Dining Room Colors that Complement a Chair Rail
The dining room is one of the most important rooms in the house, serving as an everyday gathering place and the main spot for welcoming guests. However, it can be tricky to select the right dining room color palette that truly complements the space, while taking into account key design elements such as a chair rail.
With the right two-tone color scheme for your dining room walls and chair rail, you can make this high-traffic space both beautiful and practical.
How Chair Rails Influence Dining Room Color Choices
Dining room chair rails serve the dual purpose of protecting walls from scuff marks and scratches caused by chair backs moving against the walls, while also providing extra decorative flair. Usually trimmed in rich wood tones, chair rails can have a major impact on what colors you choose for your dining room's walls and decor.
Making Trim and Wall Colors Work in Harmony
With oak, pine, maple, mahogany, cherry, or even painted chair rail trim adorning the dining room, it's important to complement rather than compete with the chair rail's natural colors and finishes. So what are some expert tricks for getting harmonious trim and wall color pairings? Leading interior design firms advise assessing your existing chair rail's undertones first. From there, build contrasting or analogous color palettes.
Top Dining Room Color Combinations with Chair Rail Trim
Some of the most stunning and sought-after dining room colors for spaces with chair rail trim include:
- Deep forest green walls with antique white chair rail and wainscoting
- Espresso brown walls and wood trim with brass chandelier over dark wood dining table
- Dark gray chair rail and white paneled walls with black wrought iron dining chairs
- Pale blue upper walls with cream chair rail and wood wainscoting and national panels
- Tangerine orange and silver chair rail and geometric silver wallpaper
Expert Tips for Selecting Dining Room Paint Colors
There's a bit of an art and some key tricks to choosing dining room colors that sing, whether your space boasts chair rails or not. According to color psychology specialists, dining room color palettes should stimulate appetite and encourage lively conversation. And top interior designers caution not to overlook undertones before finalizing choices.
Determining Undertones in Your Current Dining Room
When selecting a statement color for your dining room, carefully consider the undertones of your existing decor. Match undertones for a cohesive look or mix and match them for an intriguing combo. For instance, a room with cherry wood floors and trim could pair beautifully with crimson red walls for a punchy scheme full of warmth.
Visualizing Color Combinations in Your Space
Struggling to imagine how a daring color transformation will look in your dining room? Try projection technology or augmented reality apps to virtually model new hues. Or use painter's tape to mock up lines where wainscoting or chair rail color blocks would occur. This lets you test flow before committing to a 2+ color wall design with trims.
Avoid The 2 Most Common Dining Room Color Mistakes
Ready to start testing sample pots of dining room paint colors? Interior designers say to steer clear of these two all-too-common mistakes to highlight your decorative chair rail rather than drown it:
- Choosing a wall color too similar to wood tones . Go for crisp contrast instead!
- Selecting colors with clashing undertones . A cool blue likely won't gel well with warm wood finish chair rail or trim.
Coordinating Paint and Chair Rail Finishes
Beyond factoring a dining room's chair rail into color selection, how do the finishes relate? Wood stain on the chair rail and paint on the walls require smart coordination for a streamlined look.
Matching Wood Stain Colors in Chair Rail Trim
Want your chair rail to recede visually? Choose wood stain that matches tones present in floors, existing millwork, and furniture. Or pick a stain that blends with wall colors if you desire a more seamless, blended aesthetic.
Making a Statement By Contrasting Chair Rail from Walls
Seeking drama in your dining space? Opt for a bold wood finish on chair rails that contrasts walls painted in gloss, satin, eggshell, or matte. For example, an espresso-hued chair rail really pops against pastel green or light gray walls. And a warm oak or walnut chair rail provides fabulous contrast to cool grays and blues.
Painting Over Existing Dining Room Chair Rail
Is outdated, damaged, or builder-grade chair rail trimming your dining room? Instead of fully removing it before painting walls, try covering it with 1-2 coats of bonding primer, then top-coating in your new wall colors for a streamlined look. This saves time and mess while allowing easy color experimentation down the road once primed.
Achieving a Cohesive Dining Room Design
The finishing touch for a fashionable, functional dining room with stunning chair rail details? Ensuring all elements tie together through color, texture, form, size, theme, and materiality. It's truly about curating a holistic design.
Incorporate Adjacent Rooms Into Your Dining Color Palette
Keep open floor plan spaces or nearby rooms cohesively designed through smart color choices. If your dining room flows into a kitchen or living area, echo 1-2 hues through the spaces for natural flow. Just alter tones and textures to delineate functional zones.
Tie Together Furnishings and Accent Colors
The devil's in the details when finishings off a dining room design! Coordinate chair rail colors with window treatments. Echo accent wall colors in artwork and area rugs. And incorporate dining chair or table stains into the overall scheme for polish.
Don't just view those sample color swatches under showroom lighting! Bring them home and view under daylight, at night with ceiling fixtures on, and by candlelight or ambient bulbs to judge true tones. Your percfect dining room palette has range to impress anytime.