| Do you recognize this scenario? When you first styled | | | | to highlight the table as the center of the room. Or the |
| and furnished your dining room, you went with a | | | | table could be covered with a table pad and then a |
| traditional formal look: heavy cherry wood furniture, | | | | sheet of glass. Between the glass and the pad you |
| brocaded wallpaper, chair rails, 3-level glass chandelier, | | | | could insert family photos - graduations, vacations, |
| sconces, prints with large gilt-edged frames, glassware | | | | weddings, etc. The dining room table chairs could be |
| and porcelain figurines in the hutch, cloth runner on the | | | | recovered in a more casual fabric style, again in colors |
| buffet, etc. The styling and appearance were right for | | | | that match the paint scheme on the walls. |
| the time and you were proud of the look of quality and | | | | If the floor covering is wall-to wall carpet, that could be |
| elegance. Times change, however. Styles change, the | | | | taken up and replaced by a casual style of wood |
| needs of the family changes, grandkids come along. | | | | flooring. A large area rug could be placed under the |
| One day you look at the dining room and realize that it | | | | table (be sure to allow enough clearance all the way |
| is not being utilized by the family because it is too | | | | around the table so the chairs will still be on the rug |
| formal and people are afraid of "messing it up." | | | | when moved back to allow seating). The area rug |
| A change is needed, but what? After many | | | | colors should tie together the wall colors, the tablecloth |
| discussions, many searches through fashion and home | | | | colors, and the cherry wood color. If the carpet is to |
| decorating magazines, many trips to the stores and | | | | remain, an area rug can still be utilized over the carpet. |
| outlets, the decision is made to convert the dining room | | | | You can't change the carpet color or the nap/texture |
| to a more casual look. There are some limitations to | | | | but you can compensate for the carpet color/texture |
| work with, however. The large, beautiful cherry | | | | by the right choice of a large area rug. |
| furniture pieces will be kept-the table, the hutch, and the | | | | The hutch is difficult to change structurally or in color |
| buffet. Everything else is on the table for discussion but | | | | but you can change what is in it. Instead of the |
| the new look will have to accommodate these three | | | | glassware and figurines and porcelain pieces in there |
| pieces. | | | | now, have more casual plates, pottery glassware, your |
| The chandelier comes down and in its place goes | | | | thimble collection, a collection of small dinner bells, etc. |
| recessed, hidden indirect lighting around the entire | | | | Put in there things that the family recognizes and |
| ceiling. The wallpaper comes off replaced by paint in | | | | associates with good time and good memories. Place |
| brighter colors-greens, yellows, etc. The chair rails can | | | | prints that contain some of the things found in the |
| stay but the paint color above and below the rails can | | | | hutch on either side of the hutch. |
| be different, complementary colors. The ceiling can be | | | | Replace the heavy, multi-layered drapes with simpler, |
| painted with a color in the palette colors of the room, | | | | one level curtains or sheers. (Make sure that your |
| but changed from white. | | | | meals and gatherings are still shielded from the outside. |
| The sconces and large picture frames are replaced | | | | You don't want to give up your privacy and security.) |
| by contemporary prints in smaller, color-coordinated | | | | Get rid of the tassels and elaborate tie-backs. Replace |
| frames. A casual wall look can be attained by | | | | the heavy cornices with simpler rods and window |
| mounting old, refinished frames to the wall. Inside the | | | | hardware. |
| frames mount old plates directly to the wall or an old | | | | The dining room should be a place for the family to |
| pressed flower or an old menu cover from a nostalgic | | | | gather, share great meals, good stories, and fond |
| restaurant. The buffet runner is replaced with a cotton | | | | recollections. With some forethought and planning, and |
| sheet or a light chenille spread that drapes the entire | | | | a little daring, you can go from formal to casual and, in |
| surface and is colored to match the wall paint. | | | | the doing, go from unused to used. |
| The dining room table can be covered in fabric colored | | | | |