This has been so fun dividing up our dining room makeover into a series! It has really helped me appreciate all of the work that went into it, and hopefully break it down for you to see how manageable something like this can be if you take it in sections!
I’m trying to decide what was my favorite part…removing the brown wallpaper to see a lighter wall? Adding a splash of bright and happy color to the walls? Using some of my wedding gifts as decor so that I can enjoy them daily as well as use them functionally? OR is it decorating the table? Hmmmm…hard choice! They have all made such a difference!
Let’s start with the table! It is a large English farm table with side drop-leaves. I have always loved the warm wooden…almost honey-like…stain that is on it. It has an incredible waxed finish! Here is a photo!
While I haven’t been able to find my exact table, I have included some other great options for you to shop in different price points!
Double Pedestal Extending Dining Table
Oval Double Pedestal Dining Table
These antique Windsor chairs complete the European farm table feel.
Here are some replications in different price points!
Under our table we have one of my pride and joys in our home! I am a huge fan of oriental handwoven rugs, and this is one that we purchased ourselves! It felt like such an adult purchase, and we searched and looked at so, so many rugs to find the right colors and patterns. This one used to sit in our master bedroom at our old home, but it was really hidden by the bed! It simply shines in this dining space.
Plus, a rug is perfect for breaking up the wooden table and chairs from the wooden floor. Both have their own beauty but they ended up just blending all together! This rug really separates the two and adds a slight formality to this more casual table!
I’ve linked some similar rug options for great prices!
So, we have our table and we have our rug….we pretty much have a blank slate!
I love a runner! It defines the space where you can decorate! And I love pretty much anything resembling French Country style! This red striped grain sack runner is a little fun piece I picked up in the Target dollar bin. Do you ever shop there? Don’t. You won’t be able to quit. Side tip….it is actually a great place to pick up the occasional seasonal item! And I love to grab a stack of thank you cards sometimes….I digress. Back to this runner! I’ve linked a few options below!
Blue Grain Sack Striped Runner
I always love a little symmetry on a table, and these iron candlesticks were such a great size, but the color just wasn’t quite right. I used Annie Sloan chalk paint to paint them white!
Here are some great distressed white wood candle holder options!
White Wood Pillar Candle Holders
Set of Two White Pillar Candle Holders
Just like the candle holders, I had another side project coming my way. I had these amazing shells that we collected last summer at the beach for my boys’ first trip to the ocean! Naturally, that makes them special and so fun to use! I remember getting home with them and kind of going, “now, what?…where will these go except in a memory drawer?” So, it was so fun to have that “aha!” moment when decorating this table.
I have a lot of wood in my home. I like wood. It is such a pretty, natural element that instantly brings warmth. It also bridges all decorating styles! But, with the table being wooden, and the floors being a stained wood, and the chairs being wood, I wanted to take this dough bowl and give it a little wash of color! I took Annie Sloan Provence and mixed it with a little water to dilute it. Then I literally lightly “washed” the color over the dough bowl….almost like dry brusing. It turned out so well!
You can always find vintage dough bowls at antique stores, but you will usually find antique store prices! This one I found in the back of a junk shop, and it had lots of dings and bumps! It was so cool!! I’ve linked a great and affordable dough bowl option below!
A ceramic serving bowl would be another great option!
And to fill your bowl, you will need some amazing shells! OR collect items around your home that are meaningful to you and your family! I have linked a variety box of shells below!
And I had one last piece of silver that I really wanted to use. It nestled perfectly in the middle of the shells! This silver pitcher was another wedding gift, and I love that it has a patina already showing up. In this house, my silver will always have a slight tarnish to it I’m betting. I know my Gran is rolling over in her grave right now…haha, but she would also know that time is better spent with family and friends. As I used to tell her, “Gran, I’m a modern woman!” 🙂
I’ve linked a great silver pitcher option, as well as a pewter one!
Finally, the last piece was a riser. I wanted to add a little more height and dimension to the table! I had a great wooden raised serving piece that my Mom gave to me that she found at an antique store! Can you tell where I got my love of antiquing?!
A cake plate is a great option to use! Here are some below!
And that is my table! But crowning jewel of the center piece is this chandelier! It is my favorite thing about this entire room and the first thing we changed when we moved into this house!
French Country Rustic Iron Chandelier
This chandelier is from Kathy Kuo Home, and it is one of my favorite vendors for lighting! She is currently having a great sale on some of her lighting! Here are some other amazing options that might work in your home!
Metal Chandelier With Wood Beads
In case you missed the other parts in this series, I’ll take you back now! Here is Part One. Here is Part Two. Here is Part Three!
I hope you enjoy seeing the process and shopping the details!
Love this dining room wall color!