Choosing the Perfect Dining Room Art: A Guide from Lemondrop Home’s Interior Designer
Welcome to Lemondrop Home’s Blog, your go-to source for interior design inspiration in Kansas City and beyond. Today, we delve into the world of dining room art, a crucial element in creating a warm. inviting space where family and friends can gather. As an interior designer at Lemondrop Home, I’m excited to share my insights on selecting the perfect pieces to elevate your dining room decor. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to refreshed your existing space, this guide will help you navigate the art selection process with confidence and creativity.
Understanding the Role of Dining Room Art
Dining room art serves multiple purposes. It adds visual interest, sets the mood, and can even become a conversation starter during meals. The right artwork can tie together the room’s color palette, enhance its style, and reflect your personal taste. Here are some key considerations when choosing dining room art:
Define Your Style: Are you drawn to modern, abstract pieces, or do you prefer classic, timeless artwork? Understanding your style preferences will guide your art selection and ensure it complements your dining room’s overall aesthetic.
Consider the Room’s Function: Dining rooms are often used for more than just eating. They can be spaces for entertaining, working, or family activities. Choose art that aligns with how you use the room.
Scale and Proportion: The size of your artwork should be in proportion to the wall space and furniture. A large, empty wall can handle a substantial pieces, while smaller walls may benefit from a gallery of smaller works.
Color Coordination: Art can either blend with your dining room’s color scheme or provide a striking contrast. Consider the existing colors in your space and how the art will interact with them.
Selecting the Perfect Piece
Determine Your Dining Room’s Focal Point: Every dining room needs a focal point, and often, this is where your art will take center stage. Identify the main wall where you want to draw attention. This could be above a buffet, on a wall opposite the entryway, or centered over the dining table.
Choosing the Right Style: Your dining room art should reflect your overall style of your home. Here are some popular styles and how to integrate them into your space
Modern: Sleek, contemporary pieces with bold colors and geometric shapes will work well in modern dining rooms. Look for abstract art or minimalist designs that add a pop of color without overwhelming the space.
Traditional: For a classic dining room, consider landscapes, portraits, or still life paintings. These pieces add a touch of elegance and sophistication.
Eclectic: If your style is more eclectic, mix and match different styles and frames. This can create a dynamic, visually interesting space. Consider a gallery wall with a variety of pieces that tell a story or reflect your personality.
Rustic: In a rustic dining room, opt for art that features natural elements or earthy tones. Think of landscapes, wildlife, or botanical prints that complement the room’s warm, cozy feel.
Consider The Mood: Art has the power to influence the mood of a room. Decide what atmosphere you want to create in your dining room
Relaxed and Inviting: Choose art with soft colors and gentle flowing designs. Landscapes, seascapes, or abstract pieces with soothing tones can create a calming environment.
Energetic and Vibrant: For a lively dining room, select bold, colorful artwork. Abstract pieces with dynamic lines and bright hues can energize the space.
Sophisticated and Elegant: Black-and -white photography, classic portraits, or fine art reproductions can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your dining room.
Play with Color: The colors in your dining room art can either complement or contrast with your existing decor. Here are some tips for using color effectively
Complementary Colors: Choose art that matches the dominant colors in your dining room. This creates a harmonious, cohesive look.
Contrasting Colors: Select art with colors that contrast with your walls or furniture. This makes the artwork stand out and adds visual interest.
Accent Colors: Use art to introduce accent colors into your dining room. This can tie together different elements of the room and add a fresh, dynamic touch.
Size and Scale: The size of your art should be in proportion to the wall space and furniture. Here’s how to determine the right size
Large Walls: For a large, empty wall, consider a single oversized piece or a gallery wall. This creates a focal point and fills the space effectively.
Small Walls: On smaller walls, opt for smaller pieces or a collection of smaller works. This prevents the art from overwhelming the space.
Above furniture: When hanging art above a piece of furniture, such as a buffet or console table, the artwork should be about two-thirds to three-quarters the width of the furniture. This creates a balanced look.
Framing and Display: The way you frame and display your art can significantly impact its overall effect. Here are some tips for framing and displaying dining room art
Frame Style: Choose frames that complement your art and dining room decor. For a modern look, go for a sleek, minimal frame. For a traditional room, ornate of classic frames work well.
Matting: Matting can enhance the artwork and make it stand out. It adds a border around the art and can create a more polished, professional look.
Lighting: Proper lighting can enhance your art and create a dramatic effect. Consider using picture lights, track lights, or wall sconces to illuminate your artwork.
Creating a Gallery Wall
A gallery wall is a popular choice for dining rooms, offering a versatile and dynamic way to display multiple pieces of art. Here’s how to create a stunning gallery wall:
Plan Your Layout: Before hanging your art, plan the layout. Lay the pieces on the floor and arrange them until you find a composition you like. Here are some layout ideas
Grid: Arrange the art in a neat grid pattern. This works well for pieces that are similar in size and style.
Asymmetrical: For a more relaxed, eclectic look, arrange the art in an asymmetrical pattern. Vary the sizes and shapes for added interest.
Centered: Center the largest pieces and arrange smaller pieces around it. This creates a focal point and a balanced composition.
Mix and Match: Don’t be afraid to mix different types of art and frames. Combining paintings, photographs, prints, and even three-dimensional pieces can create a rich, layered look. Varying the frame styles and colors adds to the eclectic feel.
Use Templates: Create paper templates of your art pieces and tape them to the wall to visualize the arrangement. This allows you to adjust the layout before making any holes in the wall. Once you’re satisfied with the arrangement, use a level and measuring tape to ensure everything is straight and evenly spaced.
Incorporating Personal Touches
Your dining room art should reflect your personality and tell a story. Here are some ideas for incorporating personal touches:
Family Photos: Create a gallery wall with framed family photos. This adds a personal touch and makes the dining room feel more intimate.
Travel Souvenirs: Display art collected from your travels. This adds a unique, personal element to your decor.
DIY Art: Consider creating your own artwork. This could be anything from a simple painting to a more elaborate craft project. DIY art adds a personal, handmade touch to your dining room.
Seasonal Updates
Switching our your dining room art for different seasons can keep the space feeling fresh and updated. Here are some ideas for seasonal art:
Spring and Summer: Choose art with bright, vibrant colors and floral or nature-inspired themes. This adds a fresh, lively feel to the room.
Fall and Winter: Opt for art with warm, rich colors and cozy themes. This creates a warm inviting atmosphere during the colder months.
Local Art and Artists
Supporting local artists is a wonderful way to add unique, original art to your dining room while contributing to your community. Kansas City is home to many talented artists, and Lemondrop Home often collaborates with them to bring exclusive pieces to our clients. Visit local galleries, art fairs, and studios to discover one of a kind pieces that resonate with you.
Additional Tips for Choosing Dining Room Art
Understanding Different Art Mediums: When selecting art for your dining room, its essential to understand the different mediums available. Each medium brings a unique texture, depth, and feel to the artwork. Here are some popular art mediums and their characteristics
Oil Paintings: Known for their rich colors and texture, oil paintings can add a luxurious feel to your dining room. They often have a classic, timeless appeal.
Watercolors: These pieces are usually more delicate and light, with soft washes of color. They can add subtle, calming effect to your dining room decor.
Acrylics: Acrylic paintings are versatile and come in a wide range of styles. They can mimic the look of oil paintings but are generally more affordable and faster to produce.
Photography: Black-and-white or color photographs can add a modern sleek touch to your dining room. Photography is a great way to incorporate personal elements, such as family portraits or travel photos.
Prints: Art prints, including giclee prints, can offer high-quality reproductions of famous artworks or contemporary pieces. They are often more affordable than original works and can still provide a sophisticated look.
Creating a Cohesive Dining Room Design:
While choosing the right art is crucial, it’s equally important to ensure that your dining room’s overall design is cohesive. Here are some additional elements to consider:
Furniture and Art Alignment: Your dining room furniture should harmonize with your chosen artwork
Style matching: If your dining room furniture has a modern, sleek design, opt for contemporary art. Conversely, if your furniture is more traditional, classic artwork will be a better fit.
Color Coordination: Ensure that the colors in your artwork complement your furniture. This doesn’t mean everything has to match perfectly, but there should be a sense of harmony.
Wall Colors and Textures: The color and texture of your walls can significantly affect how your art is perceived
Neutral Walls: Neutral colored walls (whites, grays, beiges) allow your artwork to stand out. This is ideal if you have bold, colorful pieces.
Accent Walls: An accent wall in a complementary color can highlight specific artworks, creating a focal point in the room.
Textured Walls: Adding texture, such as wainscoting, shiplap, or wallpaper, can provide a backdrop that enhances the visual interest of your art.
Light Considerations: Proper lighting is essential to showcase your dining room art effectively
Natural Light: Maximize natural light during the day to illuminate your art. Position your artwork where it can catch natural light without direct sunlight, which can cause fading.
Artificial Lighting: Use track lighting, spotlights, or wall sconces to highlight your art. Adjustable lighting allows you to change the focus and mood as needed.
Dimmers: Installing dimmers can help you control the light intensity, creating the perfect ambiance for dining.
Incorporating Textiles: Textiles like curtains, tablecloths, and rugs can influence the overall feel of your dining room and complement your art
Rugs: A well-chosen rug can anchor your dining room and tie in the colors from your artwork and furniture.
Curtains: Curtains in colors or patterns that echo elements from your art can create a cohesive look.
Runners: These can add layers of texture and color that complement your dining room art, creating a unified design scheme.
Personalized Dining Art
Adding personalized elements to your dining room art can make your space unique and meaningful. Here are some ideas:
Custom Art Commissions: Commissioning custom art allows you to have a piece tailored to your exact specifications:
Local Artists: Work with local artists to create a custom piece that reflects your style and preferences. This also supports the local art community.
Family Portraits: Commission a portrait of your family or pets. This adds a deeply personal touch to your dining room.
Customized Abstracts: If you love abstract art, an artist can create a piece with colors and forms that match your vision and dining room decor.
DIY Art Projects: Creating your own art can be a rewarding way to personalize your dining room
Canvas Paintings: Even if you’re not an experienced artist, abstract painting can be a fun DIY project. Use colors that match your dining room palette.
Photo Collages: Create a collage of your favorite photos. This can include family photos, travel shots, or any images that have personal significance.
Wall Hangings: Crafting your own wall hangings, such as macrame or fabric art, can add a handmade touch to your decor.
Long-Term Art Maintenance
To ensure your dining room art remains beautiful and vibrant over time, follow there maintenance tips:
Cleaning and Care: Different types of art require different cleaning methods
Paintings: Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid using water or cleaning solutions, as they can damage the paint.
Photogrpaphs and Prints: Use a microfiber cloth to remove dust. If the artwork is framed with glass, clean the glass with a glass cleaner, but avoid spraying directly on the glass to prevent liquid from seeping under the frame.
Frames: Regularly dust frames and use appropriate cleaners for wood, metal, or other materials.
Protecting from Sunlight: Direct sunlight can cause fading and damage to artwork
UV-Resisting Glass: If your artwork is exposed to sunlight, consider framing it with UV-resistant glass to protect it from harmful rays.
Window Treatments: Use curtains, blinds, or UV-protective window film to minimize direct sunlight exposure.
Choosing the perfect dining room art is an exciting journey that allows you to express your style and create a space that feels uniquely yours. By considering factors like style, mood, color, size, and personal touches, you can select artwork that enhances your dining room and makes every meal a special occasion.
At Lemondrop Home, we’re passionate about helping you create beautiful, personalized spaces. If you’re in Kansas City and need assistance with your interior design projects, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of experts. We’re here to help you transform your dining room into a stunning, inviting space where memories are made.
Thank you for joining us on this artistic journey. Stay tuned for more interior design tips and inspiration from Lemondrop Home!