My Dining Room Through the Years

All of the rooms in our house have changed so much since we first moved in almost six years ago. I wanted to do several posts about how each room evolved and how the rooms ended up looking the way they did now. I thought it would be interesting to share how my decorating styles have changed. It also shows how much making your home a cozy sanctuary is a continous process that happens gradually over time.

Here's how our dining room looked with the sellers' stuff in it when we first toured the house. All the previous owners must have had a fear of color, because every single room in our house was the original white paint from when the house was built in 1994.

We spent the first week of home ownership painting like crazy. Here's how our dining room looked for the next few years while I was in my "sage and burgundy" phase.

I decided that I no longer liked the rug, it was just too dark and busy. I think we only paid around $20 for it at Garden Ridge so it wasn't a big deal to send it packing to Goodwill. I also added a different table runner from Target to change things up a bit.

Then when last fall came around, I added some mini pumpkins and gourds along with a latern to dress
things up a bit and bring in some color. I also added some pillows the head chairs.

Next came Thanksgiving. I added some more fall decorations and candles to create a nice tablescape for the brunch we host on the holiday.

Around the same time, I also switched out the wall art to add paintings created by my brother-in-law and my very own Mr.Delightful Dwelling. You can also see the light fixture we purchased to replace the brass one that came with the house. I also decided it was time to ditch the fake tree from the corner and moved our antique radio into that spot. That allowed me to turn the table at an angle. In this photo, it has the leaf in the middle so it is longer than normal.

When I discovered this mirror at Old Time Pottery, I knew I had a new focal point for this wall. I love how it bounces light around the room by reflecting the light that streams in from the patio doors. And at $29 it was a far cry from the $199 Ballard Designs version. I moved an ottamon from the living room to sit under the mirror and added some pillows to create a small seating area.

Then it was time to break out all the glitter and gorgeousness for Christmas. I added silver painted pinecones, candles, and ornaments for a festive arrangement. Snowflakes dangled from the light and my handcrafted ornament wreath was displayed over the doors to the deck.

Now that Christmas is past, here's how my dining room looks with the $3 table runner I posted about the other day, a vase from Sears, and some silk flowers.

While this room has come a long way from the blank slate we started with, it will continue to change over time and with the seasons. That is part of what makes decorating so fun, you are never done!