Caution: Dining Room in Progress!

Warning: This post is just kind-of all over the place...kind of like the evening news...with updates.

No, this is NOT my dining room OR my laundry room, but it has me completely inspired that an open hall concept could work for my one day laundry reno!

I just gotta share something from my personal life, which I try and leave out of blogging for the most part. This summer I haven't accomplished one of my big goals - redoing my laundry room. The main reason was little bro, who was supposed to come up and help take out THE wall, went and got himself a really good job...as a passenger pilot for Delta and is now based out of Detroit. That's just a little far away for a "weekend reno". Go little bro! I'm incredibly proud of him (although terrified at the same time!). I think I can forgive having to wait on the laundry redo for that:)

My little brother...who towers over me...seriously by about a foot!

Can I just tell you how surreal it is to see the kid you remember in diapers dressed like this?!

So, what about my other projects in the works? Did you think I'd forgotten about my dining room? Nope, it just had to wait a little while for vacation and for me to get some pieces down to the booth. Now, I'm hitting it hard this week to knock out painting the walls. I did manage to score some great fabric for the new curtains since the original fabric I'd planned to use was just a yard or two short and have gotten them temporarily hung. I'm really restraining myself with this room and keeping it simple and fairly neutral. What do you think?

The pattern is very subtle.

The material is a soft green with a very slight shimmer. It has a very subtle various size kinda' mod daisy shape pattern in various shades of gold, super pale blue, and cream. It continues the green that is in the family room and kitchen but only in the fabric. That way it's not overwhelming. The pale blue ties in the ceiling and blue accents in the other adjoining rooms. Gotta love open floor plans and having to tie it all together!

New ceiling color. I'm loving this!

I'm planning to do some small accents in this lovely coppery-orange shantung throughout all three adjoining spaces to add warmth and liven them up a little:



Kay Unger dress via http://www.bluefly.com/

These three rooms use the amount of orange I'm looking to incorporate and are serving inspiration right now.



via Verdigris Vie







via House of Turquoise



via Suzanne Kesler



I'm really torn with this room on what to do with those walls. I'm dying to put some blue on the walls, but I'm trying hard to keep it fairly neutral. So, I've decided to go with a dragging technique in a slightly darker creamy pearl metallic over the base of creamy white already up there. That way, I shouldn't have to repaint...possibly ever (right!) - just change out accessories. Although this example is green, this is the look I'm going for. Imagine a pearlescent cream over white:

Dragging Paint Technique

via http://www.valsparpaint.com/

Step 1. Before you begin, carefully tape off all areas where you do not want to apply the finish. Apply Valspar base coat to the entire surface with a roller. Remove tape. Allow to dry overnight.

Step 2. Reapply tape. Apply selected glaze with a roller. Work in wall sections no wider than 4-6 ft. at a time so the glaze does not dry too quickly. Maintain a wet edge from section to section to prevent lap marks. Only stop at the end of a wall.

Step 3. Using a dragging brush and holding bristles parallel to surface, drag the brush down through the wet glaze. Work from top to bottom, holding the bristles of the brush against surface with handle tilted slightly toward you. This keeps the bristles rigid, creating the streaked look. Wipe excess glaze from the brush after each downward pass to ensure a dry brushing surface. Remove tape within an hour and allow to dry.

Just thought I'd throw the directions in there for fun. We'll see if I have any tips to add when I get done!

I've also been collecting branches to play with the chandelier transformation when time permits, and the slipcovers are still in process. This room is not a top priority right now so I have to just take it bits at a time. Sometimes I feel like such a yo-yo because I have to bounce between home decor updates and keeping up my booth with furniture redos. I'm dying to finally pull it all together because when school starts up, the kitchen is next in the line of attack!

Although not planned, the room has suddenly begun to remind me a lot of this room!
via Suzanne Kesler

Last, but not least, I am trying to narrow down rug options. I love seagrass and have that in my family room...which is open to the dining room. I've contemplated that again, but don't think I want that under a table with kids. I may look for a carpet remnant at the carpet place (hubby's high school friend owns it!). I've also contemplated doing the carpet tiles from FLOR. I love those, just not sure I want to pay that much. This is one of times when I realize I'll get what I pay for, so I'll probably not skimp too much. It's gotta last. The more I look, the more likely I'll get an indoor/outdoor carpet like one of these. Lot's of wear in this room...even if it's not usually dining (kids, dog, me...you name it!):

Lyrical by Home Decorators Collection
I'm in love with this but wonder if I'd tire of it quickly. I does a great job of tying the ceiling, walls, furniture and drapes together, though! I didn't realize just HOW good until I was putting together this post and saw the pics side-by-side!



via Outdoor Rugs Only
Kaleen - Turner Creek - linen


Ideally, I can find one at an estate sale. I let one go not too long ago that I should have snapped up that would have been perfect! Ugh! Why do I do that?! Were only talking a difference of SEVERAL HUNDRED dollars!