A Simple Dining Room Makeover

This room has changed quite a few times since we moved in last fall, but the goal of a simple dining room has been the one steady mark of my style.  I really had no idea that it was my style until we moved here and that is when I started to see that less can be more.  The realization that simplicity is good for my soul has been the bonus take away.

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But we had a rocky start in the beginning.  Just keepin’ it real here.

DINING ROOM BEFORE:

A few weeks later and our washer and dryer were settled in our new laundry room {click HERE for that makeover…it’s pretty fantastic!}.  I came across some incredible deals at RugsUSA and added this amazing rug to our simple dining room {click HERE to see this exact rug…mine is the 8×10}.

That was the dining set we moved from our farmhouse and it worked so well in that home.  I did eventually realize that with downsizing from our farmhouse, I no longer had the extra seating space that I was used.  And so my goal was to find a table long enough to seat up to 12 people.  I was hoping to find an antique table within my price range, but I was coming up short.  And then one day, I stumbled upon a table at HomeGoods that had 2 extra leaves.  And so, I brought it home that day and sold my other set on Facebook Marketplace.

We made do with a bench and some random thrift store chairs until…my mom came across exactly what I was looking for.  The catch? The chairs were in a different state.  That meant waiting a few months until I could travel there with an empty minivan to bring all 8 Windsor chairs home!

LITTLE BY LITTLE…

Oh, did I mention that we hung some amazing vintage folding chairs on our wall?  Well, we did.  I’ll share more about that soon too…but for some behind the scenes action, follow along on Instagram!

Ummm…another change to the room as well.  I painted it!  Woohoo!  It’s not that I didn’t like the previous owner’s beige.  I just wanted a soft clean look…plus, I want all the rooms to flow together well.  And so, I carried the Behr Swiss Coffee color in from our half bath/laundry room and our kitchen.

While I waited on my decision about the next step for our simple dining room, I decided to switch out the rug for a more neutral look.  I absolutely loved that rug {don’t worry…it just went to another room} but I felt like it was “stealing the show.”  This new rug is so amazingly soft and now lets the rest of the room shine without the floor being the focus.  {Click HERE to see this new 8×10 rug up close!}

These are the most comfy chairs ever and the lines and curves they have are classic.  But…you knew it was coming…there are too many wood tones going on in our simple dining room.  Between the floors, table, antique hutch, chairs on the wall, and now these chairs.  I’ve been drawn to the contrast of black chairs and a wood finish table for a while now.  Could I achieve that look with what I have?  This girl says….”Absolutely!”

THE WINDSOR CHAIR MAKEOVER:

Last weekend, I set up an area in our garage and spent an afternoon spraying our chairs black.

Spraying.  Not spray paint.  But spraying paint.  I vowed a few years ago to never hand paint chairs with spindles again.  And I am keeping that vow.  {I promise to share the step-by-step in an upcoming post!}

Every room deserves a little black and we had a tiny bit with our chandelier.  {Did you catch that practically free DIY?  Click HERE to get the scoop.}  But now, our simple dining room was going to pop with our black Windsor chairs.

Are you ready?  Well, ready or not…HERE YA GO!

OUR SIMPLE DINING ROOM MAKEOVER:

And look: a sweet little tea party that my daughter set up for her very first monthly book club.  {More coming on that too!}

I just can’t even.  Dead.  That’s what I am.  Because black, warm white, and wood tones make my heart go pitter-patter.  {I used THESE HOOKS to hang the vintage chairs on the wall.}

Our simple dining room has been a little by little kind of project.  I find those to be the most rewarding though because I end up with a result that I love so much.  It’s okay to take your time.  And I’ll let ya in on a secret: I can’t promise what will happen to this room in the future, but I do know one thing: the black chairs are staying!

What’s your favorite part of our simple dining room makeover?  {Yeah, the one that has taken over nine months to complete.}  Is it the black chairs?  Or the new table?  The rug?  Or maybe the chairs hanging on the wall?

♥ Leigh

FIND MORE OF OUR PROJECTS:

An Enclosed Porch Budget Transformation

How and Why We Painted Our Fireplace

How to Convert a Dresser into a Bathroom Vanity

Our Vintage Bathroom Makeover

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