Jane Austen, the writer of such books as Pride and Prejudice, apparently wrote everything sitting at the corner of the dining table. I get this as I work on our old French farmhouse wooden table which has travelled with us over the years. It is the anchor of the dining room which also acts as an office. Made of sturdy pear wood with finely turned legs, it is much admired and loved.
Our new dining room was a bright pink second bedroom with a navy 1980s sofa bed that had seen better days. Just to give you an idea of the amount of stuff in the room, my husband removed 37 pins from just half of one wall . At one stage, taking down a wall and opening up the lounge was an idea but Feng Shui actually likes small rooms, preferring sections and rooms for different uses. From a practical view, small rooms are easier to heat and cool down. The ceiling was raised, down lights removed and lovely skirting boards, cornices, ceiling roses and pendant lights were put up to return the apartment to the elegance of the past. The dining table takes pride of place along with a mix of Asian furniture and two German chairs. It is a lovely place to eat and write in.
Feng Shui First
The dining room is in the Family & Health sector with forest green as the main colour and Wood as the element to consider. Wood is all about growth and energy so ideally, avoid having lots of metal in this sector as Wood is seen to be cut down by Metal. This was the easiest room for us to decorate. After three coats of cream paint, the pink had finally disappeared. The Asian A-frame is a soft pastel green and combined with the Chinese money chest, there is a warmth from the wood that matches tropical prints and decoration. Even our Christmas tree looks balanced and cheerful – we will replace this with a lovely shiny green plant. A crystal was placed between the windows as the classic ‘corridor’ issue exists in that the view goes straight to the window being opposite the entrance and it is important to keep the Chi in the room by catching the eye’s interest around the room. As the new work year starts, I am looking forward to working in this sector.
Decorating Tips
Take out the pins, it is worth it. Then put in poly-filler with a small spatula, gently wipe off excess and lightly sand after the filler has dried. Use a primer paint to smooth over old bumpy walls especially if a strong or dark paint colour has been used. We thought two coats would be enough but one extra coat took away the final patchiness. Floorboards were floated over old tiles in a light oak. While we prefer blinds normally, old French windows lean towards light linen curtains. Don’t forget to measure and put the curtain rail as high as possible but leaving a small gap from the ceiling. This adds height to the room as well. We are lucky in that there is enough room to push the furniture back and put down a double mattress for guests. Other ideas are to use a sofa bed or chair, or a futon if storage is available. It has become a multi-purpose room and hopefully growth and energy will follow!
