Dining Room - Complete

Aside from one more art piece (a beach photo I need print), I have completed my dining room. Back in April, I blogged the picture below of my house's dining room before its makeover.

The only thing that stayed in the dining room is the carpet and curtain rods, which someday will both get replaced.

The first thing that needed done (aside from all the wall patching), my dad and I replaced the ceiling fan with a fun pendant light. I am not a fan of chandeliers, but I was concerned that just one pendant wouldn't fill the space with light. Boy, was I wrong! I put a 100-watt-equivalent bulb in this light fixture and it is incredibly bright. Plus I aligned the height of my IKEA wave mirror so the light can bounce off and illuminate the room even more.

The second thing I did was take down the hideous floral curtains and valance. I replaced them with energy-saving, black-out curtains. The faux-silk window treatments are not only lined to help keep the warmth inside during winter and the cool inside during the summer, but they are also machine washable. Originally, I wanted to get four panels, but the store only had three. Now, I love the look of having three. At some point, I want to replace the curtain rod with a brushed silver rod with decorative finials made of shell.


Of course, I also painted the room. The "aged-beige" color that is painted on three walls is carried through to my kitchen (and also is in my bathroom). The "meander blue" is only painted on the archway wall. Originally, the entire room was going to be the blue color, but I decided that it looked too juvenile and/or too bright for the entire space. While choosing the paint colors, I didn't realize how similar these two colors combined recreated the colors at the beach. Once I became aware of this fact, the room's decor was easy.

Coincidentally, my dining room set's chairs, I think, resemble beach chairs the way they are woven. I chose the pendant light because it has ridges like a shell. I already owned the IKEA wave mirror, but it became clear which room to hang it. And living in Erie, PA, it is easy to find beach-inspired art (and easy to create your own).

I think this, so far, is my second favorite room in the house. And while I rarely eat at my dining room table, I always walk through the room and can almost hear the waves crashing and seagulls squawking.