Dining Room Favorites

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t’s been four years since I posted about our dining room’s makeover (here) and not much has changed other than the patio door is gone because now we have the garden room! If you know me and have followed along for a while, four years of no big changes is a huge deal. I believe I know why! I genuinely love everything that’s in here – from our comfy, stay and linger for a while white slipcovered chairs on rolling casters, to the classic turned leg dining table, and vintage Drexel Champaign buffet, and the artwork that cost me 10x more to frame than the actual oil painting (oops but worth it!). The chairs are covered in a durable Sunbrella slipcover so I can take them off after dinner and throw them in the wash, they also air dry quickly.

Slipcovered Dining Chairs

When guests come over for the first time for dinner, I love seeing their face when they take a seat and discover the rolling dining chairs – really! The surprise on their faces are so fun to watch, and also make me feel much better about the investment of the chairs. Altho I will admit when my tiny guests come, it’s hard to keep them in their seats and not roll around the dinner table like it’s a derby race!

The chairs are from Ballard Designs and incredibly comfortable. You could sit on them for hours, which is the point – I want guests to linger after dinner for long conversations, that’s where the laughs and memories are made! We used to have a round dining table which came from my townhome and I kept a lot of the furniture until it was time to upgrade. I do love round tables, Chinese restaurants prefer round tables because it’s better for conversation, I agree!

We have seating for 6, I’d like to make it 8 but not sure if that’s necessary yet or which chairs to add, if they should be the same or maybe just folding – I am not sure if I want two more permanent chairs on the end. I think if I can find a pair of sturdy wood chairs that are comfy I would love to flank them on both sides of the buffet against the wall when not in use. In my mind they are antique chairs so I’m just waiting to stumble across them.

Darker walled room

I kept the walls dark because I didn’t want my entire home to be white, I thought about it, but with this home decor in particular, English cottage style, I think the grayish green hued walls looked good. It also just made this space feel like it’s own even though it’s right in the middle of all the other rooms. This color is by Benjamin Moore called Sandy Hook Gray. I just picked a color off a color chart and left. That used to be me.

Lighting

We added two skylights that open in the kitchen which has brightened up the kitchen a bit that is right by the dining room. Our home is not open concept – and it works very well for our personalities and lifestyle. I love cozy little corners, separate rooms, and the ability to feel like you’re in a cozy space. It’s the introvert in me (I’m an introvert and extrovert!).

Our dining room has always been a little darker in comparison to the rest of the home, outside the patio doors was a covered patio which diffused the light and now that we added the bright garden room it stays less illuminated since there’s no direct sun reaching the space. But that’s OK, that’s why I have a bright big chandelier! Who knew this chandelier would suddenly become so mainstream years later. There are also lots of affordable similar styles online. I love the prism light bulbs I bought for the chandelier.

Accessories

I didn’t want a dining room rug – I had one for the round table but it seated 4 comfortably, 6 at most, and was large enough so the chairs pulled our were on the rug. We often walk right behind the chairs to other areas of the home and a rug would not have worked well, and also the casters on the chair to roll out wouldn’t be as smooth. I don’t think every dining room space requires a rug especially if it has to be large enough that all the chairs don’t fall off the rug – if that’s the case, forget having one.

On the Drexel buffet from One Kings Lane, I put the glass serving stand o there permanently. I haven’t styled it much, maybe that’ll be the next thing but it’s there for appetizer plates or my leopard salt and pepper shakers.

I love table lamps on buffet tables, it’s another cozy way to add lighting – if I find another table lamp I might buy another since I am liking things in pairs. Sometimes I love just having the table lamp on at night. It gives a cozy feel when the dining room isn’t in use.

The sheep oil panting was an eBay find, it came unframed, just the canvas. I love that painting so much. I went to Aaron Brothers (I think its now owned by Michaels) and had it framed with a 50% off coupon and it was $1000. I can’t tell you that I really thought that was a bargain when we were newly married because it wasn’t. I was horrified, but I swear the cost of artwork is due to framing. I couldn’t just frame it cheap. It was a big investment and it’s now one I know I will never replace. The first time it came back they did a terrible job with the framing and I made them fix it (because when you pay that much it better be perfect). Every time I look at this artwork my heart just skips a beat – which is how you should feel about every art piece you collect. I’m replacing one of my framed art pieces I got for free from blogging that is currently hanging in my office. I’m still looking for the right piece that speaks to me.

I recently heard a podcast interview with an antique shopper – she said she allows herself to buy one big antique ticket item a year. I loved that. I think if you ever wanted to start collecting antiques, or even big ticket pieces for your home, just start with one splurge a year. Eventually you’ll realize you keep those pieces and stop replacing them which is where we are hopefully at for a good while.

I mean, it’s been four years since I really changed up our dining room, enough said! *wink* Dinner is served around 7! My favorite flower are tulips :)

Product links:

• Table: Restoration Hardware (no longer available) Similar and here
• Dining room chairs
• Wood wall brackets
• Chandelier (here)
• Chandelier prism light bulbs
• Oil painting: eBay, custom framed at Aaron Brothers
• Buffet: One Kings Lane (exact one, same style different color, similar)
• Bird table lamp
• White ceramic and porcelain footed bowls: sourced everywhere, one might be IKEA
• Glass serving stand: Ballard Designs
• Woven bar stools: Ballard Designs
• Stool pillows: Erin Gates
• Architectural print: Antique
• Vases on buffet: Antique
• Woven placemats: Home Goods
• Basketweave vase: Marshall’s
• Leopard salt + pepper shakers: H&M (similar)

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Diana Elizabeth would love it if she knew how to cook better but she likes to host, calls up her favorite restaurants and has Benjamin pick them up! This makes everyone’s tummy happy.