Finally! It’s done! Well, let’s say it’s done enough. After running into several setbacks, delays and a round of pnemonia with my youngest, I’m happy to post our Coastal Dining Room Makeover for the One Room Challenge! Walk with me from our kitchen into the new, lighter and brighter, chic coastal dining room.
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This is how I decorated the room when we first moved in ten years ago. Not too exciting was it? The table and chairs were a $125 thrift store find.
A few years later we painted the dark chocolater brown a bright white and added the picture frame moldings, a new rug and finally some artwork. I was quite happy with this color scheme for several years but I was getting tired of the buttery gold walls (Ivoire by SW) and the starkness of the black table in the space.
I asked you all to help me choose a color on Facebook and wow! Over 400 different opinions came in! Thanks for all your help! The choice was between A) Silver Strand and B) Reserved White. The winner was Reserved White by Sherwin Williams. 
Ta-da! Here is our coastal chic dining room! The Reserved White is a very light gray with faint blue-green undertones. It blends perfectly with the adjoining rooms which are painted in Sea Salt and Comfort Gray.
I kept the same oil rubbed bronze window hardware but raised them higher to just below the crown molding. The hand made curtain panels are a beautiful white linen. I’ll share a tutorial on how to sew your own panels soon. The previous plantation blinds were broken and would not work so I replaced those with bamboo roman shades in a driftwood finish. They coordinate nicely with our new refinished weathered oak floors.
The ceilings received a fresh coat of bright white paint. That gave an immediate illuminating effect like turning on a light switch! I think the new color palette makes the twig chandelier stand out look even more beautiful! The beautiful painting Storm Over the Marsh is so very special to me. It looks exacty like the marshlands and rivers in our area. The scene is so peaceful and serene. The painting was the inspiration for the rest of the room.
The project that took the most effort and to be honest, some frustration was painting the table and chairs. I tried a newer brand of chalk paint and ran into some issues. The light gray table base and chairs partner better than the black did with the dark wood tabletop. I’ll share the table makeover post later this week and give my review on the paint.
We moved the previous rectangular blue-gray rug into the family room and replaced it with a round jute braided rug from Pottery Barn. Surprisingly it’s very, very soft underfoot.
I used a mix of accessories I already owned and a few new. I love this marble and gold tray from Target. The sea urchin vase was from there also. I headed out into the yard and picked two types of white camellias for a centerpiece. Our camellias are loaded with blooms right now!
If I had unlimited funds I would buy a new table, new chairs, and a new buffet table. But let’s get real, most of us don’t have that amount of money so I needed to try to use what I had. We’ve never had a buffet table and trust me, I’ve searched and searched for one that I could afford or even makeover but I haven’t one yet. So what’s a girl to do? Well, I told hubs that our family room entertainment unit was going to become a buffet table! Why not? Nothing I do seems to shock him anymore so down the TV went and he willingly moved the unit into the dining room.
The drawers that once held videos now store cloth napkins. The shelves said goodbye to DVD players and now hold platters and dishes. The “buffet” is not perfect but it works for now and not a penny was spent! A new 36″ round beveled mirror reflects the light and views out the windows.
Across the room I stationed the bar cart. If you read the previous post then you saw how the boring bar cart got a faux marble makeover! I love how it turned out! Quirky bronze sea urchins hang above the cart and add a bit of unexpected whimsy to the space. 
Here’s a view from the foyer. 
The room still needs a bit more art work which I plan on painting myself, sometime after the holidays, after life slows down. I hope you liked the tour of our little coastal dining room makeover!
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Happy Decorating!
KIM
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Coastal Family Room & Fireplace Makeover
Lovely Lovely. A great make over.
Love your style. Want to help me do mine in OBX. Just bought home on sound, needs some help!
Love it! I don’t see a need to replace the entertainment center. I adore how it looks. Perhaps you didn’t(or maybe you did!) realize it, but you have used a repeat of the same shapes and it really brings everything together. Great job!
Thank you Linda! Yes, the repeated circles was a definite design plan. You have a keen eye!
Absolutely beautiful!!!
I love how everything has come together….again! haha…looks lovely. Great job Kim!
Looks fabulous. I love the paint color, the table makeover and the beautiful centerpiece. The new “buffet table” is absolutely perfect, what a great idea!
Oh it looks fabulous! I bet you’re thrilled to have it finished.
Looks beautiful !!! So light and bright 🙂
Hmmm I couldn’t help but notice the clear jug of wine corks on the floor! Good job trying to get it filled up. Keep it up! 😉
Heehee!I’ve been adding to it for years. 😉
The dining room looked good before, but the after gives an entirely different look–light and airy, which flows seamlessly with the other rooms you’ve completed close by. They all are beautifully done, and exude a peaceful, calm, light hearted vibe. Great job! So when can you send your clone down to Ocala to help me?! ☺
And I love, love, love the twig chandelier!!
Your dining room blends so well with the colors you have in the other rooms. The whole color scheme looks so peaceful and relaxing. Great job!
I loved to see how your style has evolved. The new dining room is so fresh and pretty! Great job on that table set. The round rug is the perfect complement!
Your dining room looks great! Did you post the table makeover review? I would love to know what paint you used and how it is holding up!
I haven’t yet. The holidays consumed my attention but I plan on writing about it this next week! Thanks so much for reminding me Trudy! ~ KIM
Hi Kim, I am going to have my dining room painted reserved white and I am doing my kitchen comfort gray. I am wondering what color white is under your chair rail? Is it the same as the chair rail. Thank you so much. Love your home!!!
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for the kind comments! Yes, the chair rail and everything below it is painted in Sherwin Williams Extra White (semi-gloss).
Hi! I just came across your blog and I love your home. I’m wanting to refinish my dining room table and paint it gray. I couldn’t find your review. Did I miss it? What paint/color did you use? I have no experience with chalk paint. Did you like it? Recommend something else? Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Hello, I just discovered your website; I love it and your style! I was wondering where you found the artwork on the wall. I love the moody, darker colors- they go so well with the light and bright in your home.
Thank you so much Leah! The painting is from Ballard Designs. It is called Storm on the Marsh. They just stopped carrying it though this summer, but they do have some similar paintings. Come back and visit sometime!
Kim your dining room is SO pretty! I saw it on Pinterest and had to pop over and see this beautiful wall color. Love it with the white curtains, your painted table and chairs and that gorgeous art!
Thank you so much Lisa!
Love, love the table! What paint/color did you use for chairs and table legs?
Hi Claudia! I used Rustoleum’s chalk paint in gray… I think it was country gray? Something like that. Be aware that they have a chalk spray paint and quart sized chalk paint. The spray paint is a slightly different color than the actual liquid paint in the quarts. So I recommend using the spray paint on the chairs (because it’s easier) and using the quart paint for the table. Hope that helps!
~ KIM