Labor of love. For the One Room Challenge, I picked the hardest room in my house. You can find a full source and affiliate list at the end of the post. The Dining Room is not only the first room you see as you enter our home, but it is multipurpose in a big way. It becomes a painting room for me during the summer months in Texas when I can’t possibly refinish furniture in the garage, so the DIY table and the chairs all need to be easily relocated… not an easy task.
But it is also a room that has at times overwhelmed me with the memory of my Mom. She was only able to visit twice after we moved here and once was flying down with me and the baby to move in. She wasn’t able to help with the unloading, so while my dad, husband, and I worked to bring things in, she set up camp in the dining room and played with 4 month old Jack. Just sitting on the floor in the empty room loving on my baby boy. I hid myself in the bathroom and cried for a bit knowing that they would leave soon. My best friends, my parents, and here I was leaving the nest in a big way with a baby of my own. These are the moments you look back on and can see so clearly but have no idea that they will be so impactful. The look on her face, the joy that the baby and she had just sitting there laughing at each other with their identical bright blue eyes. This room had to be blue. It had to be all the joy and the beautiful that was in that moment.
I did the paneling a couple of years ago and painted the navy above but it just never felt how it should. The paint by numbers art has been a love of mine for awhile and all of the colors and landscapes just bring me joy to look at. This room had to have joy! The biggest aspect that I kept missing was warmth. How did I forget to add heart and warmth into it?! The curtains and lamps brought the heart right in.
I love to entertain and the silver collection has come from everywhere. One piece was my Mom’s, friends have given them to me, thrift stores, even Target! I am forever fighting the battle of no storage in this house so I decided that this was not something I should hide. Let’s just have it out and ready to go! I will also never stop mixing metals… you can’t make me.
I kept the table setting simple. The chargers and plates were wedding presents, the glass bowls are from Ikea and then the little white berry bowls are a set of milk glass bowls I lucked into at an antique store. I did not expect such a challenge when I wanted to find Peonies for my centerpiece but I apparently wanted the only flower not readily available! I’m no quitter though!
The bar cart also stayed simple. Those of you with keen eyes will notice that the caning got another coat of navy spray paint. I loved the blue I first did but once the room was coming together I decided it needed to be more subtle. The metal bells hanging above I found at the Elephant’s Flea Market in New York last year and I have just been waiting for the perfect spot for them. Happy memories ended up making this room perfect for me. All the planning in the world but it turns out for my own spaces it just comes down to me and being able to look around and see love and memories.
Who knew a room make-over could help me learn so much about myself? I guess my therapy has always been creating and this was no different. I created a space I love and did it for the person I love so dearly. I know she is looking down and smiling.
Affiliate and Source List
| Chandelier | Rug | Red Marbled Lamps | Acrylic Chairs | Head Chairs | Source for Paint By Numbers Art here and here | Sources for Silver | Dishes here and here | Peach Curtains |
To start at the beginning of the One Room Challenge Journey jump here and to see the Master Bedroom Reveal Go Here!
Love you Mom.
B
This is just delightful!!!! I love all your art work and that bar cart gets all the heart emojis.
Thanks so much Lisa!! xo
Oh wow! This is absolutely beautiful! I know you said the walls were already done but what you’ve added in the room really just put it all over the top. The light fixture, the lamps, the silver…it’s all perfect. I can’t forget the paint by numbers either…love this look with the whole grouping.
Great job! I love that your mom inspired so much of this. I bet she’d love it and be so proud of you.
Thank you so much Stacey- your sweet words made my day!!
Looks AMAZING! SO cozy and fun and interesting!
Thank you Char! xoxo
Bee I LOVE this dinning room! The white paneling with the navy ceiling is stunning! I always enjoy your tablescapes and how you use items that are sentimental like the chargers and plates and your silver collection! The bar cart is fab too! Time to enjoy a well deserved cocktail my friend! XOXO, Sarah
Thank you so much Sarah! I am so glad it is completed and we can now just sit back and enjoy- cheers to your room too!
Absolutely stunning! And I love that the room reminds you of your mom!
Thank you Paige! It all fell into place once I had her as my inspiration 🙂
Bee I just got all misty reading about your mom and baby Jack in your dining room and how you chose blue for this room for them and that memory. What a beautiful job you did pulling this space together and giving it warmth and character. I love the paint by numbers and your collection of silver. Enjoy entertaining in here!
Thanks Lisa! I didn’t mean to get so sentimental with the whole thing but it just finally all came together when I thought of that moment 🙂
Blue was definitely the right choice, especially THAT darker blue. The art looks so good on it. The red/white lamps are gorgeous… also the chandelier. I like this room a lot!!!!
Thank you so much!
I love the story behind this room. You’ve infused this room with warmth beautifully!
Thanks so much! It is definitely a happy room now!
The lightfixture is my favorite part. So elegant!
Thank you! It is definitely a fave of mine too 🙂
Beautiful. I love all of the natural wood and the color choices and the collection of paint by numbers. Great job.
Thank you Amanda! I probably need to scale back on collecting any more at this point but I just love them so much!
This is so gorgeous! Beautiful job!!!
Thank you Stephanie, I appreciate it!
Stunning space and beautiful story! (teared up a little!)… But your design is amazing, I love it!
Thank you Lee! I guess I should always decorate with such emotion 😉
Stunning space and beautiful comment! (teared up a bit) … But your design is gorgeous, I love it!
Looks SO good! Awesome job.
Every by thing is so pretty. I love the colors.
After I wiped the tears from my eyes over your beautiful post for your Mama, I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the photos – your room is absolutely lovely! The soul of it – the fact that it isn’t just “decorated.” It spoke to me and I love it! I am also happy to have found another blog to read!!! Love how real you are! 🙂
Thanks so much Stephanie! But sorry I made you cry! 🙂
I seriously want to shop at your house! Love your paint-by-number collection and how you totally designed the whole space! Fabulous! Congratulations and CHEERS to us for another room done!
Thanks so much!
I love how this room looks! I can totally relate to your collections – let them be out where you can see and enjoy them….beautiful! My Mom passed away 3 years ago ( still hard to believe) and my son and his wife are expecting what would have been her 8th great grandchild….(and my first grandchild)….she would have loved to have met this new one and your inspiration reminded me of her…
Thank you for your sweet comment! I’m so sorry for your loss Meredith, but congratulations on your first grand baby- I’m sure your Mom will be the best angel for them!
Seriously, SO good! I love it all! I’m totally stealing that chandelier.
Thank you Erin! I’d let you except that it’s installation is now the symbol of our marriage surviving anything! lol!
It looks great! I absolutely love the way you have your paint by number collection displayed. It looks amazing against the blue. I’ve been thinking about doing something different with mine and this really inspired me!
What an absolutely gorgeous space! Those paint by numbers with that blue! And I’m just loving the pink curtains! Just beautiful!
Wow – you really nailed the eclectic thing. Such a lovely room, and the story behind it just makes it that much better. I’m doing a round up of my fave ORC spaces – hope you don’t mind me sharing!
Thank you Lizzie! Sure I’d love to be included in your round up:)
Stunning! I love love love the peach curtains!!
Your dining room is beautiful, but the story behind it makes it over-the-top special!!! Love the eclectic mix of furnishings and decor. I hope you don’t mind, but I will be featuring it on my blog as a “favorite” ORC room. 🙂
I love this room – you did such a great job! May I share it as one of my favorite makeovers? Thanks 🙂
Thanks so much! Sure!