Dining Room Update
It has taken us seven years of marriage to FINALLY have a place to put a dining table. Granted, it was a $75 Craigslist table which included four chairs, but it was still really nice to sit as a family at a table for meals. We also scored this mid century hutch from Salvation Army last year for $100, but I never could style it in a way that didn't make the entire thing look cluttered. The table & chairs we purchased from Craigslist held up well, but the chairs were uncomfortable & we had to have a table cloth on the table constantly because it was a drop leaf table & would get so many crumbs stuck in the cracks, but, it served its purpose.
One thing to know about me is that I love decorating & also re-decorating. As a kid, I moved a lot, & even in our seven years of marriage, we have moved 7 times. Every time we move somewhere new, I try to make it feel comfy & inviting. Growing up, we moved from house to house because my dad was a builder. We always had to show our home for that potential buyer, so I got used to staging! I loved it & even considered staging homes as a fun career. All this to say, I love figuring out how to maximize any space & make it feel like home. Right now, I am really into minimizing our home (clutter makes me feel overwhelmed) & so I have been slowly changing up our decor, room by room.
Here is a BEFORE look of our dining room
For awhile, we have slowly been working on our dining room space. We are renting, so there is only so much I can do, but I love a challenge! The first thing we did was saw off the top section of our hutch. Even though I loved the look, it just made our space feel really dark & like I said before, I could never figure out the decor. I have also wanted a buffet table for awhile & we were debating on whether we should saw off the top or sell it as is & then buy a new buffet table. Now, this went on for months & months of going back & forth with this decision, but finally I gave the go ahead & Matt sawed the top off. I LOVE the result!! It makes our space feel more open. I used it for a coffee bar for the first month, then decided I just wanted a more minimal/earthy look. All I did was move our round mirror over top the buffet table, added my small fiddle leaf plant, & then included a wood platter with a few neutral pieces I am loving.
Next in our re-decoration process was selling our Craigslist table (same price we bought it for!) & we added the most beautiful table from Stem. The table is made out of solid American walnut. All of Stem's pieces are handmade, which makes our dining table feel extra special. We chose an 84" Danu dining table, which seats between 6 & 8 people! It is handcrafted in Los Angeles (takes roughly about 4 weeks to make) & they make it to order. That way, if you have any size preferences, they can accommodate you! What is really awesome about Stem, is that they also will send you a free sample material kit, so you can see what color/fabric you prefer. When our table arrived, it was absolutely stunning. It literally reminded me of home in Hawaii...hence the subsequent trip to Home Depot for the palm tree! The table is extremely sturdy & they do not treat their products with any harsh chemicals. They also offer free returns, free shipping, & a 100 day free trial (although, once you receive your piece, you will NEVER want to return it). This Danu table is an investment, but I know that it will last us a lifetime.
I wanted our table to be the main focus of our room, so I only have put a few grass baskets on it & that is pretty much it! We also placed our washable rug underneath the table, which added to the warmth of the room. Our chairs we scored from Target a few months ago when they were having a big furniture sale. I loved how they had a faux walnut finish on the legs, yet the main seat was bright white to give contrast. The main reason I chose this style of dining chair is that they are easy to keep clean. I am always surprised Oliver is never starving after every meal because I feel like half his food is all over his chair!
This room was actually really fun to decorate & I am loving the earthy tones in it. The dining table was my main inspiration & everything just fell into place. If you are looking for a well, handcrafted piece of furniture, you will LOVE Stem. They help answer any questions you may have. Their products are investment pieces that are timeless. Click the links below to follow along & get to know Stem more!