Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Dining Room Re-Do

Good afternoon, what a glorious spring day!  This is the prettiest spring that I can remember for a long time, everything is so green, and the blooming trees are spectacular!  What a gift just to be alive to witness such beauty.


My dining room colonial re-do is finally finished ... almost, hehe.  I still have to make the shutters and curtains for the second window.  Gone is the pink wallpaper, the glass chandelier, and the white curtains. The woodwork is now Valley Forge Mustard, the favorite paint color.

The first picture is the cherry corner cupboard filled with my great grandmother's flow blue china.  My mother found this corner cupboard in a barn, back in the 1950's when antiques could be found everywhere.  The table is cherry also, I hooked the rug on it, and also stitched the Dutch Beauty sampler.  I worked on it for four years on and off.  Perhaps you will remember the chandelier that I got on Craigs List for free.  When I took it to the Tin Peddler in town for repair, he recognized it as his work and said it was a $450 Chandelier.  He charged me $25 to repair it, including the light bulbs.   The tin sconces on the wall are repros from the Hospice Shop.



The next picture shows the back stairs going up to my son's part.  The framed pictures are of my great grandmother and grandfather, not the same one who had the flow blue, but on another side of the family.
On the tea table is a penny rug made by a friend, with a prim light from the Tin Peddler, an antique tea caddy made by another descendant, and a Brenda Gervais punch needle bird pattern punched by me and mounted on an antique oil can that I found in the barn.

On this side of the room you can see the shutters that I made using Judy Condon's instructions in her book
"Of Hearth and Home".  I love how they turned out and made a very simple valance for the top.


The sampler is one of my antiques, Elena Tratman 1824.  She is stitched on a very small count of linen, probably 50.  I have always had the intention to chart her and stitch a copy, but have never got around to it.

This is an original built in corner cupboard.  Next to it is a hand painted trunk and an old repro flyer from England mounted on wood, advertising "Sacrilege", for someone had broken into the parish church and stolen all "The Communion Plate".


So this was my main winter project.  I am very pleased with how it turned out, however, I want to ask your "HONEST" opinion on one thing... is there not enough "stuff"?  When I look in the prim magazines and books, they just have "stuff" everywhere.. do I need to add, and, if so, what and where?   Would love to hear your opinion, please let a comment.

Hugs,
Melinda

21 comments:

  1. Oooooh, it's wonderful!!! I don't think you need more stuff at all. Only if you want to. It is so pretty! You did a great job! I love seeing everything, all the little details. Thanks for showing it off to us!

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  2. Your home looks lovely..I do what makes me feel good..The more stuff you have sitting around the more you have to clean..

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  3. Your home is beautiful. If you want more stuff than add more... it's all what you like best.

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  4. I think it looks great. More "stuff" = more dusting. (I hate dusting.) The only magazine that I get that shows prim decorating is Country Sampler, and though I've never seen any picture in there that I didn't like, sometimes I think that there is so much stuff in the pictures that really awesome pieces get lost in the picture. I like sparse and clean looking rather than crowded and full. ~But that's just me. Obviously you have great decorating taste, and your house should be the way YOU like it. Great job...your house is lovely!

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  5. Melinda, your room looks wonderful...what a great job you've done! I love the mustard color! Less is more, as they say. Sometimes I put a lot of things out, and sometimes I want a cleaner look. One thing I really find helpful is "odd numbers"...always put an odd number things on a table top, chest, etc....you've done that on your small table and it looks great. I also agree that when there is too much to look at, you don't really see any of it. That said, I'm always adding and taking away...just have fun!
    Love the chandelier story and the personal items you've included in the room...bravo!
    Robyn

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  6. Melinda, you should be proud! It it beautiful.

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  7. I agree with Margaret, your dining room is beautiful! I love the colonial/primitive style but prefer it in an understated way. My opinion ... if you have too much it gets to be too much to look at. Your few cherished pieces are just perfect! Thank you for sharing and inspiring!

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  8. Melinda ~
    Everything is wonderful! How lucky to have so many family pieces! Love the shutters!
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  9. Melinda, it is beautiful! I tend to do 'too much' but I think your selections are just right. I love the golden color.

    Pam

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  10. I think it's wonderful. I like the very simple look and also the loaded up look. Nothing in between! You have such beautiful and interesting pieces to notice. Lots of items and collections look great, but with that much to look at some pieces get lost. Either way will look good in such a great room.

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  11. Melinda, so glad that I found your blog from APPantry site.
    I love all that you have done and your outside pics of the house are just beautiful..so inviting.
    I think you have just the right amount. If you have other favorite pieces just wait awhile and rotate them with what you have out now.
    Linda

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  12. I love, love, love the mustard trim. I think you don't need anymore "stuff". What you have there speaks for itself. My home has hardly any stuff but what I do have is really meaningful to me and interesting. You have the colonial feel just perfect. Good job. -Steph-

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  13. Your dining room is beautiful! I think it looks just perfect!
    Hugs,
    Nadine

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  14. Melinda~ my honest opinion is it is Gorgeous~ I have been hopping around the forums & made it over finally~ seriously it is perfect just enough stuff~ love your built in corner cupboard & the old entryway door & hardware~ you have so many wonderful old treasures & the outside of the home says Welcome~ yep, love your farm~my only suggestions is more photos~
    smiles
    Teresa

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  15. Melinda.... I just came over from TPP site. Your dining room is so beautiful! You did a fabulous job, and I don't think you need to change a thing! I tend to go a little overboard.... but I am thinking I need to thin things out a bit once we move, which we'll be doing in just another few weeks!!
    The pics of the outside of your home are stunning! Love the picket fence and the colors of your house..... very warm and inviting. TFS it all!!

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  16. Melinda, your room and your home are absolutely beautiful!!! I love all your stitched pieces. It seems that all your wonderful things have memories attached--what better way to decorate?!

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  17. sssoooooooo beautiful.......love love love it...your decorating is the tops...

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  18. I agree Melinda, this has been the prettiest spring and every day I just marvel at how beautiful it is outside!

    I love your makeover, especially the mustard trim! I think it's wonderful that you have so many pieces that you have made. Every time I make things, I sell them. Lately I've been trying to hold on to one of everything I make, lol. You have so many wonderful things in this post, I want to comment on each and every one! I will say that I think your rooms look great! I don't think you need to add or take away anything.

    Have a wonderful Easter weekend~

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  19. Love the makeover. I agree with Prim, you see lots of items in one room. Colonial is less and the look is fabulous. I got the colonial bug after visiting Williamsburg. Don't add a thing. Looks fantastic. Have a wonderful Easter!!

    Terri

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  20. Love your dining room redo! That mustard color looks great! :)

    I just gave you the Liebster award on my blog if you'd like to play along: http://stampwithjen.typepad.com/stamp_with_jen/2012/04/liebster-award.html

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