on the opposite direction than the previous.
• The candle elements on the lighting chandelier add rhythm by their position arrangement and the different candle heights.

EMPHASIS

• There is an emphasis on integrating the natural elements in a constructed ambiance. 
• The natural elements we see are the leaves on the rug, a floral vase and a grand view of the green exterior. I would also say that the natural feel of the flooring supports this as well.
• The chairs arrangement make emphasis on the main gathering function of the room. 

 The armchair style selection also makes emphasis in comfort and invitation.

PROPORTION AND SCALE

• The large leaf pattern on the rug plays well with the proportion of the wood flooring planks.
• The proportion of the wine rack element compared to the dinning set, tables and chair element as a whole, looks larger though it looks good and makes a statement.

HARMONY

• There is a common element of natural true element textures and colours being used. 
• There is also a common matte texture on the textiles.