Before and After: My Dining Room

I finally finished (well, almost), my dining room, so I'm sharing the before and after.  Here's the view from the living room, and then I'll show you the before...

At Christmas, the brown Jacobean print wallpaper was up, and it just had to go.  Don't ever do something you don't love!  This paper lasted exactly two years.  I would have taken it down the day after I put it up, but I couldn't.  I thought maybe it would grow on me.  It didn't.

Here's how it looks today.  No more oriental rug (yeah!),  no valances, no darkness :)  The mirror is from the before shot.  I painted it and plan to age it, as it's way too white and matchy.  It's there until I find the mirror I'm looking for.

Here's the rest.  I used my sugar and creamer from this post...

 I brought a chair in from the living room because I think it works better in this space...

 Or do you think it is better without it? (Uh oh.  need to paint that outlet cover!)

The Majolica plates that I bought here have made the wall.  I love the unexpected whimsy of them and their worn imperfections...

The two signed prints on the right are of my husband's quaint hometown in Connecticut.  I love the personal meaning they bring to the room.

My plan is to someday exchange the predictable hutch that was purchased about 12 years ago, and replace it with something French, old, and perhaps painted.  I will also change out the host chairs to fabric when I find the perfect ones.  Time and patience.  I will find them.

So that wraps up my weekend!  Nothing like a deadline (hosting a wedding shower in two weeks) to get things done.  These days, that's what it takes for me!

Talk to you soon,
Carol