Dining Room Drama Deux

First of all, I want to say THANKS to everyone for your great comments and advice regarding my crazy dining room. Imagine me pasting a big, sticky gold star on your foreheads. I got tons of great ideas, and I'm already mentally rearranging the room 20x over. Now, if I only had a billion dollar budget to match... Since I don't, I'll be carefully watching Craigslist and Ebay, and crossing my fingers that the upcoming Round Top antiques fair will exceed my wildest treasure hunting expectations. In the meantime, I thought I'd throw out a few ideas I cooked up based on your comments. You can always refer back to my dining room pics here to check my mental handiwork. So, I've already pulled all the crap off the window wall, and I'm considering hanging these West Elm curtains wide on either side of the window to add some depth to that space.

I'm thinking I would still keep the gold roman shade... crazy?

In my fantasy (but still vaguely achievable) dining room, this vintage chandelier would take center stage:

It will probably end up being too expensive, but I'm hoping I can snag it, anyway.

And then there's the table issue. For now, I'm planning to keep the white chairs and use a different pair of Danishy chairs to flank the window (have I mentioned I'm a huge chair whore?). They are similar to the ones I currently have in the dining room, but better suited for the space if the table is removed. As for the table itself, I have a zillion pics bookmarked as inspiration. Mind if I share?

So, I'm kind of crushing on trestle tables right now; I feel like something with minimal legs would work well with the white chairs, and I also like how the table ends are uncluttered by chairs. And something rustic-ish (but not too yee haw) would disguise spaghetti stains. Via Met Home.

A more refined version via Domino. Boy those chairs look familiar...

I like a good plinth table, too. This one is kind of reminiscent of Art Deco pieces, but all moderned up. Via Living Etc.

A similar table paired with a very schizophrenic chair collection. Via Living Etc.

This floating, nearly legless table is the bees knees. I love the length, the lack of chairs at the ends, and the airiness. But what the hell is up with that picture collection and the creepy sprinkler system? Via Met Home.

Or maybe I should go oval, but with a simpler pedestal fitting? I like round tables, but they won't fit my space. Love the blonde wood with the dark paint. Via Living Etc.

Same table, different finish. I really need to be able to fit six chairs at my table, though since I like to have my buds come over and entertain me. Karly's getting good at shutting the baby up. Via Living Etc.

I really just want this table. And those chairs. And look -- bish has ANOTHER dining table in the back room! Surely she can spare a set. Via Domino.

And then there's this beauty. Do you think crumbs would get wedged in the cracks? Not sure that I care. She is magnificent, and I'm sharpening my ax already. I've got plenty of trees. Via Living Etc.

So that's all I've got for now, but tune in after Karly and I hit Round Top in a couple of weeks to see if we made out like bandits. Who knows? I may redecorate my entire house. Or I may be under house arrest after leaving baby Ike with the Hunny for a whole day.

Erin's Dining Room Drama

In case you haven't already figured it out, I am a serial re-doer. No matter how good a job I do the first time around, I am always convinced that -- given one more shot -- I could do better. Problem is, one more shot turns into twenty really, really fast. I've repainted the guest bathroom three times, endlessly rearranged the living room, second fifth guessed myself while renovating the kitchen, and now I'm itching to redo my already redone dining room. Good thing paint is relatively cheap and I am the wizard of Craigslist, otherwise the Hunny would have divorced me long ago. Still, I'm a busy lady with a new baby and can't afford the time or expense of redecorating 500 hundred times. And so, friends, I am calling on you to help me make this one count. Problem: The table/chair combo is making me lose my appetite. And the chandelier ain't helping, either. I am like the furniture collecting equivalent of the quintessential crazy old cat lady. Mid century mod just keeps multiplying at my house... And while the hodegpodge kind of worked in our old dining room because it looks like a crazy old cat lady lived there:

I am not loving it with the new, more understated paint job that went in when we redid the kitchen:

So, I like the things on the black wall. The Karl Springer style console, benches and antique painting are a-ok by me. I'd like to add some sconces, but that's not a big deal right now. However, I think the table sticks out like a sore thumb. Or is the problem the chairs? I only have four of the Burke chairs, and I have six of the Danish chairs, but most are broken or need to be restrung. And does that chandelier make my ass look big, or is it just me? Help?!

If I move the table to the back office, I could replace it with something different. Something... longer? More oval? Glass or not glass? I actually own this table with an oval glass top, but it's kind of on the small side:

And this awesome set is currently available on Craigslist, but I'm afraid the proportions are wrong for my room:

Great pic, I know! I love the set, but my room is small and narrow, making me think I need a long, dark table and small chairs flanking the sides. Am I crazy to pass this up?

Oh, and please tell me that burlwood table wasn't the perfect thing for my room, since I found it and passed it on to a friend...

And here is where I paste in some random dining room eye candy to inspire you to leave witty comments and savvy advice for your old pal, Erin:

via the now defunct Domino. Love love love the chairs!

via Met Home. I like the idea of a long table with chairs on the sides, only. I also like the look of a legless table. Plinths please me.

via Living Etc. Hey all your breeders out there: is glass kid friendly?

Can't remember where this came from... one of the above sources. Mostly I just like the groovy mood in this one.

Ok, dear readers. Today I live for your comments. Thursday I shall follow up with more dining room pornspiration. Don't worry. It will be prettier than it sounds.

Live Large Like Louis

Friends, has the recession got you down? I know you're bummed to no longer have a bundle of Gs just laying around for that newest set of Louis Vuitton trunks you planned to scatter artfully throughout your home in an oh so status conscious gesture that screams, "I have money to burn, bitches!"

Tommy Hilfiger via Fashionphile

Kanye West

House Beautiful via Margaret Long

So what's a label whore* to do when the economy declares most emphatically that there shall be no more excessive spending?

*Not that I'm judging, since momma wouldn't turn down a free LV bag. Hint, hint sponsors...

Well, you could bring some curb appeal to your real estate and watch the value skyrocket:

The window bars really ratchet the klass factor up a notch or 20, don't you think? Via

Of course in a house so special and ah, unique, one can't be expected to live a common, pedestrian existence, can one? One must extend one's special uniqueness to all aspects of one's daily life.

Really, how could one be expected to use a common Hefty trashbag? That would be wimpy wimpy wimpy. Via

Or have a common pet, for that matter? I think this pig would really say, "I like money, but I'm not afraid to get my hands entire body dirty."

I'm not sure brown is the best color in this context. Via

Now this is what I'm talking about! I'm not even kidding. I never wanted to drive a Cutlass Sierra until now, but I neeeed that car. Hopefully the man doing sexy pose on it is not included because he's covering up my paint job. Maybe they make Louis Vuitton camouflage? That would totally appeal to hunters everywhere, I'm sure.