Yesterday I got a surprise dining room make over. No, Ty Pennington did not show up at my house with a bus and a bullhorn, but an unplanned overhaul did occur. My dining room has needed work since day one, but with a kitchen renovation scheduled for this winter, which involves tearing down a wall between the dining room and said kitchen, I figured I would just wait.
The Gods had other plans for me, they sent Erin as their petite messenger, convincing me to buy a table I really didn’t even want, but clearly needed. Let’s look at the before then I’ll tell you the story.
Ok, so it’s a pretty sad before, and not just because I can’t hold a camera still for half a second. Most of the items in this room got placed there when we moved in and just stayed. Hence the dresser acting as a sideboard and the unhung picture.
I would have moved forward through the next few months with my blinders on if Erin hadn’t needed 6 chairs. Let’s clarify: Erin has been OBSESSED with finding 6 new chairs to go with her stunning new table in her stunning new dining room. So obsessed, in fact, I’ve witnessed her squinting her eyes at ebay trying to imagine that some pretty iffy chairs weren’t really so bad at all.
Spending her days and nights peaking at any craigslist posting that offered the promise of multiple chairs she forwarded me a listing with this photo:
The price was right ($250) and I wrote back advising her to get the chairs. She responded by saying “I don’t want those chairs, you need that table.” I denied her claim on both counts, and she countered by insisting that I did, infact need the table. Somehow or another, despite the fact that neither of us wanted the table or the chairs, we decided to purchase the set and split it between us. I got the table.
Since she got the chairs, and I had none to go with my new set-up, I have her tulip chairs on loan until I’m able to find replacements. Should I have kept the chairs? Nope, they look awesome in her house.
All 4 images on the wall are by my friend, Bryan Keplesky. I had planned to put them in the office I’m fixing up for myself, but clearly, they were meant for this room.
And that map that had been leaning against the wall in photo 1? It’s frame got a fresh coat of white paint and is now officially hanging on a wall. Well, at least until we tear that wall down.
Note: Overt your eyes from the horrid front door, it is getting replaced as soon as the asshats at the door hardware shop send me the right hardware, unlike the last time where they took 2 weeks to send me the WRONG piece. Photos of that soon I really really hope.
Related posts:
November 5th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Well, got damn, if that isn’t a fine looking dining room!
And I get to twirl in those chairs TONIGHT.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:59 am
…make that two twirling booties! Looks fan-freakin’-tastic, Karly.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:15 am
that is amazing. looks great. i just find myself loving your house more and more.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:24 am
That table with those chairs. Oh. My God. So perfect. I need the gods’ voice — Erin — to come speak truth to my place. Your dining room is fabulous!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Damn, your house is en fuego!
This, combined with the previous projects posted, is making me cast a critical eye on my own abode - yours looks fantastic.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Love the new table! Great job on the teamwork, you guys!
November 5th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Hey, the chairs do look great with the table!
And I can’t wait to unveil my own dining room makeover… just gotta figure out what’s going on with the rug action.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:23 am
FABULOUS. Erin was right, you did need that table. Whee!
November 5th, 2009 at 11:24 am
ugh. now you’ve gotten me obsessed with rugs too, erin. I’ll send you some links of the ones i’m considering for myself later
thanks everyone for the applause, I’m pretty darn happy with the table I didn’t want.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
more applause from me!! why don’t you make erin an offer for her chairs?!
tell us about that interesting art to the right of bryan keplesky’s…..
November 5th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Funny you should mention it, Pillow Mint. Erin and I have our eyes on another set of tulip chairs (with arms) that I think I’m going to buy for Erin, then I’ll keep her chairs. She needs the chairs to match the tulip table she owns, but I can’t have the ones with arms b/c they won’t fit under my table.
It is official, Erin and I have fused into one, giant craigslist / ebay devouring monster.
Also, you can check out Keplesky’s work here http://www.roundobject.com he’s crazy insane talented. sometimes he sells his posters for a really good price, you can email him through his site
November 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Awesome results! Love the piece on the table.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
First off.. kick ass dining room! Screw Ty Pennington and the gas guzzleing, tear filled bus he rode in on!
AND Erin! When do we get to see your dining room make over???
November 5th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
It was the table you were just meant to have! Looking good!
November 5th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Excellent work on the dining table-what hardware shop is giving you trouble?
November 5th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
hey Laurie, actually, the people at the hardware shop are incredibly nice, I think the original delay was a problem with the manufacturer, I’m not sure who’s error the wrong piece was. So, I don’t really want to say who it was because i don’t want to give them a bad rep, I’m just a little annoyed that I had to wait so long for the wrong thing… especially with a front door as ugly as mine
November 5th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Well I don’t think it was my door hardware store because I’ve asked around…but we have had a great time calling each other asshat salespeople all day! My sister e-mailed me first thing this morning to ask me if I was *the asshat* referenced in this post-haha!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
ha ha, laurie!! I just realized what store you’re with, it’s not the one… but if you promise that you’re a bunch of asshats, my next purchase will be from you. I love a shop with a sense of humor!
November 5th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
OOW GOODNESS that table is amazing! Erin was so right, and so glad you got an unexpected freshening!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Lookin’ good. Really, really good! You two are a lethal combination. Now I want to see how the other half dines. Your turn Erin. :0)
November 5th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Erin knows her stuff! Cool table. The posters look great too.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:21 am
leave the door!!! it’s cute and so nicely out of place that it actually starts fitting in again. A bit like hanging a pink moose on the wall…again leave the door alone (besides it fits your wallpaper.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Love the table with those chairs and your friend is all kinds of talented…
Have fun this w/e, ladies!!
November 6th, 2009 at 11:41 am
P.S. I’ve been MIA quite a lot lately. Did I miss a post on E’s new dining room??!!
November 7th, 2009 at 10:13 am
love it all. you made the right choice by not getting the chairs. my husband had those growing up…and his dad was quite large, you get the idea.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Your friend is the guy who did that awesome signage for FunFunFun fest?! Wow! No wonder I was immediately drawn to those prints!
(Everything else was awesome, too. I promise.)
PS: That gray and white wallpaper is to die.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:39 am
loving the revamp!!! i bet you can wait to have a little get together and use this room!
November 10th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
sweet, sweet redo! And Bryan’s art looks right at home.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Now you have to host orphan Thanksgiving so you can use that rad new dining room table, la la la love it. Plus I love the Stitch poster hanging in the room, makes me want to frame and hang mine.
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
The makeover looks awesome, and those tulip chairs are perfect in there- borrow them permanently.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Can you tell me where the grey wallpaper is from, love the entire look!!!