Feast for the Eyes: A Dining Room Transformation
This is the second blog post where I’m breaking down one of our projects from start to finish. Last time we studied this bathroom and today we’re tackling a full-service decorating project we did in early 2023.
GOALS
This was the fourth time I’ve worked with these clients, so I was very familiar with this space when they reached out and told me they were “desperate” to get their dining room updated. We also tackled a home office across the hallway, but today I’m only featuring the dining room.
SCOPE OF WORK
In addition to new furnishings, the walls were to be addressed and light fixture needed to replaced. Even though they were a family of four, they needed seating for six for special occassions. They also requested as much storage as possible. We had to work around the existing wood flooring.
DESIGN CONCEPT
The design concept started with a furniture plan. Since the room was on the small size (12’ x 12’) and was a square, a round table made the most sense. I also knew I wanted to bring some color on the walls since most everything else was neutral - fabrics and rug. I also sourced a beautiful cabinet with hand painted details on the doors.
EXECUTION
Once all the furniture orders were placed, our client’s only homework was to have the chair rail removed and the walls painted. For an average room, we ask for 7 to 10 weeks to receive the furnishings and to have the custom window treatments made. One thing I would change about the execution was to have the electrician scheduled before the furniture arrives. We had hoped it would save us some time to do it on the same day. Because there were some challenges with the bulbs and switch, that didn’t quite work as planned.
MATERIALS USED
8’ x 10’ Rug and Pad: This size was used to give the chairs plenty of room to be pulled out and to cover as much of the wood floors as possible.
54” Round Table: Included with the table was a leaf so it could be expanded to an oval during special occasions.
(6) Upholstered Dining Chairs: I like to use fully upholstered chairs, when possible. Not only does it provide an opportunity to “soften” the room, but your guests are comfortable for long dinners.
Cabinet: This piece checked all the boxes. Not only was it beautiful, but the size was perfect. 82” wide x 17” deep.
Round Mirror and Pair of Lamps: The large mirror and tall lamps were the perfect finishing touch on the cabinet.
Bar Cabinet: Another perfect storage piece that checked all the boxes.
Draperies: To help with the budget, we did one single panel on each window. One stacked on the left and the other on the right.
Artwork: These large scale pieces gave us some much needed pattern and color to balance all the furniture.
Light Fixture: With only 8’ ceilings, we had to be careful with what type of light we selected.
Paint: The color we selected for this room was Benjamin Moore, Mount Saint Anne.
BUDGET
The total cost for this dining room was around $28,000 and includes sales tax, freight, delivery and the design fee. I always provide an estimated furnishings budget at the start of each project and this ended up on the higher side, but still within the expectations. I would characterize this budget as “better” when you compare good, better and best furniture companies.
THE FINAL RESULTS
I would consider this project a total success when I received this message from my client after our installation…”Thank you so much! It’s awesome- love love love it all!” We did have to make a second trip to install the window treatments because there was a delay in the hardware, but everything else was done that first day. We also returned a third time to take professional photos and I could tell they had been using it for more than eating as there was some homework on the table. It’s a good feeling when you design a room that is multi-purpose and not saved just for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If you are considering a decorating project similar to this one, I highly recommend you checking out my website for details. I also offer a Virtual Consultation service where I can walk you through the steps of starting a project like this one your own. Either way, I’d love to help you make your decorating dreams come true!
Thanks for Reading!
Jennifer