Dining Room-Take 4

It has been quite awhile since I have blogged!  I have been very busy and haven't sat down long enough to catch up!
So my latest project: refinishing and staining my dining room table. Ignorance is bliss, which is why I first attempted this project 3 weeks ago solo!  I  truly had no idea how much work this would take (seems to be a reoccurring theme here) and just blindly went for it because it was a down right cheap DIY and I was eager to have a "new" dining room set. :)  This was a project that required lots of patience, muscle power, and a face mask, which sadly, I did not have!  Once I began sanding the table, I saw just how much dust it produced.  WHOA-my garage was a thick fog of wood dust.  The initial sanding of the tabletop was a breeze, things got trickier when I started sanding the table legs and chairs.  I became tired VERY quickly but pushed on because I wanted it DONE.  I have to admit, it was so refreshing to uncover a smooth surface beneath.  Before, my table top had been covered with scratches and dings and was very uneven in texture and appearance.  It had white rings from heat and just major wear and tear from years and years of use.  (This table was a hand me down from my parents, who got it originally from our neighbors in Southlake when they moved.) Bottom line, it was beaten up and desperately needed some TLC that would uncover all it's underlying beauty.  Take a peek at this pitiful surface:

Oh how I miss those cheerful peonies! Just LOVELY! :)

 
After sanding, a clean slate was revealed and I applied a dark expresso stain/polyurethane.  I was thankful that they sold them as one nowadays!

Previously, I would have had to use two separate products and it would have added hours days to the job as a result.   My initial coats were very uneven, so required several layers.  Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome but prefer a more matte finish.  It's a little shiny for my taste and I'm going to have to make another trip to my home improvement store eventually to see if they have a finish that will take away the glaring shine.

As you can see from the picture, I also moved an ottoman to one side of the table.   It seems to create more open space and provide a comfy little bench on one side.  I playfully threw on my little sheepskin rug as well to add some more texture and personality to the room.    Below are the before and after shots:

BEFORE

AFTER

The final touch to this room will be to flank the windows with some inexpensive Roman shades from IKEA.  One thing at a time though! Naturally, I do NOT have an eye for decorating, but I am an excellent copycat! (My entire dining room was copied from online photos I have seen from thrifty, inspirational DIYers.)

I have many other small projects that have yet to make it to the blog.  My biggest focus right now is bringing my living room up to speed, one small sale at a time.  Bigger pieces aren't going anywhere so the key is to use what I have and just add the surrounding details.  I discovered an awesome website for designing "moodboards" for free.  You simply place photos of your couch, media center, etc. with other objects for your room (you can use your own photos of existing pieces you own OR clip photos of items from various stores) and it gives you an idea of the big picture before you commit.  It is really helping me put together a rug, curtains, lamps, etc. not to mention different colors and textures, and see them all together.  I have learned the hard way (think multiple rug/curtain returns) that just one cute piece doesn't make the room.  I don't want to be too matchy-matchy but also need a cohesive theme.  I am LOVING this site for so many ideas and ways of seeing my furnishings among fresh new pieces!

  

http://mydeco.com/design/moodboard/popular/  

Just click on "create a moodboard" to drag and drop various pieces (yours and from all different stores) to create your dream room.  You can also browse existing moodboards to get ideas if needed.

Dining Room Transformations...

First go around, I started off with a basic, small chandelier.  I loved how it looked in the store but once it was in the room, it just didn't look right.  The pale green that I once loved in my last kitchen was much greener in this space.

Next, I repainted the area in the same light khaki color that was in the living room.  This helped the spaces flow more and feel more cohesive.  I also tried a more neutral light fixture.  Lowe's gave me this one in exchange for the little chandelier.  Once again, it just didn't fit.

Finally, I found the perfect light fixture online.

In addition, I recovered the dining room chairs in new fabric and added some IKEA floating shelves along the wall.

AFTER

  

Before 1

Before 2

My next project will be refinishing and staining my dining room table and chairs.  The table is an antique and has really taken a beating through the years.  I'm looking forward to staining it a rich, expresso color. :)

The Magic of Paint

I was never a fan of the dark brick fireplace.  It gave the living room a very dated appearance and was the main focus of the room.  By painting the brick white, I felt it would add more balance and give me the open and airy feeling I was seeking.   In typical Tracy-fashion, I got started as soon as I realized I had white paint in the garage.  I was determined to have a full fireplace makeover by morning and painted for 5 hours straight!

Before

After

Wow.  I had no idea how labor intensive painting a fireplace would be!  The entire right side of my body ACHED for days afterwards.  (I'm right handed.)  Since brick is very porous, it needs 3 solid coats of paint,  plus getting in between the bricks was very challenging.  It was well worth the 7+ hours of painting though and I'm so happy with the new look.

The Little Things

While I was enjoying the fresh paint on the walls and a much more open kitchen area, I started noticing all the little things.  Light switches were old, yellow, and stained and many electrical outlets were covered in old paint.  I decided it would be a quick fix to buy some new, white toggle switches and electrical outlets.  After my good friend Dave installed several, I learned how it was done and did many more.  Most of the downstairs was completed and the upstairs followed shortly.  Here's some before and afters.

Before

After

Installing these were pretty simple for the most part.  I just made sure the breakers were OFF before touching anything.  Manipulating the stiff wires was the toughest part of it.  Little things can make a big difference!

Just because it makes me laugh...

New floors, paint, cabinet removal, and light fixtures galore!

Here is the first photo taken of my new flooring.  (Thanks Landers Flooring!)  SUCH an improvement from the stained concrete!  They also added white shoeing, so those are not the baseboards but a new molding addition.  The true color of the baseboards you can see on the door and peeking out from behind the shoe.  You can also see where I started to prime the walls.  Such professional work right? :)

Next, I started painting the trim and priming the walls.  I just love the contrast between the bright white and the rich colored floors!

I also began playing with colors to see what I liked best in the the kitchen/dining area.  It was between a pale green I used previously (left) and Restoration Hardware's silver sage. (right)

The carpet on the stairs was a huge improvement too.  So much safer!  (excuse the poor cell phone photography)

Then, I enlisted the help of my oh-so-handy friend Dave.  He helped me remove an entire cabinet in the kitchen and install light fixtures, ceiling fans, and fix some odd little parts in the house that were not working.  

Here is the cabinet coming down.

This guy deserves a cold beverage!

Light fixtures installed...
(We He installed 2 ceiling fans and 5 light fixtures total in my home.  There would be more to come.)

Before

After

Paint color selected...

(I went with the pale green because I used it in my last kitchen and loved it there.  The previous color was a bright avocado green in this room.)

The cabinets, doors and trim weren't painted white just yet.  

After painting the trim VERY carefully, I quickly realized how tedious a job painting trim is!  Sadly, my work did not resemble anything close to that of a professional.  I decided to hire painters to paint all the rest of the trim, doors, and a few rooms.

This was the outcome.
No more orange front door!

Silver sage paint in my bedroom.

Everything was finally painted and it was time for a nap!  (Duke beat me to it.)

*Many other rooms were painted but I was too exhausted to take pictures.  Future photos will show more.

The List

I had quite a long To Do list upon move in back in July.  It was overwhelming to say the least!  A few important items on my list:

• Remove all the popcorn ceiling.  Myself.  I spent many an hour researching and watching YouTube To Do videos on just this. Why hire someone when I was on summer vacation and was willing to get my hands dirty in exchange for some major money saved? 

• Install hardwood floors throughout.  This would be professionally done and would cover all the existing concrete.  The stairs would be the only part I would opt for carpet instead. 

• Paint all the trim and doors bright white.  They were a dingy, drab, gray color that just begged to be bright and clean.

• Repaint most of the rooms in the house.  As you could see from the photos, there were some very bright colors and while I was already painting trim and doors, I should just get it all done at once.

• Install doggie door for my two beloved four legged friends.  This would make them very happy and make my life easier. 

As you can see, my personality leans towards "all or nothing" and I was determined to get A LOT done in the first week.  BIG SHOCKER-this did not go according to plan.  

Long story short, there was not time before I moved in to have both the floors installed and remove the popcorn ceiling.  Popcorn ceiling removal was one thing I just decided to put aside for a later date.