Dining Room Update

After painting the office and falling in love with that pretty blue color (Benjamin Moore's New York State of Mind) I thought long and hard about painting the whole dining room the same color. I really wanted to have a proper Thanksgiving meal in the dining room rather than crowding around the kitchen looking at all the dirty dishes. The walls were dirty and this room just needed a zhuzh. My only concern is how dark it would make the room overall. There's a sizeable window but even so the lighting isn't great. Eventually I want to replace the chandelier but that's way in the future. I've struggled to paint many a dark wall in this house lighter and it's not easy. So I sat on it for a while and finally decided to just go for it.

Before:

Ignore all the boxed Christmas decorations ready to come out!

I've always believed homes have souls. Whenever I've made an improvement on the house I've felt the energy come back to me saying, "Thank you for making me look nice again." But I didn't get that this time. I felt like the room was unsure about the new look. This is where the girls dance and play. I felt the room asking, "So am I just going to be a dining room now?" 

Like the chandelier, we are a long ways off from having the money for proper dining room furniture. Aside from Thanksgiving this will continue to function as a playroom. It was as if the room needed to be reassured there would be fun and laughter, not a stodgy room of table and chairs. Call me crazy, but that's the vibe I got as we transformed the space. Hanging the twinkle lights definitely helped give additional light and that feeling this room is still for fun. The girls love dancing under those stars and it looks amazing from the street all aglow.

I love how it turned out- especially the columns which were a yellow based white. I painted them Benjamin Moore's Super White and suddenly they looked fresh and clean again. It gives the two rooms just a bit more separation rather than huge, white walls with not a lot going on. Best of all was I managed to get it done just in time for Thanksgiving!