Home design ideas: Wallpaper with a painterly pattern enlivens a dining room

Blue trim, a Persian rug, and an easy-to-clean table help round out the refresh of this family-friendly dining space.

The millwork painted a deep blue helps tie the dining space to other rooms on the same level.Joyelle West Photography

To better connect the spaces on the first-floor of the West Roxbury home that designer Gabrielle Bove shares with her family, she widened the openings from the dining room to the kitchen and living room. Then, the founder of Opaline Interiors Studio painted the millwork Sherwin-Williams Tempe, a deep blue. “The other rooms have pale gray walls with white trim,” Bove says. “We went bolder here with contrasting trim to balance the weight of the green cabinets in the kitchen and the green/blue fireplace in the living room.” The colors tie everything together on this level.

1 A large ficus tree brings the outdoors in and pays homage to Bove’s grandfather, who drew the landscape plan for the backyard, which is right off the dining rom. “I plant a ton to transform this city property into a lush garden environment,” Bove says.

2 The wallpaper is by artist Kelly Ventura. “My taste leans toward painterly patterns; I love Fauvism and brushstrokes,” Bove says. “It makes you feel like you’re in a piece of art.”

3 Bove purchased the regency-style brass and acrylic chandelier from Anthropologie when she first moved in. “I like eclectic furnishings,” Bove says. “This light is a bit of a surprise.”

4 The West Elm table is easy to clean, making it ideal for meals and crafts. “The whitewashed wood top gives the eye a break from the busy pattern around it too,” Bove says.

5 Lightweight bentwood chairs replaced heavy leather and metal ones that were hard to pull in and out. The caned seats feel airy and add natural texture.

6 The handwoven Persian rug infuses warmth. “It was a difficult choice to put a rug under a dining table with kids, but wool is durable, and at end of day, it makes the room.”