One Room Challenge - Tropical Dining Room Reveal
Six weeks flew by in a flash and we're here at the finish line to the One Room Challenge! High fives to everyone crossing the line with me and to all of you who've been reading along. A huge bear hug as well to Linda of Calling It Home, mastermind behind this intense/frustrating/rewarding challenge. To catch up on our journey, see the last five weeks of posts here.
But before we jump into the details, let's take a look back at where we started:
Oh, yellow and brown dining room you served us well. But it was time to leave 2008 behind and jump into a look that was brighter and lighter.
With a birthday party to host, we really didn't start working on this room until the middle of Week 3 (eek!). But the transformation came quickly. Bold wallpaper was replaced with serene soft blue-green paint (Lunenberg by PARA Paints). This paint is a chameleon, swaying between light grey in the mornings to a seafoam green by dusk. Giving the DIY wainscotting a new coat of white paint had this room feeling fresh in no time.
To liven up the neutral palette, I layered on the texture. We already had the Jute Chenille Herringbone rug and I added bamboo, rattan and banana leaf accents to bring a tropical feel to the room. We took out the plantation shutters and replaced them with a wide single bamboo blind. This alone transformed the room - the shutters really cut out so much light! Now we have a clear view out the large picture window to our back porch and have a connection to the outdoors.
I envisioned placing a sideboard beneath the window but couldn't find the ideal one so I've moved our rattan storage cubes temporarily up from the basement. This provides us additional flexible seating and suits the room better than the tufted leather bench we had in this spot previously. Fun pillows from Tonic Living (Lulu Leopard and Henderson Stripe) add softness and a hit of colour.
In the opposite corner, I have my first tropical plant (Schefflera Amate). I just transplanted it into the tall planter so I'm hoping the wavy leaves will bounce back in a few days. That, or I'm slowly killing it (it has been known to happen!). The large ceramic garden ball was inherited from Sean's mom. It has an earthy 70's vibe that seems just right here.
The long wall cried out for a large piece of art and I fell in love with this print on first sight. "Let's Go" from Minted draws you in and ties together the natural and blue hues found around the room. I should have gone with a larger-sized print though and decided that the wall needed something more. A chance encounter with Blackthumb Decor led me to find the Lup Wall Oblong sconce. It's modern clean shape is the perfect complement to the art.
The wall sconces also pick up on the curves of the chandelier. I got the Hinkley Lighting Harlow Chandelier from eBay but it came in a polished chrome finish. It was a risk but I spraypainted the light fixture a metallic gold and I couldn't be happier. I used Design Master Gold Medal and it was the shiny true gold finish I was looking for.
One of the main reasons I took on the challenge was because the previous room always felt too dark. We changed out the chandelier but we also went ahead and had eight potlights installed and the ceiling smoothed as well. Those two things made a huge difference in how we enjoy the dining room now. Have a peek at the room at nighttime:
She glows so bright!
And here she is with the lights dimmed and the candle sconces lit. I can't wait to host a dinner party and get the room feeling dark and moody.
So that's the end of my first One Room Challenge. One To Do that didn't get done was reupholstery of the chairs. With all the unpacking and fixing and cleaning and moving at the new cottage last weekend, I just didn't have it in me to tackle one more DIY. But, I have the fabric so no more excuses. It's next on my list!
Thanks for reading along and I hope you enjoyed the results. Compared to some of the ORC transformations from other participants, this one was pretty straightforward. No wallpaper, no complex wall treatments, and the biggest piece of furniture stayed the same. But the ORC is an evolution, not a contest. Pick a room and create something that reflects you. What I've learned is that "me" is moving away from ornamentation and excess toward simpler design, beautifully designed objects, a lighter palette, and a slightly organic feel. Who knows where my changing tastes will lead next!
Now head on over to Calling It Home to see almost 200 other room reveals. That's a lot of design inspiration!!
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Sources:
Wall Paint - Lunenberg by PARA Paints
Trim Paint - Distant Grey by Benjamin Moore
Drapery - Naga Blue drapery by Tonic Living
Blind - Bamboo Roman Shade from Wayfair
Pillows - Lulu Leopard and Henderson Stripe from Tonic Living. Teal outdoor pillow from PC Home
Rug - Jute Chenille Herringbone from West Elm
Art - Let's Go from Minted
Sconces - Hay Design Lup Wall Oblong from Blackthumb Decor
Chandelier - Hinkley Lighting Harlow Chandelier from eBay. Painted with Design Master Gold Medal spraypaint
Boat - Kempenfest fair
Leaf - faux split leaf philodendron from Rona
Table and Chairs - unknown model from Decorium
Chargers, capiz ball, driftwood, and wood & blue vase - from HomeSense
Ceramic ball - family item
Cups - blue embossed outdoor cups from PC Home
Mixed tropical plants - Home Depot
Large tropical plant - Plant World
Note: Affiliate links have been used in this post
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