Inspired by...snowy fields

As we drove across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa on our way home from our family Christmas celebration, the clouds broke and the sun shone bright across the harvested fields.  The snow covered ground revealed where deer recently had made their paths perilously close to the holiday travelers.  Our son said, "Look, Mommy, reindeer tracks!"  If only...

I snapped this picture from the interstate.  I thought the combination of blue, white, and gold was really pretty, so I decided to turn it into a little "inspired by..." post.

This week I am turning the inspiration picture into a dining room.  Here's the room design:

First, I would paint all the walls and moldings a soft, very light taupe color.  Then I would paint the ceiling a pretty robin's egg blue to correspond with the sunny Midwest sky.  The dining table and bench have a whitewashed finish.  You could do two benches flanking the table with an armchair at each end, or only use one bench and place a couple chairs along the other side of the table.  Ballard Designs also has a nailhead cover that would be pretty on the Parsons chair form (without arms).  The slipcover I chose is a sturdy, elegant linen.  The chandelier is the most literal reference to the farm inspiration picture: it has a chrome frame with wheat etched onto the glass shade. (Yes, I know that the field shown in the picture is actually corn, not wheat.)

To set the table, I would use the Marimekko tablecloth, which looks like swirling grasses, topped off with simple white dinnerware and a couple of luxe finishing pieces: the cute Kate Spade navy accent plates with gold polka dots, and the timeless Stieff sterlingware (I really like this pattern!).  Just because this room design is inspired by the Midwest doesn't mean that it has to be really country or rustic!  If the Marimekko cloth is too modern for your taste, you could easily substitute a solid color tablecloth in gold, light blue, white, or beige.

Sources:

Dining table - "Provence" trestle table from World Market

Dining bench - "Provence" from World Market

Two arm chairs - Parsons armchair with Suzanne Kasler linen slipcover from Ballard Designs

Chandelier - chrome wheat chandelier from Linens 'n Things

Accent plates - Kate Spade "Allison Avenue" for Lenox

Dinner plates - Rim dinner plates at Crate & Barrel

Silverware - "Golden Winslow" by Kirk Stieff

Tablecloth - Marimekko "Lepo" from Crate & Barrel


Like seeing room designs?  Have an idea for an "inspired by..." post or another room design you'd like to see?  Leave me a comment and let me know!