Memorable Dining Moments: Set the tone with inviting colours
STORY BY: Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore Colour & Design Expert and Regular Guest on CityTV’s Cityline
From family meals to intimate gatherings with friends, the right hue can instantly elevate any occasion. To create an expressive, welcoming dining room, start by choosing colours that invite you and your guests to the table. You can add drama with a bold, dark hue or keep things light and airy with a pastel tint. For a starting point, draw inspiration from your furniture style: rustic, traditional, minimal or glam, whatever the style, there is a colour to make your dining space the best seat in the house!
The influence of the farmhouse kitchen has had a big impact on dining rooms. Casual, large tables with benches and eclectic seating are popular as much for the aesthetic as for practicality! For colour options, this is a great space to bring a confident accent colour to one wall. A warm, rich brown such as Barista AF-175 is a popular neutral choice or go bold with a vibrant accent in red such as my favourite Benjamin Moore red, Rosy Apple 2006-30.
For a more theatrical vibe, drench the full room with colour on walls, trim and ceiling. Consider a deep jewel tone like Regent Green 2136-20 from Benjamin Moore’s 2024 Colour Trends Palette for a sophisticated backdrop. These lively shades will encourage your guests to linger at the table just a little bit longer.
Pastels have been enjoying a design moment – we love how they bring out a fresh, playful side to minimalist design styles. Envelop your dinner guests in a nurturing soft pink like First Light 2102-70 that feels like a cozy hug or bring the blue sky inside with a tone like Smoke 2122-40 for a perfectly calm and relaxing dining atmosphere.
If you don’t have a separate dining room, you can easily create a space that celebrates dining at home by colour blocking a portion of a wall. Just like a plate focuses the eye on the meal, colour blocking can help focus the eye on one specific section of the space and help create a defined area, even when you have an open concept floorplan.
(ACCENT WALL) Barista AF-175 ,(CEILING) Steam AF-15, Waterborne Ceiling Paint, Ultra Flat, (LEFT WALL) Steam AF-15, AURA Interior, Eggshell, (DOOR TRIM) Black HC-190, Advance, Satin
(ACCENT WALL) Rosy Apple 2006-30 , AURA®, Eggshell, (MAIN WALL) Alabaster OC-129 , AURA®, Eggshell, (CEILING) Alabaster OC-129 Waterborne Ceiling, Paint - Ultra Flat
(WALL) Regent Green 2136-20, Aura Interior, eggshell, (CABINETS) Ice Mist OC-67, ADVANCE Satin, (CEILING) Decorator’s White OC-149, Waterborne Ceiling Paint, Ultra Flat, (TRIM) Decorator’s White OC-149, Regal Select Interior
(NEAR WALL) Smoke 2122-40, REGAL Select Interior, Matte, (FAR WALL) Caribbean Mist 2061-70, REGAL Select Interior, Matte, (CABINETS) Ice Mist OC-67, ADVANCE, Satin (CEILING) Decorator’s White OC-149, Waterborne, Ceiling Paint, Ultra Flat, (TRIM) Decorator’s White OC-149, Regal Select Interior Satin/Pearl