French Chic Dining and Happy Birthday My Love!

Finishing French Chic Dining with a little elegance, a little farmhouse and a lot of heart to completion.

I love nothing more then the accomplished feeling that comes from a hard days work and the outcome turning into my vision. Years ago when I studied interior design, I had my own way of starting a project and planning it to the finish. You see, I see it finished, before I start. This just works for me. Oh sometimes plans have to be tweaked here and there, but I pull my steps from my vision and sometimes a design board.

The hutch turned out better then I thought it would and after adding some carved wood details, it seemed to change into an entire new french inspired treasure. Thirty years old and now given a new life.

Here are the before and after pics with the final wood details.



On the glass doors, I took out the window pane style panels which gave it the country look and replaced the door knobs with ivory ceramic pretties.

For each side of the hutch, I found these very old and distressed arched windows with inside iron. They were perfect to continue the style I was going for. Adding to the finish of chippy paint and layers of love, I painted over with antiquing to enhance the worn areas. For the background, I took an old vintage lace curtain, cut it to fit the arches, and then stapled it to the backside for a lacy look and add some interest. The reason I did not paint the arches black was for balance. When you use black in a room, and the heavy pieces are to one side, I did not want the room to be off scale and feel heavy to that side of the room. The arches left light in color, help with this. The opposite side of the room displays a side buffet to balance the room.
The windows of three are dressed with gorgeous lace in an antiqued color. They look tea stained and pick up the color in the arched windows old worn and chippy wood.


On this wall, is a very old treasure I found when I had my shoppe in an antique mall many years ago. I stenciled the doors with a french design and the buffet is draped with a french script table runner. Above the buffet is a wall shelf painted black with ivory pegs to coordinate to the hutch. I placed the pegs two each, close together to design a long stem glass holder. It turns an ordinary peg rack into a stem glasses display piece.


Here are a few pics of the full view. Hard to photograph with the bright window light, but you can see the idea. I love glass in a room to accent and on the table I used a dozen gorgeous red rose buds for a pop of color in a beautiful glass vase given to me from one of my dearest friends. Just some faux flowers until my outside flowers bloom and I can bring in a pretty bouquet.



I am still searching for a rug for under the table. Haven't found it yet, but I will!

The iron dress form stands in one corner and the scarf around the neck was my mothers. It is a gorgeous ivory with a black and white rose design. It has her initial to one side. I love it here to enjoy and view everyday.


To the right is the entryway and my Faith Curio Cabinet. I have shared this before, and if you remember, the wood was a stained oak. Well this piece got a redo too adding a pretty and soft finish of cottage ivory that looks nice with my cross collection. Painting around all the glass was a huge challenge.

Remember the walls here were a sage green and shades of lighter sage in the entry. I have never been so happy to see a color go away. LOL. I added an accent custom color called chocolate curl to the lower wall under the chair rail for contrast. The new wall color is Acapulco sand.

The above decorators ledge is also chocolate curl and I added a stencil in Fleur~Di~Li's all across to a total of 20.


Thank you for staying to this point and letting me share my update. Enough reading now, lets just look at the pics.
















Thank you for taking the time to stop by and visit my dining room redo. Tonight I will have a special birthday dinner for my best guy with family and enjoy the dining room for the first time since completion.

Happy Birthday My Love and thank you for all the help with this room. Together we have redesigned many a space and always enjoyed the process. With your talents you make all our dreams come true. It is your special day and I wish for you continued good health and may God bless your path always. With love forever. Yours truly!

Blessings to you my blog friends and see you soon.
XO Celestina Marie