Updating the Dining Room with a New Chandelier and Window Treatments
Updated: Apr 15, 2021
My next project was updating the window treatments and chandelier in the dining room. I mentioned this when we shared our round one paint transformation, but we realized after we moved in that there wasn't a single curtain rod in the house. In every room that had window treatments except two, the windows all had cellular shades. I knew that would be something I'd fix quick, but since I'm basically an expert at replacing light fixtures now (hardly, but sometimes you need to pump yourself up before tackling something new), I decided to update the chandelier too.
I like the look and function of blinds over shades. I think they're more versatile for light control and privacy. They are more easily cleaned and can be wiped down too, which I believe helps keep dust and allergens a little more under control. My point was proven when we took down the cellular shades and 15+ years of dust and dirt was released into the air. Reason enough for me to tackle this soon after moving into a new place. I decided on 2" cordless faux wood blinds - this is a really inexpensive option over the real deal and a lot lighter. These aren't windows that we'll be raising and lowering the blinds in often - if ever - so cordless is a great way to go limiting the amount of extra "stuff" my kids can grab onto and break.
I also think curtains help make a room feel more finished. While I'm working to turn most everything else white, I like adding pops of black accents with our wood and finishes so I added a black curtain rod. I had purchased a new rug with a vintage feel so I wanted to offset that with slightly more modern curtains and found a pretty subtle grey striped set at Target. The best thing to come out of COVID for me is the fact I can get items from Target delivered right to my door alongside my groceries in just a couple hours - which is exactly how these came to be one weekend. The important thing to remember before hanging a rod is to measure for the length of your curtain. I prefer to get the tallest curtains the height of the room can handle and make sure the bottom of the curtain just kisses the floor. Doesn't have to be exact, but it's better than having a pool of curtain hanging out on the floor.
Here's the window with fresh blinds and curtains! We moved our old TV console into the dining room and it helps anchor the room a bit under the window. Works great to store kids crafts stuff within their reach! And serve as a buffet if needed.
For the chandelier, I didn't mind the traditional candelabra style but thought the shiny brass fixture dated the space. I considered painting it for a hot second, but now that I'm figuring out this wiring gig, I figured my time would be better spent just getting what I wanted and installing it myself. I searched around and found this chandelier that has a pretty matte black finish, in sort of a modern farmhouse feel. I'd go all-in with the farmhouse feel in the right space but this house has a lot of traditional classical bones that I want to just make this feel elevated and more "me" but fresh. This chandelier from Wayfair was HUGE. While it didn't have as many bulbs, the footprint/width of the fixture overall is about twice what the existing was so it takes up more space, with less material.
This one took a little more planning. I researched and learned that chandeliers should be no more than 30-36" above the table so I had to adjust the height of the chandelier accordingly. It came with a LOT of chain and cord, so I had to cut the wires and chain links to fit. More new experiences, but a little YouTubing can go a long way. So happy with how it turned out!!
I added frosted candelabra LED lights to finish it off.
We used our dining table as the main table in the old house, with two chairs on one side and bench on the other that faced into our open living room.. In this space, that felt really weird, so we removed the bench and picked up a couple new fabric chairs for the ends of the table at our local At Home store. Feels more intentional in a dedicated dining room.
Quick sidebar on the rug... when looking for something new for the dining room, I found a variety of machine washable rugs that supposedly pool liquid for easy clean up. Sounded like a worthy thing to try with the messes we often have around here. I picked out this rug from the Rug Collective which has a pretty distressed vintage feel, but it has absolutely performed as promised. Spilled liquid just pooled there for easy clean-up. I haven't tried machine washing it, but will keep you posted.
The final look with lights on! Who am I kidding... we're for sure going to paint the rest of that window and door trim sooner rather than later. And have some really cute wall decor planned - stay tuned!!
Need a Fix Up? Here's what we used:
2" Faux Wood Blind from Blinds.com
Drapery Cafe Rod in Black from Target
Vertical Stripe Curtain Sheer Gray from Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, Target
6 Light Candle Style Chandelier from Wayfair
Frosted LED Candelabra Flame Tip Lights (affiliate)
Ivory Upholstered Dining Chairs from At Home
Distressed Vintage Cezanne Blush Area Rug from The Rug Collective
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