Space of the Week: This Dining Room's Wallpaper Is Bursting With Flower Power

Real Simple readers can currently get 15% off this pretty wallpaper!

red floral wallpaper and midcentury furniture in dining area
Photo: Schoolhouse

Big windows, wood molding—Mallory Prater and her boyfriend, Spencer, lucked into lots of cool details original to the 1902 duplex they rent in Portland, Oregon. Working at the home decor company Schoolhouse, Mallory has developed an eclectic style, which she wanted to merge with the apartment's architecture...and with Spencer's love of midcentury furniture. They pulled it off with a tulip table, vintage plastic chairs, and floral wallpaper that harks back to the early 1970s. All those petals required a hard sell to Spencer, Mallory admits, but the wallpaper has become his favorite feature.

Carve Out Functional Space

This area is really just a wide hallway between rooms, but Mallory made the dining zone feel intentional by anchoring it with a pendant light. To avoid a tripping hazard in a high-traffic spot, she skipped putting down a rug.

Lean Into Wood

Natural finishes on cabinetry and molding are making a comeback, so if you've got it, flaunt it. Warm red, mustard, and amber accents pair nicely with the stained oak trim and flooring.

Go Bold But Bite-Size

Rather than overwhelm the small space with pattern, Mallory used the wallpaper on a single wall and painted the others a corresponding creamy shade.

Get the Look

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Floral Wallpaper (With a Discount!)

Red floral wallpaper design
Schoolhouse

Follow Mallory's lead and install this wallpaper on an accent wall to highlight one space in your home, whether it's a dining nook, cloffice, or powder room. Want one more good reason to embrace the flower power?From now through December 1, 2021, Real Simple readers get 15 percent off this product with code RS15.

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A Timeless Tulip Table

Rove Concepts White Tulip Table
Rove Concepts

If you love midcentury modern style and want a dining table you'll be happy to live with for decades, you can't go wrong with a classic tulip table. The rounded design takes up less space than a rectangular table, making it the perfect solution for a petite space. Look for chairs that tuck all the way under the table to maximize its space-saving abilities.

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Milk Glass Pendant Lamp

Milk Glass Pendant Lamp, brass and milk glass
Home Depot

The simple shape of this light fixture doesn't distract from the wallpaper behind it. For a dining area, look for shades made of milk glass, which cast a more flattering glow than transparent glass shades do.

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Scandinavian Lounge Chair

Levity Home Lounge Chair in Mustard
Levity Home

To help make your home design feel cohesive, use the same color family found in the wallpaper in adjacent rooms. This mustard yellow chair coordinates with the wallpaper, while continuing the midcentury-modern theme.

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