Category Archives: Dining Room

Dining Room 1.0: No Phones at the Table

Crafty, Dining Room, House 1.0

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My sons are too young to have their own devices, but I wanted to set a precedent early that the dinner table is a phone-free zone. (And, obviously, adults can use a reminder, too. Reddit will still be there after the dishes are cleared.) I downloaded a free trial of InDesign to make this sign, framed it and hung it on the dining room wall. Yes, there’s been some eye-rolling, but I consider it a victory that I can at least see those eyes and they’re not glued to a smartphone. Download this version here.

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Dining Room: House 1.0

Dining Room, House 1.0

The dining room was one of the first rooms we re-decorated when we moved in, in part because peeling off wallpaper is so satisfying. Here are the before and after shots!

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I am obsessed with this wallpaper and plan to use it again in the new house. It took a while to convince my husband, but the compromise was to use a neutral gray below to offset the wild pattern. The chandelier was original to the house and just needed to be cleaned (vinegar did the trick) in order to be restored to full reflectiveness. We also pulled up the carpet and had the hardwood floors stained in a dark tone.

The buffet and china cabinet once belonged to my great-grandmother, and the dining room table and chairs were once my aunt’s. I still plan to stain or paint the chairs a darker tone, but just didn’t get around to it in this house. That, and recovering the seats, are still on the to do list. I’ll get around to it eventually. In the meantime, the kids spill spaghetti on the old fabric.