Rental Project: Den + Dining Room

Hello Wednesday? I hope you all are doing better than me ... Chris and I are both sick and coughing like crazy.  The up side is that I got to stay home for an extra day to rest.  The down side is, I just really hate being sick and lacking energy to do my creative thinking.  Nonetheless, it is Part 3 of Rental Project and today, we are on "Den Talk".

As most of us condo dwellers know, the builder's idea of living/dining space is rarely realistic.  To me, this open concept space can really serve as living room/ one big entertaining space.  That's why I am taking the actual dining function into the den to make this "office" space works double time.  My theory is simple: if you rarely "dine" in the dining room, doesn't it make more sense to designate more space to living/entertaining, and leave the occasionally dining in a stylish den? 

For that, this dining room/den has got to be a sophisticated and polished spot to welcome guests, but also practical and functional to serve as a home office.  Here is what I've got in mind: 

image via 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9

A chic black + white palette is what I envisioned for this den, and my attention is immediately drawn to the 2013 limited edition Billy bookcase from IKEA.  I just love the bold wallpaper inspired graphic at the back and since I can't attach anything on the walls, this stylish piece will give me the instant wow factor I am after.

I have always been a big fan of an A-Frame desk, especially this one from Pottery Barn with solid polished chrome base and a durable top in antique white.  It is the perfect desk in the home office and an ideal sideboard for an intimate dinner for two.

My client is in love with the classic Saarinen dining table and you all know this beauty is a small investment.  Luckily I've found a metal "tulip" base that is identical to the original knoll design, and all we need to do is to spray the base white and wait patiently for a piece of marble to surface craigslist or kijiji.

For dining chairs, I have always loved the classic,  elegant lines of the Nik dining chair by Sarah Richardson Design.  I have a couple of them in my private collection and I think they are "the" chairs in the den/dining space.  To ground the dining zone and add a touch of pattern & softness to the floor, this preppy striped carpet by Dwell Studio scores A+ on my book.

A couple other versatile pieces for look and function including this Jonathan Adler inspired bar cart and this industrial chic metal piece from IKEA.  There is no overhead light in the space at all, so a table lamp, a brass picture light from CabinBoy, and a few cabinet lights from IKEA are high on the must-have list.

With lavender being our accent color in both the living room and bedroom, I think it is time for us to introduce a different color in the space.  What works best with black + white for a crisp, fresh look? Blue!  We will be injecting pops of blue in this den via artwork and accessories.  I can't wait to see this plan to become a reality. 

Speaking about reality, here is a sneak peek of our custom chair for the living room.  Hope you are as excited as I am with this project!