A Summer Transformation

This time last summer, our dining room looked like this:

It was dark, it was moody, it was elegant, it was....hardly ever used. The white chair cushions made it impractical for everyday dining, and on formal occasions when guests were joining us it rarely provided enough room for everyone to squeeze in. We usually preferred to dine in the kitchen where the table would seat eight with the leaf in, and cleanup was a snap.

So I begged. I pleaded. I argued. I rationalized. And finally I convinced my husband that our neglected dining room would much better serve our family as a bright and happy playroom! So after much creativity and hard work, by the end of the summer it looked like this:

See how happy the kiddos are playing in there?

Well, it was quite the transformation, but it was done on a budget, and over the next week or two (or three, depending on how often I get around to posting) I will share how we did it without breaking the bank.

I am delighted to report that this room is now used and enjoyed by all members of our family, and it is one of my favorite rooms in the house thanks to the bright cheerful colors and clean finishes. The main thing I learned in doing this transformation is that you have to make the space you have work for you. My husband was so ingrained with the idea that we HAD to have a dining room, and it took a lot of persuasion to get him to realize that a dining room just wasn't working with our lifestyle right now. I felt like the square footage in that room was just dead weight that wasn't serving our family. So we cut ties with the idea of a dining room (for now) and created a fun, functional space that serves our needs.

Is there a space in your house that isn't serving your family? How can you transform it to reflect your needs and wants without spending a lot of money? Leave a comment and share!