Six blog posts. Five weeks. A completely different dining room. I'm not going to say it's been easy. Spare time was hard to come by. And I picked up a cold at dance competition this past weekend (tight quarters in those dressing rooms!), so I'm writing this with itchy eyes and tissue in hand. But our One Room Challenge dining room makeover is done! And we love our new dining room space. We might actually eat in there now. (Or at the very least, not pile random items on the dining table.) Let's have a wee look at the before and after pics to see how far we've come.
Starting back in the fall with our foyer makeover, our goal has been to make our home decor feel more sophisticated. Our children are no longer little ones and it was time for a home refresh befitting our new maturity as a family. At the same time, we wanted to keep a feeling of fun and have some fresh pops of colour.
There's nothing better than beautiful mouldings to add grandeur and sophistication to a home. We were sorely lacking nice trim in our suburban standard builder home. As we did in the foyer, we installed Metrie French Curves Scene II poplar crown moulding in the dining room. That change alone elevates the quality of the space.
We also installed the matching French Curves Scene II chair rail, baseboards, panel moulding and door and window casing. We put two gorgeous Ikons/rosettes above the large open doorway and four around the windows. We chose the French Curves line for a classic appeal, but Metrie has five different lines in their Then & Now Finishing Collections. They're all really beautiful and there are lines to suit anywhere from a Parisian apartment to a craftsman-style Calgary home. If you want to know how we went about installing the trim all on our own (okay my husband did it), read this post about the RYOBI tools we used.
Once we selected our trim, it was time to think about paint. We chose Benjamin Moore's Gray Owl for the upper portion of the walls to correspond with the lighter but still gray Intense White in the foyer. We chose Simply White for all the trim, because, hey, you really can't go wrong with it.
Next up in our planning process was the feature wall. We have been loving the teal wallpaper in our foyer and the bold orange floral wallpaper in our powder room. So we knew we wanted to create a statement wall using wallpaper again. We chose Graham & Brown's Innocence charcoal and silver wallpaper. You can read more about our choice in this post. I hope you'll agree it was the right choice. I love the impact the wallpaper makes in the room. The silvery branches against the gray background are bold but not too aggressive, if you know what I mean - the perfect backdrop for the vintage china cabinet we bought via Facebook buy and sell.
You can read more about the selection of Little Lamb as the main cabinet colour in this previous ORC post. But I told you I would reveal the interior colour for the cabinet as a surprise in today's reveal post. I kind of worked backwards in terms of planning in this case. I knew I ultimately wanted to accessorize my dining table with Afloral.com faux flowers, because I always love their flowers. But I wasn't sure what colour. I spent a few hours (not kidding) pouring over the colour options on Afloral.com and eventually decided to go with peachy shades. Later, when seeking a bold colour for the interior of the vintage china cabinet, I spotted Fusion Mineral Paint's Coral, in the Penney & Co. Collection.
Coral resonated with me. It would be the perfect contrast to the grays in the room, I thought. My husband, on the other hand, just thought I was crazy. I told him he needed to trust me, because everything had worked out well on our previous projects. As a compromise, I painted the shelves in Little Lamb so there wouldn't be quite so much Coral. But I think it would have been great on the shelves too. In the end, the Coral makes a lovely statement against the wallpaper and ties in with the silk flowers. We also spray-painted the cabinet hardware in a matte black finish.
One of my early picks in the process was this gorgeous Bungalow Rose Crosier Grey/Light Blue area rug from Wayfair.ca. I had purchased another gray and blue Wayfair area rug for our hallway right outside the dining room. I wanted a rug that was almost the same in colour but with a different pattern. I fell in love with this one - it has more gray in it than the one in the hallway so they aren't too much the same and I love the splotches of teal. I wanted a kind of uniform pattern so the area rug wouldn't fight with the wallpaper. I figure the pattern will hide any future spills as well. It feels really nice underfoot too!
With the different patterns in the room from the wallpaper and the area rug, I decided on solid coloured drapery. I found these beautiful teal sheer drapery panels at Urban Barn. They are the Malini Slub Sheer panels in teal if you're looking for them at your local Urban Barn. They are ideal for a space like this where we don't need to block out the light completely. And the 96" length works well for us. We hung the curtain rod about an inch under the crown moulding and the drapes puddle slightly on the ground. I like them that way. (Which is convenient because I'm not eager to hem them. Haha.)
When all the installation and painting was done, I got to finally play around with my selections from Afloral. I had ordered terra cotta vases in shades of blue and green. In them I put Real Touch rose stems in peach, artificial billy button sprays in yellow, laurel leaf sprays and soft touch anemones in white.
Here's a better look at the Real Touch roses. I mean, they actually look and feel real! It's so great because you can use them and re-use them and leave them out for months at a time.
Here's another one of the vases with more of the faux florals. I also ordered the small Modani ceramic flower pot in blue and gold and filled it with a silk peony bundle in salmon peach. How sweet are the peonies?
I elevated the wee peonies with a white cake stand and surrounded them with items I already had in my collection, like a pretty liquor glass, a little ceramic blue jug and some vintage brass candle holders.
I also filled a tall white vase with a couple of faux dogwood sprays in peach for a punch of colour next to the armoire.
We kept several of the elements we already had in the dining room, like this antique gladiator motif bronze chandelier. It was in our foyer growing up and my parents were kind enough to give it to me. It doesn't really match anything in the room, but I like it this way - it stands out more than it did before. I think it's really special and deserving of attention.
We kept our teak dining table and chairs, which we bought years ago at Pier 1 Imports. Unfortunately the table took a bit of a beating during this renovation. I kept it well protected while we were painting and installing trim. Then I took off the heavy tablecloth and plastic cover when it came time to accessorize. Didn't I then drop a big silver pitcher on it? Took a nice chunk out of it. And then - wait for it - I ironed the table runner while it was on the table and took off the finish in several spots. Tiredness leads to dumbness.
We also kept our John Hartman framed artwork in the room, moving it to the big, kind of boring wall that holds the light switch and temperature controls. I wanted to mention too that we trimmed a small doorway leading to the kitchen. (Look behind the light fixture, above.) I mention it because the door was not previously framed at all. Ashley at Metrie taught me that you can elevate an area like this with new casing even if it wasn't trimmed before. It meant some challenging cuts for my husband, but it was worth it (in my opinion). And he's quite accustomed to me creating work for him now.
We have so much artwork that was displaced after our foyer and bathroom makeovers, we didn't want to buy any more art. I actually moved one of my favourite pieces - this "Bliss" woodcut by our beautiful, dear departed friend Greg Rennick - into the dining room from my office. We have another piece we need to get framed and then Bliss may go back to her previous spot.
We also kept the armoire we bought at auction many years ago. The armoire's teal colour was actually the inspiration for our foyer/front hallway colour scheme, and then this dining room too naturally. I feel the dining armoire makes more sense in the room now, with more consistent colours.
I have mentioned a couple of times how many vintage dishes we have (hence the two china cabinets). For this makeover, I took the opportunity to tidy up some of my vintage china collections. As you can see, it's still very full. (I have two full storage cabinets in the basement too!)
Our "new" china cabinet is more sparsely filled - basically I rounded up any ornamental white items I could find in the house, including my trusty milk glass vases. Fortunately the china cabinet also has doors and drawers for storage underneath too. I have stashed a bunch of platters and serving dishes down there. They are more easily accessible now, as they aren't piled together in giant piles.
I styled the dining table for a Mother's Day breakfast for one. It's a bit of a fantasy - it's how I would like to spend a few hours this weekend. It's not going to happen because my son has a basketball tournament, but it looks pretty anyway, right? In any case, I enjoy watching him play basketball and my kids are getting so big, I know I'm going to miss these busy times sooner than I would like.
My daughter begged me to let her peel the candle drippings off the brass candle holder, above. Much to her chagrin, I told her I like it that way.
I set out some pretty plates and a cup from my Johnson Brothers Old English collection.
I wanted to break up the all-wood look of the dining set, so I bought this "to live well is to eat well" Urban Barn table runner in a gray that suits the room nicely.
So far Ace has used the new space the most - he's back to his fave spot of sunshine.
Here's the room with the sheer drapes closed - still plenty of light but with sufficient privacy.
Well, that was a lot of photos! Believe me, I whittled them down, but I guess I'm pretty proud of our latest room makeover. And I'm going to try really hard not to pile random junk in there from now on. Ahem.
Overall, I think we achieved the more sophisticated look we were going for. The trim is gorgeous and I enjoy the flair that the wallpaper, Coral paint and floral touches contribute. We don't restrict ourselves to a certain style, I don't think. (If you have a name for it, I'd love to hear it!) We tend to go with whatever we like - I'm thinking elegant with a bit of whimsy, plus a good dose of vintage and some items that are meaningful to us. Oh, and usually a bit of rustic, like the baskets atop the armoire and the black iron rope mirror.
What do you think?
Thoughts? Would you have done it differently? Do you like the coral paint? Do you have any room makeovers coming up?
My sincere thanks
As a final note, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the sponsors who worked with me on this dining room makeover. In some cases I have worked with them a few times or more and in some cases it's a new partnership, but they are all products and brands I truly believe in and use myself. And they all have friendly, helpful representatives. So, a big thanks to the people behind the brands!
Pin it for later:
Sources
More One Room Challenge Makeovers
Be sure to check out the amazing reveals of the 20 featured designers, as well as all of the guest participants (like me) who link up this Thursday at Calling it Home.
Steps in Our Dining Room Makeover ORC
Week 2 - Prep & Paint
Week 3 - Trim & Tools
Week 4 - Wallpaper, Chair Rail & More
Week 5 - Crown Moulding & Cabinet Paint
Week 6 - The Big Reveal! (you are here)
Thank you to our sponsors!
This dining room makeover would not be possible without the help of these sponsoring companies, each of whom supplied (gorgeous) product. All opinions are authentic and my own. Thank you for supporting the awesome companies that partner with Woman in Real Life.
Metrie
RYOBI
Wayfair.ca
Benjamin Moore
Graham & Brown
Afloral.com
Fusion Mineral Paint
Urban Barn
Joann it's beautiful! I am totally in love with your hutch, and love all the florals. What a beautiful space !
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Ariel! I appreciate that. Friends in the love of colour, xo Jo. ;)
DeleteGIRL!!!! I love it, the obvious of course, gorgeous new trim, the colour change on that stunning hutch and the inside colour, sooooo good! Your beautiful new wallpaper, but my favourite thing is your existing light fixture, it just completely stands out now and man it's beautiful! Excellent job, big high five to you guys! Feel better soon and enjoy some down time! xo
ReplyDeletePS I love that you have wild bunnies on your porch and your bunny cake platter is so prominently displayed in your hutch, happy accident or clever styling, either way it makes me happy!
Thanks so much for all of your kind comments Laurie! I'm so glad you like the light fixture. We are kindred spirits in our appreciation for special objects - I know that! ;) Thanks - I'm having some soup and I feel sure this cold won't last long. Funny, I was going around the house looking for white dishes and I didn't look for the bunny cake plate on purpose but it was a happy find! :)
Deletewhat a fantastic makeover! i love the fun and unique color mix, and i really love those curtains! they have such great texture and color!
ReplyDeleteThank you Cassie! I really like the curtains too!
DeleteOh my goodness this color combination is just stunning. I love love love this space now!!!
ReplyDeleteI also shared my reveal today, check it out here: http://www.charlestoncrafted.com/2017/05/10/orc-reveal-fully-diy-remodeled-walk-master-closet/
Thank you Morgan!
DeleteOh my gosh! What a makeover! I love both the cabinets you have in your space. The pops of coral are wonderful and really make the room very cheerful!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm glad you don't think I'm crazy for having two cabinets. Haha. Yes, I feel the cheer in there. :)
DeleteLove that wallpaper so much! It looks great! The coral background of the cabinet is amazing! Great job!
ReplyDeleteThank you Emy! I'm really liking the wallpaper too. And I'm happy we ended up doing the coral. :)
DeleteI love the coral, what a show stopper! The hutch is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jillian! I'm happy you like the coral!
DeleteWow, great job! You guys did so much. I love the new trim and the wallpaper, and how it adds a more formal feel. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dannyelle! It felt like a lot of work. ;) A more formal feel is a good way to describe it. :)
DeleteAgree that the coral is the show stopper! What a fantastic job you and Lou did on the entire project! Excellent taste and well done! XO Laurette.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I took a chance on the coral then! Thanks so much!!! xo Jo
DeleteBeautiful Joann! You chose colours and combinations that I would never have thought of, but it all looks beautiful! I especially love the wallpaper and crown moulding :) Beautiful job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lindi! Yes I took some risks and I was at times nervous, lol.
DeleteLooks amazing! I love the wallpaper on the accent wall and the colors are such a fresh and fun combo!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind compliments Kate!
DeleteThis literally looks like a spread from Better Homes and Garden Spring edition. It looks that freaking good!
ReplyDeleteThat's such a lovely compliment! Thank you! I love BHG!
DeleteCongratulations to you & Lou! The whole room is beautifully done. There are so many areas of interest but the accent wall takes the prize. The China cabinet interior comes as such an eye catching surprise. Kudos to the son for pitching in.
ReplyDeleteThank you! We are quite pleased with it and will need to host a dinner now. Haha. xo Jo
DeleteI love the mix of blue and peach. It looks so cheery!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jessica!
DeleteI love your pretty dining room. That light fixture, wallpaper, and pop of color is amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Delia!
DeleteStunning! I love the blues and peaches. The eclectic mix of painted furniture, funky focal wall, bold colors, banging chandelier, and textured baskets looks amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks so much Jessica! That's very nice!
DeleteThe blues and corals and greys are absolutely perfect together! What a gorgeous and fun space you created!!! And I am in love with your table runner, too!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Thalita! I appreciate that!
DeleteLove that gorgeous wallpaper and the pop of color inside the hutch! Beautiful makeover!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Breanna! :)
DeleteThe color palette in here is so interesting and fresh -- I love your choices.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I appreciate your kind comment!
DeleteHi Joann,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful space you created! It is happy and inviting.
Aww, thanks Gabriela!
DeleteI love all the colours you chose! Such a gorgeous space :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Casey!
DeleteI absolutely love that blue hutch! the room looks so great!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Nicki!
DeleteJoann I am speechless. Every corner looks wonderful and so beautifully put together. The colours are so interesting yet classic and the whole space just makes me smile. By the way, I'm totally by those drapes - I've been looking for something just like them. Great job!
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you. If it makes you smile, there's no greater compliment! The drapes are lovely - I recommend them. :)
DeleteWow, Joann! You've definitely achieved your goal, the space is very sophisticated but also very very welcoming. I really love how all your pieces (new and old) are working together in this room.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm happy you find it welcoming!
DeleteThe wallpaper is the perfect touch - I have some Graham and Brown wallpaper in my home too and I love the quality. What a great makeover!! The pops of coral are perfect!
ReplyDeleteYes, we have used the G&B wallpaper in three rooms now and we love them all. Thanks so much Colette!
DeleteIt's beautiful guys. Well done😊
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! xo Jo
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