A READER’S CHALLENGE
How do you jazz up the walls in an open-plan dining room/kitchen?

RENÉE AND JANEL’S (of interiorcreators.com) SOLUTIONS 

Keep In Line
The focal wall behind the dining room table is the perfect place to make a statement. Paint horizontal lines to create the illusion of greater space and be bold with an accent colour and lines of varying thickness. We like Dulux Sapphire Springs 1 for a dark blue accent offset by Bleached Lichen 3. Express your personality with a quirky collection of frames in various shapes and sizes, and hang them from chains on a picture rail. (We found a few frames at Mr Price Home and a modest picture rail profile from Cape Town Timbers). Paint the picture rail to match the wall it’s mounted on, or use it to blend in with or accentuate one of the lines you’ve marked out to paint.

Curtain Call
Soften the window with a sheer tie-on curtain from Biggie Best. We opted for plain white for a fresh look and to echo the white Damask watermark of the existing curtains.

A Light Touch
Instead of a standing lamp, why not hang a gorgeous chandelier over the centre of your dining table with an attractive chain? We found this Romance Beaded Chandelier at hellooow – it adds instant personality to your space (find similar at Weylandts or Mr Price Home). You can also soften the look of the kitchen by replacing your metal pendants with fun glass jars.

Island Style
The kitchen island forms the heart of your home, so why not take it from drab to fab? The horizontal application of 140mm tongue and groove pine cladding to the existing structure and above your skirting will make a huge difference! Not only will this enhance the horizontal lines on your focal wall, but the wood will create warmth and texture. You can buy new boards from Builders and Cape Town Timbers or, for a more cost-effective solution, source reclaimed boards and paint them in Annie Sloan’s Country Grey mixed with three parts Old White. You could even create a border and paint your own watermark stencil in a Damask pattern. Annie Sloan’s Aubusson Blue creates a lovely matt contrast and will pick up on the accent colour on your striped wall. To finish, look for a beautiful piece of reclaimed elm from a second-hand wood dealer to cover the countertop; the wood will bring more warmth to the space and complement your existing bar stools.

Text and images: Home