This dining room is holding me hostage ...

10 years ago

... I can't walk by this room without stopping to stare at it in hopes that a brilliant idea will finally dawn. We did some remodeling 3 years ago. The kitchen turned out great, but I'm in a quandary about how to finish the resulting new dining room (former living room).
It's a north-facing room that demanded a dramatic, colorful something to bring it to life: Cue the rug. I love the rug. It stays. The plantation shutters stay. The table is a family heirloom and must also stay. I'd like to keep hutch.
The old clock in corner and piano are just visitors in the room looking for a new home. They'll be evicted ASAP.
-- Need something for blank wall, but what? Large mirror?
-- And I'd also like to get different chairs that aren't so wide in the front so that we can squeeze more chairs around the table for holiday dinners.
--Also considering a drum shade chandelier.
Suggestions?

Featured Answer

karemore55

10 years ago

I'm not moderator of this thread, but I'm getting tired of seeing this poor woman deluged with suggestions that are no longer relevant because of all that has transpired. She has had a couple of rude comments as well. She doesn't deserve that, and I sensed awhile back that she's finding it stressful because she asked if there was a way to keep this sort of thing from happening.

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Comments (743)

pcmom1
9 years ago
Have you talked to a manager? They shouldn't be happy for this sort of advertising!
Depo
9 years ago
I had a similar problem with Lowes about four yrs ago. Ordered a bathroom sink, paid for overnight shipping and it took two weeks to get. CS was clueless when I called. Said it was out of stock, even tho the order page showed 20 or so in stock when I ordered. Of course, they did refund my shipping.
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Hi there, If you are looking to create an opulent feel then we recommend looking at Traditional Interiors and taking points from these and applying these to your contemporary living space. Chandeliers always work well to create the feeling of grandeur and in a room of this size you appear to have space for a small chandelier in the centre of the room. https://www.pavilionbroadway.co.uk/designer-lighting/ceiling-lights/hanging-lights/impero-solid-brass-gold-plated-chandelier-16708.html I would also look at the following points to create the feel of opulence: 1. wall colour - either paint the walls in a Rich Red tone of incorporate a Damask or Faux Silk Wallpaper by Zoffany https://www.pavilionbroadway.co.uk/designer-wallpaper/zoffany-wallpaper-silk-plain.html 2. Flooring - the tiles will not give you that "cozy feel" as these would be more ideal for a kitchen area. Therefore it would be better to replace these with Wooden floorboard and then a Rug. We provide some beautiful hand made persian rugs and supply for any room dimension and colour:https://www.pavilionbroadway.co.uk/persian-new-traditional-mahal-rug-13769.html 3. Lighting : Incorporate a Chandelier to create the opulent look & feel 4. Sofas - Leather sofas can be very comfortable but they are best in a snug room as they take away from the elegant formal look of a living room. Duresta are a UK brand which create their sofas inspired by pieces found in National Trust Properties, therefore we would recommend looking at 2 new sofas and an upholstered coffee table for the centre of the room. https://www.pavilionbroadway.co.uk/luxury-furniture/shopby/brand-duresta.html Attached is a quick sketch of what we could do. We guide our clients to purchase the right things at great value to achieve the look you that you want. We use our experience and professional advice to guide you and create your dream living space. Pavilion Broadway
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not alot happening at the moment, its winter! alotta rain, lotta. but i am bedding down to get this over with and maybe in the spring the spirits will rise once more. i hope so. i would love to feel i was doing something to keep my hopes and dreams alive, i dont see what i can do until the spring. when i bring the topic up, especially to those that moved away and came down this neck of the woods, they say they had friends who felt it was too far too and moved back home. i guess thats how i feel, thats what i want and i just want to be a bit more uplifted, i think rain dampens down things a bit!!! santa Ma Margaret!
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Interior Affairs -- Vickie Daeley
9 years ago
Upholstered chairs great idea! The table leaf can be taken out and two of the chair can sit along each of the window. The window even though it has shutters... can have a panel at each end...in a one of the colors from the rug...possibly the deeper red. The table top needs to have a gorgeous arrangement with some of the pretty flowers that are in your rug.
The Chandelier needs to be larger but delicate with crystals no drum... A piece of art suggestions what or what you may be doing after dinner...like dancing...shopping, or just a relaxation picture of somekind...would be great! Not too much color going on in the picture as the rug does not need competition! If you need me call me!
abbyjean
9 years ago
Any one want to join me....it is mojito time!!!
mrwillie
9 years ago
Pass the pitcher.
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
Kind of glad the new Chandy didn't come in yet. We had a little dinner party last night. Someone brought glowsticks as a gift, and we had fun playing with them at the table and hanging them from the chandelier. Um...no, this was not a children's party. :-)
abbyjean
9 years ago
My kind of party! Guessing the drinks were gone by the looks of the room!!! Good for you!
pcmom1
9 years ago
Gosh, wish I could have been there! You made a memory...
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
One more comment, for now, so as not to leave this hanging. (No pun intended.) The chandelier from Lowes FINALLY came. It wasn't bad, but not what I had pictured. The chain and the ceiling piece seemed light and cheap. More importantly, the shade was very white white. I thought it made my new chairs and rug look dingy. I took it back. I've lost momentum for now. And karemore's capiz suggestion keeps haunting me ... Maybe some day.... Thank you, friends, for all your great ideas, kind words, and encouragement. I'm content with how far my room has come. We'll just enjoy it for now. :-). I only wish I could have you over for mojitos!
karemore55
9 years ago
Towanda, it's been a pleasure!
abbyjean
9 years ago
I will be stopping by right after 5....have a full pitcher chilled and I will meet you on the deck!
mrwillie
9 years ago
I enjoyed following your posts.
lclarknch
9 years ago
I have followed over a period of time. I just wish all of you lived up and down my street. What a marvelous community of friends.
Colleen Williams
9 years ago
I would paint the walls a sage green and swap out the chairs with a few upholstered ones or rattan high back chairs.
mrwillie
9 years ago
I guess it's too cold for Mojitos. What should we drink now?
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
Hello again mrwillie! Merlot? Pino Noir? Hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps? My 91-year-old mother has discovered a new "wine" she and her friends like a lot. It's called "Sex On the Beach." And it's 40 proof. :-)

Happy New Year to all my old friends here! You are the best!
karemore55
9 years ago
Lol mrwillie - hot toddies?
abbyjean
9 years ago
mrwillie......you beat me to the apple cider punch!!!!!!
kbdesignltd1
9 years ago
Your dining room suite and carpet are lovely.

Basically, you need to remove all your paintings and stuff on the piano and start with a clean plate. The paintings beside the china cabinet are too small to be beside such a large cabinet. They would be better hung over the piano and arranged with the two small pictures on either side of the closet doors and the two wrought iron things which are on either side of the window. Do not put pictures on small walls but instead gallery group the pictures by the piano. Place the grandfather clock on the piano then arrange all you pictures around it over the piano. The piano light is not the right size or or shape. Please declutter the piano top.

The piano seat is a white colour which draws your eye to it instead of looking at the piano. The seat should be covered with a darker material such as charcoal.

The front door looks lost. How about painting it a darker colour such a charcoal, burgundy red of the rug or dark green. I do believe that a pale green colour would give a lift to the room as you have a tropical feel to the room with the shutters and plants.

The carpet at the front entrance is facing the wrong direction. It should be the length in front of the door.

I agree with you that a new light fixture. Something a simpler would be more in keeping with the bold design of the carpet. Make sure it is a big enough fixture when you by a new one. How about a single bowl like fixture. Elegant but not fussy.

You probably do not need the furniture in the corner of the room. It adds to the clutter look.
Katherine
karemore55
9 years ago
This thread really has taken on a life of its own!
pcmom1
9 years ago
Old post!!!!
mrwillie
9 years ago
Old post? Old friends!
Maraly Wagner
9 years ago
Love, love the rug. Where did you get it? Great idea about new chairs. You have to be open to change to see a difference. How about a buffet instead of the hutch? It's all so traditional. It's beautiful but you are asking for a difference in the room. Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if grandma really wanted me to keep her stuff for the rest of my life.
pcmom1
9 years ago
Comment of "old post" was for folks just finding this and being way, way out of the loop! Not to those of us in the mojito group!
bungalowmo
9 years ago
Oh my Lord!! I stumbled upon this for the first time in about a year!

towanda...your room looks great! Tell Home Depot to stuff it...you can find something cuter & cooler somewhere else. Never been a fan of the big box anyway.

I'm sure a bunch of you started getting alerts about "bungalowmo liked your comment...." :0)
Sorry....couldn't help myself!

I do understand that it's not Mojito season, but....it "could" be 24/7 in that tropical room you have going there!

Last, but certainly not least...sending huge {{hugs}}! So sorry to hear about your sis. While I'm too old to donate marrow, I'm an organ donor on my drivers license & give blood whenever I can.

Glad you got to take your bucket trip to Italy! You probably would have kept putting it off...on the back burner. As they say: "Sieze the Day"!!
bungalowmo
9 years ago
Oh....and Here's a pitcher of Mojito's for you!

These would SO match your dining room theme & scheme! :0)

You can pour a couple for kbdesignltd....
Susan Mesa
9 years ago
I understand wanting to keep heirlooms but I think this room calls for a rectangular table. Maybe put a nice, long, rectangular server where the piano is and make it the focal point of the room with some candle sticks or crystal decanters. You can add a runner that ties -in the rug. I like the rug but it stands alone otter than the fern. I'd use art work over the new server or table to tie it all together. Add table linens like some wicker or woven placemats.
bungalowmo
9 years ago
sjhmesa....have a Mojito!
bungalowmo
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Kim and others who have not at least looked at the pictures contained within this thread:

She is already done with chairs.
She has stripped & is keeping the hutch,
she cannot paint the ceiling,
she will never change out the rug,
and she is keeping the dining room table.

The piano is long gone,
she has purchased a new, long table to put in it's place,
she has a beautiful 3 part painting that her sister made & it is hanging above said table,
and unless I have missed something, the last thing left is the hunt for the perfect (likely drum style "26-ish") light fixture for over the table.

Whew....I think maybe towanda can turn that long table into a bar! I'll bring the rum!
karemore55
9 years ago
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet for auld Lang syne.

I know I'm a couple of days early, but Happy New Year to all who have been on this thread - and especially to towanda, as you started it all and brought us together!
bungalowmo
9 years ago
Heard That!!!! Been a long year & I've already had my "bang" as the year came to a close.

Had a run-in with a deer & neither came out unscathed.
Deer....DOA & my car....total loss!

See Ya 2014!
karemore55
9 years ago
Oh no, bungalow - when did this happen? You, I hope, are OK?
Maraly Wagner
9 years ago
I still live the rug. Where is it from?
bungalowmo
9 years ago
karemore...happened the week before Christmas. She stepped right out in front of me. I was doing 75 with cruise set...
I saw my hood wrinkle up & the doe flew into the air. This car still got me home. Had about 15 miles to go.
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
Maraly, the rug brand is Sphinx by Oriental Weavers. Style Verona. Thank you for liking it. :-)
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
Bungalowmo,
Thanks for the synopsis! I did all that?! Yay me!
And thank you for the laugh!
We got hit by a deer (that's right, she hit US!) in our Mini Cooper. Scary. The Cooper held up surprisingly well! Glad you are OK.
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Karemore!

Old friends' (for that is how I think of many here) comments on this site is such a nice surprise in an otherwise tough season for me. Smiles all around. Happy New Year to us all. God bless us every one!
abbyjean
9 years ago
Deer accidents are soooo scary. Thank goodness the deer did not fly through the window!
abbyjean
9 years ago
towanda53.....I thought about you this Christmas and hoped you would still find some joy in the season.
Cindy
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Abbyjean. I tried to enjoy Christmas as my sister would want me to. She was a huge fan of Christmas and Christmas decorations. I put this silly decoration that she gave me in the dining room. I thought it set off the triptych nicely. :-) they are both special. Hope your holidays were great.
abbyjean
9 years ago
I love it.....the little decoration right where you could see it as you 'needed' to. Big hugs to you!!!
bungalowmo
9 years ago
There is something about that decoration that reminds me of Dr. Seuss & "Whoville"!!
May we all see this year end on a quiet, peaceful note.

I think we've all had enough drama to last us for the next several months! :0)
PRO
Father N SUN
9 years ago
Ima up over the 3Score years....Millicent being 1 of my Seussfavourites "I meant what I said and I said what I meant...."....but i really can relate to my wish to be better at Yoga and I'd like to scrap the furniture so I can focus on my TREE balance... I need going forward
PRO
User
8 years ago
Hi towanda, I always pictured something like Ben Moore Beach Glass in your DR, but if you are (hypothetically) going to change colors, may I ask a few questions?

First, what direction does the window face?
Is the ceiling paintable?
What colors are the adjoining rooms? This thread really has taken on a life of its own!
PRO
Ovchinnikov Eugene N.
8 years ago
It looks as though some may be suggesting updating the chandelier as
well. I agree. LOL! I'm struck by the fact that you didn't really ask
our opinion on everything. Hope I'm not over stepping.
papoodles
8 years ago
You might want to read some of the previous posts? This thread was initiated in 2013, and since then, there have been all kinds of wonderful changes..
abbyjean
8 years ago
Is it too early for a mojito???
papoodles
8 years ago
abbyjean :-) It seems it's almost a necessity not to insist on a time frame for that mojito..:-)
abbyjean
8 years ago
Alrighty then! I am pouring for anyone that wants one!!!
karemore55
8 years ago
I might need two!