Dining In The Deep End

CHANDELIER

Recently, we moved into a lovely new(er) home, embarking on a weekend moving endeavor like no other. (My friend Jen can attest to this - at one point the television said something and I went to go answer the door - I was delirious). After weeks of relocating, unpacking and cleaning, I was faced with a new dilemma... most of my old stuff didn't "go" with my new house. What's a girl to do???

Fortunately, there's websites like Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy, and super creative people like Jen to help me envision new ways of using my old furniture & decor.

I wish I had a before picture, but alas, none exist- my chandelier was completely black. Black bars, black chain, black shades, etc. Looked very chic next to the stark whiteness of my old, 1942 cottage home, but in our newer, brighter, warmer colored dining room, I needed something that would mesh with the cream colored walls and honey oak trim.

Voila! New shades (actually picked out by my husband) for $2 per shade at Stein Mart, and some spray paint ($3) was all it took, plus a cord/chain hiding scrunch ($10- Stein Mart). Again, $15 makes it look like an entirely new piece.


Can you imagine this thing completely black? Ugly chain exposed, no life at all (hey, it was $10 at a Sticks N Stuff store closing, I snatched it!)


CHAIRS

Since obtaining the new dining room table, and inheriting two chairs with it, I felt the need to recover them as well. The table was $75, but technically, the chairs were free.

Here's the Before...

Not terrible, but very worn & dark.

After a few coast of spray paint ($6 for 2 cans) and fabric I found on a HUGE roll at the City Rescue Mission thrift store (a 60K square foot mecca of thrift and materials - its probably my new favorite, and it's NEVER busy), the chairs were saved!

Brighter, happier, healthier...

...more productive, fitter....

FANCY.

And fancy meeting YOU here...

I love the cane back on these chairs, and am in the process of searching desperately for a set of 4 to coordinate (not match precisely). The fabric was a lucky find, and I have enough to cover the other chairs & possibly make a table runner/place settings. Love thrift stores!