Take a peek at my dining room

We do eat in our dining room--though not as much as we used to. That's because we have a sturdier table in the breakfast nook these days, so we can cut our steak without the whole table swaying back and forth!

Since we're eating in the breakfast nook more than we used to--and since Mom bought me the coolest red school bench for my early Christmas present!--I just staged the dining room table. Not as conducive to eating there, but so pretty to look at!

Before:

 

And after:

 

I made a fitted burlap tablecloth the other day--the dining room is all hard surfaces and no fabric except for the curtains. And it just needed some more fabric and texture. Plus the bench needed to sit on something with more contrast. 

(I do love the benches, though I had a vision the other day of mismatched upholstered arm chairs!)

The school bench runs down the middle of the table like a runner and sits about 12 inches tall. Too tall to look over when you're eating, but it'll be easy enough to just lift the whole thing off the table. Emma helped me fill the old strawberry baskets with all kinds of things, and we used stacks of cookbooks to add some height.

As soon as it's time to decorate for fall, I'll be adding pumpkins to the mix. I love pumpkins!

 

 

Picture rails from IKEA over the sideboard hold family pictures, and since only the shelves are nailed to the wall, it's easy to move pictures around.

 

 

That's our framed wedding invitation, and the picture of the little girl is my mother; the other woman pictured is my grandmother.

 

 

These demitasse cups are fun for little girl tea parties. The wardrobe in the top picture holds the regular-sized ones. And all my china and party plates and such. I keep napkins and candles and stuff like that in the drawers.

Hmm...now that I'm looking at the pictures, I'm wondering too about a rug under the table. I'll add it to my ongoing wish list...

Comments

[Michelle]

I'm such a looky-lou...I so enjoyed the tour of your dining room! It's inviting and warm...a good place to enjoy a meal. Thank you for sharing... I think an area rug would be just the right finishing touch, too...just to add another "layer". Beautiful!

[Dawn W]

Love your style. And, I agree - a rug would be perfect to add more softness and texture with all the wood.

Your pictures make me want to go re-do a room. LOL

[angela]

Love it! Great inspiration for me as well.

[katie]

i am in awe of that table!! i mean the whole room is fantastic, but the table and benches are incredible! what's the story??

[Candy]

We have that same table and bench! (Although we bought six chairs and a bench instead of two benches.) We LOVE how well they wear.

I'm intrigued by the shelf holding the demitasse cups. I have a shelf nearly the same, except not painted/distressed, and haven't put it up in our home because I can't figure where. Can you tell me where it is in relation to your dining table? I can't see it so can't picture it.

[rhonda]

You can come decorate my house anytime! You do a wonderful job. Very warm and inviting.

[Joanne (The Simple Wife)]

Candy:

I tried sending you an email and I ::think:: it went through, but it was returned once as undeliverable. So I'll respond here just in case...

The shelves are on the left wall, to the right of the doorway in the top picture.

Joanne

[Lisa Landis]

Love love love the fitted tablecloth. You've inspired me to make one. Like your nose ring, BTW. I just got one myself. :-)

[Candy]

I didn't get it so really glad you responded here! Not sure why it didn't go through.... At any rate, can't wait to make my shelves look the same way. Gorgeous!