Updating my dining room - advice needed!
jpmom
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
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jpmom
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
Update on my room: need furniture arrangement/drapes advice
Comments (17)You know, now that I'm looking at this again, I would probably have to say I like the panels better than the valance -- however, I think two things initially threw me off. I agree that there's maybe too much panel. (And, as a hobby sewer I would personally NOT go to a fabric place to have my drapes made -- especially panels -- because they would charge way too much. If you did want custom panels, but you don't sew yourself, maybe go to your local fabric store, and see if they have business cards for local people that could sew for you, if you buy the fabric. Or see if there's anyone you know that could do it.) Also, could you have a more substantial rod. Seems to me something a little thicker might look a little better. And, one last thing, if you don't mind me babbling on (^_^), while I like the mirror you have over the mantle, I would personally replace it. I think on some decorating show I saw that they suggest against it, because when you're sitting (and really, standing, depending on the height of the mirror and wall), all you see reflected in the mirror is ... the ceiling. I would suggest either moving it (along with either other pictures/sconces/mirrors) to the blank wall, or get a larger mirror to put on that wall -- as a plus, it would reflect the light from the window opposite it. (It's hard to tell dimenions, but even a narrow console table against that wall might look good.) Oh, and random, but I agree with getting a more substantial side table to put in between the couch and chair, instead of the small pedestal table. Anywho, just some thoughts! ^_^ (And I hope you show piccies of your kitchen when you start on that.)...See MoreI really need some advice for my dining room!
Comments (8)It depends if it's an interior door, or the front door. If an interior door, if you wall it off, it looks like you might obstruct part of the door frame. I don't know if the other posters are talking about walling it off in a "box," or creating an entire fake wall across that wall, which which case you would need to either move the baseboards, or get new baseboards - and those are old baseboards and you may have to have them custom made - even though they are not fancy baseboards. As an alternative you could repair the holes in the floor and ceiling and paint the pipes the same color as the walls. A good drywaller should be able to repair the open ceiling corner. If you wall it off in a box shape, it could have the potential to look cheesy. In my previous house, it was an old house like yours and had the furnace pipe running up from the basement through a corner of the bathroom through the roof. I painted it the same color as the wall and it looked fine. May be difficult to get in the corners behind the pipes, but it's doable....See MoreNeed so much advice for kitchen/dining room/living room remodel
Comments (21)Your request for help is quite broad and without a lot of specifics. That makes it hard to answer. I'd suggest breaking it down for yourself and for us like this: 1) Before you start choosing finishes, you'll want to solidify your kitchen and likely furniture layout/orientation. You'll get the most help with that if you post a current floor plan of this entire floor drawn to scale with measurements noted on. Your architect might already have a floor plan you can share here, or you could make one with a tape measure and some graph paper. Generally a 1 square = 1 foot or 1 square = 6 inches is a good, usable scale. Please indicate on the plan which sections of which walls are coming down and any other features (good/bad views out certain windows, fireplace, ducting that can't be moved, etc.). Also note anything you'd particularly like to achieve layout-wise (e.g., an island, a view from the island to the TV, etc.). Post that and and people will have enough information to make helpful suggestions. 2) While you're fielding suggestions about your layout, sift through Houzz and Pinterest to find some inspiration pictures you like. Look for rooms that really sing to you and have the kind of appearance or feel you really enjoy in a home and want to achieve here. Once you have found, say, six or more pictures like that, post all of them together on here and ask people to help you review the images and figure out what the commonalities between the pictures are. This will help you identify what specific things you really respond to so you can include those deliberately in your new spaces. 3) After you can articulate what it is your really like and want to bring to this space, THEN repost this question about colors choices and finishes with that information. Provide your final floor plan (the result of #1), explain what specific finishes you like or what you're specifically trying to achieve through finishes (the result of #2), and then ask us how we'd achieve those stylistic preferences in this space that you have planned. You'll get MUCH more targeted, helpful help. Only then will people understand your taste and the space that we've got to work with. THEN they can say helpful things like, "You might like X paint on Y surface with Q backsplash, plus maybe G feature on M wall? That takes advantage of your space for K reasons while adhering to your taste." Also, some side notes: a) I think you'll have an easier time balancing the dining set with styles you prefer if you break up the set across several different rooms. Use the table in the office, the chairs in the dining room, and the hutch in the kitchen or whatever. With all three - the hutch, table, and chairs - together in the dining room (and being the only furniture in that room), the country note you don't seem to be a fan of will inevitably dominate that room. b) I disagree with Sophie that it makes sense to hire an interior designer at this time. When you bring in a professional, you want to have some idea of what you're asking them for. Something you want them to help you achieve. I don't think you have that yet, and free discussion here is a good way to pin down your own thoughts a bit more. c) I don't think whoever said this looked like an inexpensive house meant it in a denigrating way. You mentioned several very large ticket items (kitchen reno and opening up two separate stories of your house), and I think she/he was simply trying to make sure you're not putting more into the house than you can get back when you sell. That can be devastating. But in case that made you feel weird about having posted, rest assured that people post on here with every single kind of house. Is this the grandest house we've ever seen? No. Is it the humblest? Also no. But no one cares. We're all just here because we like improving homes. The starting point really doesn't matter....See MoreI need advice on small formal dining room update!
Comments (14)Your dining room table and chairs are classic and will never go out of style. Your rug too is great but I would move it to another room and replace with something much lighter in colour, perhaps another oriental rug or maybe something more modern. The spaces around your dining room have wainscotting with panels below. Those bottom panels are missing from your dining room so I'd add them, the chair rail looks odd without the panels below. Then I would paint the wainscot the same white as the other wainscot. Paint above the wainscott a soft cream so it will be slightly different from the wainscot. On your window wall, move the plant to another room and add white linen drapes. Remove the tapestry, candle sconces, mirror, and that little table with the lamp (that table is much too small scale for this room, looks like baby furniture). Add a single piece of art to the tapestry wall in large scale, don't do small pieces. Replace your chandelier with something more current and reupholster your chair seats in solid cream (this is an easy DIY). And then stop. Your dining room table and chairs are the stars of this room. Keep it simple. Table, chairs, rug, drapes, chandelier, one large piece of art. And BTW, your table looks really stately with the extensions, I'd leave them in all the time. Perhaps one more decor item would be something for the middle of the table. And make it one single thing and make it large scale....See Moretibbrix
8 years agojpmom
8 years agojpmom
8 years agojpmom
8 years agojpmom
8 years agojpmom
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
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