It's not really my taste generally, but one thing that really bugs me is the bookshelf with just a single book on each shelf. I would say either fill it in more or get rid of it.

It looks much nicer! I love the dark brown walls; they look great with all the white contrasting pieces. Nice work!

The dark wall color and shots of white are great. I think she could have achieved similar results more quickly by painting some of the original pieces. I like the larger scale of the original table and light fixture.

I like the furniture in the before better. To me, those plastic and metal chairs, and the Sapien bookcase look very out of place in the after photo.

If it were mine (and I was going for the monochrome look), I would've painted the buffet and chandelier white and the table black. I would've painted black only below the chair rail (the entire room in black feels somewhat oppressive to me), and white above. Perhaps sanding and staining the chair rail to match the floors.

I do agree that the before is bland and the after is not, though!

Looks great! Love the color choices :)

the bookcase looks out of place in a dining room.
i like the colors in the after - nice choice!

like the new color palette, but agree with the bookcase. Probably should be somewhere else, not in the dining room.

Is the rug still the same? I really like the color scheme but the table is so small-how will you really fit a dinner party at it? If I were her I would have kept the old sideboard, painted it white and changed the handles, and set it up as barstool seating to open up the space.

A big improvement from the before, no question. Very nice curtains and the artwork really pops. However, the before is such a blank slate with so much potential...'A' for effort but not full marks from me.

I love it.

Yes, the color palette is nice. That bookcase looks strange there, the table is too small and the chairs look like they belong in a school lunchroom. Very nice looking room at first glance though.

Love it. Agree the bookshelf seems out of place and the table is too small, but overall the effect with the new dark walls, turquoise accents, chandelier and white curtains is great.

I LOVE it! I love the dark against the light and the pops of color. Absolutely wonderful!

I do have to say the "after" is cute, and that the "before" wasn't THAT bad, so please don't take offense to this but... why is that rug still there!? Just getting rid of it would have made the "before" instantly better. It just looks like those mats they put at the entrance of Targets and supermarkets, I don't get it :/ Sorry to say!

Great reminder that in the real world, things take time! Truthfully, I'm not sure my house will ever be done. I've got almost no art on the walls since I prefer to find things I really love (this can take time) and of course must have the extra cash on hand, rather than just get something cheap to put up to cover wall space.

I love the after grey paint color with the white moldings/baseboards and the puddled curtains! And the credenza/buffet is so pretty!

My first thought was also "why not just paint the before furniture" but then I can see how that would have looked more country cottage while the after is going for a hollywood regency/modern vibe.

But I think you could've kept the original table, painted it and it would've been just as lovely. In fact, I liked a bigger table in that space.

As far as the bookcase, I my thought was maybe you just hadn't filled it up yet but plan too. I also assumed this was going to be a multipurpose room so that's why a bookcase in the dining room. Or perhaps you were going to browse your cookbooks in this space also. I have a sapien near my kitchen island but my space is small so it kind of blends in as the living area is right near by as well. Most of my sapien is cookbooks as almost everything else is now on the kindle.

Lovely! Looks like a seagrass rug, very cool. And I for one love the book shelf. The color scheme is muted and elegant with a pop of turquoise. I think this is a genius room.

Love the dark walls and the pooling white drapes. Agree though; the scale of the table and chairs isn't right for that sized room and the bookcase probably should be relocated. I'd also suggest a larger chandelier. It's nearly there with a few tweaks!

I think the design issue was the rug. It looks out of place in both the before and after. I like the smaller table and the chairs are nice too. I think the walls and the window treatments are fab , but the mishmash of color feels a bit busy.

How long will this be stylish? I give it one year before the, "Wow, that's so 2011" sets in...

Is the after better than the before? Yes. But the various styles are jarring (ornate sideboard, table, vs. slick chairs and bookshelves) rather than pleasing. A bit much for me.

I like it! But agree that the bookcase does not belong at all, and the wooden frame above the sideboard reallyreallyreallyreally needs to go.

She could've saved some money on the new chandelier if she'd taken the shades off her old one and spray painted it white....and I don't understand why you would get a new table when it looks just like the old one? Sand it down and paint it. I do like the charcoal wall color, the window treatments. The buffet looks really nice with the lamps and teal shades!

I love it. I really like the bookcase. I love how glamorous the curtains look. It makes me want to attempt a chalkboard wall in my dining area.

I'd say the rug is the least of the problems. Yes, the bookcase is just something to trip over, and the table is too small. But I also think I wouldn't make the walls quite that dark, and the picture looks like something she picked because someone at AT might like it. (And the picture frame doesn't seem to belong at all.) But hey, that's just me. You know, one flaw I see in AT is that it sometimes invites us to be our cattiest worst selves.

I rarely comment, but must say that the new table is just too small for the space. Why call it a dining room, when breakfast room might be more appropriate? Why put a bookshelf in with only one book? Why keep a dull old rug? Why not paint the old console and replace the hardware, is the new one that much cooler? And what is up with the fruit picture in a frame that has nothing to do with anything?

I like the backdrop that is created around the periphery of the room - wall color, curtains, sideboard, pops of color. However, the center of the room (table and chairs and rug) do not work well, imo. I think if she plays off the vibe created around the periphery, the room could be really nice. I can see the current sideboard working, but it dwarfs the table and makes it look even smaller.

I liked the before chairs better. They look like quality chairs whereas the after chairs look cheap. Sorry.

I love the new color scheme and the new sideboard. However, I agree with the posters who say that the scale on the new dining set and chandelier is off.

I really like this article. It gives insight into decorating. I bought a house a year ago and many rooms remain mostly empty because I can't find the 'pieces' that speak to me, if that makes sense. I thought it was just me who took a long time to find affordable but unique pieces that fit my personal style. Good post!

I like the dark grey walls and the pops of turquoise (lamps, picture) and light green (table) but not the old/new mix of furniture. It's not cohesive in any way and the pieces/styles don't go well together or compliment each other. E.g. the neatly arranged sideboard clashes with the sloppily hemmed curtains. And I think the old chandelier would have looked better in the new room; it has a better size for the room and the white lamp shades would have contrasted nicely with the dark walls.

P.S. I like this space! I saw a lot of negative feedback, which wasn't necessary. Enjoy your home if it makes you happy.

One thing that I really like is the bookshelf. It isn't made to place a ton of books on it. It is obviously made to place one book on each shelf according to size, smallest at the top and largest on the bottom. Filling it in with other books defeats the purpose of it. Your comment is equal to me saying, "oh one thing that I really don't like about the room is the sunlight coming through the windows. They should be concreted to block sun light."

Other than that, great job on the after!

Nice wall colour, but the white trim and furniture look very stark against such a dark shade. Reminds me of icing on a cake.

Why was the original chandelier not retained? I think it might have looked okay?

Your room looks really inviting and comfy. I'd love to sit in that room. Well done!

OK, I really love the window treatments, the sideboard, and the color scheme. But, the sideboard is clearly a grander scale than the actual dining room table. The plastic chairs? Inviting and comfy? What?! The lighting fixture is also tinier. What works: everything on and around the sideboard, the window treatments, and the color scheme. I'm sorry, but the table and chairs are just bizarre. imho

the 'after' looks nicer but somehow i'm not thrilled seeing this.
i guess the whole excitement's gone seeing that the whole furniture's changed...i mean...it would be more fantastic if you managed to turnaround a room by using the same pieces by creatively hacking stuff, or painting, etc. this is just purely new.

@Dana J said: "I saw a lot of negative feedback, which wasn't necessary. "

The people who provided "negative feedback" had suggestions that would be helpful to others. Most of them are related to saving or reusing existing pieces, which would keep the cost down, and avoiding waste. They would also result in a better looking room. I see nothing wrong with that.

I think if there were a few pieces of pottery or sculpture on a few of the bookshelves, it wouldn't look so out of place.

Why such simple plastic chairs with such a terrific sideboard and such luxe curtains, and a chandelier? Kind of like a polo shirt and tuxedo pants.....

I love how the lamp shades echo the blue in the picture, that's what makes style accessible and unforced.

In another context, I think I would love that picture frame, but here it seems odd because it's the only wood tone in the room.

Other than that I love this room, bookcase and all. (As to those asking why you'd have a bookcase in a dining room...did anyone else ever have to STUDY at the kitchen table? ^_^)

love the paint color, i mean really-what is it? i actually like everything she did there, even the painted buffet. but the modern chairs are jarring for me, they just don't fit with the very antique look of everything else.
and yeah, put that bookshelf somewhere else but replace with something equally tall, the height looks good there.

I have really mixed feelings about this room. I love the wall color and the curtains which add a huge sense of height to the room and accentuate so well.

The rug as others have said actually reminds me of something you'd see when walking into a department store, something with muted colors that would bring in the blue and white would be fantastic.

The table and chairs seem completely out of place with the room, and as a person with a bookshelf in their dining room I have to say I'm sad to see yours so lonely. The style also looks completely out of place with the room.

With the very rich and wonderful 'weight' that the sideboard gives to the room the table and chairs just look like a lonely afterthought but I honestly couldn't say what would make it feel less abandoned.

Either way, it is your home, and the time that you put into it to make it reflect you and how you feel about it is what matters the most.

I think the first room might have looked great with a new rug, some art work and new paint (also on maybe the table and chairs). The new dining room table strikes me as too small. Way too small. But I like the colors used in the new room, though.

@Casey1
I hate to criticize, but saying that the bookshelf isn't made to place a ton of books on it & is obviously made to place one book on each shelf...? What!? I would suggest looking up the Sapien Bookcase. You can use it however you deem fit, but the majority of the time, it DOES have a ton of books to mimic the look of a huge stack of books.

in a followup blog post, Elizabeth does say "there are still some aspects of this room that i would like to improve on: the rug, the accessories on the buffet, the table (LOVE the table, but it really belongs in our kitchen)"

I loooove the after!! My only complaints are the rug and the size of the table, but everything else is very, very cool :) Especially all the turquoise touches

I think the color scheme is great. The blue, green, grey, and white look really nice together. I also love the curtains. They look luxurious! Overall, the room still needs some changes made to make it seem cohesive, but I am sure with more time you will get there.

Neither room works for me. But I applaud the effort.

I'm I really the only one who loved that wood frame on that painting? I loved the juxtaposition so much that I'm thinking of how I can bring that into my own home. In any case, I'm not clear on why people are so disappointed that she didn't keep or paint the original stuff. I think the answer is obvious: SHE DIDN'T WANT TO. Maybe she just wanted a change. Stop being so disappointed when other people don't decorate their homes to suit a bunch of strangers. In any case, I agree with everyone that the table is too small, the rug is out of place (maybe go without a rug) and those chairs don't seem very comfy. I actually thought about buying those very same chairs to give a fun contrast to my big bulky Rio Grande table, but decided to stick with what came with the set, mostly because they were more comfortable and sturdy. I also really love the color choices in this room. Magnifique!

I LOVE the After! I think the eclectic collection of styles adds interest and if you read her posts she says she hasn't found the perfect rug yet. I think its inspiring that she can find so many beautiful things, put them together and make it work! Beautiful dining room!!!

The good thing is, those of you who didn't like it one bit have nothing to worry about...she won't be inviting you to dinner any time soon.

I actually like what she did with it....it has a lot of personality, and I love the color scheme. It makes me smile when I look at it.

Some of us need to remember, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Whether you like it or not, people like Elisabeth work hard. Please keep that in mind when you comment.

Elisabeth, nice job!!! You definitely have something to be proud of!!!!

What I like the most about this room is that it looks so well put together, but not in an overdone way. It looks as if someone really lives there (wish it was me!). The assortment of colors is pleasantly surprising. Although I think the white looks good in this room, I have a soft spot for antique brass. Kind of hard to find just going from shop to shop. Luckily my best friend Molly is wonderful -- she turned me on to a great antique restoration place called lookintheattic. They have a TON of selection and did a custom finishing for me last month, and it didn't cost me any body parts or internal organs.

The only thing I don't like in this picture is the rug. The texture is kind of weird and the color is odd, too, but maybe that's just me...I can see that the room might look too "cold" if there wasn't a rug. And I really have no room to talk...the rug in my bathroom is rather ugly. Anyways, I must stop rambling now, my little girl is waking up. Thanks for a great post!

Macy

wow! i really can't believe my little dining room was featured here. i had no idea...i've had no contact with anyone from AT so this is a total surprise. thank you jason loper! i am assuming you found my dining room on house of turquoise?

boy, i am a stay at home mom and had virtually NO budget for this room....almost everything in it was stuff we already had or i collected over time....it's really pretty amazing that my room is on here and getting this many comments.

honestly, i agree with all the comments on the rug, chairs, table, etc. i am constantly scouring craigslist and thrift stores to find replacements...if you follow the links you can read my words and you'll see that i agree with you on some of these points.

follow the links that jason posted and you will also see that almost everything in this room has a back story. you will learn the who, what, where, and why of everything in here.

things like: the painting is an original watercolor painted by my brother. the frame is made from reclaimed pine support beams that were removed from his art studio shortly before he painted the painting. the OLD furniture is now being used in other areas of the house. the only furniture i spent any significant money on was the buffet which was $125 on craigslist and the target chairs which are temporary. we already had the green table-it has three leaves and gets much bigger. the new chandi was $7 at a thrift store. the book shelf was a gift and is something that i fully expect to spend time in every room in my house. it's a traveling book shelf....i love it! i don't blame you for hating the rug. if anyone wants to send me money, i will gladly replace it. :)

thanks again AT for liking my room enough to put it on here. it's a real compliment!

XO,
elisabeth
www.bovagoods.blogspot.com

The scale is way off, but it sounds like you are working on it. Table, chandelier: too small. Bookcase: too large. Paint job is awesome though!

"i love it! i don't blame you for hating the rug. if anyone wants to send me money, i will gladly replace it. :)"

You're awesome! Get a wish list going ;)

I love the wall color and the draperies. However, I think the book shelf detracts. I also think the light fixture is too small, the table is too small, and the rug needs to go. I love the hutch, and would have liked to see the original table painted the same color as the hutch.

Why do people insist on a rug under a table? It makes no sense to me. Unless it's a room size rug, the back of the chairs will be off the rug when people are sitting at the table. AND, food is falling on the rug, instead on the floor. On the floor, easy clean up. On the rug, each time something falls it could be a permanent stain. I just don't get it.

Er, isn't that the same table, painted, with the leaves stored? I think the color makes it look fresher and bolder than the before.

Um... shouldn't AT be attempting to get permission from the homeowners before posting? Just because she featured her home on her own blog doesn't mean AT should have no professionalism in requesting permission to repost. Sorry to rant... it just rubs me the wrong way. I mean, how hard is it to send an email?

@dn, nope not the same table at all. the OLD table is a heywood wakefield drop leaf, gate leg table. it huge when opened up and you can barely walk around it, seats 10, it's way too big in the room. this dining room is actually pretty small. it's only 12X12. the little green table has three leaves that can be installed and was green when we bought it at an antique store for $50. ideally, i would love a new table in here. i have been keeping my eye open for a round table. i think it would suite the room better than a rectangle, because of the tight space. thoughts anyone? (dare i ask for thoughts on this? hahaha!) i was thinking to go more modern with the table as to not make this room look too shabby chic......we'll see. it all comes down to what i can find for under $100. again, no real budget here. but something white with clean and simple lines...

@braisenwoman,
just got this from AT....

"My apologies for not sending you an email sooner to let you know that I was writing about your dining room project. I've been filling in for some bloggers who are on vacation and I got a little ahead of myself! Anyway, thanks for providing the inspiration! Your makeover of the dining room is gorgeous! You have great style, lady! :-)"

:))))

Only $125 for the buffet! I'm so envious, it is really lovely. I think a round table would be lovely in that space.

I'm surprised at the reaction to your chairs. I guess they could be plastic but they could also be bentwood. I mix similar styles with regency style pieces, think its a nice contrast. I also have no problem with a little plastic here and there, as long as its well done.

Elisabeth, yes I think the same as you. In my office, I have an antique desk with green marble and regency curved legs (similar feeling to your buffet). I use it with a white west elm chair (wrap office chair), similar in look to yours. And... cubitech shelving. I love the juxtaposition of the old and the new, the ornate with the simple modern.

It looks great, but I'd take the bookcase out of the dining room and switch the "after" chairs for the "before" chairs, painted white.

@mauishopgirl...you are correct, the chairs are bentwood. not plastic. i am dreaming of metal tolix chairs.....when i win the lottery! ;)

I think it's great, except for the book shelf thing. I know these are "kind of in style", but they just really seem useless. I've never seen one in a room where they improved it in any way. To me they are way to trendy of a trend that has no meaning.

@elisabeth - Better late than never, I suppose. :) Big props to you for handling the situation so well... as you can see, comments on AT can be rough around the edges, and it takes bravery and a thick skin to have your home featured (especially unbeknownst to you in the first place!).

@braisenwoman, thanks so much!

Wow. AT is a tough room. You have some great ideas, and this post is very instructive on just how difficult it is to pull off a really inspiring eclectic space. In a room of this size, you might consider some deletions, instead of additions. Paint the chair rail the same color as the wall; right now it is distracting and creates a "country" look. Consider removing the rug, the curtains, and the bookcase. You have six chairs in this small room. Maybe park two at the table and the other two (the same) on either side of the buffet. A simple drum style light over the table, hung much lower. The lamps on your buffet are nice, but they are too tall in relation to your artwork. A more squat shape, with some shine or sparkle, will accent the rustic frame on your art. You definitely have the right idea, but there is some room to tweak and define. Great job!

Imagine the book shelf with a bowl on each shelf...

I'd like to see a round rug that reflects some color from your unfinished picture frame.

@obleak1, great suggestions. i was thinking about the drum shade chandi, love that idea and it wouldn't break the bank...and i am not crazy about the lamp bases either, but love the shades. perhaps i can find lower ones like you said. i must say, while some of the comments were hard to read yesterday, having this experience has inspired me to continue on with this room and make it even better. :)

okay I'm sorry but there are two conflicting styles here that just don't go together.

I think Elisabeth did a nice job decorating her dining room. I give her a lot of credit for picking the medium-dark gray for the walls, which is not an exact match, but goes nicely with the floor covering. Elisabeth counterbalanced all the dark with Bright White, Teal, Yellow, and Green which give warmth and light to the space. Her selection of decorative elements, that are all taller than wide, and the way she mounted the drapes help suggest height in the room. BRAVO ELISABETH!

Good Job, Elisabeth! That wall color on a swatch would have scared the bejesus out of me, but you really made it work.

The after is great!! Sorry but the table is too low. It looks like a kid's table in that room. Maybe it is the angle but since it is lower than the sideboard, it looks strange. I really like the style of the chairs but not sure if i like them with the other stuff in that room.

I would love to be featured on AT but not without preparing everything meticulously as you know people are going to nit pick like I just did.

I have a friend that comes over to my house and is always making "suggestions" about what I need to improve and I just want to tell her to go home and look at the place she lives in and clean it up before she criticizes my place.

I love the bookshelf in the dining area. Why? Because my dining area is also used for a reading/study area. I don't just eat in there.

I think the transformation is inspiring and I'm always so saddened by nasty comments.