This dining room is truly a room of face lifts. It started with my very first new-house project last summer when I stripped and refinished mom and dad's dining room table that was formerly a golden oak color. Then I refinished a craigslist steal on Drexel Heritage chairs, then a giant buffet also from craigslist.
As a reminder here are those before and after shots:
If you were wondering, I have all our china and serving bowls stored in the buffet (with room to spare!)
Since moving into the house I've added a few new facelifts/projects to the mix. Originally I bought this cool little wooden caddy/basket thing that I had intended to use to organize a big salt and pepper set, and after eating in the dining room for our first week, we decided it felt too fussy for everyday use so we switched to eating at the island in the kitchen. That sort of made the caddy obsolete but it was too pretty to put it in the closet of misfit decor, so when I saw a similar one used in a floral arrangement on Joss & Main I decided to tackle my fear of floral arrangement. I've never had the knack. And shopping was a challenge, particularly with a cute little redhead who thought she owned the place running around like a tiny crazy person. But none of this really matters because it came out PHABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyone who's visited our last house might remember my jumbo teapot on the mantel. I loved its shape and scale when I saw it at Pier1 about 7 years ago, but it was bright red, and I don't do red. So I painstakingly painted it with high gloss navy ceramic paint and then did a high gloss glaze. I was painting that thing for days and days. After 7 years, it needed a facelift to work in the dining room. So it got one, in about an hour this time. :) Gotta love homemade chalk paint!
The table needed a little something, but the chandelier hangs directly over, so nothing with too much height, and not flowers because those went on the buffet. As mom almost always does, she suggested a doily on the table, though it's with an embarrassed chuckle knowing full well I find her doily obsession amusing! But that idea coupled with my own obsession with all things burlap lately, reminded me of some christmas tree skirts made out of burlap ruffles on etsy and I thought that might look cool. So I bought 4 different colors of burlap and ended up going with the pale blue. It's just an un-hemmed circle of fabric and I hot glued wired ribbon pinched into ruffles on top. I'm so late to this burlap trend, but I can't help it. I love it. The tray was mom's idea - thanks mom! It will eventually hold a few flameless candles I think. I've seen some in stores but am holding out for the super realistic ones with the moving wick that I have to order online.
Dougie, if you're reading this, to your point, it truly would be easier to list the things I didn't refinish or create in this dining room! I didn't make this lavender umm thingy - it was a gift from mom! We saw it at the lighting design gallery while choosing our light fixtures, and she snagged it for me with my newly refinished buffet (at the time) in mind. The plates were a set of dessert plates I had completely forgotten about from our last house, and was delighted to find them when unpacking!
I also didn't make or alter the clock on the wall. The rest is all upcycled or created! Isn't that fun that almost nothing in this room came from a store? Each piece has a story!
Ok, can you visualize all of these elements put together?
Can you?
No need. Here you go! :)
I'm proud of this room, especially because it's chock full of random choices that I think all work great together! I broke my own new rule that everything on "display" should have a purpose in this house, but nonetheless it really makes me happy. Even though we're not eating at the table regularly, it's part of our open living area, so I still get to enjoy looking at it everyday. There are 2 more chairs to be refinished in the project queue to make dining table seating for 10. :) Hope to be feeding you at this table soon!
As a reminder here are those before and after shots:
If you were wondering, I have all our china and serving bowls stored in the buffet (with room to spare!)
Since moving into the house I've added a few new facelifts/projects to the mix. Originally I bought this cool little wooden caddy/basket thing that I had intended to use to organize a big salt and pepper set, and after eating in the dining room for our first week, we decided it felt too fussy for everyday use so we switched to eating at the island in the kitchen. That sort of made the caddy obsolete but it was too pretty to put it in the closet of misfit decor, so when I saw a similar one used in a floral arrangement on Joss & Main I decided to tackle my fear of floral arrangement. I've never had the knack. And shopping was a challenge, particularly with a cute little redhead who thought she owned the place running around like a tiny crazy person. But none of this really matters because it came out PHABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 |
| I used silk hydrangea, faux artichokes, and [something purple??], all from hobby lobby :) ok, so i'm not a pro, but booyah those are pretty! |
Anyone who's visited our last house might remember my jumbo teapot on the mantel. I loved its shape and scale when I saw it at Pier1 about 7 years ago, but it was bright red, and I don't do red. So I painstakingly painted it with high gloss navy ceramic paint and then did a high gloss glaze. I was painting that thing for days and days. After 7 years, it needed a facelift to work in the dining room. So it got one, in about an hour this time. :) Gotta love homemade chalk paint!
Before:
 |
| I don't have a photo of just the teapot, so this will have to do. |
After:
The table needed a little something, but the chandelier hangs directly over, so nothing with too much height, and not flowers because those went on the buffet. As mom almost always does, she suggested a doily on the table, though it's with an embarrassed chuckle knowing full well I find her doily obsession amusing! But that idea coupled with my own obsession with all things burlap lately, reminded me of some christmas tree skirts made out of burlap ruffles on etsy and I thought that might look cool. So I bought 4 different colors of burlap and ended up going with the pale blue. It's just an un-hemmed circle of fabric and I hot glued wired ribbon pinched into ruffles on top. I'm so late to this burlap trend, but I can't help it. I love it. The tray was mom's idea - thanks mom! It will eventually hold a few flameless candles I think. I've seen some in stores but am holding out for the super realistic ones with the moving wick that I have to order online.
Dougie, if you're reading this, to your point, it truly would be easier to list the things I didn't refinish or create in this dining room! I didn't make this lavender umm thingy - it was a gift from mom! We saw it at the lighting design gallery while choosing our light fixtures, and she snagged it for me with my newly refinished buffet (at the time) in mind. The plates were a set of dessert plates I had completely forgotten about from our last house, and was delighted to find them when unpacking!
I also didn't make or alter the clock on the wall. The rest is all upcycled or created! Isn't that fun that almost nothing in this room came from a store? Each piece has a story!
Ok, can you visualize all of these elements put together?
Can you?
No need. Here you go! :)
 |
| The sign is 8' long and I think the proportions are just right. It probably sounded large when I mentioned dimensions in the original post, and it certainly looked crazy in the foyer of our rental, but this room demands scale don't you think?! |
I'm proud of this room, especially because it's chock full of random choices that I think all work great together! I broke my own new rule that everything on "display" should have a purpose in this house, but nonetheless it really makes me happy. Even though we're not eating at the table regularly, it's part of our open living area, so I still get to enjoy looking at it everyday. There are 2 more chairs to be refinished in the project queue to make dining table seating for 10. :) Hope to be feeding you at this table soon!
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