Let me introduce you to Red Riding Hood. Er. Red Dining Room. Our dining room is a small-ish box of a space. We inherited the red walls. Wait, okay, actually we inherited purple-red walls. To see if we could live with them (in a slightly less Barney fashion), we purchased some crimson paint several years back and slapped it up there. It toned down the purple, but the red's still there in all of its BAM, POW, SMACK glory.
That iPhone picture makes it look more purple, but it is actually burgundy red. The table set was something we purchased a year and a half ago (and put together last July 4th when we were trying to get the baby to make his arrival). We like it very much, along with the awesome vintage sidebar under the window (which we purchased on our honeymoon; how's that for a story?) and the ladder-style bookshelf to the right. Can't even see it, huh?
There's also a set of windows to the right of this shot, and some large art in a rustic frame to the left. It's a darn near impossible room to take pictures of thanks to a) its size and b) the weird built-ins (see the white on the left and right of the shot?) which go halfway up the wall and create a doorway into the room.
I know the first step will be to finally paint the walls a color that wasn't all the rage in 1995. Not that there's anything wrong with 1995. Okay, there was; colors, patterns, and some fashions were questionable. So, yeah, I've been considering greiges (beige + gray = the awesomest neutral at the moment). At the same time, it's the first time in recollection that Dave disagrees. He likes the red, and encourages friends and family to agree when they visit. Ha. Not gonna work, buddy. There's no way I'm going to ever sell this house with a red dining room, and if I'm going to paint it for some future owner to enjoy, why can't I enjoy it while I'm here? Good reasoning, I think.
While we're at it, the trim needs a coat or two of the bright semi-gloss white the rest of the house has. Why people paint their trim a dirty shade of cream, I'll never know. I know I'll be relieved when that procrastinated project is finished. I may be even more relieved when the rug is gone. It was a cheap, on-sale find, but just isn't our style anymore...if it ever was.
So, while keeping the aforementioned warm, medium-dark furniture (and books and art, at least to see if they work), we will then have a clean slate of greige + white trim. Here are some finds that inspire me enough to want to pick up a paintbrush (whether they'd work in our dining room or not):
My faves? The drum pendant lighting (we actually put in the chandy we currently have, but it's a tad too traditional; although I have a feeling it would help sell the house down the line better than a drum...we live in a traditional area) and the geometric curtains rock my socks off. I like our current cheap-o white curtains, but the room is asking for a little suntin' suntin'.
There's also a set of windows to the right of this shot, and some large art in a rustic frame to the left. It's a darn near impossible room to take pictures of thanks to a) its size and b) the weird built-ins (see the white on the left and right of the shot?) which go halfway up the wall and create a doorway into the room.
I know the first step will be to finally paint the walls a color that wasn't all the rage in 1995. Not that there's anything wrong with 1995. Okay, there was; colors, patterns, and some fashions were questionable. So, yeah, I've been considering greiges (beige + gray = the awesomest neutral at the moment). At the same time, it's the first time in recollection that Dave disagrees. He likes the red, and encourages friends and family to agree when they visit. Ha. Not gonna work, buddy. There's no way I'm going to ever sell this house with a red dining room, and if I'm going to paint it for some future owner to enjoy, why can't I enjoy it while I'm here? Good reasoning, I think.
While we're at it, the trim needs a coat or two of the bright semi-gloss white the rest of the house has. Why people paint their trim a dirty shade of cream, I'll never know. I know I'll be relieved when that procrastinated project is finished. I may be even more relieved when the rug is gone. It was a cheap, on-sale find, but just isn't our style anymore...if it ever was.
So, while keeping the aforementioned warm, medium-dark furniture (and books and art, at least to see if they work), we will then have a clean slate of greige + white trim. Here are some finds that inspire me enough to want to pick up a paintbrush (whether they'd work in our dining room or not):
My faves? The drum pendant lighting (we actually put in the chandy we currently have, but it's a tad too traditional; although I have a feeling it would help sell the house down the line better than a drum...we live in a traditional area) and the geometric curtains rock my socks off. I like our current cheap-o white curtains, but the room is asking for a little suntin' suntin'.
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There are parts of this room that I'm not in love with, but for the most part it suits a small space wonderfully. The upholstered chairs flanking each end are pretty darn rad, and a mirror helps broaden the space (I need me some of that), plus the lighting fixture is purdy. Downright purdy.
There are parts of this room that I'm not in love with, but for the most part it suits a small space wonderfully. The upholstered chairs flanking each end are pretty darn rad, and a mirror helps broaden the space (I need me some of that), plus the lighting fixture is purdy. Downright purdy.
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Okay, so this isn't an entire dining room, but it gives me an idea. Check out the gold...and do you see the accent color? Yep, reddy pinky PURPLE. Like the purple monstrosity we began with! Anyone else think it would be a sweet homage -- like saying "Let's still be friends" and actually staying friends? -- to the ugliness we started this project with to throw in a few accents of this pretty-in-its-own-way color? I guess I don't mind it as a hit here and there, but to engulf the walls or rug...ick.
(Oh, and there's some "Keep Calm and Carry On" art on the wall. Love that.)
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Speaking of rugs...while I'd like to get one a tad more modern (since we'll be using it in any future dwellings, too), this style would work for a few reasons. a) It's just modern enough without going crazy, making it a good transitional piece that wouldn't stick out in our 1925 home, b) the cats SHOULD leave it alone...should, and c) the deep tone (with walls exactly that color) grounds the room superbly. Side note: I SO want to DIY that fixture. I'm also flip-flopping -- orchidy purple-ish or fun mustard yellow? Drats.
Okay, so this isn't an entire dining room, but it gives me an idea. Check out the gold...and do you see the accent color? Yep, reddy pinky PURPLE. Like the purple monstrosity we began with! Anyone else think it would be a sweet homage -- like saying "Let's still be friends" and actually staying friends? -- to the ugliness we started this project with to throw in a few accents of this pretty-in-its-own-way color? I guess I don't mind it as a hit here and there, but to engulf the walls or rug...ick.
(Oh, and there's some "Keep Calm and Carry On" art on the wall. Love that.)
Source
Speaking of rugs...while I'd like to get one a tad more modern (since we'll be using it in any future dwellings, too), this style would work for a few reasons. a) It's just modern enough without going crazy, making it a good transitional piece that wouldn't stick out in our 1925 home, b) the cats SHOULD leave it alone...should, and c) the deep tone (with walls exactly that color) grounds the room superbly. Side note: I SO want to DIY that fixture. I'm also flip-flopping -- orchidy purple-ish or fun mustard yellow? Drats.
So, there are just a few ideas for our lovely little dining room. That Pinspiration almost makes me want to pick up some paint...almost. I foresee it being my just-around-Christmas project. (In the past, we tend to take on vast painting projects...you got it...just around that busy time of the year. We so crazy.)
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