Our dramatic dining room reveal

October 26, 2009


I have long said there are three rooms I think you can do totally dramatic and fun. Your laundry room, powder room and your dining room. 

The first two because they are usually small and can take pretty much whatever color you want. The last, because I think dining rooms should have a little bling and drama, just because they can.

Drama it is:
The bench I will show you more of soon. It's drivin' me batty! Argh!! 

It's going to be gorgeous when I get it just right. (Dad is to the rescue this week -- I'll explain more later.)

I showed you the hutch mirror makeover and now I love that I can see what's inside:


I added molding, bamboo roman shades and made my new drapes:
Joann Etc. is STILL out of my trim to finish reupholstering the two head dining chairs

I was thisclose to driving 45 minutes today to get it from another store, but I held back. 

BUT I did have a couple lumbar pillows made for them, and those make me feel soooo much better about the unfinished chairs:
Aren't they adorable?!
I used scrap fabrics from the chairs and I adore them.

I love the fall table setting I pieced together dishes from HomeGoods, Target and Pier 1:
The centerpiece is one of my favorite parts of the room, and it all started with a $4 mirror. You can see the mirrored centerpiece idea how-to here.



Everything works so great with my cedar chest I redid months ago:
I showed you how incredibly annoying easy it was to reupholster dining chairs here

I used a brown faux silk on the backs, a creamy linen on the seats, and a pattern with all of the colors on the fronts:
Reason #7,839 I love my husband -- when I put the fabric on the chairs to show him what it would look like, I asked, do you think it's too much? His response -- "Maybe for some people, but not for us." 

I love to paint our ceilings, and our chocolate brown ceiling is a show stopper!
It makes the molding POP!

The light. THE LIGHT I LOVE!! 

It was a knock of a Pottery Barn light I showed you here.

painted dining room ceiling

My version is from Home Depot and cost about $100 less (plus free shipping!).
I need to lower it just a couple inches, but for now, it's just fine. :)

My favorite time to enjoy this room is at night:
I've had the chandy turned on every. single. evening, whether or not we're downstairs. I don't turn it off till we go to bed. 

It's so lovely to look at when we come down the stairs throughout the evening:

dramatic dining room makeover

fabric wrapped candle centerpiece

And because I'm a sucker for a good before and after, here's how the room looked years ago:

Then, a couple years later:

And last year...
Now:
Last year:
Today:
chocolate brown dining room with white accents
DRAMA!! I love it!! It is a dining room after all...so it's allowed. ;)

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Comments

  1. Your dining room looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Love it! Dramatic and very classy looking! You put a lot of work into it and it really looks great. When's the dinner party? : )

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  3. Bravo! You did an amazing job. It looks soooo elegant. Love it!

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  4. It is so gorgeous...it looks like something out of a very pricey hotel...but intimate of course. I have loved watching the transformation. That room would make me smile everytime I walked by it :)

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  5. So incredibly beautiful! I love it!! The molding, fabrics, paint, chandelier...oh the drama...gorgeous! I would love to sit there and have dinner...hmmm...lol. Great job Sarah!!! :)

    Hugs and love friend,

    ~Victoria~

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  6. I love it, especially the brown, and all the little details.
    Stop by and see my bedroom re-do... it's finally done!

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  7. Looks as yummy as a chocolate candy bar.

    Di
    The Blue Ridge Gal

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  8. Bravo! It looks AMAZING. Like something out of a magazine! I'm loving the centerpiece! It's my favorite.

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  9. Absolutely fantastic! I just keep looking over and over again at the pictures. We all learn so much from your creativity. Thanks for sharing.

    Charla

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  10. wow you did great! this last redo is the best ever! good job! i love your whole look in the dining room.

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  11. Love the centerpiece! I am looking that one up tonight... The whole room screams upscale class! I love it! :)

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  12. What a STUNNING makeover! I love it all...I don't know where to start! I'm especially loving the fact that you have a bench at your table. I've been eyeing those for a while...it looks great! Well done!

    {and thank you for the shoutout on Facebook - I really appreciate that!}

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  13. looks AWESOME! so dramatic, and I'm drooling a little bit over those gorgeous chairs!

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  14. Who new chocolate brown could look so rich and beautiful! (i MEAN I know chocolate is rich and delicious he he) FABULOUS JOB.. IS ALL i CAN SAY!!!! no wait.... STUNNING! BRAVO!

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  15. or is it PRAVO... either way FAB.

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  16. That room has the drama going on! I love it. I can totally see that it would be wonderful at night. With the dark from the walls but the light from that scrumptious chandelier. Everything about it is beautiful. You should really be proud of that redo.

    XOXO
    Jen

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  17. beautifully warm and inviting. you kno, the 'before' pics are really nice too. It's just now the room feels . . . finished. Not overdone, either.
    btw, I linked back to your metallic pumpkin post on my blog. I loved all your pumpkins!

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  18. ~WOWSA!!!! Gorgeous and classy and dramatic and elegant all in one.

    My favorite part is the paint color. Such a dramatic change that just makes the entire room say look at me. ~GREAT job Sarah!

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  19. So rich and love all the lights making the room glow! Love seeing the befores at the end of the post next to the afters...a beautiful transformation.

    Janell

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  20. You are the queen, Sarah...and I bow to you! What a fantastic before and after. Your dining room is stunning. And you know I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the chocolate brown!

    ~Amanda

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  21. So pretty, so Luxe! Love it all, but I am still amazed that you put a light fabric on the seats!!
    Everything looks great and very romantic:)

    Happy Dining,
    Tamera@doubledelight

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  22. Wow Sarah... what an amazing transformation! You've simply taken what was vogue yesterday and spun it into current pizzaz. The centerpiece just sparkles up the room!

    I've featured your dining room in my Today's Hot Find section. (oct 27 '09) Your room deserves a little extra bloggy love. :)

    http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

    Funky Junk Donna

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  23. I LOVE your dining room! I think my favorite things is the new fabric on the chairs and the ceiling. AMAZING!

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  24. It's beautiful! I just love your chandy! You should put a very full skirt on that bench.

    Great job!!!

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  25. Drama IS right! It's beautiful. So, when are you going to invite your Squeezies over for dinner?!

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  26. It all turned out fabulously! You should be very, very pleased. Some how, I kinda get the impression you are! hehe

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  27. Wow ~ amazing, gorgeous and dramatic. You must be tickled pink!! Thanks soooo much for the reveal!

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  28. you did an amazing job Sarah!! I'm still SO in love with that center piece ♥

    ~TidyMom

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  29. That is one gorgeous dining room, Sarah! And finally a centerpiece that I love for a dining room table! That is my biggest problem with my DR table, what to put in the middle...especially since the middle of the table and the chandelier do not meet, lol. Thanks for the wonderful ideas!

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  30. The before & after pics are incredible!! SO DRAMATIC, yet SO Sophisticated.

    GREAT Job!!

    BTW - Your hubby's response to the chairs... PRICELESS!!

    TIffany @ Mine Are Spectacular!

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  31. AMAZING. Absolutely beautiful! You've totally inspired me to try out your centerpiece idea for Christmas decorating!

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  32. Oh my gosh, it looks amazing! GOOD JOB!!

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  33. Just amazing. I'm redoing my dining room too...in browns and whites. Lots of inspiration for me here!
    peace.

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  34. Wow! Your dining room is absolutely stunning! How gorgeous!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  35. Fantastic work...jaw droppingly gorgeous. I really love the idea of your table runner and the center lights. I've never seen anything like that before!

    Thanks for showing a dining room...I feel as though dining rooms are going "out of style".

    Thanks for sharing!

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  36. I love all the befores -- it just goes to show how we change as people and decorators! You do an amazing job!! My favorite is still your centerpiece...and the chandelier --- okay and the bench too!

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  37. Wow! What an amazing transformation! I looooove dark colors with candlelight - so romantic! The white in the table settings gives it just the right amount of brightness. AMAZING! :)

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  38. Yep, you are fabulous. Just found you. I have a dark chocolate sitting room that is quite fun...I need to blog on it. I love what you have done here!

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  39. Drama it is . . . I love the before and after pictures. what a difference. You are amazing.

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  40. That room is FABULOUS!!! Heck, you are fabulous. I'm in love with that paint on the walls. One day I'll make the plunge and paint a room chocolate brown.

    Besides the paint, my two fav things are the centerpiece and the fabric on those chairs.

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  41. OH, it's just stunning!!! I honestly have to tell you I don't even like brown but I sure do here!! My fave is the chandelier, the centerpiece and what you did to the chairs is just amazing!! Congrats on a fabulous job!! Cindy

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  42. Gorgeous! I wish I had a dining room to redo. Just a little bungalow for me. No powder room either. I guess I went for it in my front room with red.

    Love the chairs, btw!

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  43. Wow! Talk about stunning!!!

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  44. Your dinning room is AMAZING!!! I love everything about it. If I had a dinning room & so be emailing you to help me out!! :) Thanks for all the great posts!!

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  45. Love, love, LOVE it!!! You did an awesome job and there is so much inspiration in there for me :) Thank you for sharing.

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  46. Where did you get the white cylinders for over the candles?

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  47. Love your DR! What a great place to eat & entertain. It is so dramatic & fabulous.....bonnie

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  48. Very dramatic! I have to know where you got that stunning (huge) bowl that is shown in the middle of your hutch? I love it! I also love the centerpeice idea- glowing, classy, beautiful! Great job!

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  49. I'm seriously drooling at how fantastic this dining room looks! In your before & after pics, it litterally looks like it's just "grown up" through out the years. It's absolutely beautiful! Well done!

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  50. AHHHH! I CANNOT BELIEVE I WON!!!!!!

    I was calmly reading along totally enjoying your beautiful dramatic new dining room ans there was my name shnikies!!!!

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  51. absolutely stunning! i'm pretty close to speechless.

    you did an awesome job on everything!

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  52. It is gorgeous! I think the centerpiece is my absolute favorite part, but it is all beautiful!!

    My son was looking over my shoulder and said the pictures (the dark pictures showing off the candles) looked like the Haunted Mansion...fancy and dark! That might be the best compliment you can get from an 8 year old boy! ;D

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  53. This is absolutely awesome! Thanks for sharing with us - not so talented.

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  54. oooo wowsers! wonderful looking dining room!

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  55. Ooooooooo!!! I love the transformation, but I REALLY loved seeing the stages of the transformation! Coolio julio!!! Amazing work!

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  56. OH yes, definitely the final and current design is my absolute fave! Great work and great inspiration to always change things up and keep it fresh. Love it!

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  57. Your room looks absolutely gorgeous! I am wishing that I had a dining room to deocorate! Maybe someday!

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  58. It looks AMAZING!!!!!!! It is PERFECT!!!!!!

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  59. Such a cute renovation!! Thanks for sharing.

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  60. Oh my, your dining room is simply stunning. I love everything about it. Just beautiful. Thanks for sharing, so much gorgeous eye candy and inspiration. Hugs, Marty

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  61. You did a fantastic job, love everything...just a quick thanks especially for the centerpiece idea cuz I made my friend one for her birthday, and she was sooooo excited, = )

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  62. Well dear, it was about time, we got to see the finished room all put together. And wow what a makeover, you left nothing untouched. Just seeing it all together like this in one post, makes it very clear just how much you did! It is an amazing room, magazine worthy.
    And I would so leave that gorgeous chandelier lit all the time too!

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  63. OMG! Total drama going on in that room, I love it! What a sexy dining room. I'm so jealous!

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  64. I stumbled onto your blog not too long ago, but I am amazed at your work. I wish I had such talent. Your dining room is simply stunning.

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  65. You chandelier was worth every penny!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

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  66. It is truly one of the prettiest dining rooms I have EVER seen...really!! I love everything about it!!

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  67. looks awesome, beautiful, luxurious, and cohesive.

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  68. All the hard work will pay off every time you walk by :) Looks so lovely and dinner will taste sooo much better now, too :)

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  69. Everything turned out wonderfully! I'm especially loving that centerpiece!!

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  70. That is THE most beautiful dining room I've ever seen. What a wonderful job you did!

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  71. Love it! Can't wait until my husband is done with graduate school and I can actually use some of the ideas I drool over on your site!
    And btw, I totally would have driven the 45 minutes for the trim! :)

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  72. Incredible! Can you tell me the paint colors and maker? thanks!! I'm sooooo inpressed with the ceiling!!

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  73. Such a gorgeous glow at night, Sarah!!! I would just sit in there and stare at all the pretty lights...is that weird? ;)

    I LOVE the pillow you made!!! Stuuuuunning. :)

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  74. Like WOAH! I LOVE it! The difference from before is amazing! Great job, wanna come do mine next? lol ;-)

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  75. WOWZERS! That's amazing-- love the bench..and the limbar pillows--did you make them? Its just stunning!

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  76. Yowza!! Looks fantastic! I am trying to gussy up my dining room for the holidays, and you have inspired me to go bold! I wasn't sure about painting the ceiling - after seeing yours, why wouldn't I paint it?!
    Thanks for the nudge...

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  77. Unbelievable! It looks so classy and elegant.

    Bravo!

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  78. Oh, good for you, Sarah. It all looks beautiful. And I'm glad to see it. The trend right now seems to be "lighten up your dining room"--yet dark dining rooms look so beautiful and dramatic! You go, girl. You just make a new trend, okay?

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  79. It's stunning Sarah! You did an amazing job, I am so glad that you shared it with us!

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  80. Looks amazing. stunning, out of a magazine, perfect, beautiful...you rock my world! I see a dinner party in that new room coming soon.

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  81. It is AWESOME!!! Love everything you did. And, isn't is soooo satisfying to know you did it all by yourself?!!! Love that part. Okay, question...above your cedar chest...is that the SLAH flower bucket with an iron piece behind it? I am loving that!!

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  82. Thanks Sarah for the shout out about my hammered pumpkins! Your so awesome! I love your dining room reveal! It is so elegant! Well done Sarah! Wow!

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  83. Holy Buckets, woman! That is one dramatically fantastic dining room. You should be VERY proud of yourself. I am, and I don't even know you!

    Hanneke

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  84. Wow! STUNNING!! I wouldn't turn the chaddy off either - it's gorg! :)

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  85. I love the long candle centerpiece! It's amazing. I wonder if I could make it?

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  86. wow! Love it! thanks for the cute blog!

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  87. It definitely has drama, style, and glamour. It's fabulous!!!

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  88. It's beautiful! Very dramatic indeed! Love seeing all the different stages it went through to get there :)

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  89. Very dramatic, especially at night. Love your usual attention to details.

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  90. Yippee!!! So I AM on the right road with my own home! I have a very large Great Room with the kitchen, dining room, enterainment/tv room and fireplace area all in one and had been going crazy painting it color after color. All of them looked awful! Finally decided to split the rooms with 2 different colors and now it GLOWS!!! Wanted to paint the ceiling in the kitchen and the dining area but wasn't sure! Now I am going to do it!! THANK YOU from the heart of my bottom!!!!!
    Jackie Lee in So. California

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  91. Whoohoo! Your dining room looks so well put-together and dramatic. Cozy, especially for the fall and winter months.

    Carrie

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  92. Soooo what time is dinner and what side dish do you want me to bring??? *wink* This looks absolutely awesome girl!!! YOU ROCK! ox

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  93. It's lovely and your table is just breath-taking!

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  94. Love it! You have given me so many good ideas - thanks for the inspiration!

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  95. This room looks amazing! I LOVE it! By the way, I work at JoAnn (well...for another two days...I put in my notice for several reasons). JoAnn gets shipments in weekly, and they can also do special orders. You'll need the sku for that, though. If you have your receipt for the other trim you already purchased, the number will be on it. They don't special order patterns and a few other things, but they should be able to order your trim. They could also have it sent from another store but you'd have to pay a handling fee. Maybe worth looking into, though, if you don't want to make the 45 minute drive?

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  96. Your dining room looks stunning. I just love the colors you selected. Very warm, very cozy, very dramatic.

    Chelsea

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  97. Your work paid off! It looks amazing!

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  98. I love the center piece, very rustic but elegant.

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  99. I don't know whether or not to be inspired or depressed. I'm leaning towards the later since my current dining room puts your "before" pictures to shame. But I am holding onto the small glimmer of hope that someday I'll get to transform my room into something special and completely fantastic, like you did. Amazing work!

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  100. I'm not sure how I stumbled on your blog but...WOW!!! love your dining room!!! very nice~

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  101. Love the molding. Gives it so much warmth and character. I also love your use of white. Great job!

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  102. It looks like you took a totally fine but bland before room, like in a model home, and transformed it into a magazine worthy glamorous dining room. I LOVE it!
    Stacy

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If you have a specific question I will do my best to answer you back here!

You can find our paint colors and links to items at the "Our Home" tab at the top of my site.

THANKS so much for reading!