I Transformed This Dark, Dated Dining Room with the Most Unexpected Color

"The dining area had potential, but those dark walls weren't their style. My goal was to brighten things up with a fresh palette of terracotta, pink, and teal tones, grounded with some warm wood pieces. And because life with a toddler is unpredictable, the design had to be stylish but practical. So, nothing too precious or hard to clean. I started with the basics: patching wall holes, sanding, two coats of priming to cover up the dark color, and warm white paint ( Behr's Fresh Popcorn)."

"To add warmth, I taped off 6 inches from the ceiling and painted the ceiling - and that little bit of the wall - using an earthy, orangey-pink ( Behr's Terra Cotta Clay) that's warm without being overwhelming. Exactly what the room needed. I added some wood molding for architectural interest. Another big change, if you look upward, is the light fixture. The old chandelier was comically heavy and outdated, so I swapped it for a handblown glass pendant I found on Etsy."

The dining area transformed from dark walls into a brighter, warmer space through a coordinated palette of terracotta, pink, teal, and warm wood. Walls received two coats of primer and warm white paint (Behr's Fresh Popcorn) to enlarge and lighten the room. The ceiling and a six-inch band of the upper wall were painted in an earthy orangey-pink (Behr's Terra Cotta Clay) to add warmth. Wood molding painted to match anchors the terracotta band and adds architectural interest. A heavy outdated chandelier was replaced with a handblown glass pendant for a playful focal point. Durable, toddler-friendly choices prioritized style and cleanability.

Read at Apartment Therapy