Dining Room Accessories: 3 Updates That Make a Huge Difference
In this post: Dining room accessories can make all the difference in the world when updating your room. These 3 new items I’ve added make a huge impact.⇒
Sometimes I think I’ve been talking about my design projects for so long, that by the time I post them they’re already old news.
But maybe that’s just because I’ve been tripping over the items for some time, waiting for them to be installed or hung.
Or also because I do preview in-progress things on my Instagram stories. So if you follow me there, you may have seen a few of these updates, peeking out of boxes, stashed on a work table, or waiting for me to go out and buy bulbs.
But I’m getting ahead of myself…
A while ago, I posted the first update to my dining room decor. It was a pretty big departure from the previous style, even though I didn’t buy any new furniture. It was all done with dining room accessories and I began the switch from colorful florals to a bit more sophisticated and vintage inspired, with lots of patina and my favorite design elements.
At the time I mentioned that was only phase one and that pretty soon I’d have more to reveal. In this post, I have 3 new updates to the room to share with you, that bring me another step closer to the final room I envision.
(The room has since been updated further, but I continue to share this post so you can see the interim process. These 3 updates are still an important part of the current space.)
Dining Room Accessories
The first of the three is this beautiful pair of sconces. They’re bigger and bolder than the plate racks I had here before, but more importantly, they impart that wonderful rusty chipped patina that I’m crazy about.
(See resource list at the bottom of the post.)
Yes, I know the candles are missing. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted them, but I’ve decided to go with slim tapers because I don’t want bulky candles to take away from the look of the sconces. Once I find the exact right ones, rest assured they’ll be added.
The second thing I added maybe can’t really be called an accessory, although since I only bought two, I perceive them as just that. Of course I’m talking about the gilded French arm chairs.
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I’ve wanted chairs like this since… well, as far back as I can remember. They’re vintage with a chipped gilt finish on the oval cane back with carved embellished edging. This could be one of my very favorite purchases. They add just the right note of golden goodness, without getting too flashy trashy.
Yep, I’m smitten!!
Purchase number three is something I’ve been wanting for a while. In fact since the day we moved into our home! I’ve been looking for a crystal chandelier for this room and I finally found one that worked perfectly for my vision.
(Ok, truth be told, I want a crystal chandy in *every* room… ;-)).
This, too, is vintage and it needed some re-wiring, but fortunately the place I bought it from was able to do the work. The crystal drops are truly magnificent and to ensure they stayed in tact, the seller actually drove it to my house from 2 hours away!
For an average weekday without a colorful table setting, I like to fill the dough bowl with just a hint of color. White tulips are a charming solution and the barely-there pink hyacinths add fragrance and beauty.
There will be a phase three coming, but I can’t say how soon, as it comprises 3 more pretty significant changes to our dining room accessories and decor. You probably can guess what at least one or two of them are.
(You can see Phase 3 of our dining room update HERE.)
In the mean time, I’m enjoying the current updates. We took the opportunity, when hanging the chandelier, to install dimmers all over the house. As much as I love brilliant light, I also love to set a mood when entertaining here.
If you don’t want to wait to see the next round completed, keep checking Instagram for the latest on what I’m working on!
More Dining Room Decor
- Old School to Modern: The Evolution of a French Country Dining Room
- How I Transformed My Dining Room without Replacing the Furniture
- Dining Room Accessories: 3 Updates That Make a Huge Difference
- Elegant Dining Rooms: Refining an Existing Space
- Dining Room Storage: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Tableware
Resource Guide
To get the look, click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
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Beautiful, as always. What a sweet way to decorate the bread bowl.
BTW: are the flowers real or faux?
Thanks, deb! The flowers are real. The base is dried eucalyptus and lavender, so I just placed fresh tulips and hyacinth on top.
The chairs are stunning Lory and all that you added are the perfect touches for your style!
Thanks, Janet!
So beautiful – I love your dough bowl and the flowers
Have a wonderful day
Much love,
Rose
Thanks so much, Rose! It’s fun filling it with flowers… 🙂
Love your chandelier and the sconces! The black accents on your chandelier are wonderful! Coincidentally, I just installed a crystal chandelier in our dining room after decades of a brass Williamsburg-style piece and I love it! It magnifies the light day or night and it’s the perfect counterpoint to my pine farm table. I’m now on a mission to add linen slips to the chairs. Thanks as always for your inspiration.
My pleasure, Janet!! Yeah, I’m a big crystal fan, especially vintage… 🙂 Eventually I hope to have some in every room!!
Oh wow, Lory! Those chairs!!!!!!!! Now I need a moment of quiet contemplation, and get my breath back!
Ginger
Haha, Ginger! That’s funny, although that’s how I reacted when I first saw them, too… 😉
Love all the new elements in your room, especially the chairs! I love gilded furniture!
Thanks, Angelina! Yes, I’m really into gilding too. I’d love to learn how to do it myself some day… 🙂
Love this- it is beautiful. the brown cabinet will be nice painted and I am starting to see why you want to do simple drapes as those (pretty ones) are starting to be out of balance.
Thanks, Jillian, and exactly! Even though I still love them, they don’t fit in. I definitely won’t get rid of them, though, because they will be perfect for something else some day.. 😉
Lory-Love, Love, Love the gilded chairs ! They add the crowning touch to the Dining Room table. The sconces are beautiful aslo with your mirror and look wonderful with the crystal candelabra on the server-just right, not too busy.
Ok, I am waiting now for the Tapestry Beige walls, linen panels and did I miss the blog about the China Cabinet ?! 🙁 It is beautiful and I can’t wait to have mine finished. I ordered my gold mirror and it arrived today I can’t wait to hang it, but may wait until the room is finished !!
Those chairs are so beautiful-great find and the chandelier is GORGEOUS ! I get so excited watching your changes 🙂
Thanks so much, Kathy! And you are totally spot on about what’s next. One other thing you didn’t mention and I’ll leave that as a surprise (especially since it’s not going to be right away), but already selected the panels, thinking about the paint for pretty much every room, and the cabinet will be my first painting project once I get up the nerve. Maybe over the summer… 🙂 Would love to see you room when it’s done, too!
The chandelier reminds me of one my parents had without the black. I love this one. The black adds so much.
Thanks, Elizabeth! I’m so glad everyone likes the black because I did hesitate because of that. Not that I didn’t like it, but was afraid it was too similar to the candelabra on the sideboard. Didn’t want it to look too match-matchy.
Love the chandelier!!!! I would love to know where the black “candles” with the gold drips can be found, if you know.
Thank you and they came with the chandelier.
OMG I love the cane back chairs. You didn’t give a source for them. And the chandelier is beyond fabulous. I’ve never seen the black faux candles before and love them. Please tell me where the chairs came from.
Thanks, Ann! The chairs are vintage, so I found them on ebay. I can link to similar ones, but these were one offs because they’re not new.
I’m actually thinking about starting a new series where I link to antique finds that I like. The problem is, once someone buys them they’re gone. But my readers seem to like antiques and might like seeing them curated here on the blog. Be on the lookout for that… 🙂
A beautiful room…I especially love the builder chairs!
Thanks, Dianne!
Lory, it is always so thrilling to see your transitions. I love it all, and can’t wait to see how it looks with the new draperies! Would you mind disclosing from which company you purchased your gorgeous chandelier? I’m looking for one similar for my dil and son. I just purchase two French birdcage vintage chandys for our home. The company owners are a sheer delight to work with. Their company is called Unique Light Concept, and can be found on e-Bay, incase anyone is looking for a premier lighting company. Unfortunately, they don’t have a chandy like yours at the moment, so any help would really be appreciated. Hugs!
Thanks so much, Bobbi! The chandy is antique, so I just found it on ebay. I am thinking of starting a series where I post links to some favorite antiques available online, but won’t be starting that for a few weeks. If people are interested, I’ll continue it… 🙂
I’m loving the new additions looking forward to the third.
Thank you! I got a bit sidetracked with other projects, but the third update will still be coming shortly… 🙂
Wow!!! Wow!!!! I love your decor and thank you for sharing
Lory! I just purchased some similar candle sconces for my formal living room- I love them. I am planning a few big changes in there after the holidays and those were the first things I purchased.
Really love what you did with the space! I am so saving this for future reference and when I redesign my own home.
Thank you!!
I love your floral drapes. Are those new? Also the lighting makes your walls look they are tinted pink. It’s lovely. What is the actual paint color in there?
Hey Lory ~ This post is just what I needed to give me the confidence to have a few dark wood pieces in my dinning room painted. Can you please share the brand of paint and colors you used on your taupe cabinet and creamy white storage cabinets? I LOVE them! And of course the chairs too!!!
Yes, of course! Here’s the link to the paint: rbeemster.postaffiliatepro.com/scripts/uuol1c?a_aid=45
But also you can read these two posts about those 2 pieces I painted:
https://designthusiasm.com/white-chalk-paint-vintage-sideboard/
https://designthusiasm.com/diy-chalk-painted-china-cabinet/
Hope that helps!!