SPRING DINING ROOM UPDATES

Yesterday, I posted about a few updates I've made in my bedroom this at my other blog.  But, I have other plans for that blog today (hope I have time to get to it).  So, I thought I'd share a couple of quick and cheap udates here that I made to the dining room.

I have always had red accents in my neutral(ish) home.  This is a picture from last Spring.  I added a white table runner (the one made from the shower curtain) and a Springtime/Easter display.  But, lately I have wanted to change things up a bit and get some softer colors in the house for Spring and Summer.

I have a guest room upstairs that has a beautiful comforter in blues on the bed that my mom gave me when she re-did her bedroom.  I have spent the last year combing Goodwill and thrift stores for accessories to fill the guest room out.  Since the room has had guests in it for a total of 3 nights in the past 25 months - and it's upstairs where no one, except me and the boy (and on rare occasions - the husband) goes - I felt that I could safely swap a few items from up there with no one really noticing.  Hence, the new blue color scheme was born.

I have spent about the past month looking for things at Goodwill to help me freshen things up in the main living areas.  This is what I came up with for the dining room.

I found this tablecloth for $1.99.  There is another one exactly like it that I plan on picking up today - if it's still there.  I now realize the value of having a back-up for when this one is in the wash.  I also took the red rug out to the garage and lugged this one that used to be in the living room back in with Isaac's help.  It has much softer colors with some blue sprinkled in there. 

Then, there's the windows.

I found these at Goodwill for $3.99 per panel - $7.98 total for a huge amount of drapes.  They are actually just king sized flat sheets.  I did nothing to them, save for the washing.  The top of the sheet (when it's on a bed) with the large four or five(ish) inch hem is by the floor.  I simply clipped the other end to my rings,  making a double fold at the top to get them the right length.  You can see it if you look closely.

In the above picture you can also see that I took the black shade off of the chandelier.  My goal (if it goes like I see it in my head) is to cover the shades with some really pretty soft blue and white toile wrapping paper that I have and then put them back on the chandy.  But, that would require me remembering to buy some double-sided tape when I'm out today. :0)

And, lastly...my centerpiece for the table.  I already had this Jasmine topiary, so I decided to make it work for Spring.  It's sitting in my wicker Goodwill tray (lined with burlap) that has held many other things in the past.  I had this nest of eggs from last year.  It needed something around the base, so I bought 2 bags of blue glass for a buck a piece at the dollar store and put them in there.  And since I had a nest of eggs - I thought it only fitting to swipe the lovebirds from my bedroom to fill it out.  Is it perfect?  Nope.  Is it good enough?  Good enough for me!

So, that's a peek of where I am with the dining room right now.  I think that it will make a huge difference when the woodwork is all painted out white, too.  I hoping that happens tomorrow. :0)  Total spent in this room = $11.97.  Not bad for new curtains and everything.  I'll share the living room next.

Happy Homemaking!