Taking inspiration from the homeowners’ visit to New Orleans, Dottie Eaton of Design Style transformed their dining room into an elegant homage to the birthplace of jazz. “My design idea was to create a space that brought those memories back to their St. Louis digs,” says Dottie. “I had seen Gwyneth Paltrow’s California dining room in Architectural Digest and used her painted wallpaper as an inspiration for the formal dining room, but made it more personal for my client.”
Dottie hired Design Deli muralist Scott Pondrum to create the one-of-a-kind mural, opting for varying shades of blue throughout the space. “The painting took about 10 days to complete,” says Scott. “I began painting in the basic shapes of trees and determining the horizon line with a solid, light blue color. Next, I worked in slightly darker blue values over the whole landscape and kept repeating the process with different values.” Two of the homeowners’ favorite places, The Commander’s Palace and the St. Louis Cathedral, were incorporated into the background. Additional Louisiana-related details, such as live oak trees with Spanish moss, swampy waters, pelicans and egrets, complete the design and carry out the room’s New Orleans theme. “I loved how it turned out,” Scott continues. “I think it creates an elegant and unique landscape and appreciates the personal connection to the owners. I especially love how the walls and chandelier play off one another.”
To add additional texture and accentuate the chandelier’s warmth, a pale, iridescent silver Casamance linen wallpaper was added to the ceiling. “Hanging the wallpaper on the ceiling was an obstacle,” Dottie mentions. “The wallpaper is made from linen and was difficult for the installers to hang. They persevered and did a beautiful job!” William Yeoward indigo blue fabric covers the Roman shades over the two exterior doors, and the custom Fiberworks natural fiber rug is trimmed with an indigo blue cotton border. The dining room furniture consists of antiques that the homeowners have purchased, and the updated antique dining chairs have been reupholstered in a deep blue Pindler performance velvet. “Dottie has so much creative vision,” says the homeowner. “She was able to customize our room to incorporate the feel of one of our favorite cities.”
The playfulness of the blue color palette, the artful mural and antique accents update the space while keeping it grounded in the homeowners’ memories and tastes. “Our favorite feature is absolutely that beautiful mural. We love the room so much, it has become our favorite room for entertaining,” says the homeowner. Dottie agrees, “I think the end result is elegant and beautiful, like something from a home in the garden district in New Orleans.”
Resources:
Carpet / Wood / Floor Coverings: Fiberworks
Window Treatments: William Yeoward
Mural: Design Deli - Scott Pondrum
