Hi everyone! Today I am sharing our coastal cottage dining room makeover that was a long time coming but it’s finally finished. It’s full of DIY projects ranging from the reupholstered chairs, board and batten wall treatments and the old hutch makeover. My grandmother gave me this hutch over 15 years ago and she wasn’t impressed at first when I decided to paint it white but she loves it now.
photos courtesy of Woman’s Day Magazine
I don’t know about you, but our dining room is  part of our kitchen and really serves as a multipurpose room. We eat, surf the net, build legos and do arts and crafts. No formal looking dining room under this roof! The room before was fine, it just needed some pizzaz and character. The curtains were my first sewing project last summer and for a lack of a better place to hang them, I hung them in the dining room with these chairs. I know, they don’t exactly go together.
Before:
I wanted a room that was fun, bright, cheery, cozy, comfy with a touch of coastal cottage flair. It needed to tie in and coordinate with the planked walls we just added in our family room.
So I decided to add board and batten to the walls in an effort to add some texture and visual appeal to the plain boring walls. You can view my DIY board and batten tutorial to see exactly how I did it.
During:
During this entire process I knew I wanted something bold, fun and a little “out of the box”. I wanted to take a risk and really mix and match the upholstery fabric and the drapery fabric. However, I almost chickened out so I contacted my friend Darlene, who is the owner/designer of Fieldstone Hill Designs. If you don’t know her, check her out because she has so many reasonable e-design services and she helped me decide on the coordinating drapery fabric and wall color. So after painting the wall four times and finally deciding on a drapery swatch I loved, this is the rooms new look:
Can you believe we coordinated striped {sand & black indoor/outdoor} Sunbrella fabric with the bold flowered chair fabric? I would have never been so daring had I not had Darlene holding my hand through it all! I ordered the fabric (3 yards for each panel) and sewed the curtains. I have never used indoor/outdoor fabric inside for drapery but I am on board! The texture is fabulous and very easy to work with.
The top part of the wall is painted Cobblestone Cape May by Benjamin Moore. The lower part (the board & batten) is White Dove by BM.
This hutch was an old piece that was given to me by my grandparents that I recently overhauled with white paint, new shelving, hardware and trim. I love how my great grandmother’s blue willow china looks in it :). The hutch houses a mix of old and new. I have the baskets filled with our sons crafts and paint supplies. I added floating shelves to the wall below to add custom artwork done by my son and step daughters.
This side of the room needed some color so I gave the kids some paint supplies and a tarp and had them do some splatter painting. My great gram used this blue willow china at her camp on the lake as her everyday dishware so it is ironic that it is paired with kids art work and crafting items over 100 years later. I think she would be pleased 🙂
The two wingback chairs I reupholstered in Samoen Plantation fabric by Iman. I hope to have a tutorial on the “how I did it” soon. I am so clueless with the computer/video editing stuff that it is taking me forever to try and lighten the video.
I struggled with some of these photo’s because of the size of the windows and the sunlight. I really love when pictures have that blown out sun effect but sometimes it’s to much so I was struggling to find balance! I have to thank Kevin and Josh from Shoot Fly Shoot. I have taken their online photo workshop and also learned some tips from them while attending last weeks Haven Conference. When I returned home, I picked up a few suggestions and tried them on this room and am happy with how they turned out. They are by no means perfect but I am learning :).
Lastly, this is the view from our kitchen. Would you believe me if I told you there use to be a wall here? Last summer, before I started blogging, we tore down the wall and opened up the kitchen into the dining room. Had I known I would need a picture a year later for a little o’l thing called a blog, I would have snapped one :).
I will post a resource list soon. I will tell you though, this room makeover cost under $300.
I think our new open cottage dining room is much more inviting and has so much more character. Would you add board and batten to your wall? Be sure to also check out our other room makeover in our project gallery.
Here is a fun shot of me setting the table during the photo shoot.
Thank you so much for taking a peak at our coastal cottage dining room. It truly is the heart of our home along with our kitchen.
Jenna, SAS Interiors says
The transformation looks gorgeous Jessica – and I LOVE the striped panels with the floral fabric on the chairs. I also really like the collection of bottle on the table – simple, yet elegant. I have to get the guts to reupholster a chair someday – seems behind my abilities thought, lol… Beautiful space! -Jenna
Jessica says
Thanks Jenna for stopping by and leaving your sweet comment 🙂 Had I not done my first reupholster job on that crazy couch I cut in half, I may have never tried. I had no attachment to that couch in it’s prior life (before I cut it in half) so I didn’t care if I wrecked it. I think that is the key, reupholster your first time with a piece you don’t care about 🙂 I would have been scared out of my mind to staple into a piece I liked.
Naomi says
You did a fabulous job! As always-I enjoy reading your blog and following your latest accomplishments! I read yours and Rhoda’s blogs on regular basis and get my inspiration and courage to do my projects from them. So far, I’ve done Rhoda’s window shutters and board and battens (with a twist) and look forward to seeing your tutorial on board and battens as I will do my dining room with that as well 🙂 I wish I had a blog so I could show what I’ve done based on your projects!! Keep up the good work!
Jessica says
Hi Naomi, what a wonderful comment! You made me smile :). I know, Rhoda is so inspirational. Good luck with all your projects and glad we offer you inspiration and motivation 🙂
Maury @ Life on Mars says
Jessica! This is amazing. The finished look is amazing. I love the board and batten and those curtains are to die for!
It was so good to meet you at Haven! I’m so glad you came up and caught me. I’m only sad that I didn’t know you were there earlier! I’d have loved to chat for longer!
Jessica says
Thank you Maury! For some reason I didn’t think you were going to Haven and when they pulled your name for the drawing I almost yelled out, “Maury”! What are you doing here?! ha 🙂 I was so happy to meet you. It is so funny when you chat online and read blogs and then finally meet. Next time we will have to make a point prior to the conference to hook up for a bit. Have a great day!
Pam @ Simple Details says
It’s amazing, Jessica!! Love your fabric combination and the board and batten! Wonderful job with the photography, too, I need to pop over and figure that out!
Jessica says
Thank you Pam. I found their course to be fantastic. I made a light bulb go off in my head with regard to shooting in manual mode. Thanks for stopping by and your sweet comment 🙂
Kristy says
Oh Jessica! It’s wonderful 🙂 And YES I am totally doing board and batten in my house!! ♥
Jessica says
Yay Kristy! Thank you for your kind words 🙂 You must be one the funniest chics I met at Haven!
Lori @ Lori May Interiors says
Jessica, it looks sooo beautiful. You have to just love standing in the kitchen and staring at that space. You are an inspiration to those of us who are not very handy! I so wished I could have spent more time with you at Haven.
Have a great day!
Lori
Jessica says
Thank you Lori!This comment went into my spam and I have no clue why. Anyway, I know, I wish I could have hung out with you more ! Hopefully next time 🙂 Thanks for you sweet words and yes, I love looking at the room. Although, it’s a disaster now! ha.
Jennifer says
you knocked it out of the park again!! love it!
Jessica says
Thanks Jennifer!
Rita@thissortaoldlife says
Wow, what a transformation! There are so many things to admire in this room (and your great photos show it off well). I’m not planning any board and batten, but that’s just because I don’t think it fits with the vintage of our house. But it looks great in yours! Such a bright, clean space.
Jessica says
Thank you Rita! Yes, board and batten isn’t for everyone and I know what you mean. It would have not fit in my previous home. Glad you like the photos. I was a little worried about them 🙂
Pamela says
LaLaLOVE it!!!!! It’s SO amazing!
Jessica says
Thaaaaaankyou Pam 🙂
stephanie says
Love it…great job!..love your room you have too..
Jessica says
Thank you Stephanie!
Erin @ How to Nest for Less says
Jessica, this is absolutely FABULOUS!! I’m actually adding board & batten to my dining room this weekend and I’m so excited to get started, especially now that I’ve seen your wonderful transformation!! It was amazing meeting you in person at Haven! You’re too cool for words 😉
Jessica says
Thank you Erin! It was great to meet you also 🙂 Can’t wait to see your board and batten room. It is crazy how much character it has added to my dining room. You will love it!
Debbie~refreshrestyle says
It looks great! I love it. It was so fun to meet you at Haven! Let’s stay in touch 🙂
Debbie
Jessica says
Thanks Debbie and of course we will stay in touch! You are so easy going and fun! Loved hanging out with you and laughing. YOu made me feel very welcomed when I first met you guys in the lobby area on Wednesday. xo