I can’t believe this is happening and I’m sure you are shocked too! I’m re-designing our dining room! I figured I should update the house tour with our current dining room before I go on – so go check that out if you’re not familiar with our dining room. While I was planning our new dining room design in my head, I was curious to see how it would all look together. So I did what I do for my e-design clients and put it all together on a design board, before making any purchases. 
After creating the design board, I knew the dining room re-design was going to happen. I loved it! I have been obsessed with the Emmerson Dining Table from West Elm for a couple months now. I first discovered it on a few of my favorite Instagram accounts and I just couldn’t get it out of my head.
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| @giosmama2626 |
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| @therusticlife |
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| @brookels12 |
I constantly thought about it and dreamed of the day that Joe & I would have a house with a breakfast area and a more formal dining room where I could have a big table. Even on a recent visit & shopping trip with my mom, I told her that one day I wanted a big table with “head” chairs and a grown up space. Well, we aren’t getting a new house anytime soon but my dreams of a grown up dining room can still come true.
I haven’t decided, okay I have – I will not be keeping our dining shelves. I know! I know! Everyone loves them on Instagram and they get shared and reposted over and over again. But honestly, while they look great in photos, in real life they sometimes look crowded and cluttered. I want a space that is simple and beautiful, and not cluttered with a lot of decor. I have bought so many items I don’t need while out shopping with the thought that “oh these will look great on my shelves”. I have a spare room full of decor I don’t need and have no desire to keep. I’m craving a fresh and new space.
I’ve already purchased the table and it should be delivered at the end of November. Joe & I have been talking about needing a rug in the dining room for months now – in the design board I placed a Ballard Designs bleached braided jute rug, but after doing some research I read that the bleached rug can yellow overtime. This room gets a lot of sunlight and I don’t want to risk that happening, so I think we will go with the driftwood color. I’ve ordered some samples that will be here later in the week and then I’ll be able to decide. We will keep our existing four Target tufted dining chairs and our Lowe’s chandelier. I’ve always loved Target’s french x-back chairs and they were on sale last week, so I ordered them already. I thought about getting a more substantial upholstered chair, but thought the room might become a little too formal, so I think the x-back chair will still keep the room casual but sophisticated.
Notice the shiplap? I’ll be doing one wall in shiplap and I’m so excited about it! I’m also going to be adding some shiplap to our kitchen. Since, I’ll be getting rid of the existing dining shelves I’m going to add some shelving in the kitchen and hopefully get the courage to tackle tiling a backsplash. There’s a lot I want to finish up in our home and I just can’t seem to concentrate on one thing at a time. But it’s ok, I’m having so much fun and I’m remembering that decor & design goes through phases.
My favorite bloggers, John & Sherry at Young House Love always wrote about phases. Phases that come with decorating and designing a home. Our home is still pretty new so our existing dining room is Phase 1, it was my first solution to the space, it was using what we had already (our table), it was what I thought I wanted. It was great for the year or so that it lasted, but I’m ready to move on. I just listened to John & Sherry’s new podcast from The Lively Show, and they talk about creating a home for yourself and not for your readers. I’m sure I will get a lot of side eyes or “I can’t believe she did that” about getting rid of my dining shelves, but I hope deep down y’all will understand. And guess what? Its all going to be for sale, and I’m preparing for an Instagram flash sale in just a few weeks! Stay tuned and I can’t wait to post all about dining room updates…
OMG i love the shiplap!!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
http://www.askawayblog.com