I moved in to my house almost two years ago. My goodness how time flies! When I bought my home I was twenty five, single, with one dog, and my brother and neice lived with me. A lot has changed since then. The house I bought was a three bedroom, two bathroom space with a small fenced in backyard, and it was "move-in ready." Meaning nothing major needed fixing, but there was still a LOT of cosmetic work to be done. 
Before: This is how my dining room looked after a year of living in my house. I hadn't done ANYTHING to it other than just moved my stuff in. (Please excuse the mess! I had just gotten back from a trip and didn't want to miss snapping a few before pictures before I started painting.) I had popcorn ceilings, tan walls, curtains that came with the house (I did, at least, wash them) and furniture/fixtures that I just had on hand or happened upon.
My dining room really isn't a "room" so to speak. It's more of a breakfast nook. I wanted to try and find ways to open the space up. I like how cozy it felt but I was hoping to try and make it feel… well, bigger. To add an airy feel to the space, I changed out the curtains, painted the walls and had the ceilings scraped and painted. I also had the tiles re-grouted because the dark grout had worn out in a few places. The mostly white walls made the space feel larger and more open.
I added more intentional/personal peices to the room by moving in my DIY kitchen table and adding a DIY pots and pans pegboard to the back wall. I love the rustic wood textures paired with all the black and white. It's unexpected and adds an off beat touch.
Probably my favorite detail is these vintage letters spelling "Pot Luck" over the pegboard. Get it? Pot luck… Kitchen puns. I will never get tired of them.
Thanks for letting me share my updated dining room with you! xo. Emma
Source list: rug/Urban Outfitters, chairs/Amazon
, curtain/Target and light fixture/Young House Love for Shades of Light
102 Comments
I am so in love with the wall of pots, such an amazing and unique idea.
Natalie @ http://secretsofahappygirl.blogspot.co.uk/
Wow, this space is looking pretty fabulous!
Wow! I’m obsessed with your kitchen! SO SO great!!!
Love your dining table!http://go.redirectingat.com?id=48732X1209855&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.debenhams.com%2Fwebapp%2Fwcs%2Fstores%2Fservlet%2Fprod_10701_10001_123053012799_-1
It’s amazing! Great change… I love the pegboard!
xx,
http://www.serendipitystyle7.blogspot.com
Beautifully done, Emma. Congrats.
I absolutely love the ghost chairs and the “pot luck” sign is so cute!
I totally love love this space! everything, the table and chairs, the pot luck, the colour of the walls,,,,so cool!
thanks for sharing!
I love the ghost chairs – will never tire of those!
I LOVE it!! So simple yet unique and contemporary, too. Great work!
I love the choice of words (“pot luck”) for the room!
I love the pairing of your rustic table with lucite chairs!
So cute!
xo,
RN
http://www.rachelnicoleblog.com
Absolutely love your dinning room table, have been searching for one for our new place and I just can’t find any that I like.
Carina xx
http://www.carstina.com/
Great transformation- those clear chairs are fantastic!
Thank you for sharing Emma! Can I ask how did you (or anyone else reading!) remove your popcorn ceilings? I’m currently looking into it myself and deciding what’s the best option: DIY or hiring someone? I’m usually a fan of DIY but heard it’s a laborious job often done better by the pros. I’d love to hear your thoughts! RL x
So gorgeous, Emma! Love it. Didn’t realize that something could be done about gross textured ceilings! Thanks for the tip 🙂
i love it
http://blogdamimis.com.br/
Love the wall! New idea for my antique copper pots
I adore the pots on the wall!
Jana @ 333 Days of Hand Lettering
talk about a transformation!
looks very good! love the “pot luck” idea. super creative!
– Janine
http://theeoptimist.blogspot.com
I LOVE that kitchen table!!
Wow what a transformation!
http://run2thewild.blogspot.com/
The before isn’t the worst either but I do like how cohesive you made the breakfast nook and kitchen
Martina
http://snapshotsandwhatnots.typepad.com/
The table is pretty awesome. The whole room looks great!
I think the DIY pot back wall looks amazing! I really like your kitchen space! 😀
Btw the cake look delish :/:/ heh
Loads of love ♥♥♥See you over at BACKTOFIVE !
Ugh, lovely!!! I can’t believe what a difference the grout makes! I mean, everything else is gorgeous too, of course, but maaaannn that grout.
I love the mix of modern and industrial. I’ve wanted Ghost chairs forever. Are they comfortable?
Love it! and love those chairs!!
You’ve done such a great job with the space. I’d love to work on my kitchen/dining area, but a year in and I haven’t formulated a good game plan quite yet. Someday!
-Becca
Ladyface Blog
love a good pun!
this is fabulous inspiration for a colour pallet.
This is very cool and unique.
This is so great!! It’s not that cosy as it was before, but hey I’m loving it. The chairs are just awesome! Wish I had them myself. Great post!
X Valérie
scribblesofvalerie.com
Love the pegboard and kitchen table!
This space is so nice and unique and the table is just perfect!!
the end result is stunning, i especially like the peg board, but i also LOVE the chairs in your before photo! i don’t really like separate dining rooms – where i live there are mostly terraced houses so you get rooms two up two down originally and then kitchen extensions have been added on probably in the 70s or something but then room at the front of the house often becomes a junk room! left empty! i am definitely a fan of this “open-plan living” you get nowadays 🙂
In love with the pot luck sign and the pots hanging up. Genius idea!
Love the pot rack. Great homage to Julia Child. Love the idea!
How lovely!
Valentina
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
Wow! I loved the wall of pots! It looks so so good…
http://annescribblesanddoodles.blogspot.com/
It looks great! Loving your table & chairs!
Lulu xx
https://www.luluslittlewonderland.blogspot.com
Amazing post!
http://talisatalksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/betrousse-box-glitz-and-glamour.html
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Wow! The change is amazing! I love the contrast between the wooden table and the chairs. I love your house so far!
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
Love the pot stand, so cool
Lauren
livinginaboxx
bloglovin
You’re so talented !
The space looks amazing. I especially love your DIY table, it’s just so individual!
The table just looks amazing!! I love the combination with the chairs, where did you get your inspiration for that?
Gorgeous, I really hope that when I buy my first property I can envision it the way you do! Do you have a set idea of what you’re going to do to a room before you decorate or do you just sort of go with the flow?
Carey
http://polyglottravels.blogspot.com
that pegboard/pot rack is AMAZING! Such a cool and creative idea! …and I am in love with the table as well –
I love it! such a mix of styles and looks very minimal but full of character 🙂
Ila x
Love it all! That DIY was been on my mind since the DIY post!
And that light fixture is amazing! Kinda like a bird cage…which gives me an idea!
Cathy
Turquoise Flamingo
http://www.turquoiseflamingo.com/
This space looks great! I love the chairs and table.
Achei ótima a mudança! A mesa é linda! Beijos
http://antonellaesuaboneca.blogspot.com.br/
Haha, the potluck sign is adorable! I love how much lighter and airier the space looks after you finished decorating, good work 🙂 xx
http://www.jessthetics.wordpress.com
It looks so good Emma! I love it! and the peg board pot rack is really awesome! Im redoing (slowly) my kitchen and for sure need more storage, im saving this idea!
WOW! This is stunning, I love the result! x
http://fashionflirtblog.blogspot.de/
I love those chairs paired with that table. Opposites attract! 🙂
This is absolutely fabulous! I love interior design and decorating and you have done an amazing job… it’s posts like these that make me desperately want to move into my own home right now haha, beautiful 🙂
Ellan xx
http://ellansavage.blogspot.com
Great room styling Emma! I love your colour choices and that table is beautiful!
Jealous as hell! I’ve been in love with the Louis Ghost chairs for years.(where did you pick up yours?) Super cute idea with the peg board pot rack.
-Marie Vlasic theyearoflivingfabulously.com
The perspex chairs with the industrial looking dining table are the perfect juxtaposition! Just gorgeous! You girls have such an eye for unusual pairings that look just fantastic!
That table is just amazing ! I’m totally going for this DIY for my future home…
Check out my new Miami outfit post :
http://hidinginheaven.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-one-with-venetian-pool.html
I love the pegboard! I find it very comfortable, you can just grab whichever you want without wasting your time..
Hi,I’m a new reader of your blog.Your dining room looks so interesting!Loved the pegboard with the pots and pans and the potluck sign!!
Absolutely adore the pots on the wall, what a fantastic idea!
http://aliceshideaway.wordpress.com
Your kitchen looks beautiful. You really transformed the space. I love the “POT LUCK” letters too – super cute 🙂
Alex from http://www.polkadottedpixels.com
In love with your kitchen, Emma! The glass chairs add such a nice touch to the heavier wood and dark colors, and that table is just fantastic (can’t believe it’s handmade!)
Oh my! I love the clear chairs and the pot luck sign. So creative! You’ve utilized the space perfectly!
http://www.girlsandhappiness.com
Fantastic transformation. I am still very in love with the palate table.
-Emily
i like the pot luck letters and pegboard the most, it’s a very nice start to a re-do but it still doesn’t seem quite right. At first glance the 2 things that jump out at me are that your rug should be larger and your table should be more of an oblong or rectangular shape to fill the space up more and project a cozier feeling. Right now it has a kind of sterile vibe and i think changing those 2 things (and adding color through the rug)would fix that. It definitely looks better than the before though!
I knew I recognised that light fixture! I <3 YHL
You have really interesting elements in your dining room!
Absolutely incredible! xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
I love the wall-hanging with the pans and your table is made of such pretty wood!
…and the cake looks scrumptious too!
Love this! So fun and cozy and beautiful. And might I add, that cake looks sooo good.
xoxo
Juliette Laura
http://juliettelaura.blogspot.com
Which curtains at Target are those? I love them!
Cute dining room! I love the white walls, lace curtains and the rug! And the table and chairs are fantastic!!
I honestly think i like the before better hahaha, you just needed to clean your kitchen from all the stuff that’s on the floor haha. Anyway, I guess the pot luck thing is pretty cool.
Love the wall – what a great idea!
– amber
http://www.mysocalledorganizedlife.com
Gorgeous! Thanks for the peek into your home! This space is so fresh with clean lines, it makes me want to cook….or maybe just eat!
Wow, what an update! The after picture looks incredible!
xx
http://thattallgirlinheels.com
Haha, the pot luck sign is what I love most too (though the fab chairs come a close second), what a great job and inspirational as ever.Rxxx
http://sandersonsmithstory.blogspot.co.uk/
I love the feature wall, it’s absolutely amazing! I did a mini review of your wonderful little app a few days back — http://wildnostalgia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/a-beautiful-mess-app-review.html
Love the chairs!
So that’s what you are shooting all those amazing “wood backdrop” pictures on! That table is unreal and the pots wall is perfect. So much inspiration in this one room… Thanks for sharing!
xox
Bailey
http://akabailey.blogspot.com
I absolutely love the pegboard! Genius!
xx Kaisa
http://reindeertrails.blogspot.com.es
What an amazing transformation! Love the chairs 🙂
Ah! That is so adorable!!
I’m completely in love with that table and the pot holder – so cute!
I like your kitchen puns!
That wall with the pots and pans is perfect! I also like how you have three graters, as it makes me not feel as ridiculous for having four! haha
Wow, I love this entire room! So glad you have posts detailing the DIY table and corkboard. I’d love to make something like the pot board to save space in my Chicago apartment. The palette project also looks like something fun to do with my dad. Thanks for the inspiration!
The outlines on the board are a nice touch!
xo Lisa
http://www.makinglifeslemons.com/
Okay, those chairs are incredible!!
Lydia
lupinelydia.blogspot.com
i love the put luck sign and the table top!
xo
LesliMarie
http://www.linenandtulle.com
LOVE that peg board, not only does it make a cute kitchen display, I love that it can be functional as well!!
Great table! Love the old boards with the modern chairs!
Love the re-do! I wouldn’t have thought those chairs would work with the rest of the decor, but it totally does! Love the flowy white curtain better than the old ones too…
This is beautiful Emma, I would be so proud to have a dining room like yours, especially with so many homemade and personal pieces! Love it 🙂
Love how you really opened up the space and used it to the best of its ability!
I really liked the content, thank you for sharing.