Dining Room Before
The Dining Room Before & After
Sometimes being so slow with projects can be a little flustering. You don’t have the instant gratification of a fabulous before and after. You can feel like you are only inching along, each step feeling like things are better than they were, but not quite where you envision them in the end.
Doing a project over time, using mostly what you already have, can be fun but is not always the easiest way to do a room. It takes patience with being “undone,” hanging on through some twists and turns as you try to work with what you have, and a lot of persistence to keep on keeping on.
It has taken me TWO YEARS to arrive where I am today with this dining room. You’d think I was remodeling (HA!) but it was mostly just painting furniture, walls, and rearranging things (and just living life!)! Yes, two years is a slow pace, but I’m on a roll now! I’m not done yet but it feels like it finally has turned in the right direction. In all fairness, even though that before photo is two years old, I did most of the updating in this room in the past 7 months.
Step by Step Dining Room Progress
- I had to be patient for 10 long months waiting for my old house to sell so I could move all my furniture here.
- I put up my antique stained glass (from a real church) to hide a less than pleasant view.
- I painted my old table, chairs & armoire to brighten up the room and unify mismatched, less than lovely wood.
- This fall I hung some temporary curtains leftover from my old house (note: new curtains just might be in the works).
- Then right before the holidays we painted the walls Behr All in One Studio Taupe Paint.
- Then I got a new lantern with lots of character.
- And then, I moved the dresser out and put in my baker’s rack.
Dining room during –
prior to the walls being painted and the dresser being moved
Dining Room Now
Now
Now
Dining Room before and now.
And finally, the side by side view.
The before and now, two LOOOONNNNGGG years apart.
Since I have felt like I wasn’t making fast enough progress, it helps to look at what the room looked like when I first set my furniture down and review the step by step progress along the way.
Yep. It has come a long way.
Oh, and now it has come a little further! Check out my new dining room curtains post!
Thanks for bearing with me, particularly this week with so many posts and photos in my dining room! Next project for this room: the new curtains made out of my 16 year old fabric!
NOTE: All the furniture in this room was FREE because it was recycled from a previous house, with the exception of the new (but free to me!) Pottery Barn lantern, the paint (Studio Taupe Behr all in one) and the seagrass rug (Cost Plus, $125).
Twitter: moonflorists
says:
Love the room! What a cheerful yet restful place you’ve created!
Mimi recently posted..Floral Inspiration- Foliage Arrangement
Twitter: affordpassions
says:
Wow! It’s gorgeous – you can’t even tell it’s in the same space – the room looks totally transformed. Congratulations!
Susan recently posted..Looking for some suggestions
Mega charm! I love it. Congratulations. Especially love the window treatment and the light fixture.
Elen recently posted..Wedding Dress Essay Contest for Military Brides…
Twitter: TalysaM
says:
Amazing! What about the curtains? Are those just tension rods up against the window casing. Love how you did those. Very unique. And are they black and gray? Hard to tell.
Talysa recently posted..I love spontaneous road tripsand Funyons
Wonderful, bright, cheerful room! Love the white furniture and stained glass windows. Very beautiful!
It looks fabulous! I can’t get over that lantern + the stained glass. Well done.
Kimberly Moore recently posted..Spring-Easter Decorating Under 20
I love it! Where is that beautiful rustic carpet from? I am in love!
Cost Plus! Seagrass Rug. I love it too!
Things are looking great! I like that the light fixture is oversized, that combined with the drapes helps to add punch to the room.
I was wondering where you got the white bird figurine. I have two similar to that one and have been looking to expand my collection. Thanks!
Jen recently posted..Homemade Banana Bread
I love your new dining room! I do have a couple of questions for you. What paint did you use on your furniture and how did you apply it.
I’m getting ready to paint an old dresser. I’ve painted other furniture with enamel paint and a brush but it took forever to completely dry enough to set something on it. I’ve been thinking about using spray paint this time.
Gotta get to sanding. ughhh!
Melissa, it looks wonderful! I know you are so enjoying this room. It’s so bright and cheerful…what an awesome place to dine with family and friends. Don’t feel bad about the two years…my “home library” has been in progress for more years than I care to admit. lol
Susan recently posted..A Beautiful Limoges Table Setting- Welcome to the 145th Tablescape Thursday!
Oh I can’t decide what I love more! The curtains, the stained glass or all the other lovely touches. Good things do come to those who wait and patience is a virtue.
Well done!
Laura Ingalls Gunn recently posted..Royal Wedding Wednesday~ The House of Grimaldi
Absolutelly gorgeous, your new dining room! My goodness, it was worth the weight, but yes, it was long, I’m not patient, but these is stunning, you’re a great interior decorator and furniture restorer!! I adore stain glass, I’ve had in both, my previous house and this one and yours is beautiful, it frames the area beautifully! Congrats, I can’t wait to see what you come up with later…DO NOT WAIT TWO YEARS!!! Lots of hugs.
FABBY
Your room is so pretty and so worth the wait! Great job:)
carol ann recently posted..The Little Red Wheelbarrow
Your room is so beautiful. Definately worth the wait.
Thanks for sharing!