Freshening up our Dining Nook Part 1.

You know the classic story, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, well... the same could be said if you give a designer a new light fixture. That is definitely what set this whole idea off in my head... just swapping out a little light fixture in our dining nook. I fell in love hard and fast with the light fixture that we found in Waco last may, more on that here, but ever since them I have been craving to freshen up this space even more.

The new light fixture is so special to me there is no way that I was going to install it. I didn't even trust my husband! I had a professional come out and install it so that I knew it was hung properly and wasn't going to spark up when we switched it on. The last thing we really wanted was any electrical issues, especially when it could send your electrical bill skyrocketing. A friend of mine had this happen to her a while ago, and in the end, she went searching for online reviews similar to these Direct Energy reviews to find a new energy provider so she could make her bills a little more manageable. This is why I would always recommend having a professional come and do any electrical work anyway, it's just so much safer than trying to do a DIY job. If you're considering a new light fitting, or any other electrical work, click here to go to Safe and Sound Electric where you can find a suitable electrician if you don't have one already.

I am always so mindful when choosing things because I can look back on design projects from 5 years ago, and the spaces still feel like they are right on trend. Classic shapes and finishes are the key to being able to get the timeless feel. I did really like our dining nook, but just felt like it wanted more texture. I love the shape of my dining table, but the chairs I had were, perhaps, made smaller than average human size, and my 6'3 husband didn't fully appreciate them. Those were definitely on the top of my list to change. So, I consulted one of my favorite online furniture sources to see what was out there to spruce things up.

I know I wanted a classic shaped chair, one that feels on trend, but still timeless. I found a lot of great options, such as these Discounted black & white dining chairs, but I loved the idea of mixing materials and finishes that would contrast with my white painted table. The other thing that was on my list to change was the rectangular area rug, I love the rug we had (find it here), but the design student in me itched a little every time I saw the rectangle rug under a round table, because I had it pounded into my brain for 4 years that it was not okay.

I browsed for a long time, but was able to narrow my choices down to these guys.