Dining Room Before and After: A Moody, Transitional Dining Space

I am so excited to share our dining room transformation!

Without a doubt, it's a big change - not only from the "before" state but also a big change for me in terms of a decor style. Those of you who know me for my love of white paint are in for a big surprise!

When we purchased House #6, the space immediately to the left of our entry way was being used as a playroom. We actually did the same in House #5! In older homes, dining rooms were large, square rooms that were designed to hold big furniture pieces but young families need that space to play!

Our little family actually does own large dining furniture so we decided to turn the space back into a dining room.

And speaking of that dining furniture, I'm most proud of how our dining room combines antique family heirlooms like my grandmother's buffet and sentimental pieces like the dining table my husband made for me with modern, fun pops of artwork and decor. Just because it's a dining room doesn't mean it has to be stuffy.

I've already hosted girlfriends and holidays in this space but now that it's really finished, I can't wait to see it shine!

All sources and paint details are linked at the end of the post - affiliate links are used.

Here's the before, on inspection day:

the during, and what we lived with for quite awhile before I decided on paint:

and the after:

Paint

First things first, let's talk about the paint!

The paint color is Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal and the finish is flat. Every single inch of the room is painted in the flat finish Kendall Charcoal - the ceiling, trim, can light housings, wall switches, everything.

You'll notice in the photos that in some light, the walls seem to have a green undertone, in some photos it almost pulls blue and in others, it pulls a dark grey. That's why I chose the color! I love that it's super moody, deep dark grey and night and then in the sunlight I can see the green tones. Color is also very subjective, some people don't see any undertones, etc.

Furniture

This room makes my heart sing when it comes to furniture. There's hardly anything new in the room - the large scale buffet was my grandmother's and a piece I have always loved. My parents were kindly storing it for me until I had a dining room large enough to house it. It needs to be said that it is a giant piece of furniture, tall and sturdy. Thankfully, this room is large enough to hold her!

Our dining table is one you've seen before! It's been in every single house we own - and it will be until the end of time. My husband made this table for me when we were dating and couldn't afford to purchase a new table. It's a teeny bit wonky, rough in certain spots and my most prized possession. He's suggested getting rid of it before but I absolutely refuse.

We did add new cane dining chairs to add a fresh vibe and natural element with the caning. I love how they look next to the table.

Lighting

I actually purchased the two sumo baskets and light kits for this room before we even closed on the house. I knew the length of this room could handle the double fixture situation and I had been dreaming of using the baskets for many houses.

I added pops of gold in the picture light above the art. That light fixture is amazing because it doesn't require wiring and can be charge via usb!

Windows

This room has gorgeous, tall windows that I just adore. I swapped out the traditional white wood blinds (don't worry, I saved them in the attic in case future owners want them) with these incredible, insanely budget friendly woven shades.

I knew the dark walls would need to be softened by natural elements so I ran with the woven theme and added these floor to ceiling drapes in almost a burlap color. They pair so nicely with the shades and are also a budget score!