Dining Room - Before and After Details

Recently, I showed you my dining room reveal, which was painted and updated in December. 

Like every room in my home, this one is not one hundred percent finished - I still have 10 chairs to paint or stain! And there's the after Christmas tweaking still to do.

Today, I'd like to show you several of the small projects that went into the room - before and after photos. Most everything in the room, except for the tables and hutch, is either from a thrift store, free, or I made it myself. 

A few of the decorative items were purchased new, but most were found and revised with paint and such.

The two iron and wood pieces on either side of the doorway to the den were purchased at a garage sale. I bought 4 of them for $5. They looked like this:

A coat of faux chalk paint made with plaster of Paris, a little distressing, and they add a bit of symmetry to the room.

The lamps I have had for over 10 years, and they came with traditional shades with beads on them. The crackle finish and the color are good, so I just wanted to update them with a new shade. 

I found these at Walmart. I bought one for $7 (when I went back to get another, they'd gone up to $10. You snooze, you lose.) 

I liked the drum shape, but the color was all wrong. So, I thought I might cover them with fabric. But, I was afraid the bold pattern would show through, so I decided to prime them with Rustoleum spray gray primer first. 

It looked almost like damask - tone on tone, shinier and matte. I liked it, so I didn't bother with fabric. I used the shade for a while, until I found the same shade, in a different pattern that matched my living room as is. I put the shade away to use on another lamp. In December, I tried the shade with the buffet lamp I had, and the scale was good. The lamps are made for the new style lamp - the harp sits under the bulb. The lamp has a traditional harp with a finial. I wanted to use the finial, so I decided to try the shade upside down. It worked! I've seen similar shades, so I decided it would work in a pinch. But, I wanted a different look - so I decided to see what a coat of Champagne Gold would look like on top of the gray primer. It was just the look I wanted, and the damask look was enhanced!  

Insides of the shades were sprayed with gold paint, too. 
Everything in the photo above was purchased at a thrift store, except the board the shelf is made from, and the lamp, which is over 10 years old from Dollar General.
The wire basket was found at a thrift store, looking like this:

The only thing needed was to cut the rickety bamboo off!

On the gallery wall, there are many revised items. The large item was a Christmas gift years ago. The medium sized gold frame to the right of it was purchased for a few dollars at Ross. Just to the right of that, inside a white frame, is a book mark from Ephesus - a gift from June and Robert from their recent trip there.

All other items were thrifted. I'll just show before and after photos of revised things - no words needed.

On the opposite wall - the hutch and cubby have several revised items as well.

Though there are still more mini updates, this post is pretty full, and it's getting late! You get the ideas: color unifies and someone else's junk might be your fabulous find!

Word for the Day:
John 1:30
This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

Linking With
Sunday
http://my1929charmerblog.com/	Sunday’s Best
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/	Creative Bloggers Party Hop
http://www.twiggstudios.com	Sunday Show-off Link Party
http://www.niftythriftythings.com/	Nifty Thrifty Sunday
http://southernhospitalityblog.com	Thrifty Treasures
Monday
http://betweennapsontheporch.net	Metamorphosis Monday
http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com	Mod Mix Monday
http://howtonestforless.com/	Just a party with my peeps!
http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com	Make it Pretty Monday
Tuesday
http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/	Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/	Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
http://www.cedarhill-ranch.com/	Cowgirl Up!
http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/	Cowgirl Up!
http://www.newhousenewhomenewlife.blogspot.com/	All Star Block Party
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/	Tuesday’s Treasures
http://www.elizabethandco.blogspot.com/	Be Inspired
http://creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com/	Twice Owned Tuesday
Wednesday
http://www.timewashed.com	Blissfully White Wednesday
http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com	Share the Love Wednesday
http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/	Primp Your Stuff Wed
http://savvysouthernstyle.net/	Wow Us Wednesday
http://www.notjustahousewife.net/	Penny Pinching Party
http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/	What’s it Wednesday
http://www.thethriftyhome.com/
Thursday
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/	Under $100 Link Party
http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/	Transformation Thursday
http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com/
http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/	Thursday Open House Party
http://www.the36thavenue.com/	Share Awesomeness Thursday
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/	Time Travel Thursday
http://frommyfrontporchtoyours.blogspot.com/	Treasure Hunt Thursday
http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com	Home and Garden Thursday
http://www.jannolson.blogspot.com/	Share Your Cup Thursday
http://katherinescorner.com/	Thursday Favorite Things
http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/	Suzy's House Party
Friday
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/	Feathered Nest Friday
http://redoux.blogspot.com/	Friday Redoux Link Party
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/	Frugal Friday
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/	Inspiration Friday
http://sassysites.blogspot.com/	Free For All Friday
http://homespunhappenings-tammy.blogspot.com	Rustic Restorations Weekend
http://www.jenniferrizzo.com/	Fabulously Creative Friday
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/	Frugalicious Friday
http://www.delicateconstruction.com/	Delicately Constructed Friday
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/	Flaunt it Friday
http://vintageinteriorblogs.blogspot.com/	Weekend
Saturday
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/	Saturday Nite Special
http://too-much-time.com	Get Schooled Saturday
http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/	Show and Tell Saturday