Midwestern Project: The Dining Room Reveal

Today is the day I finally reveal the dining room in my parent’s new home.  This is the first room you see when you walk in their front door and a top priority for me.

My mother asked for a dining room with southern Georgian charm and the detailed touches of  Middleburg, VA. I traveled to MO to deliver her vision and complete it in a short time. In my Midwestern reveal post HERE, I go into more details on why my mother is drawn to those two locations when it comes to decorating.

Starting out, the room was a blank canvas that needed the vision and creative touches. I kept it simple, elegant, and with a family at heart.

Before:

Unfortunately, I did not get a picture capturing the state of the dining room before I began, complete with a shiny gold light fixture, beige walls, and carpeting. I did get a few photos showing the progress of the room.

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After:

For wall color, she chose Sand 6 (a favorite from Valspar) over wallpaper. To make a statement, the dining room required an oversize light to fill up the space and the oatmeal shade was the perfect color to balance all of the other dark items in the room. The removal of the original carpeting, replaced with wood floors consistent with the rest of the house, instantly made the room look larger.

When decorating this smaller space, I intentionally did not clutter the space with too many accessories, adding only my mother’s favorite pieces.

These beautiful chairs were found at The Porch in Wildwood, MO and I truly don’t think I have seen a set that is more stunning.  The higher back with the extension of fabric to the legs gives these chairs a unique look. They were just what I was looking for to add softness to the space and that layer of southern elegance.

The adorable houndstooth placemats add a subtle detail of a very common fox hunting pattern. While not meant to be left out daily, they do add a cute touch for a casual get together.  The pitcher was found at Home Goods and the glass candleholders at Pottery Barn. I wanted something clean, simple, and low key on the table. These items were the perfect touch.

The pillows are from Pottery Barn and pull a softer touch to the chairs we found at a local antique shop.  The chairs mix a little old to the new space to add a little character. I painted them a Restoration Hardware color called Flint and then combined elements throughout the house with this same color.

The shadow boxes with plates were found at Three French Hens in Wildwood, MO. They add a hint of color to the wall, but still, keep everything understated and refined – the exact look I were going for.

The black oak table is the Grand Baluster Collection from Restoration Hardware. Don’t you love the detailed legs and the overall simplicity of the table.

Layering and accessorizing is my favorite part of decorating. After getting your more significant items in place, this is the part that actually pulls a room together.

The horse statue was found at Nell Hill’s in Kansas City, MO and is one of my mother’s favorite pieces. It adds the Middleburg fox hunting touch. Nell Hill’s is a breathtaking store and you could literally spend all day admiring each and every room. I recommend everyone check it out on your next trip to Kansas City, MO. You will not be disappointed!

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I have been making curtains for a few years now and have to give many thanks to my mother-in-law, Denney, for teaching me this craft. I feel like this is one of the most essential things in a room. Custom curtains are so nice because you are able to tailor them to the exact look you want for that space. Of course, there are many beautiful store-bought options to achieve the same look. Adding trim to the curtains gives the extra layer of frill you see in southern homes. I also found the dining room fabric at Nell Hill’s in Kansas City, MO.  Bamboo blinds add a natural element to the space and give it an understated, cozy appearance.

One of my favorite things about transforming a space is making people happy. My mother’s reaction to her space was priceless – she was so pleased and happy. She couldn’t stop talking about hosting her first get together in her charming new space. She loved its simplicity, and lack of fuss and felt like we achieved her southern home in Georgia with the detailed touches of Middleburg, VA.

A great big thanks to my sweet parents for opening up their home and allowing me to take over for a week. It was fun making memories, laughing, and just being home again.

I will give details on how you can get this look later this week.  Please continue to check back or feel free to sign up for our newsletter and have updates delivered directly to your inbox.  Thanks again for stopping by!!!

If you would like to learn an easy & quick way that I hang my curtains, head to “The (Easy) way to make pleated curtain panels using clip rings.”

 

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