Hello friends! Today I’m excited to share a little refresh with you in my home. The last time I showed you our dining room it looked pretty different. And while it was probably the most photogenic room in our home and we did LOVE it, we decided to change up the wallpaper after just one year. Why, you may ask? Let me explain!
First of all, we had a bad install. It was the first wallpaper I had installed and I used a contractor I ended up never using again (I love the wallpaper people I work with now!). She made a mistake of using dark gray primer under the white wallpaper. I remember thinking it was odd at the moment, but trusted she knew what she was doing. Well, she didn’t. It ended up that in person you could see pretty bright seam lines. Not cool. But it did look way nicer in photos.
The other factor was that after hosting a baby shower, a NYE party, friendsgiving and decorating through all four seasons, I realized that the wallpaper was pretty overpowering. While I loved the look of it, you couldn’t really decorate in any themes because it was all you could see.
So, after MUCH deliberation, we decided to replace the wallpaper with a more mellow pattern that matched our entryway (which is nearby). We chose JUJU wallpaper in the pattern Palea.
Most of our furnishings are the same, just moved around. We’ve added a few new plants and I moved my giant macrame from The Northern Needle in here.
Another bigger change is that I moved the DIY cabinet that was previously in this spot to the Airbnb (it was holding glassware and we’ve been child-proofing) and I replaced it with this mini console from West Elm. It took some time to find a smaller size console for a smaller spot like this.
Sources: Wallpaper/Juju Papers, Chandelier/Shop Candelabra, Rug/Marrakesh Shag Rug from Rugs USA, Mirror/Rejuvenation, White Chairs/Amazon, Teak Wood Chair/Lulu & Georgia, Table/DIY (I have painted it since then, but it’s the same table going strong since 2012!), Salt Holder/Kip & Co (I keep truffle salt and rosemary salt in it), Macrame/The Northern Needle, Wine cabinet/DIY (we didn’t write a tutorial for it, but just so you know where it came from), mini bullet planter/Hip Haven. My dress is from Free People.
Let me know if I missed anything in the comments!
The thing I love most about our current dining room is the ability to change it up throughout each season! We’ve hosted a couple big dinner parties in our two years here and I plan to keep hosting. I am looking forward to adding touches for Halloween and the holidays this year!
I also love how well it flows with the rest of our home! It’s pretty seamless.
I don’t plan to make this drastic of a change to any of our other rooms, but I am glad we made the changes here. It feels right. I think you know when your decor is right when you stop thinking about it, and I have now.
With a toddler on the way (!!!!!!) and our home 99% completed, I am focusing a lot of my blogging energy this autumn on getting room tours shot for you all. I want to immortalize it in the phase it is at now, since I’m not expecting to have as much time to focus on decor for a good bit after we bring Nova home. In Nova’s report from her orphanage, we read that she likes to “scrabble on the walls.” (Haha!) So everything I do from here on out is to prepare our home for a new stage in our family. And honestly, I can’t wait for my walls to get “scrabbled” on.
Thank you so much for reading. I have so much love wrapped up in this home. It truly is one of my favorite projects of ALL TIME.
Oh! And it 100% does not offend me if you all liked our former wallpaper choice better. It was totally stunning and we loved it too. But at least you can understand why we made the changes we made. It feels more cozy and more versatile now.
xx! Elsie
69 Comments
The wallpaper you picked fits you so well, Elsie! I lean towards plain walls, but you really know how to make a patterned wall work. Beautiful!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Honestly, I like this one more than the roses, although that was pretty awesome too. I just think the subtle gold streaks are soooo pretty ^_^
And hey, I love your home tours, so much inspiration! Although I live in Stockholm where most apartments are rather small & cozy, I love dropping by your rooms to gather fresh ideas 😉
It is going to be so interesting to see how your house changes with the addition of a tiny person! The dining room looks great and I can totally see how you needed a bit more of a neutral (not neutral but ya know) look for changing seasons, holidays and occasions. I suspect you are going to nix that rug for a bit once Nova arrives. You will likely only need to pick rice/oatmeal/quinoa/etc pieces out of it a couple times before you decide that dining room rugs are not child-friendly. Haha.
Haha! We’ll see! I already bought a pad to go under her seat (in the breakfast room). I have been warned that kiddos with vision issues are extra messy eaters!
I’m honestly impressed the white rug has held up this well for two years. It does have a few spots, but I just ignore them! 🙂
A light weight outdoor mat works great over a rug where you’ll have her highchair. It can be hosed off and then removed when company comes (plus it didn’t damage or flatten the rug underneath). It’s how I kept my beloved rugs with a messy 9 month old who likes to feed our dog blueberries and bananas 🙂
Did you decide to hang your Jane Birkin print somewhere else?
I retired her for now. 🙂 I tend to swap my art out a LOT.
I read your comment about switching art out frequently and I admire you for it! I’m so afraid of making extra holes in the wall, that I never switch art out but it feels so stagnant. Do you have any advice for that technical aspect? Overall, I love this transformation and I’m so happy for you to grow your family!
Love the new wallpaper! The room is still so bright, and perfect to style for every occasion!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
Thank you! I feel that way too!
The paper adds so much texture and depth to the room, but still keeping it so minimal and bright! Perfect choice!
Do you have any go-to sources for plants? I’ve been looking for some bigger ones to brighten up some spots in my new house.
Locally I buy plants at Hewitt (it’s amazing!)
I buy fake trees on Wayfair (these fiddle leaf trees are actually fake)
xx!
I loved the roses, and I applaud your decision to use it in the first place. It would be a bit like having a beautiful, fancy dress and having to wear it every time you went out though. This choice is more practical, yet still beautiful. I can foresee many possibilities to change the room and keep it feeling fresh.
Yeah that’s a good analogy. I think in a lower traffic room (and with a more pristine install) it would have been perfect. I’m glad I have tons of photos though!
The rose wallpaper was stunning, but this new paper would be my first choice. It looks more homey now. And I cannot wait to see how everything changes when Nova is home! Scribbled walls and baby toys all over the place?
I totally understand why you made the changes. The old wallpaper was stunning, but challenging to work with. The space looks so perfect now.
Hi Elsie,
Do you have an airbnb listing or are you in the process of developing it? If I visit Nashville again I’d love to check it out!
We’re still in the process. We decided to wait till after the new year to rent it so our families can stay in it when we first bring home Nova.
I will definitely post here once we get it up for rent! xx
Elsie, that is such a great idea about keeping the rental house for when you bring Nova home! Your family of three will want and need your own space and it will be SO NICE to be able to have your house and your space back to yourself. We love having our family visit, but it’s hard on toddlers to deviate from their normal schedule and structure. I think that is such a fantastic idea.
Love the new wallpaper! My husband and I are in the middle of a remodel right now. We both love bold choices, like your rose wallpaper, but I’ve been very firm about us picking neutrals. I’m too into seasonal decorating to risk things clashing.
LOVE your dress! Where’d you get it?
Free People– it’s linked near the bottom of the post 🙂
Flawless combination of the Mid-Century Modern and Bohemian aesthetics! It’s been a joy to watch your sense of style evolve over the years, both in home decor and fashion. You’re like a walking Domino representative, or a throw back to Ready Made magazine! (RIP)
LOVE that new wallpaper btw 🙂
http://Etsy.com/Shop/SouvenirAndSalvage
Awe thank you!!!
And ReadyMade was the first magazine we were ever in. Miss it!
I love both of your choices and absolutely agree with your reasoning. Besides, I love switching rooms up and rearranging, having a fresh new room is just so satisfying! We’ve been in our home two years now and I’m starting to feel ready to make some changes to it…and I’m not even done finishing all the rooms yet! Drives my boyfriend crazy but it’s my favorite thing to do.
Lovely and bright! I really love that you added a different chair to the head of the table. I’m a big fan of teak (my company imports teak furniture)! Teak is so sturdy and holds it beauty for years. Great work!
Amanda
http://www.rayaexchange.com
You have one of these geometric brass chandeliers in every room and I just LOVE them! It’s so neat that they’re all different and unique. Do you get all of them from Sputnik or are they collected from various sites?
I have collected them from five or six different sites. I have a lot of Lucent Lightshop (which is my favorite Etsy), West Elm, another Etsy called Sazerac Stitches, this one from Shop Candelabra, Wayfair and a couple Jonathan Adler. 🙂 They are definitely a thing I prioritize in my home as a statement piece. xx!
Where are the golden white candle sticks from?
That chandelier is what stands out for me. I’m actually in love with. I may need to buy one for my parlor (currently dining room).
As much as I LOVE bold wallpapers, I wouldn’t really feel like committing to one in a big room. I’m a sucker for dark, bold wallpapers in tiny rooms, powder rooms… And laundry rooms!
The previous wallpaper was simply stunning, but I must admit that the second time you posted a picture of your dining room I had the feeling it was somehow stealing the scene… And since we all know how good you are at decorating, I guess most of us readers will welcome this change and eagerly wait to see how you’ll dress it up – with Nova’s help, of course! 😉
Oh I love it! Honestly, I was not a fan of the rose wallpaper, even though it was stunning. I really love all you have done to this room. I so appreciate you sharing your home, you have an amazing sense of style!
The wine cabinet!! ??
I wonder if you could incorporate the scrabbling into your decor? Think of them as spontaneous art pieces. Or have a special scribble wall. That’d be fun! I remember our hallway, growing up, was full of children’s scribble. Mum did nothing about it until the last kids were teenagers! She was wise. 🙂
As much as I loved the rose wallpaper, I much prefer this. Looks so calm and inviting! But then again I tend to lean towards less colorful decor. However, I have question for you. Where has Birkin moved to? Also, I noticed from the link that the Jane Birkin fram was a DIY, did you guys ever post a tutorial on that?
Elsie your taste is amazing . Thanks for sharing your life Nova is gonna love her parents and her home .
-M
Dining room goals or what!! I love all the plants and the brightness of the room! So well done!!
a life of a charlotte
x
I love this new wallpaper!
I adored the roses, they had a vintage Hollywood feel that I would love to foster in my house but this room feels so much more like you!
I love this decor, i think its beautiful i love the white color
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Still in love with your dining table. We built a really similar table two years ago after looking at the DIY you made and I am so glad we did! My boyfriend and I signed it because I have the romantic idea it will end up in an antique shop one day and people will know who made it. Haha! Great job really! Your house is stunning!
I love it! The wallpaper is amazing with the furniture and decor you chose.
I would have never said something before you changed it, but I personally didn’t like the previous wallpaper. It reminded me of when my grandma used to decoupage lampshades. But I’m glad it served its purpose for you, you enjoyed it, and you learned from the process.
Great update! Don’t you hate those moments where your gut tells you, “wait! stop!” but the profession is like, “no it’s fine!” I love how bold your choices are for both sets of wallpaper – and they both were great. But I agree, when it’s too bold and specific, you have no choice but to decorate with certain colors and styles so the whole room doesn’t clash! You picked a great neutral. Would you guys be interested in doing a post that talks about HOW you make choices for rooms, and how you narrow down your picks? It’d be great to learn about your process so when making bolder design choices, we know how to do it like the pros!
http://www.shessobright.com
Hmmm. I mean I would love to write a post like that, but I’m not sure what I would even say. I am definitely one of those people who spends too much time overanalyzing each purchase, but then picks a bunch of stuff in one day and never regrets it. My process is kind of random. But I think having a color scheme and a mood board is the key to building a cohesive home! NOTHING worse than changing inspirations or styles halfway through!
xx
Wow! What a transformation! I like it so much more than the one with the flowers. I think it reflects so much better your present state of mind! So cool! 🙂
Everything looks lovely! I love that you are childproofing some things and are just “live and let go” about things that may not work or only fit for a season. As families grow and change, so does the home. <3
I like the new wallpaper SO much better–I think the room looks more relaxed/cozy, the furnishings match better, and the plants/wood elements look nicer. The flowers were a fun, bold choice, but they are really overwhelming even in photos–the new direction is gorgeous and I love it! So glad you were able to make a change that you feel good about.
Cannot wait for your daughter to arrive! Not sure if you do as much “personal life” blogging here but I love that side even more than the DIYs, in case you decide to sprinkle some in–just a thought 🙂
Hi Eliza, Thank you!!! I have a (just-for-fun) family blog here http://thelarsonhouse.com I’ll have some kiddo DIYs here occasionally. Right now I have a playroom tour I am almost done with! xx
Hi! Mind sharing where the geometric/hex planter with the cactus is from? I’ve been looking for one like it. Found a couple, but that looks to be closer to the size I need.
I think it’s from Home Goods (last year).
xx!
It’s from Home Goods (last year) xx!
Hi Elsie,
I know someone who dedicated an entire wall to their kids’ scribbles. From the time they could hold a crayon until they left for college at 18, the wall was basically a history of their childhood. I always thought that would be such a neat thing to do. I would probably never want to paint over it, or move for that matter!
I love all the pieces in here! It’s perfect!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Man I’d be really interested to see the DIY or where you sourced your materials for that wine cabinet. It’s amazing ❣️
I love your table!! You may have answered this somewhere so I’m sorry if you’re repeating yourself. What paint and sealer did you use on the table? I would love to make this table and paint it!! But I want a high shine look that is also durable and can withstand the craziness of my two toddlers. (I would love to have my dining room table also be our crafing/homeschool/project table) I’m wondering if I could go this route. Thanks!
I use rustoleum oil based paint in glossy (no sealer necessary).
I’ve honestly never, ever been a fan of wallpaper. Usually it just comes off as tacky to me but this wallpaper is so chic and adds the perfect touch and amount of detail. I might be a wallpaper convert now thanks to this article!
omg im gonna die when i see her
I seriously love everything you organize and create.. seriously, this room looks incredible. I have to admit that I saw the little mention of baby proofing and I got so giddy for you. How exciting! Are you worried about white cabinets and walls with a little one around? I can’t even keep my white trim in my house clean because of a dog.. haha.
xx Jenn
floraandforest.com
I’m not worried about it because I’m choosing to let that go. If she draws on our wall- we’ll live. It’s worth it….. 🙂
You are going to sooo love being a parent. It’s hard but even more wonderful than you think it will be.
This dinning room is by far one of the best that I have seen till date. It looks very elegant and attractive. Thanks for sharing. Many people can get the ideas from this set-up and make their dinning room looks good.
http://southshoreroofingma.com/
I am just seeing this. Beautiful! Even though I was thrilled you picked my rose wallpaper the first go around, even I couldn’t live with that much color for long! The new print is lovely. Remember, I’m in the neighborhood if you need a custom print fabric or wallpaper elsewhere or for your other projects! X
The wallpaper change looks amazing! The floral was pretty, but I think this is even better! I would love to decorate in this room. And I feel like people would still want to take photos in front of this wallpaper. You could make great little photo-booth set ups in front of it, since it’s so neutral! Looks great!!
Ahhh I have to admit, I’m disappointed. 🙂 That rose paper had such impact! But you couldn’t make a bad design choice if you tried – the room still looks beautiful.
Just came across your site and I am your newest fan haha 🙂 Where did you find the old rose wallpaper at?
We’re happy to have you here! 🙂 It’s from Spoonflower- http://www.spoonflower.com/wallpaper/3851143
I love the look of this room, and am using it as inspriration for our dining room redo 🙂 I have windows in my dining room and I’m wavering between solid white and a bold colorful print. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
I love how you designed your home! Where did you get the buffet table with the wine storage from?