This pink dining room was a design challenge: narrow, tucked between rooms, but destined to be a focal point. My aim was to make it feel like a small jewel box filled with collected pieces. Almost everything in the room is vintage or secondhand; the chandelier is the only new purchase and was chosen because it reads like an heirloom.
At the end of the day this room was all about the doors. The rest of the elements were chosen to support and highlight them.
Before and After
Originally the dining area felt awkward and squeezed. It sat between the living area and kitchen with two small openings on one side and a bedroom door on the other. The layout didn’t read as a proper dining room.
We prioritized two changes: opening the connection to the living room in a thoughtful way, and replacing the bedroom door with something that offered privacy while matching the house’s character.
To achieve that we removed the partition between the two small openings and created one larger opening, softening the junction with curved corners. Those structural changes were a significant investment, but they transformed the space so it finally felt intentional—a true dining room instead of a leftover nook.
With the layout solved, the next step was color and decor.
Picking the Right Pink Paint Color
I love deep, berry pinks for adding warmth and richness. Our adjacent living room and kitchen have honey tones, so the dining room needed a color that would pop while still feeling grounded and vintage. After testing several options we settled on Dunn-Edwards Raspberry Patch. It’s saturated but muted enough to suit an older house and pairs beautifully with warm wood and terracotta elements.
I was pleased to see pink tones showing up more broadly in color palettes this year; it feels timely but also timeless in this setting.
Adding Antique Wood Doors
On the side of the dining room is a converted garage that serves as a bedroom. The original door had glass, which offered little privacy for guests given the social nature of the dining area. Early in the project we purchased a pair of antique Spanish doors to replace it. They were a decisive piece—both practical and striking.
To make the doors look original to the house, our painter custom-matched the casing stain so they sit seamlessly in the room as if they’d always been there.
Delicate & Organic Dining Room Decor
The antique doors have square detailing and the dining table has strong herringbone lines, so I balanced those structured elements with softer, more organic pieces. The result is a layered, lived-in look where texture and shape contrast pleasantly.
A vintage pink Moroccan rug brought pattern and depth to the floor. It was the first rug purchased for the house and serendipitously fit this space after we opened the partition. The antique French chairs—found secondhand for an excellent price—introduced gentle curves that soften the table’s geometry.
A rattan chandelier adds movement and an organic silhouette. Its woven texture contrasts the room’s harder lines and changes subtly from different viewpoints, which keeps the space feeling dynamic.
Art was kept simple and tactile: a long handmade striped fabric runner hung as a wall tapestry, complemented by an unframed ballet painting and a hand-painted photograph from the 1920s. Wall sconces—Spanish crystal from the 1920s—add a refined touch among the natural materials.
A small mirror was added as a playful, unexpected accent on a large wall, creating a visual trick that keeps the composition interesting without overpowering the space.
We’ve enjoyed many meals in this pink dining room. Expanding the table so it seats more than four was one of the most practical upgrades—suddenly the room feels purpose-built. There’s also a subtle change in floor level between the dining area and the adjacent bedroom; to call attention to the small step and make it safe, we extended a line of extra tile from the kitchen. It’s a little detail I love.
Photos by Jeff Mindell, Design by Kelly Mindell
Pink Dining Room Sources
Paint Color: Raspberry Patch by Dunn-Edwards*
Saltillo Tile: Colores de Mexico
Moroccan Rug: Shkoon Shop
Rattan Shade: Twenty One Tonnes (large)
Antique Doors: Arte de Mexico
All other decor items in the space were antique or second-hand.
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