Like I anticipated, not everything on my list is finished yet. I guess that just shows me that I need more than 6 weeks to do a room, depending on what projects are involved (like painting cabinets which take f.o.r.e.v.e.r. for this homeschooling mom).
BUT, I want to tell you all about my table spread and take a walk down memory lane and show you just how far my dining room has come, not just in the last 6 weeks but since we moved into this house 4 years ago.
So in the last 4 years we replaced out flooring to this beautiful gray faux wood vinyl planks. The floors are holding up amazingly well and I love the colors in it! I’m happy they are not real wood (as much as that would be even more beautiful) so that we do not have the upkeep of caring for them. A quick scrub or mop and the floor is good to go.
We ripped out our kitchen island which opened up the space a ton and created a perfect spot for this big hutch I gave a makeover. I also redid the table to match the hutch (they came together). Then, I bought these cute bistro style metal chairs off amazon to replace the large bulky chairs the table came with. I changed out the curtains to some cute white and gray ones I got at TJ Maxx for $15 per set (I bought 3 sets for all 3 windows in my main room). The walls got painted from beige to gray. The gray walls have a little bit of a purple undertone to them depending on how the lighting changed throughout the day. The color I chose was called “Ancient Wonder” but my artist friend actually mixed the color for me with leftover paint she had so I got the paint for free. The color changed the room a ton. The beige was very yellow and this stone gray is so much more soothing.
Here is my dining room with the table all set up for a harvest dinner party or Thanksgiving. I will talk about all the details in each picture below.
The table runner I found on clearance at Walmart a long time ago. It’s just a burlap runner with a little lace down the middle. It’s neutral enough I can use it for any Holiday or occasion.
You’ll notice in the pictures I have some mix-and-match dishes on the table. I have the Mikasa Italian Countryside set and a vintage blue and white China set I found at a Thrift store a long time ago. I wanted to use all the blue and white china but I only had 6 dinner plates and 6 salad plates but I have seating for 8. So, I mixed and matched them per my friends recommendation. That’s an easy and trendy way to fill your table and add some more visual interest and texture. 
The wine glasses and crystal water glasses were also gifts I’ve received and they are absolutely beautiful.
I bought these gold/metallic leaf placemats at TJ Maxx/Home Goods. I think they were $8 for a set of 4 so I bought 2 sets. I absolutely love these placemats. 
The napkin rings and the napkins I also bought at TJ Maxx/Home Goods. I’ll show some close ups of those below but the napkin ring actually matches the silver flatware perfectly.
This silver flatware was recently gifted to me. It belonged to a very special lady in the family. My husband’s great Aunt Rose, who was one of the classiest women I’ll ever know. She recently passed away. She lived a long and full life and bestowed generosity and love to my husband and me and our children and we miss her sweet presence greatly. I’m honored to be able to use the silver that she had since her wedding. It’s something I will keep for Holidays and special occasions and it really does fit so perfectly on my table for Thanksgiving. The silver lustre is one of a kind and so different than my everyday stainless steel silverware. I’m so happy to have this on my table to remind us of our dear Aunt Rose this Holiday season.
This centerpiece was a total last minute experiment. While setting up the table I realized how badly I wanted fresh flowers or something to add color and warmth. But instead of running to the local flower shop and paying $30 for something only used for staging I went outside and found this little log in our frozen wood pile. It’s actually a perfect size for the table and I want to make it into a tea light candle holder, I just didn’t have time to do all that yesterday. So, instead I wrapped it in some fairy lights and cut a few branches off our evergreen bushes out front and placed them around the log. Then, I added a couple of seasonal candles I have on the ends for some real candlelight. I love the added greenery which is appropriate for the season.
Along with the log and green branches I also brought down 2 of my clear glass vases and filled them with things found around my yard. I honestly don’t even know what these are… I am not a plant person. The colorful stems are from a couple of small bushes in our front yard and the other was from our backyard where the land opens up to a field and some wetlands. I enjoy just bringing things indoors from outside and appreciating what’s around me. A centerpiece or vase doesn’t have to be bold, ultra colorful, or expensive to be seen as beautiful.
Here is a close up of the pattern on my china plates and the napkins and napkin rings I got at Homegoods. The napkins are kind of a vintage linen color/texture which I love. I enjoy neutral things because I can use them for any occasion, making them versatile and worth storing and keeping. The napkin rings are silver looking with a distressed look having the words “family” and “friends” on them.
If you look closely, behind my table in the corner is another item I literally just took from outside. It’s an old tree branch that I wrapped in fairy lights and set inside of a pot in the corner of my dining room. It just adds some warmth and helps frame out the dining room. Another simple and inexpensive DIY decor idea. The metal hanging sign on it was from Hobby Lobby.
This arrangement is a collection of fake floral pieces from Hobby Lobby that I selected specifically for the fall season. After Thanksgiving I will wrap it up and put it away to save for next year.
Here is a better shot of the dining room chairs I have. I wanted to make some cushions for them and perhaps I will, I just didn’t get to that in time for the One Room Challenge.
If anyone can tell me what plants these are let me know in the comments!
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The mirror on the wall I also got from Hobby Lobby many years ago and I’ve been able to make it work with all the changes I’ve made in this room.
Here is a side by side of the before and after.
My kitchen is coming along I just have some things I want to finish before I take pictures and share the before and after of the kitchen cabinets etc… so I hope to see you back here so I can share that when everything is done!
But for now, I’m happy to be sharing my dining room with you. If you have any questions let me know in the comments! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks to the ORC for this opportunity to participate in a 6 week blogging home remodeling/decor challenge! I learn new things and get inspired every time!
My very first One Room Challenge Reveal
ORC Week 1, Week 2 (Kitchen declutter), Week 3 (cabinets), Week 4, Week 5.
*This blog post contains affiliate links to amazon. Everything on here I purchased with my own money and completely recommend these products. If you use my link to make a purchase I will make a small commission. Thank you for your support.
