decorating around a white dining table

I was catching up on my Pinterest feed late the other night (thank you, insomnia!) when I stumbled upon an image of foodie extraordinaire Katie Lee’s dining room in her former Manhattan abode.  I know we’ve all seen this image (as well as the rest of her home) a million times, but what really caught my eye this time was the white lacquered dining table. It was as if I were noticing it for the first time and holy hell, I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it since! 

Nothing makes me happier than having something that you can’t pinpoint where it came from and a white dining table is definitely not something you see every day.  To be honest, the words “white” and “dining table” in the same sentence tends to conjure images of shabby chic interiors, which, while very pretty, is just not my style.  But there’s just something about a white lacquered table that makes my heart skip a beat.  Not only does it look incredibly amazing, but it adds a much-needed modern touch to an otherwise traditional space and it’s actually refreshing to see something other than reclaimed wood Restoration Hardware-lookalike tables everywhere:

Glorious, glossy perfection.  And how amazing does it look with the pale walls, antique brass chandeliers and the super dark floors?  I LOVE….

After a little sleuthing, I found a shot of the same table in her Hamptons home here.  I think it looks just as amazing in a much more casual setting, paired with a jute rug, high gloss painted trim and molding and a rustic wood console:

A lacquered paint treatment would be a great and inexpensive way to transform an existing dining table that isn’t exactly working in your space.  I’ve never actually tried a lacquer finish, but here is an amazing, step-by-step tutorial by the fabulously talented Stephanie Jones, if you feel so inclined to try. 

I thought it would be fun to create a room around a white dining table – one that wouldn’t look too soft or feminine.  I think textured walls covered in a beautiful, golden grass cloth would be the perfect backdrop, along with simple brass lighting, blue and white accessories, chic seating covered in the most perfect, pale blue linen and a stunning cluster of topiary as a centerpiece (and to bring in a live element).  Here are my picks:

 

Topiary / Dining chair /White dining table / Devon chandelier

Blue linen / Blue and white ginger jars / Basket

What do you think?  Would you ever spring for a white dining table?