Behind the Design | Phillip Jeffries

Before/After: Modern Dining Room

Written by Phillip Jeffries | Jan 20, 2026 2:00:00 PM

Designer Nicole Fay was so confident in her wallcovering choice that she presented just one option to her clients—and they loved it immediately. With everyone aligned, work began on transforming the family’s Los Angeles dining room.

 

“We wanted to accentuate the traditional lines of the house,” Nicole explains. “Finding a pattern that wasn’t overly busy, but still embraced those long, wide walls, was essential.”

A Modern Makeover
Fade’s organic lines and watercolor-like hues checked every box. The wallcovering brought softness and movement to the space while respecting the home’s architectural bones. After the remodel, Nicole attended a party at the house and noticed something telling: guests naturally gravitated toward the dining room. “Everyone could feel how inviting the room was—that was my goal,” she says. “It’s where everyone wanted to be.”

 

BEFORE:
For this Los Angeles–based family, who often entertains four generations at once, the dining room truly is the heart of the home—and it needed to feel worthy of that role. “The room needed something fresh to replace the dull brown and open the space up,” Nicole adds.




AFTER:
The result is a light, bright space designed for everyday family dinners as well as holidays, birthdays, and celebrations of all kinds—an inviting backdrop for moments that matter most.


More About Nicole
Nicole Fay is a Los Angeles–based interior designer known for leading her boutique luxury design studio. Her work blends modern elegance with eclectic sophistication, transforming residential and commercial spaces into highly curated, lifestyle‑driven environments. See more of her projects here.