dining room to-do

1. redo table (for the umpteenth time)
2. clean

this was another easy-to-do room that i completed in one day.  how you say?  with the BEST.PAINT.EVER.CREATED.  our old neighbor, tami of patina decorative finishes: site, blog, facebook, is a new stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint: site, info (best, easy to digest info).  it is a life-changer for anyone who likes to paint furniture.

before
grease-stained-weird-color table
i usually have a tablecloth over this mess

 les and i repainted this table, first black, then white, but i never sealed it.  i know, what was i thinking?  i was thinking that i HATE.SEALER!  it smells, is difficult to apply, has too shiney of a sheen, and darkens your paint.  when i heard that i could annie sloan this sucker, then wax it (!) to seal it, i was SOLD.  the paint is relatively oderless and the wax is easy to use.  the paint also dries super fast, so this previously days-long project was finished - FINISHED - in one day.  sealed with wax and everything!

after
it looks streaky-weird, but that was intentional

i watered-down the paint color ochre to 'wash' the table.  i wanted it to have streaks and imperfections to add a little character to the large white piece of furniture.  i kept the legs off-white for a little contrast.

dining room without a table cloth - YES!

decor

decor on buffet which houses our china/seasonal dishes

my fav chandelier - original to the house

and what you've all been waiting for {and i LOVE because it makes my so-so work look amazing}:

BEFORE.

this angle is actually the same as the angle showing the chandelier in the picture above.  as part of the remodeling, pete and i decided to take this wall out, leaving the very short walls you see as a 'frame' to the dining room.  it really makes the space feel so much bigger ('cause it's actually usable) and is perfect for entertaining and holidays!