So I know I just shared with you some recent dining room updates… Like painting the walls Martha Stewart Zinc, and hanging my midcentury chandelier…
Well, I did something different.
You see, we had this extra room…
And I’m sorry, I have to stop typing here and say – oh my goodness, that sounds so privileged. Like, oh – first world problems – we totally had this extra living area and we didn’t know what to do with it, so we just ignored it and used it to store all our extra stuff. Ugh. Don’t you hate when that happens? Extra square footage: so annoying.
Well, we did have an extra room, and this house really is too big for the two of us. It was being used as storage because I didn’t feel the need to furnish a second living space that would essentially go unused. I mean, we already have a sofa apiece in the living room. So we really did just ignore this entire extra living space in our home and I haven’t shared it here on the blog because essentially, it always looked like this:
Warning: if you pin this, I might have to hunt you down and kill you.
(Um, did I just make a death threat on the Internet? Oops.)
It’s like a game of I-Spy: Can you find the Christmas decoration boxes, painting supplies, beanbag chair, laundry, and pet chinchilla? Bonus points if you can find my beloved creepy wooden hands…
Now, this room is entirely open to the kitchen (I was standing in the kitchen to snap this photo) and I got a wild idea in my head… What if we used this room as a formal dining room, instead of the more cramped & smaller current dining room?
To my surprise, Bryan loved the idea. Like, I was seriously surprised. So I forced coerced convinced him to help me move the dining table and chairs into the room to see if I liked the layout.
Do you see that? There’s room to put the leaves in the table now (they’re propped up on the wall on the left side of the fireplace)! So when our large family comes over, we can actually sit down to eat instead of perching throughout the living room on the couches and floor. And basically, I feel like a complete moron for not thinking of this sooner.
What will become of the old dining room? It is open to the living room, so Bryan’s idea was to use it as an extension of the living room when we have large groups of people over. (As we do, once every blue moon.) I’d like to move the teak bar in there and find some really stately/stuffy worn leather club chairs. I intend to keep the dark grey walls, but add a different light fixture.
Because… The chandelier that I just hung up is coming down and moving into the new dining room. And this is happening/may have already happened to the walls:
I’ll leave you with this moodboard that has some hints for where this might be going in the future…
And now I’m signing off. I’ve been seriously sick these past few days with a nasty cough thing, so I’m going to take it easy. Which is hard when I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head for this new dining room design! But budget restraints will keep me in check for a little while 😉 Thank goodness paint is cheap!
Julia Konya says
March 18, 2014 at 11:28 amUgh, hope you feel better soon. I have been sick with a nasty cough thing myself.
Love this change and it makes so much more sense.
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:41 amThanks Julia! This cough thing is the worst 🙁
I know! I love the new dining space and I feel so thick for not thinking of it sooner!
Lets just build a house! says
March 18, 2014 at 4:31 pmi love this idea! it has a fireplace too. omg so cozy and pretty! Do it!!
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:42 amOh, I'm SO doing it, Trina! Paint has been painted and I'm really excited!
Trisha D says
March 18, 2014 at 4:50 pmI had no idea this room even existed until now. And before I go any further, is that bean bag chair one of those "Lovesacs?" If so, you are my hero!
Anywho, I really liked your I-Spy game! P.S. I think I spy them on the mantle?!
Cannot wait to see how this room progresses!! That Green/Grey has me intrigued!
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:45 amHehe, I know, right? I'm like – hey, I'll just bust out a spare room! And yes, that is indeed a Lovesac – monstrously huge, but very comfy! And yes again – you found the creepy wooden hands! 😀
I can't wait to share how the wall color turned out… I'm in love with it!
Trisha D says
March 19, 2014 at 1:59 pmIf you ever need someone to take that Lovesac off your hands… I'll meet you half way (probably St. Louis or something)!!
Kerri says
March 18, 2014 at 5:14 pmwhat a great move! it's always awesome to have a fireplace in the dining room, talk about mood lighting. can't wait to see you pull it all together. feel better soon!
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:46 amThanks Kerri! I'm so excited about the fireplace too – it just feels so fancy 🙂 I'm beyond excited about this makeover… Eeee!
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
March 18, 2014 at 8:35 pmi didn't see that coming. and i love it!
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:47 amHehe, SURPRISE!!!
Ashley Mayes says
March 18, 2014 at 8:38 pmumm, this is going to be so good! I'm totally jealous of the size of that room. Fun.
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:49 amThanks Ashley! It's kind of comically large, but I think we'll just have to host a holiday dinner or two to make use of it 😉
Run To Radiance says
March 18, 2014 at 9:05 pmAMAZING. And I am totally jealous of your super cool fireplace in your dining room! How cool! That mood board…girl. please. killing me. 🙂
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 19, 2014 at 2:52 amThanks Tania! I am beyond excited to see it play out in real life… Popping nyquil and trying to pace myself 😛
GnomeLover says
March 19, 2014 at 11:08 pmOh my gosh! I love it! So much! So so so much! What a great idea. And I cannot wait to see those finished walls! I often have dreams where I find a spare room that was hidden in the house and it is so thrilling to think of how I would decorate it. And you actually have the real deal! So lucky!
Jenni
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 21, 2014 at 4:14 pmI have dreams where I open up my closet and spend several hours putting together fabulous outfits, only to wake up and realize I don't actually own any of the clothes I was dreaming about!
Katie Nathey says
March 21, 2014 at 11:18 pmOoooooh the mood board looks amazing and I can't wait to see the reveal of the new dining room! Thanks for sharing at the Makers and I hope you are feeling better!
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 25, 2014 at 3:49 pmThanks so much Katie! 🙂
Kimberly Hughes says
March 23, 2014 at 10:38 amOh you Americans and your "extra rooms" 😉 Haha! I'm joking – I think it's an AWESOME idea and so excited to see you've made more sense of the space you have! I love the little moodboard you put together (leopard and burlwood – oh yes) – can't wait to see what you do! xxx
brynne@thegatheredhome.com says
March 25, 2014 at 3:51 pmThanks Kimberly! I have to say, the leopard was entirely inspired by your blog! You're totally motivating me to make some bold choices 🙂