interior design
One Room Challenge :: My Dining Room!
Today is big because, my friends, I have joined the ranks of some of the most awesome design bloggers around as a part of the One Room Challenge. Not familiar? Here's a quick summary:
20 bloggers take on the challenge of making over one room over the course of six weeks. We'll each be blogging our progress and sharing our updates with you every Wednesday! This couldn't have come at a better time for me, having just moved into my boyfriend's house and at a total loss as to where to start with the redecorating. So he and I sat down and decided that the dining room would be the perfect space for us to ease into the melding of our tastes...
And here it is. Confession: when I saw J's house for the first time, more than anything in the entire home I knew that this god-awful chandelier had its days numbered. I cannot wait to tear it down - and neither can he.
Our plans for this room are hardly extreme, but you know what is? Designing with your boyfriend. As any of you know who have the pleasure of living with another human being, designing with two people is not easy. So, on top of blogging about my challenges with this room, I'm also going to be talking about the compromises we've made as a couple when putting this space together. The first one being the dining table.
You may recall that I have a really really gorgeous marble dining table just waiting to be put to use. Unfortunately, we also have this beautiful wood table. The aesthetics are totally different. I want the marble. He wants to keep his wood. I'm attempting to work with it.
In the meantime, I'm selecting items that should technically work with both so that we can decide later which table we're going with! So, keep all that in mind.
Everything else in the room, however? It's all going! The dining chairs will be sold (they're really nice but too matchy for my style), the walls will be painted a shade of blue/grey, the rug, console and shades will all be replaced, and we're going to have a hay day with some art in here!
The vibe? So glad you asked.
This is the color inspiration we started with - a nice rich blue that's saturated but a bit more grey. The room never gets strong direct light, so it can take a darker color nicely.
The style? Well, that's a little more tricky. I like to take risks in a room - not in every piece, but in one or two. J is a bit more traditional. He likes unique styles, but nothing too crazy or fussy. We both like global design - pieces that remind us of places we've traveled - and a layered cozy vibe.
If it were up to me, I'd probably be painting the walls white and going for something a bit more sparse - like this setting - but it still reflects a few elements I'm going for. I love the woven chairs for a bit of texture, and dark bronze accents to go with the hardware in the house. I'll be adding my own bit of greenery to liven the space up, I'm sure. Oh, and huge art.
Ironically, Kate from Wit + Delight's home layout is almost the exact same as ours here, so this room is serving as more simple, refined inspiration as well. Here's what I'd be doing in my dream world...
1. coco bead chandelier // 2. valspar 'folk blue' paint // 3. metal side board // 4. striped fabric dining chair // 5. crate & barrel marble dining table (no longer available) // 6. woven dining chair // 7. textured chevron rug
My two 'statement' pieces would be the striped fabric dining chairs that I'd use to flank each end of the table, and (of course) the coco bead tiered chandelier that adds a bit of organic glamour. I'm all about visual texture which a lot of these pieces lend to the room. We haven't even talked about art, but I'll save that for a whole other post!
Next week, we'll really get into it with some major updates on the room (paint!) and more plans. Plus, more drama between the boy and I as we battle it out over the dining room table...
In the meantime... give yourself something to look forward to every Wednesday for the next 6 weeks and check out the other bloggers participating in the challenge! Some people do some seriously amazing makeovers, so bookmark your favorites to follow along!
Jana Bek * Autumn Clemons * The English Room * Vanessa Francis * Greige Design * Hi Sugarplum * I Heart Organizing * Jenna Sue Design * Stephanie Kraus * The Pursuit of Style * Julia Ryan * Savvy Home * Simple Details * Simply Grove * 6th Street Design * Jill Sorensen * Swoon Worthy * Waiting on Martha * Kimberly Schlegel Whitman
images :: archilovers // commune design // emily henderson // wit & delight
The One Room Challenge is Trademarked by Calling it Home
What an awesome plan!
I can absolutely relate to the whole designing with your man problems! : ) It makes me laugh. Our design styles are polar opposite feminine/masculine. But so far I have found that we can blend for a totally unique style. All that being said, the room I’m taking on for my first ORC is 100% my style and totally girly! I wasn’t brave enough to take on the added challenge with him this round.
I can not wait to see how you guys do! Thanks for sharing! (p.s. LOVE that marble table.)
I almost picked doing my ‘closet’ for this challenge because I wanted to do something super fun and girly, but that chandelier was calling my name! I HAD to pick the dining room so I could tear that thing down! 😉
Oh how I remember working around my (then boyfriend’s, now husband’s) awful furniture. Thankfully, after marriage, he stopped getting involved in these decisions. I am hoping that the marble table wins. This is going to be fun to follow.
Ha! I can only be so lucky! I think I’m already wearing him down 😉 I hope the marble wins too, but we’ll see! So far it’s coming together nicely with either table… Perhaps we’ll put them on a rotating schedule – ha!
I am loving the inspo! Can’t wait to follow along. xo
I love your term polished global!! I love the vibe you have in mind!! So glad you are part of the ORC this time around! I look forward to following along this time as a linking participant.
Me too!! This is my first ORC and I can’t wait to see what you and everyone else is up to who is participating too!
wow! love the direction you are heading. the mix in the space is going to be incredible! can’t wait to follow along.
thank you!! we’re super excited to see it come together!
Love your style and congrats on the challenge!
Loving all your choices. I didn’t realize until looking more closely at the pictures that the celing is much higher than it appears because of the dark brown paint. I love the height of those ceilings and it might be fun to highlight that maybe with long curtains hung to the ceiling over the windows? I’ve been using a workroom outside of Atlanta called ” I dream of Drapery. They do gorgeous work and are super reasonably priced.
Can’t wait to see the finished room. Good luck!
We thought about drapes in there, but are a little worried about it being too heavy – plus we have little fingers to worry about so we’re putting in roman shades for now that will still let in plenty of light and see how they look!
My gosh that chandelier is bad, but I’m loving the new polished global vibe! Can’t wait to watch this space transform.
How have I not been following you?? I love your style and I am so excited to see this transformation. Especially because I got (re-)married this summer and the only thing we don’t see eye to eye about is décor…
Im so in love with the challenge and cannot wait to see everyones rooms once they are all done :). The rich blue colour sounds lovely. Its such a well lite room too so I think the bold colour will look so good 🙂 Best of luck gal !! x
Caitriona | Blog
Oh, my fingers are crossed for your marble table (beautiful Christmas photos, btw).Can’t wait to see that gorgeous saturated color on the walls and your art choices!
I cannot waittttt to follow this challenge with you – I, too, recently moved in with my boyfriend. The one thing that hassss to go (eventually) is the nasty yellow kitchen wall paint he picked. Its seriously horrible. Also on the list is the kitchen table. His one now is horrible and my old one wasn’t counter height (we own a great dane lol)… ohhh i cannot wait. This year is full of paying off house bills, medical bills, and me getting out of debt – but next year – WE WILL DESIGN. (And i will try to talk him out of EVERYTHING wood and animal skulls and into a less cabin vibe lol).
Your inspirations and your mood board is fabulous! So excited to follow along!
Use the marble table and sell the wood one to ME!!! 🙂 I’m looking for a cool farm table just like that!
love that mood board! can’t wait to see how it turns out.
So funny, I just wrote today about compromising in the decorating department. Frenchie and I don’t see eye to eye on much. Good luck with coming to an agreement. Love your ideas 🙂
Those Anthro chairs are mucho bueno! Love! Of course I vote marble, but the wood table is not bad! Either way, this room is going to rock our world, I can feel it.
i love your ideas. When I first saw what you were working with I hoped your boyfriend would let you do whatever… But compromise is good…. Right!? My husband totally let go of the design of our home after I did a few projects and he realized my vision, although sounded strange at first, was something he really liked.
this is going to be so good! love your style! xo
Found you via Hi Sugarplum and the One Room Challenge. Sorry, but I vote for the wood table. It feels warmer and homey-er than marble. The blue paint looks so good – I have two rooms painted in a similar shade. Look forward to watching your room come together – and the art of compromise. Have fun, both of you!
Man, choices, choices! Glad you have to make them and not me 🙂
Great plan….now go kicking and fighting for the end result:)
[…] Bek Autumn Clemons Coco+Kelley The English Room Vanessa Francis Greige Design Hi Sugarplum I Heart Organizing Jenna Sue Design […]
Cannot wait to see what you do. The plan is fabulous! I adore the wall color direction.
Damn girl! I love this. Can’t wait to see next week. That paint color will transform that space and I love your design inspiration!! xo
[…] Bek Autumn Clemons Coco+Kelley The English Room Vanessa Francis Greige Design Hi Sugarplum I Heart Organizing Jenna Sue Design […]
I can’t wait to see how this turns out! I’m a sucker for dark blue walls!! 🙂
Oh man. So so good!!!! Can’t wait to follow along!
Hahaha boyfriends as codesigners are a challenge. I always tell my husband he needs a mancave with a door to lock his stuff away. What kind of Art do you have in mind?
I’ve been married to my husband for 25 years and it would make me crazy if he made design decisions. I hope he lets you take over and do what you do best. Enjoy and I look forward to see what the dinning room evolves to.
Totally in love with the plan for your space. Can’t wait to see how it evolves!
Cassandra, so glad to see you’re participating in the ORC! I love your style so I’m really looking forward to following along. That’s a tough call on the dining table, both are gorgeous. Speaking of compromise… what if you put your marble top on his wooden base? Could be something to consider, I’ve seen a few tables like that and they look great. But whichever table you pick in the end, both are beautiful and will look amazing. 🙂
Oh I’m so excited! You are going to rock out this space, I know it will be night and day!
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[…] Have you seen any of the One Room Challenge posts? I’ve been loving Coco + Kelley’s weekly updates on her dining room makeover! […]
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