Again, Kim had great basics:a beautiful, high quality gathering size dining table with eight chairs, a hefty china hutch, and a FULL wine cabinet. Still, the dining room felt unfinished. Furthermore, the table took up most of the space, making it difficult to navigate. And, without a proper workspace for her scrap booking, the dining room was playing the role of craft studio, so Kim's supplies were crowding the area. Whenever she wanted to eat, she had to clear away her project. So, here's what we did to transform it.
We solved the first problem by removing the leaf from the table. Since it is usually just Kim and her husband, there was no need to have it set for eight all of the time. The space instantly felt larger, and Kim can still serve dinner for six! Kim's scrap booking was moved to a new spot in the living room , which we will touch on in Chapter 3.
Kim also confided to me that she had been wanting the perfect curtains for two years, but could never bring herself to make the decision. She was considering some solid panels from Pottery Barn, but never made the investment, (with rods too, it would have been substantial), for fear that they wouldn't look right. All Kim needed was a chance to see what else was out there, and with a little nudge and a second opinion, she found the right look at a great price from TJ Maxx. The sophisticated pale blue and pewterish stripes give the room just enough pattern to make it interesting. The simple rods were found at Target.
We hung a mirror that was formerly overlooked in the family room, above the wine cabinet, and simplified the accessories on top.
A pretty and hip collection of decorative plates was moved from its dark corner in the living room to a front and center spot over the pass through to the kitchen.
Kim loves fine china. She has two sets, and had lovingly placed them in this beautiful china hutch. There were just a few too many accessories, drawing attention away from the china, so we just did a quick redesign to simplify it.
Kim was really pleased with the look and feel of the dining room when we were finished. Just six simple changes to the nook made it a much more cozy and intimate place to wine and dine! Next time we will tackle the space right off of the dining room, in Chapter Three: The No Longer Lonely Living Room.
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