Friday, September 18, 2009

Dining Room Inspiration

In a previous post, I told you how my mom's crystal chandelier was the motivating force behind converting my decor to cottage style. Once I made the decision to redecorate, I was excited and anxious to get the chandelier hung so my dining room was the first room to get a cottage makeover.
The photo below was my inspiration photo for furniture.

DR Inspiration (3) 

It certainly is not a conventional dining room look.  And maybe it is more suited for a patio, as shown here,  but there was something about the mix of the wrought iron chairs with the painted white table that I really liked.   It was definitely quite a departure from the obsessively matchy-matchy decorating I had always done in the past.
My dining and living rooms are open to one another so I also reasoned if I used wrought iron chairs in the dining room they would coordinate nicely with the wood and wrought iron coffee and end tables I already had in my living room…and wanted to keep.

IMG_0333 (C&E) (Ick! Please rest assured the sage green wall color is not as yellow as it appears in these photos.)

Although not as chunky as the table in my inspiration photo, I found a dark wood dining table at a local furniture consignment store for $100 and I painted it white.
I bought the wrought iron chairs new at a discount furniture warehouse and immediately covered the boring beige fabric seats with a pink, green and white plaid decorator fabric that I bought right off the bolt at JoAnn Fabrics.
IMG_2613 (C&E) 2
I had a modern china cabinet that I wanted to replace with something more cottagey but  my dining room is open to 3 other rooms and I have very little wall space. Most china cabinets, new and used, were much too big for the wall space I had to work with…just a mere 45 inches, max! 
While I continued to look for a suitable replacement, the old china cabinet got a coat of white paint, a new bead board back that I painted pale pink, some new knobs, a couple appliqués, and a little bit of curvy molding to try to camouflage its too modern lines. Not a perfect fix but an acceptable temporary solution.

IMG_0380 (2)-cropped (2)                            making do with the old china cabinet…

As luck would have it, within just a month or two after painting the old one, I found the "perfect" china cabinet on Craigslist. It was the exact style I had mentally envisioned and the right size.
It was also the right price...$100.00!

IMG_0858 (3)                                          before…

The finish on it was actually quite pretty and I almost hated to paint it but since the dark wood didn't fit in with my decorating plans, it got several coats of crisp white paint to match the dining room table. I also painted the inside a pale pink, and replaced the knobs on the doors with faux crystal knobs.

 

IMG_2641 (C&E)                                             after…

 
Sometimes the best laid plans go astray. The wrought iron coffee and end tables in the living room I wanted to keep...  
Well, I ended up replacing them with painted white pieces.

IMG_2710 (C&E) 

Since I no longer have that continuity of wrought iron in the living room and dining room now, some people don't "get" why I have chosen to use wrought iron chairs in the dining room. 

IMG_2613 (C&E) 

In the future, I may decide to replace the wrought iron   with chairs that more closely resemble the style of my dining room table and china cabinet but,  for now, I'm still liking the casual mis-matched look.  In addition,  the chairs do  seem to provide a little visual variation from all the white painted furniture.

      

26 comments:

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Lovely makeover! Precious pets! I'm also a nester and love nothing more than staying home, piddling, being creative. I'm only 43 and most of my friends think I'm boring, but I crave peace and quiet. Enjoyed looking through your blog. Peace & blessings,

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Anita@Theycallmejammi said...

Very nice. Everything looks crisp and clean and you are definetly getting that Cottage vibe. Great makeover.

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

I think it looks lovely! You sure found a wonderful china cabinet. Thanks for sharing...have a great weekend!

Loui♥ said...

I LOVE IT!!!
the makeover is beautifully ..PERFECT!
am in the process of MENTALLY redoing my house from icky to beachy cottagy..with a lot of white and softest whisper/slatey blues..sorta a nantucket beach house.. with beadboard walls..
having to go slowly..$$$
but I can still dream..
visit me at Mountain Mermaid..
http;//mermaidlouie.blogspot.com
♥ smiles!!

Anne Lorys said...

I honestly think that your version looks better than the magazine version!
Hey, thank you so, so much for your most gracious help with the painting tips. I've printed them out and plan on taking them with me to Home Depot this weekend!
~ Anne

Connie said...

I love it. Your hutches are TDF. Everything looks absolutley beautiful, cozy and very inviting. I think you should pat yourself on the back - and if you every get tired of your look, there is always a can of paint. LOL

Our grandparents/fathers/mothers would have a fit if we painted a nice wood piece. LOL

Hugs,
Connie

Tara said...

What a great deal that hutch was! I love it painted white, but I'm into the whole white thang right now! I can understand why you put the iron chairs with the wooden table, it's called texture, just tell the nay sayers that and pretend you have professional design experience!

I loves all your old photos. Your Dad was quite a looker! Your Mom was pretty too. I have to take pity on her for those maternity clothes though! Things have come a long way since those smocks. I have old pictures of people I can't identify too. A lot of them are classmates of previous family members. They do take up space and cause quite the delima don't they.
Thanks for stopping by today and sharing such a sweet comment. It meant the world to me.

June said...

What a lovely dining set that is. And the rooms are beautiful.
Hugs,
June

Betty819 said...

One of the looks for cottage style living is painted white furniture. I love the look and if I were single, I'd buy a cute little cottage style house and paint all my furniture white. What brand and color of white paint do you use? What a steal for that china closet $100!

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Thanks for your visit to my space. I love the mismatched look -- nothing in my place goes together and yet it all does somehow. At least that's what people tell me! I love the shabby chic look but unfortunately, living in Kuwait, it is very hard to find things that are in that color scheme. Plus, with outdoors being so drab, I find that I work with a lot of color indoors so right now, the look is quite eclectic. I have started collecting chairs -- all different styles and sorts. I love a dining table where no chair is the same. Just can't find the right dining table but I'm still on the hunt. As long as you follow your heart, it all comes together. Peace & blessings for your weekend. Tammy

Pauline said...

It's all too beautiful :o) The wrought iron works because you live in a hot climate, you've bought the outdoors, indoors. Good for you!! I really like it :o)

Cindy said...

Your dining room looks lovely. I really like the black chairs with so much white and light colors around it. Your first china cabinet was nice, but your second one is perfect for your space. How is Bo getting along, is he minding his manners and sticking to dog food these days? I told my husband the story you related last week about Bo. What a dog. hugs, Cindy S.

Sandra said...

Beeeaaauuutiful!! I love all the white pieces! I am currently painting something in cottage white and love how it's turning out. I will post about it as soon as I finish. I hope you visit me. :)
Blessings,
Sandra

Vicki said...

Hi, Shari,
Your dining room is beautiful! I like the mismatched look too of the wrought iron and white! You also got some wonderful bargains and made an amazing transformation with the white paint. Thank you for sharing your lovely home. Vicki

Gayle said...

Shari,
Your gorgeous room puts that inspiration picture to shame!
The dining room looks so so pretty!! You must be thrilled.
And, I love the wrought iron chairs just the way they are.
:0)
Your home looks just beautiful!!!
Gayle

P.S. Hang in there honeybunch.
Remember, take one day at a time.

French-Kissed said...

Beautiful makeover! I love mixing it up too. To help others who question why the black iron chairs, maybe you could play up the color black a little more in your accessories in the dining area ~black and pink are gorgeous together and I love that black and pink floral rug under your coffee table. I also think I see a black wire basket or something great looking in black on the table behind the sofa. Putting some black items other than metal like maybe some black glass or something else in black in the dining area could be very dramatic and help unify while keeping the fun mix you have created. Maybe even a black runner or a pink runner trimmed in black down the white table instead of the white lace cloth. Anyway, you did a great job of mixing it up!

French-Kissed said...

Just me again...I forgot to mention what a great job you did in transforming the china cabinet. Beautiful!

Miss Mustard Seed said...

Very pretty! I love the fabric on the chairs, the hutch and the side board. You really have a great eye for cottage style. I can't wait to see your future projects!

Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss said...

Betty, I am sorry I am so late answering your question about paint brand and color. Bad me!

I like Lowe's Valspar paint and if I am applying it with my sprayer, I use semi-gloss. I have used several different shades of white throughout the house. The pieces in the dining room are painted "Frost," most everything in the living room is "Birch White" and the chest of drawers and nightstand in the guest bedroom/office are "Betsy's Linen."

Thank you for visiting! :)

Gayle said...

Shari, I swear, you are the sweetest person!! Thank you so
much for your encouraging remarks about the mauve mess..lol
I've finally caught up on all the days I missed and just read about Bo's latest....what a character!!! What a honeybunny he is!
I bet he is non-stop entertainment (and a little frustration sometimes) for your family.
Those pictures are priceless!
Have a great day!
Gayle

Jaylin said...

Thanks for the inspiration.!! Everything is looking absolutely stunning and beautiful. Just LOVE all the furniture and dining room decoration.

Gayle said...

Hi Shari,

I forgot to ask...I absolutely
love the plaid on your dining room chairs.
Do you remember the pattern name?
:0)
Hugs,
Gayle

Sandy~Romantique Inspirations~ said...

Wow Shari, I was so excited seeing all these lovely pictures. I think both cabinets are nice with all your pretty pieces inside. YOur home is gorgeous, with great style! I'm crazy about those chairs, but have you consider painting those chairs white in the future? It definitely would bring a total different look to the room with different colored cushion. If your going to replace them I would play with them a little bit. You may just want to keep them.

Enjoy your day-

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Anonymous said...

So lovely.