**Please Note** The little brick cottage renovation project took place and was originally posted here in 2012! It was my first project I posted on as well. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see posts on this entire project.
The dining room my favorite room in the little brick cottage, (I think… although the back entry is a very close 2nd, and I have to admit that I love the kitchen, especially that window over the sink, and oh, those cubbies in the bathroom turned out really cute…)
So let’s just say, the dining room is one of my favorite rooms.
Here is the dining room looking from the living room we just finished showing you:
You can see in the dining room has the same maple flooring as the living room, which we found hiding under the carpet. And you can see that the dining room radiator got the same bronze treatment as the living room’s.
Wanna see a pic of the dining room before again? Well, sure you do!
This is the same arch doorway, only this view is from the dining room looking back into the living room. Below, you can see the striped orange flower wallpaper I peeled off and was totally surprised to find the antique wainscot hiding on the lower part of the walls! HERE you can read more about that day.
This pic shows the orange wallpaper off with the section of missing wainscot in the corner. We patched it with some we found in the kitchen.
Once it was patched, and a new chairrail top board was put on, you’d never know the section was missing.
And here, standing in the center of the dining room on the day we bought this little brick cottage in December, 2011, are the pair of tall windows hiding behind these very dusty gold draperies and sheers.
On this window wall, as well as the tall chimney you see on the right side of the windows, we did not find any antique wainscot hidden behind the wallpaper. So I had custom built-ins made installed. HERE you can read more about that and the kitchen cabinets.
This is the built-ins part way through being installed.
Below, is a pic taken after the old cracked, non-working windows were taken out, and new working windows and trim were put in.
I had the top height of the built-ins to coordinate with where the top of the chairrail would be. Here is the dining room being primed with the built-ins done, but the window seat tops and shelves are in the other room where I had them laid out to prime.
In this pic you see too the new electric, well at least you can see the new chandelier and take my word for the new electric.
But what to do with that chimney? Well I figured since it is a brick chimney and the outside of the house is brick, let’s celebrate that brick and bring it in. so….
Ta-da! A brick chimney! Here’s a closer look:
Ok, so it’s not ‘real’ brick, but red brick wallpaper. I love it! It seems so perfect and what a fun splash of unexpected-ness when you round the corner from the living room.
Here are the built-ins completed.
The tops lift off the window seats, for storage, and the display center shelves are adjustable. It’s hard to tell in this picture, but I painted the insides of the display shelves one step darker gray than the upper walls. (In fact, the built-ins insides are the same color as the beadboard in the front entry.)
Oh, and here’s that corner we patched in the antique beadboard with…can you tell? Nope!
The sizes of both the dining and living rooms are very comfortably generous for a small house. I love this sun-drenched dining room that’s filled with character and warmth. I love that you can’t tell what’s new or old, and that it has all been given a fresh breath of air.
As I continue to show you the finished cottage, I think we’ll visit the bedrooms next before we make our way to the bathroom and I can then show you just how cute those cubbies did turn out…
Thanks for stopping by. If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up and then you’ll be notified by email when there’s a new DIY post here at Simple Decorating Tips. Please feel free to follow and share this blog with your friends, as well as on Facebook, Pinterest, Flipboard, Bloglovin and YouTube, I appreciate you reading along.
Interested in more reading? HERE is the Blog Landing with the most recent posts.
Here are all the posts from 2012 showing the entire renovations projects on the little brick cottage:
th your friends, as well as on Facebook,Pinterest, Flipboard, Bloglovin, YouTube and now Instagram! I appreciate you reading along.
Sarah @ Alderberry Hill says
Thanks so much for linking to Make the Scene Monday…you are being featured later today!
Mrs. Delightful says
Amazing transformation! I love your color choice!
Mrs. Delightful
http://www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com
Katie @ On the Banks of Squaw Creek says
Wow, you are making that old house beautiful again! Love the built-ins and faux brick!
Shasta Farrar says
Wow, now that’s a room transformation! It looks completely different and oh, so much better. I think my favorite thing is the touch of brick. I can’t believe that is wall paper…it looks so real. GREAT job!
I’m hosting a linky party for room remodels and think yours would be perfect. I’d love for you to join us. Here’s the link:
http://intheoldroad.blogspot.com/2012/04/whats-your-favorite-room-linky-party.html
Shasta @ In The Old Road
Julie says
I love the brick wall paper!!! I think brick walls are so beautiful…I would love to have one. Thought of possibly doing a faux brick wall in our foyer, but seems over whelming and too much $. It all turned out so pretty! I’m your newest follower, found you via Stuff & Nonsense 🙂
Jenny says
I am in love with this redo! You did such a beautiful job! I featured you today!
http://daysofchalkandchocolate.blogspot.com/2012/04/fantastic-dining-room-redo.html
I can’t wait to see how the rest of the house turns out. You did a lovely job on the curvy bedroom too!
Sherry says
Beautiful! Thank you for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
Sherry
Allison @ House of Hepworths says
Holy cow, what a makeover! You should be very proud of your new room. Great job!
Kathy says
Oh, my! The transformation is just amazing! Love the chandelier and the colors chosen as well as the arched entries! Thank you for sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
Kathy
Bonnie and Trish @ Uncommon says
loved this! featured it tonight at our link party!! 😉
Jill ~ Jillify It says
WOW!! What a great room transformation! I would love for you to share it at my party going on now at Jillify It!
Jill
http://www.jillifyit.com
Amber says
Looks so great! I love the built-ins!
amber
sherry says
Oops, forgot to mention I’m now a follower and would love if you could follow me back. Thanks.
sherry says
Beautiful transformation and those floors are awesome!
kristin says
WOW! This is just gorgeous, I am just loving seeing this room come together. The brick is one of my favorite parts. Thanks for linkingup.
XO
Kristin
Lou Cinda says
Gorgeous!! And I LOVE the brick!!!
Lou Cinda 🙂
debbiedoos says
Really really beautiful job. I love the brick and the bead board. NICE color too. Thanks for sharing with the newbie party.
Jan McCormack says
What a great transformation, love all the light! Those floors and the beadboard really give it such a great touch! A job very well done! : )..
Comeca says
Gorgeous!
Trish @ Uncommon says
This is just so pretty! I love the exposed brick next to the lighter paint and trim. Just beautiful!
Take care,
Trish
Sarah @ Cozy.Cottage.Cute. says
Wow, what a transformation!!! The room is just beautiful now. So light and airy. 🙂
Linda at Beautiful Ideas says
I am so glad you are sharing this with us! I always enjoy seeing the steps that lead to such a lovely transformation. You’ve worked so hard and your labours are really paying off. What a beautiful, beautiful job! I can’t wait to see the rest… 🙂
Linda at Beautiful Ideas
Stuff and Nonsense says
what a spectacular space
you now have
after all that hard work
amazing how much bigger
and brighter it all looks
sans wallpaper and rugs
we too have removed
a ton of wallpaper in our old home
so i feel your pain!
thanks for sharing
at Fridays Unfolded
now following you via Facebook!
alison
Rosemary says
Beautiful. Love the brick.
Shannon @ aka design says
LOVE the brick corner!!!
lynn says
What an amazing transformation! It really is hard to tell where the old meets the new and you really fooled me with that “brick” wall. it adds an unexpected touch!
Shelia says
Wow! Your dining room is so beautiful! The floors are gorgeous and love the brick showing like that, the arches with the pocket doors! Just everything! 😉
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
jenn says
love it all, so glad your preserving the original as much as possible.
bythewayjenngray.blogspot.com
jenn says
love the built ins and that you are keeping as much original as you can.
bythewayjenngray.blogspot.com
Linda @ it all started with paint says
Oh I can see why this room is one of your favorites! And you worked seriously hard to get it so lovely …
🙂
Linda
Stacey says
This is gorgeous! Such a beautiful space!
I would love for you to stop over and link up to my party happening now!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Julie @ Inspired by You says
Wow! What a difference! Looks fantastic!
Diane says
Everything is absolutely terrific!
Martina says
WOW what a transformation!! GORGEOUS!
ronagregory says
Totally gorgeous! What a difference, I love the built ins by the windows, there’s something about window seats…I would love to have a window area that lent itself to having one. perhaps that’s because the house I grew up in my dad built one and it was my toy box underneath. I spent many happy hours playing with my toys and my faithful dog.
Can’t wait to see yours all finished and furnished! Oh and the bathroom…I need some inspiration for mine…it’s in desperate need of a makeover!
Anne says
I absolutely adore your dining room! Isn’t it amazing how wall-to-wall carpeting was embraced over hardwood floors??! Must be because nobody realized how disgusting it would become when all the dirt and sand went right through the carpet and stayed, no matter how clean you tried to be!! I will never live with it again!!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful space. That wallpaper looks pretty amazing, too. Love the window seats.
xox
Carolyn says
Absolutely gorgeous. Can you believe they used to cover up those floors? Crazy.
Cloches & Lavender says
I looks good, Like the chandelier.