Folk Art Brings This Neutral Dining Room to Life
An art-loving homeowner's entertaining spot is inspired by her favorite folk art pieces.
Neutral + Eclectic Dining Room
Inspired by an old storefront sign, this dining room in an Atlanta cottage is packed with a mix of folk art, handmade furnishings and flea market finds.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Antique Sideboard
Using the bold red accents of the hand-painted storefront sign as inspiration, homeowner Esther had her antique sideboard updated from a dark, dingy brown wood stain to a bold cherry red.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Splashy Red Finish
Anytime an antique is being painted, it’s best to use an HVLP sprayer to ensure a smooth, even finish. In order to update this 1940s-era sideboard, first it was sanded, then the sprayer was loaded with primer to create a bonding surface for the new paint. Once the primer was dry, the sprayer was rinsed out, then loaded with the satin red paint and sprayed using slow, even, controlled spurts.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Glass Globes
To add to the handmade look of all the dining room elements, the space is lit by a grouping of hand-blown smoked glass globe lights.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
High Ceilings
The dining room is tight on space; however, it does have high nine-foot ceilings. To accentuate the height of the room and detract from its narrowness, drapery was hung almost all the way to the ceiling and the glass globes sit approximately 38-inches above the top of the table.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Goat Sculpture
For a touch of folk-art charm on the farmhouse table, a goat sculpture made from scrap metal was assembled and used as a centerpiece.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Woven Rug
To ground the space and keep the red accent color consistent, a hand-woven rug featuring a braided diamond pattern was chosen.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Classic Chairs
Due to how much character the lighting, table, area rug and goat centerpiece bring to the space, the dining room chairs were kept simple and classic. For a handmade touch, the chairs are adorned with tacks, spaced one inch apart along the seam in the upholstery.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Tailoring
To put a sophisticated, polished spin on folk art, the windows of the dining room are covered in low-end chintz fabric that was lined and custom pleated for a tailored touch. A great way to put a fresh spin on folk is to juxtapose it with something more streamlined, clean and modern. The mix of raw and refined strikes the perfect balance.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
Pallet Tree
To fill the void in the corner of the dining room, a custom tree sculpture was made from discarded shipping pallets.
From:
Brian Patrick Flynn
