A Return To Neutrals
March 18, 2010
My dining space has always been tricky to decorate because it stands in the middle of a major freeway between the garage, family room, and kitchen. We don’t have a formal dining room – there is simply no need for our laid back family of five to have anything other than a casual dining space for evening meals. We nibble in the kitchen most of the time, don’t you?
However, I do like the idea of our dining space being dolled up for holidays or special guests. After all, it has a beautiful set of French doors and a view that leads to the rear yard. So a few weeks ago I decided to upgrade by adding some new window panels and a bench for additional seating. I’m returning to the peaceful calm of white because I find it so fresh and uplifting. Also, cream and white are such a nice contrast to rich dark wood, so I kept a purposeful neutral palette in our dining space. I added some taller silk curtains and a transformed Craigslist bench.
To some it’s plain, to me it’s perfect.
This walnut pedestal table used to be part of a formal set we found at an antique shop when we were first married. After the kids came along I had a glass top made for it to keep the top from getting damaged. The traditional seats that came with it were too matchy matchy for my taste, so I like to pair the table with some ‘Couture’ chairs from Ballard Designs.
I cannot sing the praises enough of these ‘Couture’ chairs ! If I could marry them, I would. I bought them about seven or eight years ago and I simply change the slipcovers with the seasons. Latte velvet in the fall, and Ecru velvet in the spring. I love the flirty but sophisticated pleat detail. You can usually find them around $39 each at Ballard. They’re worth it for the perfect fit, style, and durability – I’ve laundered these at least ten times and they always hold up in the wash.
Kids + sauce = slipcovers.
The area rug is from Overstock and can be found right here. The wall color ties in with the greens in the carpet – it is Benjamin Moore’s ‘Camouflage’ just like in my kitchen.
I confess, I’ve gone around and around with the window treatments in this space. First it was chocolate floral fabric, then a sage linen fabric. Then I finally realized my previous solutions were too short ! These panels are a foot longer, and I raised the rod above the transom window instead of just the doors in order to elongate the space and make the ceiling feel much taller.
They were store bought 95” cream lined silk panels from Bed, Bath and Beyond on clearance, plus with a 20% off coupon, so I paid $20 for each panel. There are four of them, doubled up for fullness. I repeat. Cream. Silk. Lined. True love! It sounds strange, but to me it’s like I have an elegant wedding gown hanging on my windows. Call me crazy, but that totally speaks to me.
I also created a border for the edges. Do you know how much fancy shmancy decorative trim costs retail ? Exorbitant ! This liner is simply some chocolate satin ribbon and a discount trim with some robin’s egg blue (shown below) attached via my sewing machine to the edge of the panels.
I thought it a nice designer touch, plus a good idea for those potentially grubby hands that will no doubt finger the edges of my gown-like silk panels. Momma’s got to outsmart her munchkins.
I pinched the tops and sewed the simple pleats with my sewing machine to give them more formal touch. Then I hand stitched the wood rings to the pleats. Please ignore the holes in my wall that I have yet to patch. :-)
Now you know I’m a sucker for white accessories – hence the spring lineup. The flowers are from Trader Joes – $11 bucks for the whole arrangement !! Gor.Gee.Us.
A little wedding-ish, but still beautiful. If only you could smell the roses and the stock – they’ve got that thick summery sweet scent that is absolutely intoxicating !
I just have to show you the white soup tureen that I picked up at the Goodwill for $5 bucks. Seriously. Who drops off a perfectly beautiful white soup tureen complete with lid, platter and spoon, and inside the original box at the Goodwill ? $5 bucks. Score ! It makes a such a great container for blooms !
Oh, and notice the tired and hungry child in the corner ? Somehow the words “Hold on honey while Mommy adjusts her aperture” did not seem to comfort.
OK, enough flowers. And I fed the child a few morsels. She’s fine now.
Please note, this space is no longer used for my decorative whims. Rather, it has become a construction zone for tall skyscrapers.
But see how I did happen to find a bench on Craigslist and give it a little makeover.
I’ll tell you the full story of the bench very soon! Meanwhile, I’m just happy in this very simple, very white, very neutral dining space. It’s a great canvas for any colorful tabletop settings in any season.
And that’s probably the last time it will look this clean. :-)
What’s your theory on white spaces ? Are they boring or beautiful ?
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Tags: dining room
Love it! Its neutral and soft but not boring. I also really love that rug under the table! Great job!!
Beautiful!!!! And I can’t wait to read about your bench transformation – the before made me do a double take! As for white spaces, I love them – in other people’s homes. They look so gorgeous and elegant, but I know it wouldn’t be too long before I started adding color – I just can’t help myself! Again, what a beautiful job you did. :)
WOW!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE your blog!!! And such a beautiful dining area, I’m so impressed! I think white spaces are awesome if you don’t have kids, or maybe if they are robots or something because my kids would drop their dinner all over those beautiful white chairs making them icky very quickly! But I still looooooooove the look!!!
Kate, You speak to my heart. Lovely, elegant and just perfect for spring. My heart goes pitter-patter just looking at your beautiful pics.
I love white spaces, but haven’t been brave enough to try it myself. Another gorgeous room by Centsational Girl! Love, love, love the bench!
I’m like Liz. I love to look, but I like color at home. Lucky find on that bench!
I love it! The room is gorgeous :) The curtains are amazing too. I had to crack up when I saw the picture of your daughter in the dining room…. So funny : ) Glad the morsels did the trick!
Health and happiness,
Angela
http://angelawalkerjewelry.blogspot.com/
They are stunning. I have to admit that I wish I could have all my spaces look so elegant, fresh, clean, creamy and white. But, as you know, kids mean disaster. And my twin boys are more of a disaster than I could ever have imagined. I guess for now I will keep dreaming in cream and white! LOVE it by the way. another Censational redo!
Oh beautiful for sure! I just wouldn’t be brave enough to try white in my home with my grubby kids.
Washable white covers are the easiest to keep clean, but those Ballard covers are GOOD to look so crisp after several washes! The pleats are so elegant, and only a true perfectionist takes the trouble to duplicate them on the bench, it makes it.
I love this room! The white is so classic and beautiful. I found your blog about a month ago and I wanted to say thank you! I am an interior designer and an avid DIYer but had been feeling a little creatively zapped. Your blog has inspired me and has gotten the creative juices flowing. Keep it up, you are very talented!
I think your dining room is lovely – I recently re-did our dining room and we went with dark wood floors and dark wood table and white parson’s chairs – we have a small eat in kitchen style dining room, so I did my best to make the space feel comtempoary with a bit of whism but still relaxed
What a beautiful dining room, Kate!
I’m a big fan of white. I’m using white in my nursery and our master bedroom has white linens. There’s just something so soothing about white when you crawl into bed at night. Plus, when the dogs track mud on it…there’s always bleach!
You didn’t mention the rug but I do think that is what makes the space! It really helps define the all over creams and whites. I love it. I love the room!! Those curtains are sooo swoon-worthy!
Absolutely love your white dining room…esp your curtains. I have a black dining room set and you’ve given me the idea to sew white slipcovers for my chairs for spring/summer.
I love the white. But I think I like your super pale iridescent blue and creams more. I can’t remember which space you did that in, but that’s what I’m holding on to in my mind for when I tackle my formal living and dining space. Shudder.
Oh, it’s beautiful! I love the cream silk curtains and those flowers! Wish I had a Trader Joe’s nearby, I’d go get some. That bench is so pretty, too.
Def. BEAUTIFUL! I love whites… And I’m totally addicted… it’s what we’ve been doing in our home, all over! And it’s been so fun, to see our whole space almost double in size, and become a bright, airy, crisp space… just from lightening it all up!
Great post!
Shelley Smith
I have said over and over that all white interiors are beautiful in other people’s houses, boring in mine! I NEED color! Yours is beautiful but I wouldn’t do it here. Maybe it’s because 9 months of the year everything outside is white, too!! Give me color!! :)
I think it’s lovely and reminds me very much of a Ballard’s room! I love Ballards so I’m a big fan of what you did in here. The chairs look great; love those slipcovers with the pleats. I like the idea of the bench and how you replicated the chair slipcovers into a bench slipcover. Makes me want to lighten up my dining room window treatments!
I LOVE neutral spaces. Yours is stunning
xxx
It’s so elegant! I love white spaces :)
Oh, I love to look at these white rooms, and the thought of them fills me with joy. BUT, I just can’t live in a room that’s all white. When we moved into our house, the breakfast nook was pretty much all white, and I hated it. I felt as if my eye had no place to rest. I know first hand how imporatant it is to have lots of textures and variation of shade if you’re gonna do a white room. All that said, I do love what you’ve done in this room, and may borrow a few ideas for my formal dining room. I love the idea of the dark wood with the light walls…you’ve got my wheels turning…maybe…
I’m such a fan of pinch pleats – they look great and seeing your kiddos use it in real life makes this mamma smile!
l.o.v.e. It’s just perfect!! I love white…and your dining room looks dreamy!
Just gorgeous Kate! I have the neutral look in my dining room and although we hardly ever use that room, it’s the first room you see when you come in my house and I love it! Can you tell me the color of your walls? I’m having a hard time deciding on a color for my sunroom. It is getting a complete transformation as soon as I can decide on the paint color.
Hugs!
Judy
Beautiful dining room.
….forget to say, I can’t wait for the tutorial on the bench!
I love the white / neutral look, great job on the bench
WOW! What is the color on the walls?
Definitely beautiful! Simplicity is always appealing, always classic.
Oh it’s beautiful, stunning, exquisite and I am jealous. You cease to amaze me! I would however, have to wash the linens (all of them) about 3 times a day to keep them clean. Oh and can I come down and bring your Goodwill back up to Washington state; we don’t have those special treasures lying around our thrift shops.
What a beautiful dining room! I love the curtains and the bench seat with the pleated bottom edging. Not to mention the trim you made! SO pretty!!
And seeing the Legos reminds me of my own house! :) Towers and houses everywhere! LOL!
Thanks for sharing this, it’s just lovely!
Blessings,
Stacey
Those slipcovers are to die for!! Love them!! Such a cute bench…I have been thinking of adding a bench in my dining room…I will see. Love the neutrals! I love color but have found myself in the last year going more white, creams with pop of color. If you haven’t stopped by to see what I have done in my kitchen, would love for you to visit. :) I have used gray blue paint with lots of white and pops of red, pink and turquoise. Love how your dining room is…beautiful!!
Hugs,
Victoria
In the past I would never think of white as one of my favorite colors to decorate with, but lately I’ve been using it more and more. I just love how clean everything looks and I also love how light hits it, it almost looks like its glowing :). My husband is not all for it, he loves bold colors and thinks that white is boring. I’m still sneaking it into our home little by little ;)
I think the white is so fresh and spring looking. You will have a lot of fun decorating this beautiful room with the seasons and holidays!
Absolutely beautiful. I read the whole thing waiting….waiting…waiting….in vain. WHERE did you get the rug?? It would be perfect for my bedroom.
Oh White spaces are soothing, elegant, casual (if you want it to be) – they are just awesome and I am soooo drawn to them.
Your space is fabulous and I just LOVE it. Hope you and you family enjoy this space often.
Beautiful. Obviously :). Kate, it’s gorgeous. I love everything about it.
I think they’re beautiful. I especially love mixing textures and very light neutrals in with the white. Very beautiful dining room.
I’m really thinking of whitening things up around here, too. White is so clean and certainly spring and summer to me! I’m loving your drapes. What a steal! The room looks great and I may just be stealing a few of your ideas-as usual!
I really like your room. It’s quite lovely. I love the Ballard chairs. You must have made the bench cover? You are so crafty.
Looks wonderful. I like white spaces, I don’t think they are boring. I really like the bench :)
Beautiful. I love white spaces. I’m wanting to repaint a few rooms back to white. ;) I love the bench – super cute!
It’s sensational, Centsational Girl!
I love neutrals. Not boring at all!
Swoooooon!!! Ack! That’s lovely Kate!! I got flowers from Trader Joe’s TODAY!! Tulips and some green and white flowers, but I need more to fill my vase. :) Shucks.
I started following you in Oct 2009 and I’m ADDICTED!
So far, you’ve inspired me to paint and reupholster two Goodwill chairs (with nail head trim, thank you very much), converted a 60′s stereo cabinet to a blanket box (more white paint!), and after seeing your dining room, I must find a Craigslist bench!!! Keep the great ideas coming Kate.
I love white, but my dh thinks it looks antiseptic. I’ve warned him that if he doesn’t outlive me things will change drastically in our home one day–including the painting of wood (gasp!).
Absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait to revamp my kitchen table! You just gave me a grand idea :-) gosh, if I actually incorporated everything I love, from every blog, I would have a home fit for a clown :-)
How could you not love white? So glad to find your blog. Cheers from Queensland Australia