Dining Room Updates — Drapery Floral Fabric Sample And New Marketplace Chairs
Week before last, I showed y’all the fabric design that I had come up with for the draperies in our dining area, which is the room I hope to tackle when I’m finished with the storage room. Here’s the original design I shared with you.
After I shared that design, I made a few more tweaks to it, added more elements to it (including another bird), and this was the final design I came up with.
Here are the two side-by-side.
If you missed how I created this fabric pattern, you can see that process here: Designing My Dining Room Drapery Fabric (How To Create A Repeatable Pattern For Fabric)
I ordered one yard of the fabric so that I could see the pattern in person before ordering all of the yardage for the curtains. When I initially opened the package and unfolded the fabric, I was so excited. It’s so pretty!
But the more I looked at it, and compared it to the other colors in our home, I decided that the colors might be just a touch washed out. I wanted the blue-green background a little darker (not much, but just a little bit). I wanted the flowers, especially the pink flowers, more vibrant.
I hung the fabric over the window shade in the dining area so that the blackout lining on the shade would prevent light shining through the fabric since sunlight shining through the fabric makes it look even more washed out. And I like to sew my draperies with blackout lining, so this would give me a better idea of how the fabric would look on the windows. I put it up there on Friday, and I’ve lived with it up there all weekend.
After looking at it over the weekend, I still think it’s a bit too washed out, so I’ve made an easy edit to make the colors more saturated and vibrant. Here’s a comparison of the original pattern that I created on the left and the new, more vibrant/saturated pattern on the right. It’s a small change, but I think it’ll make a big difference.
In other news, I got dining chairs! I found these on Marketplace yesterday morning, and picked them up yesterday afternoon. I got them for $150, which seemed like too much to me at first. But $37.50 per chair for nice, sturdy chairs that don’t need repair is a fair price.
I was so excited when I found them. They’re exactly what I wanted — chairs that are upholstered on the backs that I can easily reupholster with the colors I want.
And of course, I’ll also paint the wood. Or I might try taking this finish off and seeing what the wood looks like. If it’s a pretty wood, I might keep them natural since I’m going to be painting the table. They’re in great condition, and they’re very sturdy.
I especially love this little spindle detail. Y’all know I’m a sucker for turned wood legs and turned wood details.
I’m still trying to work out the table and chairs arrangement in here. I only have four chairs so far, so if I decide to keep the table expanded, I’ll need two more coordinating chairs for the ends of the table. I envision those being fully upholstered wingback captain’s chairs, skirted or slipcovered to the floor in the bolded pink from the curtain fabric with white piping.
I’ll be taking the buffet out of the room, so that will give more room for the end chairs, but I’m still not sure if it’s enough room. I’ll work through those details when I finally get to this room. I really wish the kitchen peninsula didn’t encroach into this room. If I had that foot of space back, there would be plenty of room for end chairs.
But for now, I’m so excited that I now have a table, four chairs, and my drapery fabric. It’s coming together! Now I just need to decide on what to do with all of these pieces. I’m pretty sure I’m going to paint the table, including the tabletop, in a green color from the curtain fabric. If the wood on the chairs can be stripped, and there’s a pretty, light-colored wood underneath, I’ll keep those natural and then add drapery fabric to part of the chair (probably the back), a solid color piping, and then I envision a striped or geometric fabric with it. I’m still working all of that out, but what I do know that is that it will be colorful when it’s finished!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Love the fabric, especially with the edits and the chairs. Can’t wait to see the finished room.
She shoots; she scores! Awesome find and at such a great price for those are really good-looking chairs. I can’t wait to see this room transformed, I know it will be a gem of a dining room.
Cheers to you, Matt, and the Fur Babies!
I agree that the fabric looks better with the additional birds and more vibrant colors. I would suggest making the background color even darker. I love the new chairs. They look great with the table. I hope things are moving forward smoothly on the storage closet.
Those chairs are beautiful and look great with the table! Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
I like the brighter colors for the fabric! Is there enough room to have the dining table go the other direction? Would that give more room for chairs, and getting around the table?
That’s what I was wondering. Having the table oriented the other way would likely leave a comfortable space for the buffet – and it is always nice to have that kind of serving/storage space in a dining room.
How would it look if you turned the table in other direction. Would it give you extra room.
You probably tried that option and it didn’t work
I was wondering the same thing. A different layout would give more people a view of the outdoors through the window, and only 2 people would have a forward-facing view toward the kitchen.
I’m not getting a good sense for the size of your dining area from these pics but I feel like your table should be turned/oriented the other way unless you take the leaf out and make it round? That fabric is awesome- I could never…While I’m at it I will give a recap of my thoughts for last week-like it matters- I think you’re so fortunate to have your “apprentice” enter your life and I hope that relationship continues-it’s such a load off to have an extra hand and a win/win. Congratulations on your weight loss journey you inspired me to read Dr. Fungs book and try it-so far I’m impressed and it seems like something I can do who knows? Early days but…til tomorrow.
I love those chairs…saw the little spindle right away…what a pretty touch! Can’t wait for the new fabric as well. An awesome find!
Would you consider removing that portion of the peninsula?
Table and chairs look fab, lots of potential.
Here’s my suggestion……..
Day to day living – captains chairs live against either the empty buffet wall or pantry wall. Table is without extender and 4 chairs around it.
With guests – extend table and rotate 45 degrees so the long edge runs through the diagonal of the room, leaving plenty space for all 6 chairs to be pulled out whilst seating.
Means you’ll have the day to day visual of balance, but the practicality of the bigger table on occasion.
Looking forward to seeing the new curtain fabric up and upholstered!
Yes, the darker background in the fabric really makes the colors pop! The dining room chairs are classic and elegant, what a great find! I love the idea of having fully upholstered chairs for the head and foot of the table. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?
The chairs are great finds, they go with the table so well. One question .. wouldn’t you want to leave the ends of the table without chairs, so that Matt’s wheelchair could easily fit there? Or will you just move the end chairs for your daily meals.
If the table is in the position shown in the pictures, Matt would sit on the side, not on the end. I’m okay moving a chair for him or keeping a chair to the side for him.
The change in the fabric gives it a better look IMHO. The original is too pale.
$37.50 for a solid wood chair with upholstery? Try buying a decent padded folding chair on Amazon! They’re $92/2! Now that you have your perspective back . . . I like the idea of a diagonal placement for company & 6 chairs in use. Straight when no leaf.
When you decide to recover the chairs, I for one, am really interested in how you do the 2 sides of the back of the chair. BTW, I vote for stripes for the front/seat. And don’t forget to put a white trash bag between the fabric and the batting on the seat. Much easier to clean. Can’t wait to see this vision come to fruition. Make sure your furry supervisors approve everything!
Is that so if you have to clean the seat the batting doesn’t get wet? Sounds like a good idea, but would the bag cause a crinkling noise when you’re seated do you think?
Oh Kristi, the fabric is so beautiful now! I’m surprised I like it so much because I thought it was okay before but I wouldn’t get it. I would now!!
I love the chairs. They will look so good when you get done reupholstering them.
You mentioned you had an apprentice. I hope you are able to keep him. It will take so much stress off you.
Looking forward to seeing how everything turns out.
God bless.
I love the new and improved fabric. It’s like you turned the lens on it and brought it into focus. It’s lovely.
Great find on the chairs too. They look expensive; is there a mfg on the bottom?
Once the purple buffet is gone are you open to turning the table on a diagonal? I’m not sure that might make your need for symmetry go topsy-turvy!!!🙃🙃
I have a really hard time with diagonals. My brain doesn’t like it. 😀
The bird in your fabric needs to be darker/brighter. The new colors definitely look better than the original.
You have a lot going on.
The fabric is just lovely! I also agree with the comments to orient the table in the other direction (not diagonally). I worked at a higher end furniture store for a few years and, generally, if you have the room, to allow 3 feet or so behind chairs to allow your guests to easily push back and stand from the table. Just a suggestion and Matt can have the entire end of the table. Can’t wait to see it progress.
Another fan of turning the table with the short end towards the window (not diagonally)
Kristi – What amazing finds for the table and chairs! My first thought was…but what about the ends? Your explanation of the end chairs took me back to how I found your blog. I came across a post about how you made wingback chairs from scratch! I was so impressed. Whatever happened to those two chairs?
If I remember correctly, I only finished one of those chairs, and I ended up giving it away.