Parisian Pairings: Dining Benches and Wall Art

Parisian interiors look refined without seeming overly designed, and one of the easiest ways to capture that feeling at home is to pair a dining bench with a thoughtful arrangement of wall art. In this guide we explore the character of a Parisian dining room and explain why a bench, with its long, low line, suits the look better than a row of chair backs. We cover choosing a bench with Parisian appeal, from velvet and linen upholstery to slender legs and balanced proportions. You will find advice on selecting a collected mix of line drawings, abstracts, photography and classical prints, and on adding a mirror to bounce light around the room. We explain how high to hang art above a bench, how wide the arrangement should be and the differences between salon style, symmetrical and single statement layouts. Finally, we look at panelling, flooring, lighting, colour and the small finishing touches that complete the look....