dining room updates

Happy Spring, friends!  We've been busy bees around here getting ready for the warm season.  I can't wait to share some updates we've made to our back patio.  But first I want to share some updates we've made to the inside of the house.  You may recall that we stripped the dining room wallpaper!  We were pretty nervous about this project since God only knew what condition these 100+ year old walls were in.

The wallpaper was here when we moved in and I honestly liked it.  It was a nice room to host dinner parties with friends.  But after we had kids it was way too formal for my taste.  This dining room is where our family eats dinner every night so I want it to feel more casual.  Side note: you can only imagine the condition the dining room chairs are in with 3 year old twin boys.  The entire set is in desperate need of a makeover… 

Everyone knows what a pain it is to remove wallpaper.  However, much to our surprise the wallpaper came down with ease and the walls were in pretty good shape!  We started early one a Saturday morning and…. 9 minutes later the dining room was wallpaper free.  Yeah you read that right… 9 MINUTES!  It was a DIY miracle in my opinion.

Here's a peek of the room stripped of the wallpaper.  (p.s. ever notice how my little one is always in pajamas?  We call him PJ boy - the kid loves to be comfy).

What a difference two coats of primer and two coats of Benjamin Moore Carlisle Cream can make.  I love how the natural light bounces off the neutral wall color making the room feel bright and breezy.  This room is now getting closer to the casual everyday vibe I'm striving for.

This weeping fig is also a new addition.  It's NOT artificial so fingers crossed that I don't kill it!

These water colors were a gift from my in-law's that they brought home from Venice, Italy back in 2007.  They were originally in fancy black frames.  I updated them with these rustic Reese Frames from World Market. 

Next up, painting all the trim in the room Bright White (not looking forward to that)... and styling this built in cabinet!!