It's been almost three months since I first welcomed you into our Florida home and showed you our living room. I hope you visited with me then but if you didn't, it's the 2011 Welcoming post. Please take a look and then continue with me into the dining room.
I've posted a few pictures in the past that show little snippets of our dining room. All the past pictures showed Thanksgiving and Christmas crafts that dressed up the room for the holidays. There are peeks of the table and chairs.
Let me start by saying that we don't live in this house full time but we try to get there for regular getaways. When we're there for a quick R&R weekend it's usually hard to motivate ourselves to start another project or even finish one that we left incomplete. Our projects are really only cosmetic since the house is only a few years old. I've been able to get most of the rooms repainted and we laid hardwood floors in the family room, master bedroom and one guest bedroom. All-in-all the house is basically done but, as you all know, there is always something that needs to be tweaked, updated, fluffed, etc. I still have a wish list and a honey-do list, each about a mile long. I'll be sharing our diy projects, purchases, improvements, etc. as they come along.
So today, it's the dining room.
We painted the living room and dining room walls a light turquoise. I had the paint color matched and mixed at Walmart. I've been using Walmart brand paint for years because they can formulate a pretty perfect match from any paint chip. I've had great success with them and I just refuse to pay upward of $30/gallon at a speciality paint store. Walmart paint is $8/gallon. This way, I get current designer colors and save tons of money.
After months of searching, I found the chandelier at Overstock.com. I wasn't really sure what I was looking for but I was confident that I would "know it when I see it". I'm really happy with this one. It has that modern yet vintage feel. Does that make sense? Anyway, I love it. I think it has the blended mix that I like-traditional drum shade, shiney modern chrome finish, fancy feminine crystals and whimsical flowers. AND it was a bargain-$129.00 minus 10% coupon and only $2.00 shipping fee.
Someday, with all the money I've saved on paint (ha) we'll be able to buy the hardwood floors. I'd also like to have a rug under the table. Right now, I'm thinking sea grass, but who knows what I'll wind up with. I'm also on the prowl for lamps to go on each white chest. I'm hoping Homegoods will come thru with something for me soon.
The fireplace is just propped against the wall, leaning there until we add the wood floors. We'll have to figure out how we will attach it when that time comes. I've carted that fireplace around from home to home but we've never had it affixed to any wall. I think it deserves a permanent place here, though.
The table, chairs, and two side chests are all old pieces that I recently refinished. I plan on posting a closer look at them later.
Oh yeah, about those three little windows, I'm not crazy about them. So, short of replacing them with a nice picture window, anyone one have any ideas for them? I'd love some advice and I'm excited to hear your suggestions.
Ok, I think that's it for now. Hope to see you at some linky parties this week.
See ya,
I am linking this oldie but goodie to Songbird's white party. Thanks Marianne!
I agree the windows are odd. I'm not sure what's on the other side of the windows, but it looks like the perfect space for a set of french doors, it looks like a lot of light coming through the windows already, so it would make the room so warm and cheery. If that wont work I definitely think a larger window that is at a height to look out of. Let us know what you come up with. (Beautiful place by the way)
ReplyDeleteHave a Great Day :)
Oh MY Heck!!! This is beautiful! I love the colors you used and I love the happy but soothing feel of the room. (And thanks for the tip about Walmart paint! I wouldn't have thought that!)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful room. I love the combination of white and blue. Such a relaxing place. ~~Sherry~~
ReplyDeleteGorgeous Spring Makeover!!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post, I really enjoyed it. For the windows ( I have a custom curtain business) if it were my house I would run a pole across the top of all three windows and hang simple white sheers on the ends and in between all of them. Then I would hang shutter on the wall on the bottom under each short window to give it the appearance that the bottom of the window is closed and the top is open. YOu could also forget the panels and do open shutters on top and closed dummy shutters on bottom. Your room would look like it had floor length windows!! The paint tip at Walmart was good to know. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh!!! I'm so glad you found me so I could see your blog!!! I LOVE it!!! LOVE your taste.....please come back and visit me often and I'll do the same....we do have such similar taste....We have 2 homes....Our newer home needs to be completely decorated this summer. That's the one at the beach....
ReplyDeleteSo nice to meet you, and I'm following you now too.
Happy weekend,
Mariaelena
Hi Barb!
ReplyDeleteOh my! Your dining room is so elegant, yet cozy, charming and chic! Thank you for sharing! I am pleased to be your newest follower!
Best Wishes and Blessings
Amanda - One Girl in Pink
How crazy am I that I didn't know Walmart carried paint. I don't get there too often. Great job. Very coastal chic.
ReplyDeleteLovely rooms; the colors are just perfect, quiet and calm.
ReplyDeleteHello Barb,
ReplyDeleteyour blog is exiting. I really love the soft tuquoise of your new room. I wonder why it looks so warm, I have a room in tuqouise which looks quite cold. The off white durniture is just perfect with the walls. I wouldn't change the windows. I like that they are in a row and although they are tiny, they a re giving some true light. I would try to give them a view as a long window by placing mirrors under them. Sorry for my weak English. I hope you know what I mean.
@Vicki: You made a fabulous job with the new header for Sarah@Hyacinths for the soul.
Best greetings, Johanna
Just beautiful. Especially love the chests on either side of the mantle...
ReplyDeleteUm, wow!
ReplyDeleteI am loving all of the white furniture against the crisp blue. Such a fresh and pretty room. That mantle is gorgeous and I am super duper jealous. :)
Lovely!
I love the blue and white, reminds me of a Tiffany box! I am a Florida girl and this ROCKS!!! Very Florida!
ReplyDeleteGlad I followed the Saturday Nite Special blog party on over here! Pop on by and say hi : http://cookscleansplayswithpaper.blogspot.com/
This room is just beautiful, there is nothing I don't like about it, but the mantel is my favorite. I have tried to have blue in my home, sadly I just don't like it, so when I see a room done in blues it just looks so calming.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your very nice comments. I love to hear what you have to say and appreciate your ideas. Please, keep them coming. I have a lot more of this house and many projects to share with you.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the name of the color you have painted your walls? I love it!! I think it would go perfect with the colors i use.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job. Such a relaxing vibe.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann
Love your blog AND your home! So glad I found you!
ReplyDeleteHi, I've just popped over from Barbara's Friday Welcome Wagon. Love your blog. I'll be back for some more looking, and am following.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Lisa x
Oops, I meant Brenda's blog. I totally under-decaffeinated this morning. Apologies to Brenda.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Lisa x
Barb! this is beautiufl...every little bit and piece. Love the color, the white furniture! Wow you have done a great job decorating and putting things together. I will be back!
ReplyDeleteblessings,
Debbie
Hi Barb, Thanks so much for visiting oneshabbychick! I am spending some time visiting blog friends :-) Your dining room is so pretty. I was thinking along the same lines as Amy, with the idea of white sheers hung around & between the windows, and I also like her idea of using shutters to create faux windows on the bottom. Another idea would be to keep them simple and put a long sideboard or console table along the wall under them {more room for fun displays!} Have fun! ~ osc
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing room!! I love the subtle colors. You did a wonderful job.
ReplyDeleteI finally found a quiet morning to visit everybody again and actually leave a comment this time.
Thank you again for playing in my We Love White linky party!
LOVE THIS!
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest follower
xo
Jenny
www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
I'm your newest follower! I'm Ally from www.homebyally.blogspot.com! Where are you located in Florida? We are moving there in just about two months :) Love your stuff! Be sure to stop by and say hello!
ReplyDeleteXOXO,
Ally