Tim and I bought our first house 2 ½ years ago right out of college.We had a dream to flip a house, but it turns out this old cottage and all its quirks has wiggled its way into our hearts and has become our home.Instead of keeping things generic, which is the general rule of flipping, we have added our own unique and personal touches to EVERY room.Oops, I guess if we ever sell, we will have to adjust a few things. J
One spot that I really love is our dining room!Here is what it looked like when we bought the house.
BEFORE (it’s through the door)
We wanted to open things up, so we took out the wall (which we did all on our own I might add!!!)No extra manpower needed!!!We also moved the kitchen, which you barely see in the picture.
AFTER
We wanted to have a focal point and the faux fireplace provides just that.Because it only sticks out about 6 inches from the wall, it doesn’t interfere with the walkway.We’re all about working on a budget here at Made 2 Create, so we used pea gravel above the mantle for an inexpensive alternative to stone.I love the texture it adds.We also proudly display the mantra we live by on a piece of custom artwork made by yours truly.“DO WHAT YOU LOVE!!!!!”
For symbolism (of what we love) we display an architectural model and plans around the hearth.
As a fireplace “screen” of sorts, I used some metal wire and upholstery tacks.I love how it resembles a corset.And if you are wondering why you can see a reflection in this picture, it’s because the fireplace inset is lined with a mirror.
On the opposite side of the room, we had an off-centered window to deal with.A wall of fabric fixed the problem and added softness to the space.
By adding some more DIY artwork- like this EYE CHART ART and CHARGER MIRROR we made sure this wall didn’t feel neglected.
The furniture filling the space ALL came from garage sales.I refinished the $7 dining table and added some glazing, made a $5 coffee table become bench seating, and reupholstered the two armchairs (that cost me $5 each).They used to look like this.
Finally I needed a light fixture that would really make a statement.Old canning jars were not only economical, they were perfect for the personality of our cozy 75 year old cottage.
A couple more pics. . .
TOTAL dough dished out: $485- Not to bad when you’re starting from scratch!
i love the second to last picture with the beautiful chairs and purple pillows that really pop!
What a cool space! I love your light fixture and floor mirror. I’ve never seen that in a dining room before!
you hit it out of the park on this one! it doesn’t look like you only spent 400+ dollars on it, which is quite the feat!
I think I am in love! I totally saw this at Brooklin LImestone and was in love with the light fixture, among other things then, and it is better now!! I will be emailing you soon!
Cassity
I love the chandelier-I haven’t seen this before. Very impressive. I found you through Remodeholic’s blog. I am so glad I stopped by!
just found you from Remodelaholic’s blog. The chandelier is fantastic. Is there a how-to anywhere… off to read further now 😉
I definetly need a tutorial on how to make the chandelier…. I have a house that we are about ot move into. This would be perfect for it!
Hey Ladies,
In fact there is a how-to for this chandelier. Just type mason jar chandelier into the search button here on the blog. It is quite a process, but totally worth it! I also sell them if you aren’t up to the task! 🙂
how did you make that “Do What You Love” artwork? I love it!