5 Ideas to Steal From This Enchanting Dining Room

When it came to crafting the perfect dining room for her client Jennie Urman (the creator and showrunner of CW’s Jane the Virgin), AD100 designer Mandy Cheng used a few of her go-to tricks to transform the simple space into a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Since the room features a large glass wall that peers into the garden, the designer wanted to make sure that the space popped, even when looking in from the outside. A unique combination of colors, patterns, and statement pieces does the job. From striking displays to easy holiday touches, Cheng offers simple tips anyone can use to elevate their dining room—particularly for the holiday season.

Have fun with color

First things first: If you make the walls sing, the rest of the room will come to life. Cheng selected a whimsical pink and blue botanical print from Osborne & Little to animate the space. Her advice? Tie it all together through accenting: custom fuchsia curtains, a blue Kordestani rug, and blue and pink artworks harmonize with the wallpaper’s floral details. 

Layer on the table settings

Don’t be shy when it comes to table settings. Oversized floral arrangements drape over a vase to create a striking centerpiece. Eucalyptus branches and extra clippings from Christmas trees are strewn across the table. “It’s great for entertaining,” Cheng shares, “and it’s something anyone can do.”

Be smart about open shelving

When Cheng came in, the shelves in the room were already there, but they didn’t quite work: Each was packed to the brim with bottles and glasses (right idea, wrong execution). “It can be as simple as decluttering,” the designer says. “If you want your dining room to be an entertaining space, that stuff matters.” She removed plenty of empty bottles to create space in between. On the lower shelves, blue glassware by Esque Studio lines the left and right sides to create an easy framing technique. Cheng opted for artworks on either side that tie into the color palette but don’t take away from the statement wallpaper.

Consider overhead lighting

Being mindful of scale and placement are two of the designer’s musts when it comes to overhead lighting. If the space is big, don’t be afraid to go big—“otherwise it will get dwarfed by the room,” Cheng shares. Height is just as crucial. “People tend to hang very high. You want to hang it low enough, so that the space feels intimate.” About 36–40 inches above the dining table is her recommended distance.

Add a statement piece

The perfect finishing touch to this fanciful dining area lies in the right statement piece. In this case, a whimsical book chair made of fiberglass commands the corner. It was modeled after a piece Urman found on set and lends itself perfectly to the Alice in Wonderland feel.