Casual Dining
I am not a fan of unused spaces in homes. I have never understood why a bigger home equals a better home in most people's minds. I like the idea of the entire home being the actual living space for myself and my family.
Other than one person in particular, we are all introverts that need to keep our time in the outside world to a minimum. Actually, even our token extrovert, can be quite the homebody. It would be more than safe to guess that we spend significantly more time in our home than the average family. Yet, we don't feel the need to live in our own mini version of Downton Abbey. We spend our days comfortably living in all of our spaces. Each one has a very specific and useful purpose. If I find that a room is not being used, I will waste no time in changing its purpose.
As with most Cape Cods, ours came with a formal dining room. At first, I wasn't sure if we would actually use this space as it was intended. We are not the formal type that dress for dinner, and unlike HGTV viewers, we rarely entertain. I decided to wait a few months before painting and furnishing this space in order to see how it would best be used in our day to day living. As it turns out, we in fact did need it as a dining space. Due to a previous remodel, our kitchen eating area felt a bit too cozy.
In light of the fact that we did not have a wait staff serving our dinner each night, I decided that our dining room needed to be a casual family space. In the end, I believe that I somehow managed to achieve an area that could be used to host an occasional formally dressed wayward stranger or two and family pancake dinner night.
As you peruse my newest transformation, please know that on any given night of the week you will find the LeBlanc's comfortably and casually seated around the 20 year old pine table. Some nights we will be laughing and recapping our days, on others there will be a silence brought on by a day of too much extroverting (a brilliant term borrowed from my friend, Lori) Regardless, we will be in there enjoying a little casual dining.
Then
And, Now
Different Prospect
Close up of Two of My Favorite Pacific Northwest Wines
New View From the Finished Living Room
The Last of My Hydrangeas for The Season