Let's get this farmhouse renovation started!

I've been in the middle of debate, to start renovating the pantry... or to start on the dining room.

I had planned to move from one end of the house to the next on the main level (excluding the kitchen, that will be last) with renovations. At the beginning of the year we took on the entry renovation. It is so nice to have one completed room in the house. It is perfect and I think Nathan might even say the same. :)

Here is our entry-mudroom-laundry room-cattle room etc. It still a work in progress.
 But, this room is perfectly Nathan and I and it is a space that is really for both of us.

If I went in that order, as I had planned, technically the pantry would be next, unless you consider that part of the Kitchen, in that case the dining room would be next.

So here is the reasoning I have settled with. This is a busy time of year for Nathan so any project I start, I would have to be able to do on my own, because Nathan has a lot on his plate. With the pantry, it would involve a little bit of demolition, some drywall and a new floor. That is why the pantry is ruled out for the next project in line. How could a room so small, take so much work.

This is an awful picture of the pantry and would you believe the pantry in actually organized and cleaned right now?
All our small appliances and new gadjets are on bottom and the top shelf has new items we'd like to keep in the box
and the middle shelf, has all the food items at an easy reach. Man is looks messy.

Stay tuned...I will be posting inspiration pictures for the pantry, very soon. It involves a stenciled wallpaper behind the shelves and possible a bright color on those shelves. We will see, we will see. :)

But back to the dining room. The project my mom and I will be tackling this weekend. Poor mother. Here is a picture of the dining room, I will add some more before and afters throughout and after the weekend.

Here is the messy dining room, wedding dress still hanging and all. Check out that awesome carpet!

So here it is...

Dining Room total to-do list

(If you do not understand why this gets bolded and underlined, you will soon discover...I LOVE LISTS!)

- Spackle and repair walls where nail holes are, old phone is and door knob hole.
- Paint walls a warm taupe-gray
- Paint ceiling a lighter version of wall (or darker possibly...hmm)
- Replace ceiling fan with an oil rubbed bronze/wrought iron fixture, that Nathan and I both like(there's the challenge.)
- Put back up restored window trim if fits, otherwise buy new.
- Remove carpet and replace with an engineered hardwood.
- Put up drapery rod in a matching finish to the light fixture.
- Find a large-scale pattern floor-length drapes for the window, like these from Target.

I would like to introduce a warmer color in the dining room drapery. Something like these Target Home - Farrah Fretwork Drapery Panels for $29.99 each. (54"x95")

Although, after seeing them in larger scale, it might be too busy and too much contrast for me. I'm pretty set on a pattern, like the fretwork, geometric or lattice style. Somehow, we'll probably end up with Nathan's favorite, blue or green. (Because secretly, I like those colors too.) Like these Target Classic Home Plaid Window Panels in Blue/Brown.

 I think these are very modern-country-farmhouse like. They would go great with our potential wall color.

Our potential paint color. A warm gray-taupe on the walls.

I want a Pottery Barn-Restoration Hardware-esque room. Here is the vibe I looking for.

Photo courtesy of HGTV.com

Designer Sarah Richardson's Dining Room.

I want something Nathan feels comfortable in, with some dark woods and metals and neutral wall color and something I can express myself in, like through a colorful-patterned drapery.

I hope to have more dinner parties in our dining room and I want it to be a place to be enjoyed by men, women, families, and friends.

Can't wait to share the in-progress pictures from the weekend!