The new dining room

     Okay - I know this isn't exactly earth-shaking news, or even kids books related, but some of you expressed interest in seeing the "After" when I posted on facebook that I was trying to decide what color to paint our dining room walls. So, for a voyeuristic peek into my life I give you the before:

     It was dark and cavernous, not at all inviting, and frankly didn't set off our awesome new painting by James Dean one bit.
     So, I went with a suede below the chair rail (which picks up on some of the more subtle colors in the painting) and a buckskin above (that's yellow to all you non-artsy types) - which beautifully sets off the painting. (We moved the painting to the left wall where you can see the entire thing without obstruction the moment you walk in the door.) We painted the ceiling a subtle yellow-white too - like meringue. The white trim really 'pops' now. We also pulled the extra end chairs in from other rooms, bought new faux silk drapes in a soft yellow (thank you Target!), and bought a new buffet.
     Hubbie kind of got hoodwinked into that one - he didn't want to paint the kitchen over the holiday weekend and suggested a road trip to Madison, Georgia instead. They happen to have one of my all-time fave stores, In High Cotton, (he knew this) and I said it would cost him... ha! So here is the new buffet:

And... drum roll please... here is the new dining room:

     You should see it at night - it positively glows! Of course, I find it ironic that except for any teal in the room (although there's a bit in the painting), I have once again fallen in with my personal color palette (like in my office re-do). Can't seem to stay away from those colors! We may still add some more art to the walls - but some of it is away at the SCBWI Southern Breeze Illustrators' Gallery Show until next Sunday...
     So, last night we ordered Chinese delivery and ate in our new dining room - lovely!