Why you Should use your Dining Room- Elegant Neutral Dining Room Tour

The dining room is my favorite room in the house. It’s the only room that is clean almost every single day. This is where we gather to celebrate holidays, special events and just because days with family and friends. Countless memories have been made around that table giving the room a sentimental feeling.

To me the dining room is a treasured little jewel box housing treasures in the form of  priceless memories. Many of today’s new homes don’t include a formal dining room. If yours is one of those homes, make your kitchen table that special place.  Wherever your dining area is, make it special and use it!

Our dining room is a collection of old and new pieces gathered over many years, giving it a curated feel. Each piece holds a story. That’s how I like to decorate. Fill your home with pieces that mean something to you and you will be surrounded not by things, but by memories.

Let me take you on a tour of our elegant, neutral dining room.

A gold bar cart provides extra storage for serving pieces and is tucked in the corner. I love keeping fresh flowers on it to brighten the room. We use this cart for entertaining and serving while hosting guests. This summer we used it for an ice cream float party here,

and for a dessert cart at a dinner party here.

It is special to me because my 14 year old son helped me put it together. I think of him every time I see it and with him starting high school this year, time is flying too quickly, so every minute we get to spend together is special!

Our dining table was a labor of love for my husband. We purchased it from Craig’s List when we finished graduate school. It was all we could afford. Matt sanded it down and refinished it in this beautiful espresso finish.

A collection of vintage silver platters hangs on either side of our arch. I found each one on special shopping trips with my best friends. They are hung with simple plate hooks.

The niche is wallpapered in a tonal damask print. My mom helped me hang it. My mom taught me to love wallpaper. I think my room growing up was wallpapered 3 different times before I left for college!

The buffet was another second hand piece. We found it at a Goodwill while in school. My best friend and I refinished it with this amazing gel stain stuff she found that looks like pudding. We slapped it on and couldn’t believe the results with no sanding or priming. I love how it contrasts against the white and cream in the room.

The buffet is topped with a collection of mercury glass candlesticks picked up on various shopping adventures with my mom and friends. The lamps are from my local Hobby Lobby, no special story behind those babies, they were just a good deal!

Notice how the color of the candlesticks are varied from cream to white to that creamish tan color. This adds dimension to this grouping.

Our dining chairs were one of the first “new” pieces of furniture we ever bought!!! They are petite and resemble French antiques. Since the room is very neutral, texture is king! The detail on the chairs give the room some much needed character.

Our tufted wingback head chairs were purchased just a few months ago. You can see our table before them here. This is one dining trend I hope stays around forever. They are so comfortable and they have so much charm. From the nailhead to the casters, these chairs make my heart skip a beat.

Oversized, velvet pillows cozy up the room and give it a luxurious feeling.

You can see all of the texture around the room. Make sure you have lots of texture when designing a neutral themed room to give your eye something to look at. It makes the room feel layered and interesting.

Our china cabinet had me at hello! You can read all about that courtship in this post here.  I looked for years for the perfect piece, it was worth the wait. Be patient when looking for pieces that will grace your home for years. You will love them more in the long run!

Two candle holders flank the cabinet. They too have a French flair.

You can read all about my china cabinet essential in this post here. I have it stocked with pieces I’ve purchased over many years. They help make entertaining easy!

The cream silk drapes are made from fabric my mom and I found on an adventure to the fabric district in LA. Purchasing and making my own curtains was much cheaper than buying real silk drapes. I got a serious arm workout pushing those panels through the sewing machine!

Since then I have found some beautiful faux silk drapes that I have hung in my office {here}. I have them sourced for you at the bottom of this post. You don’t have to spend top dollar to get fabulous looking drapes. Just make sure when you buy drapes that you will use for a long period of time, that they are lined! They will hang better and look more expensive. The extra layers of fabric will also protect them from sun damage.

The chandelier is a larger version of our kitchen table chandelier. It ties in the dark color from the  table and the buffet. It has the perfect amount of sparkle.

Look around your dining room and see what you love and what you want to change. Keep your eye out for pieces you can paint or refinish. Save for pieces that you will have for years. Add personality through accessories and fabrics. Start collecting serving pieces that will make entertaining simple. Most importantly, sit down and enjoy your dining room and make memories in there!

xo,

My walls are painted in Ralph Lauren’s Edwardian Linen mixed by Dunn Edwards. Below are links to the exact pieces in my room where available. If unavailable, I have found the closest substitute. Affiliate links are used for your convenience.

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China Cabinet Sources

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Visit my sources page under dining room for a more detailed source list here.

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