I really should be showering right now, but the dining room and living room were clean so I decided to take advantage and do post 3 on the house renovation. I took this picture above of our china in our china cabinet while snapping a few pictures of the room and thought it was very fitting to precede the dining room post. Justin made our china selection all on his own… not bad for a guy! I think he liked it because there were dogs, horses and guns on it! What a great compromise for china that both men and women will dine from!
These two rooms are directly off the kitchen and family room. Here are the before pictures…

If you turn around 180 degrees you’ll see the living room
(lovely butterfly wallpaper is accented on the foyer wall too)

Originally the only entrances into these two rooms were from the kitchen or the foyer but thanks to my husband’s handiwork we opened up the wall 9′ between the LR and FR for a better flow.
progress (you’ll see that terazzo in the FR that almost caused a divorce) 🙂
We removed the foil wall paper, the white carpet, the vertical blinds and the dated curtains. We added a little paint (Benjamin Moore: Camoflage) to the walls and wood floors. My sister donated to the cause a gorgeous antique light fixture that she bought on ebay for $16. The Lamp Man himself had to rewire this one, as it was a tad too tricky for a novice like me. The the furniture in the LR and the mirror and light fixture in the foyer all came from that same antique mall that I love and ironically all from that same booth! The rug in the foyer came from AAA Freight Salvage house…. it was brand new and 100% wool and the best part $50. The blinds throughout the house I bought on blinds.com and the curtains came from none other than JcPenney and the curtain rods from Home Depot. I think that covers it. So, here it is now… I took many more “after” pictures; the before were taken when we were just “looking” at the house so I unfortunately didn’t get every single angle!
The end…
Tegan
March 7, 2008 at 2:46 pmOnce again…..beautiful!!!! Everything is just amazing and I’m so proud of the work you all did! I love your round dining room table….Dave wants a round dining room table…he’s big on everyone being able to see each other and talk. I love them too! BUT, I am thankful for the hand-me-down dining room table and hutch from his parents! One day Dave will get his dream old antique round dining room table!
the brown's
March 7, 2008 at 4:09 pmit all looks so beautiful!
…and i happen to like justin’s china selection…it’s our everyday china too!! so true, great for men and women…and easy to add to. i have added plates and bowls from anthropologie that work well with it!!
everything looks amazing…like a completely different house!
erika
March 7, 2008 at 4:54 pmyou are such a rockstar! i love it. measure the inside of your camel back sofa (arm to arm) and i’ll get you some cool bolsters to go in it. have you ordered a rug yet? it looks SO amazing! you should submit picts to Renovation Style.
xoxo
msis
Robin
March 7, 2008 at 5:21 pmIt is so pretty. What kind of plant is that growing on your table? I need one like that. Robin
Caroline
March 7, 2008 at 5:56 pmI dont know how you could even see past all of that shiny wallpaper! I love seeing these Before & Afters!
Katie and Matt
March 7, 2008 at 6:32 pmamazing!! isn’t it so rewarding that you did it all yourself?!?! and i’m loving the china…that’s what we eat on every night! i get so excited to see all these before and after pics! way to go!
Tara McClendon
March 7, 2008 at 6:51 pmI’m loving this before and after segment you’re doing! I’m waiting (impatiently) for the girls’ rooms…will you do that one next?? We’re possibly coming to Dothan in the next couple of weeks so we should plan to get together. For real this time! HA!
Mitzi
March 8, 2008 at 1:58 pmI am blown away!!! Beautiful. Will call and get by this week. The black china cabinet is my favorite. It shows your china and makes such a “statement”-
love,
Mitzi
Anonymous
March 8, 2008 at 5:14 pmIt really is remarkable what y’all have done!! I LOVE reading the before and afters and the way you write it – makes it sound like no problem at all 🙂
Love the Peeps Wreath, too!! So cute!!
Ashley, E and I (and husbands) went to dinner last night – wish you could have joined us!! 🙂
-Allyson
Blair
March 9, 2008 at 6:05 pmDarby, I just love reading your blog now and then (and your sisters now too!)…you’re home renovations are incredible, well done! I’m doing a minor revamp of my apartment in Boston as well, and while it’s not nearly as big as your projects, I can only imagine how much work you and Justin put into it all (and still managed to be incredible parents from what it looks like!). xoxo, blair
Abby Maddox
March 12, 2008 at 1:17 pmIn all seriousness, if we ever have any money, can I pay you to help me decorate our house.
Dena
March 12, 2008 at 7:03 pmcould your house be any awesomer – is that a word? i love love love it!
the china rocks! i may have chosen to keep the “vintage” wallpaper and center the motif around it but to each their own!
everything looks fantastic! when it’s time to do some update i am calling y’all!
simply seleta
March 22, 2008 at 9:38 pmAll I can say is wow, well done. So elegant and classic. My only question is, “how is your home so clean?” Never ever look at my house. We always have a toy or two dotted around somewhere.
the woolzinators
March 24, 2008 at 1:43 pmhi! i know you don’t know me…i stumbled across your blog through friends of friends of friends! i wanted to tell you that i think your black paisley/floral chairs (and the rest of your house) are beautiful! …i have a sofa in the same exact fabric! i’ve never seen it anywhere else until now! 🙂
and i love the recipe thing you’re doing!
cm photography.
February 19, 2009 at 3:27 pmHey Darby,
I noticed the painted fireplace/brick that you have in your before/after. Do you have any advice about taking that task on? My fireplace is sucking the life out of my LR.
P.S. Can you call my paint-phobic husband and convince him of this idea?!
Esther
May 9, 2009 at 5:25 pmHi, I’m new to your blog and let’s just say my jaw is on the ground at the moment looking at your before and after photos. I have never seen such a transformation. You would NEVER guess that they are the same rooms. I have to show my husband. Maybe he’ll get inspired too!
Erin
September 25, 2009 at 12:55 pmI just love your wood floors. Did you do them yourselves? Can you provide any details on that? We’re in the process of picking ours but can’t decide if it’s a DIY project or best left to professionals.
Emily@remodelingthislife
December 11, 2009 at 8:37 pmOkay you are going to think I am a blog stalker now, but I had to laugh that looking through these, my 2 year old just said “that’s our house!” um, nope. but it sure was as ugly before as ours was 🙂
Angela
January 7, 2010 at 10:45 pmDarby–
Any suggestions for places to shop for table lamps? We’re decorating our living room and I’m having a hard time finding cute table lamps for a reasonable price, and I like your table lamps. Any thoughts? Thanks 🙂
Tara
May 14, 2010 at 7:18 amHey! Hope you’re having a great day! I love you site and your sisters! Have a decorating ? for you…. Can you tell me what color your trim paint is with your camouflage paint in the living room? Also where did you get your pinch pleat panels? Did you order them or are they custom? Thanks and have a blessed day! Tara
Elizabeth Luckett
December 18, 2010 at 3:52 pmHello! I LOVE your blog…LOVE your sisters…
Y’all are truly precious, precious people!
but…;) How, HOW could you have torn down down that wallpaper! It looked straight out of the last five seasons of Osborne and Little!
(please take this as the warm hearted teasing in which it was intended…I hate haters)
JAW3
February 2, 2011 at 9:42 pmHi Darcy!
I love your blog! I especially love looking at your remodels. I am really interested in the brown (or black) floral fabric that you used on your wingback chairs. Can you tell me the name of it and where you got it? Thank you!
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