Breakfast Room Updates

 

I feel like we have a brand new breakfast room. Before I dive into the what, when, and hows -  let's take a look back at where this room started.

1. Shortly after we moved in. The only thing that had been done was that the new tile floors had been installed.

2. First Set of Updates
 - copper blinds were removed and replaced with curtains made from clearance table cloths from Target
- chandelier was swapped for the one in the dining room and spray painted oil rubbed bronze
- wallpaper was painted (We chose not to remove because the walls were paneling. The grooves had been filled and then wallpapered over. We weren't sure what kind of condition it would be in if we removed it. )
- new table

3. Second Set of Updates
-new bar stools
-new curtains (This time the curtains were made from $2 Ralph Lauren fabric scored at a yard sale.) 

I wasn't really looking to change this room, but then a series of events happened, and one thing led to another.

It all started back in December, when Asher started building our new dining room table. I had initially planned to sell our old dining room table, but then I decided to see how it worked in the breakfast room without the leaf. The bar height table was nice, but it was really small, and not very comfortable to sit at for very long. I thought we would live with it for a few days and then make a decision. Ha, it didn't take that long. We move it in, sat down, decided it was perfect, and sold the bar height table and bar stools on Craigslist the next day.

The old table was gone, so the next step was to purchase new chairs. I used the money that we made selling the other table and bar stools to put towards ordering these, and have been been really happy with them. I had planned to paint the table white, but the longer I have left the table black, the more I like it in this room. My kitchen cabinets are more off white, than white, and our tile floor it really light. I feel like the table would just kind of get lost if it were white. 

We swapped the breakfast room and dining room chandeliers with each other. I was over the red, and decided to paint the chandelier Ivy Leaf green before putting it back in the breakfast room. The pop of fun color was just what this really neutral kitchen needed.

I could have called it done at this point, but I really wanted to update the curtains in this room. The first 2 sets of curtains were really cheap, better than what was there, but not what I wanted forever. The curtains were also not functioning exactly like I wanted. The ones over the  kitchen window would get splattered on while washing dishes, and when I washed them the colors kind of bled together in a few places making them look splotchy. I replaced the curtains over the kitchen with a bamboo shade, and then moved the brown chevron curtains into this room to see if I liked them in here, or if I needed to find something else.

The chevron curtains were perfect in here. Ok, so they weren't perfect. They were about 4" too short.  When I purchased the fabric I did not pre-wash, I just left them really long and never actually hemmed them. I thought I left plenty of extra fabric to allow for shrinkage, but I was wrong. Really wrong. My plan was to just cut them and have short curtains in here, but then then  I decided that I really did like the long length in here. I did the next best thing. I went to Hobby Lobby and found a green fabric to extend the curtains. It was simple, and I really like the added color. Shrinking the curtains turned into a happy accident.

I still want to add bamboo shades to the window, but it is just a matter of having the extra funds to do so. It will come with time. Homes take time.

What do you think about the changes?

The room is so much prettier, but my favorite change is that we actually enjoying eating in this room now.


I am linking this post to these blog parties. Please go check them out.
It's Overflowing
The Pearl Blog - All Things Pretty Part-ay
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family
Tatertots and Jello
I Heart Nap Time
Lil' Luna
Somewhat Simple
Today's Creative Blog
Suburbs Mama
Making Home Base
Design, Dining + Diapers
Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest 
House by Hoff - Get Your DIY On

New Kitchen Curtains

I know it's Wednesday and you should be getting a 2 Bills 2 Blow post, but apparently I'm a slacker and didn't get anyone lined up. I need to work on that. (if you are interested in guest posting, feel free to shoot me an email)

I have new kitchen curtains!

When we moved into our house 1 year ago, there were copper blinds in the kitchen. They could not stay, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted. Did I want curtains or did I want blinds? Since I didn't really know what I wanted, and knew I didn't want nasty copper blinds, I found some table cloths on clearance at Target that would be good placeholders until I was ready to commit to something. Table cloths + curtain rods and rings = easy curtains.

I actually modified some other curtains somewhere between the original table cloth curtains and the new ones that I am showing today, but didn't like them so I never showed them to you.

Anyway, I briefly mentioned that I came across a yard sale that was being held by a decorator. Guess what she was selling? TONS of fabric still on the bolt. I went to the sale pretty late, but as soon as I drove up I spotted this brown and white herringbone fabric by RALPH LAUREN and knew that I had to have it. I then looked at the sticker and it was marked $2 for what was left on the bolt. SERIOUSLY! It was perfect. I took it home and measured and there was roughly 3 yards. Plenty to cover the 2 windows in my kitchen, and I liked it better than anything I else I had come across. Oh, and it was TWO DOLLARS!

So, that is the story of my $2 Ralph Lauren kitchen curtains.

Breakfast Room Before and After

Here is a look at our new breakfast room. Complete with a new table. Let's take a look back at what we started with and how we got to here.

The first thing that we did was paint over the wallpaper. You can read here about why we chose to paint over it instead of strip it. The next thing that had to be done was get rid of the ugly, dirty, copper blinds. I wasn't sure what I wanted so I chose not to spend much $ until I figured it out. I needed privacy and the copper blinds gone. I purchased a rod from Target and a table cloth that was on clearance. I cut the tablecloth in half (sewed up the edges), and used clips to hang it. I spent under $30 for this window and the window above the kitchen sink.

The next thing that had to be addressed was the lighting. The chandelier in the before picture got made over and moved to the dining room. This brass chandelier was in the front closet begging for a makeover of it's own. I knew that I didn't want to go as bold on this chandelier, so I painted it Oil Rubbed Bronze, and left the crystals off. I like how simple it looks.

And that is the story of the breakfast room.

Linked to:
Just a Girl - Show and Share Day

Breakfast Room

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I found a table and am patiently waiting for it to arrive on my doorstep.

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...but now I want these.

I am thankful that my (very sweet) mother-in-law was kind enough to bring our bar stools back to us, but I'm pretty sure that I need these. Maybe if I explain to my husband that ours are round (not good for attaching a booster seat) and these are square (perfect for attaching a booster seat), I'll get the go ahead. Or maybe I'll just ask for them for my birthday.

I'll be sure to give you a peek once the table is here and assembled.

 

Table?

Our kitchen has a little breakfast nook. Little being the key word. When we first moved in, we took the leaf out of our dining table to see how it would work in the breakfast area. It was way too big. I thought our table was pretty small, so it left me kind of stumped.

We tossed around the idea of a built in bench, but because of the cabinet doors on the left that wasn't going work. Still stumped,  I had a friend suggest a kitchen island. We talked about this for a few days, took some measurements and started planning.

I was still having a hard time picturing something in this empty space, so I made up a makeshift table. A metal cart with a piece of cardboard on top cut to the dimensions that I thought would work, held in place with a gallon of water. I wanted to make sure that the kitchen didn't feel too closed in.

I nixed the island idea. In theory I think it would be great and functional with 2 bar stools, but I think it will feel to heavy. And really, we don't need to add another project to our list. I do like the idea of a counter top height table with 2 bar stools. The search has officially begun.