The Dining Room Gets Some Attention

First off, thanks to everyone for their concern, humor, and advice concerning our broom hullabaloo.  We've decided that it's way too big of a coincidence that so many people on the internet were sharing similar instances of their brooms standing up for ours to be anything different.  My husband must have forgotten that the broom was in the room and he must have went to move it and thought he leaned it against something and then left, not realizing that the broom was standing up.  That's our story and we're sticking to it.  I've since been in the house without any weird feelings and I think I'm over it.  I'll let you know if anything else happens, but I really don't think it will (thank God!).  

I've been feeling a bit under the weather and haven't felt up to posting anything lately, but there has been some minor progress.  The dining room is finally getting a little love.  This room has been used for everything but dining.  It started out as our storage room, then it was home to all things carpentry and now we're finally starting to clean it up a bit.  Here's where it started.  I can't believe this is the only picture I have of the dining room when we bought the house, but it's the only one I could find.

Here's its current state...still before shots.  The only thing that's been done so far is some plaster repairs.

Looking into formal living room

Looking into kitchen.  That door used to be a window.

Looking into butler's pantry across hall

Here's some living room inspiration pics for the room.

Source: thebookofsecrets.tumblr.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

Source: bonesteeltrouthall.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

Source: madebygirl.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

I'd like to do something similar to these rooms.  We have the chair rail and I'd like to do some picture molding underneath it.  Ideally I want to do grasscloth above the chair rail, but we're probably going to paint everything for now until we can save up for it. 

We bought a ceiling medallion and a new chandelier which is a huge improvement from the one that came with the house.  It wasn't original and we just weren't feeling it.  The one we bought is an antique and a little more appropriate for the room.  It also goes well with the living room chandelier that came with the house.  That one we're keeping.  

As for dining, we bought a dining room table at a thrift store that needed a little work.  We don't have chairs yet though.  I've been looking at thrift stores and Craigslist, but haven't found anything yet.  I really don't want to buy them new.  Chairs can be so expensive!  

Here' the fabric that I want for the room.  

via Designer Fabrics Online

The fabric looks kind of purple in this picture, but it's a gray background.  I think it will go well with the painting that will be going over the fireplace.  Here it is in our last house.

It's kind of hard to see, but that's the best picture I have of it.  

For now we're painting everything BM White Dove and we're having the floors refinished this week which will be a huge improvement. I guess I'd better keep looking for chairs!