02.26
2014

Updated Dining Room
Whew! We’ve got quite a few projects going on right now – our upstairs hall bathroom is getting quite close to being done (well, not done but updated quite a bit!) and I’ve been priming and painting the trim in the little back hallway, the laundry room, the upstairs bathrooms. My goal is to have all of the trimwork in the house painted by the end of next week. I am not sure if that is a reasonable goal though. I will still have lots of touching up to do throughout the house and the playroom and master bathroom walls in a few weeks and then I will be able to take a nice little painting break and get to work on some actual projects for each room! And then eventually I do need to tackle painting inside all of the closets but I can’t think about that right now without going a little crazy – haha!
In the meantime, I’ve shared a couple of cell phone shots on Instagram and Facebook, but I hadn’t taken any “real camera” photos of the updates we’ve made to our dining room until a couple of days ago. We haven’t made any major changes since I last shared images of this room at Christmas, but we have done a few little things. First, when I was working on one of the bedrooms upstairs I needed some white drapery panels. I had bought these gray ones but they just didn’t look quite right. I ran downstairs and stole the white ones from the dining room. Once I did that, though, I had some empty rods hanging here so I thought it couldn’t hurt to try the gray ones down here. Even though I don’t necessarily think it works perfectly with the wall color (I think the curtains, walls, bench and sideboard are all a bit too similar) I think they worked well enough to keep. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect wallpaper for in here since we first moved in and still haven’t found it yet, but once I do and once I add some more touches to the sideboard that will add some interest so things won’t all blend together as much as they do right now.
After adding the draperies I moved the table back to the original way it was and then added this bench underneath the clock. And then I added some hydrangeas and that was about it.
 

Here’s a little reminder of what it looked like when we moved in. This room was one of the few rooms that really didn’t need a whole lot of updating – just paint and changing out the chandelier!

I love the soft glow from the chandelier:

Along with adding wallpaper I am also on the hunt for a hutch for this poor lonely wall.

And I have a few other ideas for this room too, but for now it’s nice seeing it come together a bit more even if it is still a ways off from being complete.

Source List:

Wall Color – Gray Owl at 75% in Matte Finish
Trim Color – Simply White in Semi-gloss Finish
Beadboard Wallpaper – Allen and Roth from Lowe’s
Chandelier – Savvy in Williamsburg, VA
Dinnerware – Mikasa, French Countryside Collection
Chargers – Pottery Barn (seven years ago)
Placemats – Target (probably nine years or so ago)
Slipcovered Chairs – IKEA
Side Chairs – Joss and Main
Farmhouse Table – We made it – more details here
Clock – Joss and Main
Mirror – Restoration Hardware (six years ago but I think they still sell it)
Drapery Panels – IKEA Aina Panels in gray
Drapery Rods – Lowe’s
Sideboard – The Velvet Shoestring (consignment shop – then painted with Annie Sloan’s French Linen chalk paint from Lady Butterbug)
Lamps – Home Goods
Runner – World Market
Tufted Bench – Home Goods
Dough Bowl – wedding gift
(We get asked quite a bit about the hydrangeas – yes, they are real. They were from the Farmer’s Market and dried beautifully) 

Have a blessed week!

Progress in Our Upstairs Hall Bathroom
Soft Surroundings Dresser and One Finished Wall in our Master Bedroom
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38 thoughts on “Updated Dining Room”

  4. This looks fabulous!!! I LOVE the curtains and new chair and cannot wait to see which wallpaper you go with. You are a machine, I do not know how you do all of this so quickly! 🙂 how do you dry your hydrangeas?? I would love to try that!

    1. I agree with Katy…I love hydrangeas and would like to know how you dry yours. They are gorgeous! Do you have a post on it?

    2. Thanks so much, Katy! Honestly I don't really have any tips for drying the hydrangeas. I think the woman I get ours from at the Farmers Market must have a special way of cutting them or something because I just put them in water in vases and then they dry on their own!

  6. You make things look easy, the curtain rods from lowes, wondering if they are wood or black metal rod?

    1. Thank you! I don't necessarily think any one way is better than another, but I definitely find myself more likely to add things as I find them as opposed to working one room at a time.

    1. Thanks, Alexandra! I don't really have any tips for drying them. I just put them in water in vases and then they dry on their own! They seem as though they can last for years and years.

  14. Looks beautiful! The hydrangeas you have are from a hydrangea tree (paniculata) rather than a bush. I am lucky enough to have a neighbor who has one of these trees and he allows me to cut a bouquet of these blossoms every year. In my area I see these blooms selling for $1 a piece so I feel really lucky to have a nice neighbor! I cut them once the blooms start to turn beautiful shades of pink and put them in water as you do. I just leave them that way and eventually they start to dry right in the vase. They look lovely in your dining room! I love the urn you have the hydrangeas in on your table. Where did you get that? I've been looking for something like that.

    1. Thanks! And that is all so interesting–I'm sure you love having the hydrangea tree right there! I purchased the urn about 7 years ago at Hobby Lobby, so I would guess its something they no longer carry (but I'm not positive).

  16. You have worked so hard! I know you'll be so glad to be done painting and enjoy having some fun decorating. Every room you've shown is so fresh and lovely. I always enjoy seeing what you've done and seeing your faith in Christ demonstrated in the things you make.
    love and blessings~
    Lynda @ Gates of Crystal

  18. I have always loved your blog and find it so inspiring. I posted my dining room update today! Hope you get to take a look. ericasrunningjourney.blogspot.com

  20. The dining room is beautiful, and personally, I love the gray drapes. They make the room so serene & soothing…just lovely. Can't wait to see what wallpaper you choose.

  23. Looks great! Thanks for sharing! Also, do you use anything to support that mirror you have leaning against the wall? I would like to do this,but a lil nervous, as I have a 3 yr. old. Your feedback is much appreciated! Love your blog.

    1. Thanks, Tracy! It's just leaning for now. We plan on hanging it, but it's one of the few pieces in our home that I can't lift alone, so it will stay that way until my husband is available to help me hang it 🙂

  24. Looks great! Thanks for sharing. Do you use anything to support the mirror you have leaning against the wall on the buffet? I would like to do this, but haven't as of yet, as I'm a little nervous, as I have a 3yr old. Your feedback is much appreciated! Love your blog! Thanks!

  26. Bead board wall paper?! WOW! I need to run and get some!!!

    Your DR is so serene and lovely! I echo the LOVE of the gray drapes against the backdrop gray on the walls. The chandelier is stunning!

  27. LOVE LOVE the special touch and eye you have for decorating. I have been told to hair spray the hydrangeas once they have completely dried. It works! They keep their color and 1/2 as fragile.

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