Charcoal Grey Dining Room

Why is it that the dining room is often last on the list? I do entertain pretty much once a week, but we were still living with a very unfinished room.

It all came to a head when I hosted a dinner party for 12 and with no soft surfaces in the room, it was incredibly loud. Then we had Thanksgiving brunch for 14. Loud. Fun, relaxing and awesome, but loud.  Then Thanksgiving dinner for 14. Different group. Also fun and relaxing, but loud. An aside- I am now officially in charge of hosting Thanksgivings since even though I had a 3 week old baby it was the best version of that holiday I have ever had. I think it's the house.

So, I started hunting for upholstered chairs. And in the same breath I also started looking for upholstery sealer. Duh. It's because I have kids. So when I found a million reviews for Marine Formula 303, I knew I could do it. That's the stuff they use to waterproof boats and outdoor furniture, it can totally hold up to my kids. So I discovered the chairs. These lovely striped Becca chairs from O.co.

The chairs are incredibly comfortable, and they work well with the rug.

The rug is also from O.co (formerly Overstock). I love buying rugs from them since shipping is either free or $2.99, you can't beat that for such a huge (heavy) purchase. I am less in love with the rug, but I figure for less than $400, when it gets too gross, I'll just turn it into a play area rug and get a new one.

Now may I present to you, our dining room in all of it's current glory. 

View from the kitchen. You can see all about that shrine to white cabinets and marble here.

View from the living room.

The doors between the kitchen and dining room close off. I'm in love with the circle design!

I was having people over anyway, that's why I set the table.

I'm so happy with how the beamed ceiling turned out.

Lights also from O.co, I'm sensing a theme. Table from Ikea. Which rocks, since I can clean it with a Clorox wipe (hello children!) and it extends to seat the aforementioned 14 people for Thanksgiving. 

We are still negotiating on art for the four large blank walls. I might try my hand at painting something myself, stay tuned!

I link to these awesome parties:

Sunday: I Heart Naptime, Nifty Thrifty Things, Inspired Honeybee, Nest for Less Monday:Between Naps on the Porch, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Thrifty Decor Chick, Alderberry Hill, Debbie Doo's, Home Stories A to Z, Home Savvy AtoZ , Delectable Home Tuesday: Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Carolyn's Homework, Made in a Day, Our Delightful Home, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Get Your Craft On, Kurtz Corner Wednesday: Savvy Southern Style, Mommy Solutions, Power of Paint, Newlyweds Recipe Linky, It's Overflowing, Southern Lovely Thursday: The Shabby Creek Cottage, Made in a Day, House of Hepworths, the 36th Avenue , Bloggeritaville Craft, Scrappy, Happy, 52 MantelsFriday: Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, The Shabby Nest, Thirty Handmade Days, Addicted 2 Decorating, Funky Junk Interiors, Financial Friday, Furniture Friday, At the Picket Fence, The Rooster and the Hen