A Couple Gave Their Dated Dining Nook a Refreshing Redo with Stained Glass
As a New York City renter, I’ve developed the mentality that every inch of my apartment should be useful or intentionally left blank. And Heath and Sam Mitchell of Rainbow Home Reno (@rainbowhomereno) felt the same about the dining area in their 1920s home in Sydney, Australia.
The space faces the kitchen (two years ago I wrote about how that room’s transformation absolutely stunned me, but the dining nook’s upgrade might just top it).
The Flower Decal Stained Glass Could Stay, but Everything Else Had to Change
“It had orange walls with dark timber paneling and a cream ceiling with rainbow-painted flower decals,” the homeowners explained. “It felt like a waste of space, so we wanted to do something that made it more usable and inviting.”
Paint Was a Key Factor in the Makeover
What impresses me most about the makeover is how well it complements the kitchen. When the kitchen got a makeover, there was already a white backsplash, but it felt much darker because of the dark wood cabinets.
To brighten the room, the couple painted the upper cabinets white, and it now looks like an entirely different space. Paint was a key factor in the dining room makeover, too.
Since the Stained Glass Was Staying, Paint Helped It Stand Out and Flow with the New Kitchen
Initially, the orange walls and dark wood paneling made the space feel dull and, in my opinion, actually took away from the gorgeous stained glass windows — a feature that also carries into the kitchen.
A few coats of Dulux’s “Vivid White” instantly brightened the room and let the stained glass speak for itself. The white paint not only helped the room flow with the kitchen, but also served as a blank slate that let the new DIY dining nook bench with brown upholstery shine.
The Space Didn’t Need a Full Renovation to Feel Brand-New
The dining room’s dramatic transformation, thanks to a few coats of crisp white paint, is proof that you don’t have to completely overhaul a space to make your home flow better and feel brand-new. To see more of this wonderful home, visit the full house tour.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: “It Felt Like a Waste of Space”: How a Couple Transformed Their Dated Dining Nook Into the Most Beautiful Room
