This year, Thanksgiving is extra special to me. I like to think I have a thankful heart every day of the year, but this year, oh this year, I’ve really got some celebrating to do this Thanksgiving Day. As you can imagine, I’m SO thankful to have a house again. A year ago, I had no clue that I would be in my own house this year and it’s been a long and steady journey to get here.
Thankful, oh yes I am definitely extra thankful this year. The gratitude in my heart is full for my family and for God, who brought me where I am today.
I’ve already showed you my pretty Thanksgiving table, but we won’t be eating Thanksgiving dinner here at my house. All of my family will be gathering at my cousin’s house over in Duluth, but I’ve kept my table all set up just so I can enjoy it for awhile.
Just in case you forgot the horrors I started with, I want to remind you where we began back in April, when we closed on this house.
Oh my word, has it ever come a long way!
I’m going to document every room in the house eventually, because each one deserves its own Before and After feature, don’t you think?
Let me take you back to the Before shots. Hospital green walls, with a shiny brass light fixture and those oh-so-lovely vertical blinds that were once so popular. The floors look halfway decent in this pic, but the wood was damaged and couldn’t be saved. Not to mention the filth everywhere, even the baseboards. Gag me!
I know! It’s shocking when you see this now, right? This entire house has come SO far in the last 6 months. I’m really done with the dining room, except for the drapery panels. I’m going to get those up soon.
This is one fairly small space at about 10 x 10′, but I’m enjoying every inch of it. So happy my round table fit in here so well.
The corner cabinet is a nice cozy fit as well.
I can comfortably fit 4 to 6 and I’m glad I have 2 extra chairs to spare to make it 6 total. That Ballard Designs lantern is the star of my dining room. You can see the entire tablescape up close on this post.
Another peek at the corner cabinet with burlap backing that I painted and rehabbed about 3 years ago. Here is the link on the how-to post for that cabinet.
I’ve enjoyed having the table set and just looking pretty. After looking at a construction zone all these months, I’m over dosing on pretty now!
I settled on my 3 botanical prints above the board and batten for now and added 3 of my soup tureen collection here on the sideboard. Those gray lamps from Kirklands are perfect in here too.
It’s small and cozy, but packs a lot of punch in my new house.
I’m so happy and content right now, I’m just beaming with pride and joy.
I hope you and yours enjoy the week to the fullest. My family and I will be, I can guarantee that. My niece, Lauren and her hubby will be joining us for a few days, so that’s always a treat.
What are you up to for Thanksgiving this year?
I love the Ballard light but was wondering what are the rules for hanging one? Is it to be hung so many inches above the table? Was it hung low just for pictures? Or do you adjust the height somehow depending on the occasion? I’m just so lost on how it looks so perfect in these photos but I can’t make it look like this at my home. Thanks! Love the whole look.
HI, Terry, there are suggested rules for hanging a light over a dining table and I’ve read 30-36″. I had my electrician hold the light up and just eyeballed where I wanted it (since my table wasn’t in place yet) and it is in fact 23″ above my table. I love it hanging a little low over the table, it has such presence and is big and bold. I do not adjust the height, this is the finished height which will stay as is.
Thanks so much Rhoda! I love the way you have it so I’m just going to stop holding back and over-analyzing it and go for it.
And the wall color in the DR is……..
I love gray (grey?), it’s such a calm neutral. I’m thinking if it in my kitchen now. I have honey oak cabs. Do you think a pale version of your DR color would work?
Cathy, the wall color is Ben Moore Rockport Gray (mixed at Lowes in Valspar). I’m not sure how that would look with honey oak cabinets, I would definitely try out a sample quart of a lighter color before you commit. It might offset them and work, you could try a gray shade.
what color is the dining room? I love the gray!
just kidding:) rockport gray!
Hi Rhoda,
I love your home and check back often to see your new updates. I’m in the process of picking out a chandelier for our dining room and I just love the lantern you have! That is the look that I’m going for and the Ballard Designs one is beautiful and reasonably priced. Question, does it give off enough light with only having 4 bulbs? That was my husband’s first question, he is always so crazy about making sure we get as much light as possible. My response was that it’s a dining room and we currently use the dimmer to dim the lights most nights when we eat in there. My room is 13×12 so I’m wondering if the lantern will be big enough and give enough light? Thanks for your inspiration!!
Hi, Veronica, I’ve got my lantern on a dimmer too and I think it’s plenty of light for my space. My DR is only about 10 1/2 by 10 1/2, so not very big, but it’s enough light for me. I think you’d be fine!
Your home is lovely! I just love your dining room chairs! Where did you get them?
HI, Lauren, I ordered them online from Carrington Court. They have a large selection of fabrics to choose from & I’ve been very happy with them.
Where did the dining table come from? The room is beautiful! I am ready to change up my own dining room and I’d love to find a beautiful dark round table like yours!
Hi, Mary, the table was found in Birmingham over 5 years ago. It’s solid oak, stained dark and the manufacturer is Richardson Bros. I think they might be out of business, but this particular collection was discontinued, it’s a reproduction look of Empire. I do love it too!
Stunning! I could never tire of a room like this!