Inspiration Board— Dining Room

I have a dining room inspiration board!  I have a dining room inspiration board!!  Can you picture me jumping around in excitement?  Because I am!  Two months after completing construction—which you can read about it here — and a handful of weekends looking through furniture and antique stores, I finally have an inspiration board that both DH and I are excited about.  

1- Love, love, love this tin antique mirror I picked up for $100 at my fave antique store!  It's 36" in diameter and really heavy!  Hopefully an anchor in a stud will keep this beautiful round mirror with its original glass hung over our new server!


2- I love the curves and classic movement of this Josephine side chair from Ethan Allen.  Of course I had to add modern fabrics for a dose of personality.   


3-  I picked a child safe funky green and blue fabric pattern for the back of the chair and  sand colored fabric for the seat and back. 


4- If this chandelier looks familiar that's because it currently hangs over our existing dining room table.  I know it's a design risk having a rectangular chandelier hang over a circle table, but I think it will work.  Want to hang your own light fixture?  Check out our DIY instructions and avoid spending $100+ on instillation.   


5- Our layout!  Nicole, a designer at Ethan Allen, and I worked together to create this floor plan.  Don't be afraid to leverage a professional!  I'm the first to admit  that despite having an eye for decor I lack the ability to visualize dimensions and movement in a room. 


6- DH spotted this Ethan Allen windchester dining table on the showroom floor and calls it his "statement" piece.  Without the leaf, the table spans 60" seating 6 and up to 78" with a leaf seating 8.  Can't wait to have Thanksgiving dinner on this table!   

7- My DIY curtains— read about them here!  Just finished another pair for only $74!  That sewing machine is getting a lot of use.  


8- Inspiration-  How do you tie a kitchen/dining room open layout?  With a rug!  A soft green pet and child friendly carpet (suggested by Nicole) will make the room flow from dining to kitchen room and anchor all of the bright colors we have on the walls and fabric.  


9- Our wall color.  Hands down Benjamin Moore makes the best blues ever!  Whether you color match it at your local hardware store or you buy it at BM, you can't go wrong with Santa Monica Blue. 

10-  By now I've probably overused the word "love", but, I can't help but absolutely LOVE this howell server from Ethan Allen.  What do I love about it?  The angles, the shape, the hardened leather covering the entire piece.   This piece is the perfect example of an infusion of contemporary (it's shape) and classic styles.