Room of the Day: Dressing a Dining Alcove in Bright Blue

“Our clients wanted something cozy and happy to brighten up the gray Chicago winter days,” says interior designer Wendy Berry of W Design Interiors. The family of four also wanted an informal and intimate spot where they could gather for dinner every night. Taking its cues from the colors that carry through this whimsical home, this cheerful nook has soft upholstered walls that match the seats, right down to the nickel upholstery nails. This tiny alcove off the kitchen shows just how powerful a small space can be.

“My clients are colorful and gave us the freedom to do almost whatever we wanted,” Berry says, referring to the blues, yellows, teals and pinks she used throughout the home. She was careful to relate the rooms to one another to avoid color mayhem, using “anchor colors” for continuity in spite of sharp color transitions. For example, the colorful valance plays off a light green also seen on the back of the antique hutch (left) and in other rooms. The darker blue off the yellow kitchen allows the alcove to visually recede.

The family used their previous 100-year-old home in Connecticut as inspiration for this new home, built in the Greek revival style with period details, such as the detailed molding and iron vent covers on either side of the window. The designers added architectural details including the tongue and groove ceiling and the octagonal window, which peeks through to the adjacent mudroom and work area.



A set of four klismos chairs and a matching bench surround an oak table with a wire brush finish. “My clients really wanted to keep it casual in here, a place where they could just sit down and not feel fussy,” says Berry.

Chairs: Moore Councill; fabric on chairs and walls: Romo; valance fabric: Cowtan and Tout


The deep blue walls are upholstered in a Romo fabric, complete with soft batting behind it. The upholstery nails were put in by hand and match the nails on the chairs and bench. Their satin nickel finish picks up on the other finishes in the kitchen.


Here’s a peek at the full kitchen so you can see how its palette relates to the alcove. To give the new home a more period look, the clients used pendants and ceiling-mounted lights instead of can lights. The tongue and groove ceiling, nickel lights and hardware, accents in the teal anchor color and valance tie the sunny yellow room to the adjacent breakfast nook.

“All of the color makes these clients happy,” Berry says. “They need it; Chicago has a lot of gray days.”

Range: Aga

Now you: We love to see beautiful breakfast nooks. Please share yours (or your favorite on Houzz) in the Comments!

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