Dining room – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

My New Rack!

Published on November 29, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

Hey there everyone! I know it’s been quiet around here since our trip. Life has been super busy and I’ve barely had time to work on projects let alone share any. But today I’ve got a little change in the dining room to share. We replaced the indoor herb wall that wasn’t growing to well with this simple farmhouse style rack.

It’s a perfect fit for the short wall just off the laundry room and has become the spot to display my budding collection of Rea Dunn mugs! This was one of several larger items we hauled back to Alaska on our recent trip. I’d ordered it some time ago and had to ship it to my sister’s house in VA so I could pick it up when we were there for my nephew’s wedding. Here’s a wide shot to give you an idea of where it’s located, along with a sneak peek of the minimal fall decorating I did.

I love the contrast of the black distressed metal and white mugs against the tan wall. I wish the mugs could face out to the left so they were readable from the main area, but overall it’s just what I envisioned. I plan to add a little bunting or garland during holidays to add a bit of flair, which might be my next DIY project.

My collection is still pretty small with only four options. The MRS. one is my fave at the moment and the Relax is a close second. The Hubs has enjoyed using the MR. a couple times already so I guess he thinks this is a good update, even if it did require patching the holes from the herb rack and repainting a section of the wall. Good thing he loves me right?!

I’ve added a few more mugs to my collection recently that feature holiday designs so don’t be surprised if those show up on my social media feeds! 😉 I’ll be back in a day or two with another little project I did this fall, so stay tuned.

A Simple Change Makes a BIG Impact in the Dining Room

Published on March 9, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

Two weekends ago the Hubs was in town shopping for some project supplies while I was home cleaning. He texted me a picture of several large area rugs on sale for half off at one of the stores and asked if I liked any. I certainly did and he said that was the only one like it that they had, so he swooped it up and headed to the cashier. When he got it home I noted that it was more grey than the beige it had looked in his text but I actually liked that even more.

We had been in sore need of a new rug in the dining room after the jute rug we had in there had taken the brunt of Brinley’s teething phase. We had moved the rug from behind the island over under the table as a temporary option but it was too small for the space and the pattern didn’t work there. This option fit perfectly, had a lovely neutral yet traditional pattern and is so soft and cushy I could probably sleep on it quite comfortably. Even the Hubs has commented how nice it feels underfoot!

The lighter color brings a whole new look to the space, and coordinates with the other grays and neutrals we already have in this space. It was a great change for spring – making the whole area light and bright.

Although I probably wouldn’t have picked this pattern if I’d been shopping online, in person it’s just enough style without being over powering. Plus it lets me have the lighter color I like to incorporate to combat our long winters but in a way that masks the dirt which collects in this high traffic spot – at least from what I’ve seen so far.

Now that we know how plush it is I’m on the hunt for a similar one to replace the aging rug that moved back to it’s original spot behind the island. We call that space the “playroom” because it’s were the dogs romp and usually take their toys to play with in the sunlight from the slider doors.

It’s surprisingly low profile for how soft it is. It literally feels like there’s a foam mattress hidden inside! It also seems fairly tightly woven which should help with my allergies, as things won’t be able to build up between the fibers. And the packaging says it was made in the USA which we can fully support.

I’m so in love with this new look and smile every time I see it. There are also a couple of other updates in this space you might have noticed in the photos. I’ll be sharing more detail about those changes soon, so stay tuned!

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The New Dining Room Sideboard

Published on March 14, 2016 by Jenna2 Comments

Today I’m super excited to share our new sideboard buffet for the dining room, but first you might notice the blog got a little update since my last post. Hopefully you like the new design as much as I do and the added features make things easier to find. Now, on to the buffet. I’m absolutely in love with how this piece turned out! Here’s how it looked when I spotted it on the local buy/sell page.

It wasn’t as tall as the one we had before but it was wider and had more storage cabinets which is what I had been looking for. I was way down the line for dibs and thought for sure it would never make it to me, but a few days later the seller message me to say that I was up next and see if I still wanted it! We were still in Hawaii so I contacted Anne-Tiques who refinished our hope chest and arranged for her to go pick it up for us even though it was located a ways out of town. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE working with her?! She’s one of the best small businesses I’ve dealt with in a long, long time.

When we returned from Hawaii we went over to see it in person and worked out the game plan for what the final product would be. To fix the height problem we decided to create a riser platform that the whole piece would sit on and since it would be enclosed we added an air vent to the front so we could still use the floor vent that is located under where the piece would sit. Here’s the hubs inserting the vent in the riser before we arranged everything.

Here’s the finished piece against our new shiplap wall! The colors are fun yet neutral at the same time and it compliments the grey of the dog bowl stands perfectly.

Luna thought this was a great new hiding spot for her while I was getting it stocked. She was not too pleased when I informed her that this was not for her, but for storage.

The hubs made me this handy shelf for the middle section so I can store a variety of items all within easy reach.

The cabinet on the left holds our china, antique juice glasses from the hub’s family and the toasting flutes from our wedding. The other side was perfect for a large platter, chip & dip set, salad bowl, bread basket, condiment server and covered baker.

The drawers above hold our fancy serving utensils, salt & pepper shakers, gravy boat, butter dish and other small dishes we use periodically. Now we just need to get the windmill hung above it! 🙂

An Update Underfoot

Published on June 27, 2015June 27, 2015 by JennaLeave a comment

When our old dining room wool rug develed a hole, I began the hunt for a replacement. I eventually decided to go neutral with a jute fiber rug and found this one at Target. Although they didn’t sell it at any of our local stores in the right size, I was able to order it online with free shipping and it was delivered right to our door!

I’m loving the texture of the new rug and it’s super soft underfoot. There are little hints of color in the cross fibers, which tie in well with the other colors in our decor.

Like any jute rug, it does develop loose ends from time to time, but I just tuck them back into the weave of the fibers. If that’s not possible, I just trim them down a bit so they aren’t noticeable.

I also found a matching runner for the laundry room, something I’ve been hunting for – for a very long time! Luna wasn’t very impressed, since it didn’t involve more food in her dish.

I also replaced the rug in the Family room with an indoor/outdoor rug I found at Lowes for $70. Because it has a tighter weave than the rug we had here before, it doesn’t seem to collect as much dirt, which is an improvement for my allergies. Apparently Tequila approves of this change because she often chooses this spot to nap during the day! So I guess that means it’s a keeper. 🙂

Moving Right Along…

Published on July 31, 2013July 31, 2013 by Jenna1 Comment

We went to visit the house again last weekend to find the roof almost complete! Here’s the latest:

The front porch where I’m want a rocking chair in the corner for savoring our slice of mountain view.
The garage. Tequila is standing in the doorway to the laundry room.

The garage from the laundry room doorway.

The kitchen and great room from just outside the laundry room.

The kitchen, studio and entry way from just outside the laundry room.

The dining room and kitchen from the great room. The laundry room is off to the left.

The entryway and hall bathroom.

My studio is taking shape! EEKK! 🙂

Guest room #1

Guest room #2

The Master Bedroom!

From the rear, garage side. I’m thinking my garden will fit nicely in that area behind the garage there!

The rear, bedroom side. A little extra cleared room as part of the backyard.

And the best part of the site visit was finding this little gem just a few minutes away from our home! SOOO going to be making friends with the owners for access to an AMAZING photo location! I’m already dreaming up cool ideas for family and senior sessions here!