All of our main areas (foyer, living, kitchen, breakfast, and dining) are all open to one another - basically like one big room which is fantastic for entertaining. It gives me a lot of flexibility when setting up for larger gatherings. Our dining room actually gets used a lot, which I love. There's nothing formal about our family - we keep it real and we keep it simple, and I think that allows us to use this space more. We use the large round table for dinners (not on spaghetti night I admit!) and for family game nights too. It functions as a great project table too!
I took my time decorating this room. I waited for really good deals on each and every piece and I'm happy with the final look. It suits us well and doesn't feel overly formal. The chairs are the most recent additions to the room. I wanted to layer the wood tones instead of matching them to add visual interest and a layered look.
This soup tureen centerpiece was a lovely gift from a client. It was from her own collection and it's so special to me. I added the brass candelabra (that was a $10 antique store find!) and the hydrangeas, which I love to buy fresh when I want to add something special to the tabletop.
The chalkboard was an old mirror from Bombay Co. that I spray painted (Rustoleum Hammered Bronze) and painted the mirror with chalkboard paint. The plates belonged to my grandmother. They are white with a scalloped edge and dove gray accents. I have enough for 12 so I used a few on the wall and still have enough for dining. They mean a lot to me because they belonged to her, but I actually think I would choose this pattern on my own if I were shopping today. How did she know gray and white would be popular!? ;)
The accessories were added over time. This chandelier was a recent purchase - it's the Lourdes chandelier from Ballard Designs. I liked the round shape and the empire style top, and it's at a great price point for this large of a chandelier. These shapes are actually mimicked in the base of the dining table. While matching things is never important to me, finding similar lines between items is something I do focus on - it always works to bring a room together!
Our house is "cozy" in size, so I use mirrors where I can to make the rooms appear larger and bring in more light. This mirror was at a glass shop just around the corner from me. They had two of them and told me to make an offer - I made a ridiculously low offer and they accepted, so I grabbed both before they could change their mind. :) The other hangs in our living room. Mirrors are one of my very favorite decorative items. They instantly transform rooms, and it's a great way of adding something to the wall that won't clash with art or photographs.
...and another tray. They are my weakness! I think this is my favorite one!
You hear it all the time..."design is in the details" and that is the absolute truth! Choose things that are special to you and your family. And collect these items over time - enjoy the process!
If you find you aren't using your dining room because you think it's only for formal occasions - think again! Fancy is so overrated anyway! This can be a really special area in your home that gets just as much use as the family room. It shouldn't just be for "show". And if you still don't think you'd use it for family dining - turn the room into something completely different. It's your house and it should work for you!
I hope you have a beautiful & blessed Thanksgiving! Thanks for reading today!
No comments:
Post a Comment