Project Diary #16 – Efficiency Apartment Dining Area & Coffee Bar

Featured

“Thyme” for another reveal! Squeezing in a dining area and coffee bar in an efficiency apartment can be a challenge! But a round counter heigh table, mix of bar stools and a coffee station/microwave cart fit perfectly tucked away in a corner of the room. 

Before…

Shaw Monterrey Grandview hardwood floors

After…

apartment dining nook

Before…

old floor with fireplace

After…

apartment dining nook

Before:

DIY craft studio // workshop - before room makeover @diyshowoff

After: A sneak peek of the kitchen too! See the full kitchen before and after reveal tomorrow!

apartment dining nook

I initially wanted a smaller table but kept coming back to this beauty. The size is a little bigger than I wanted but I was determined to make it work. 

And I originally thought I’d put the microwave and coffee maker on the kitchen counter but the gorgeous quartz kitchen counter was a splurge and once it was installed, there was no way I wanted to clutter it up. My Mr. DIY recommended a microwave cart and after a lot of online searching and shopping, I found one that fit perfectly behind the pantry closet door/short wall on the other side of the kitchen cabinets. Perfect solution!

coffee bar microwave stationapartment dining nook

And since the efficiency apartment sleeps 6, the addition of the pub/console bar behind the couch with barstools not only functions as a work station, but additional seating for dining as a breakfast bar. Perfect, right? 

breakfast bar console table with usb port

Looking from the bedroom doorway: 

apartment dining nook

Share your thoughts! 

What do you think? I mixed up the barstools that went with the breakfast bar with the seating I bought for the dining room table since the space is compact. I love the eclectic mix and how it all worked out. The leather barstools are my absolute favorite! That color and shape are perfect! 

Next up:

A gorgeous compact modern kitchen reveal! 

More about #helloredreno

The building has so much historical charm. It’s about one block from our town’s Main Street. The bus stop is literally steps away. There’s a gorgeous Butler, PA Bed & Biscotti across the street called Suite Retreat (how cute is that?!) and an antique shop nearby. There are breweries, the YMCA, shops, restaurants, salons, florists, candy/coffee shop, holiday parades and festivals within walking distance. So fun! If renovation from blah to ahhhhh is your thing, stay tuned!

So subscribe and be reminded of updates as the renovations progress! I’ll share before and after photos, projects underway and updates, plans and design boards, sources and links as they relate as well as fun events going on in and around the downtown area. I’ll be using a specific hashtag on social media to keep things all neat and tidy and organized.

#helloredreno and #suitethyme

I welcome your thoughts and ideas! And as always, thanks for your encouragement and support and for sharing in my joy and vision! 

The #helloredreno project diary:

Project Diary Entry #1 – Hello Red Reno!

Project Diary Entry #2 – Efficiency Apartment

Project Diary Entry #3 Color Passive Paint

Project Diary Entry #4 – Full Bathroom Demo Day

Project Diary Entry #5 – Sealing A Wood Plank / Shiplap Wall

Project Diary Entry #6: Bathroom Flooring

Project Diary Entry #7: Sealing Brick

Project Diary #8: Hardwood Floors

Project Diary #9: Carpeted Stairs

Project Diary #10 Vinyl Floor Tiles

Project Diary #11 – Living Room Before & After

Project Diary #12 – Christmas at the Studio

Project Diary #13 – Wallpaper Mural

Project Diary #14 – Entryway, Stairs & Landing Before & After

Project Diary #15 – Apartment Living Room Before & After Reveal

Project Diary #16 – Dining Nook & Coffee Bar

 

Color Lovers {10 Bloggers 10 Room Makeovers} – Dining Room Refresh

Color Lovers Blog Tour: Welcome, color loving friends! I’m so happy you’re here! The time has come! The day we’ve all been waiting for! Can’t wait to see – 10 bloggers, 10 room makeover reveals as a part of the Color Lovers series! Here’s one of them on the tour. My dining room from blah to ta-da! Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

Let’s take a look at the before and after of my dining room, let me know what you think in the comments below and then be sure to visit the other makeovers designed by our talented blog friends at the end of this post for more color loving inspiration. Ready? Let’s go!

Color-Lovers-Blog-Tour

I’m so excited! It’s time for the dining room reveal! If you like what you see, I’ve included some affiliate links below. Okay, here we go! My dining room was neutral to start…

The Before: Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before  Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

My dining room has very little natural light. So adding fun colorful elements took it from gloomy to cheerful! Hey, I’m a neutral loving girl too, but I was ready for some fun pops of color in that bland uninspired dining room.

The Plan: (see THIS post for more details)…my design board included a beautiful color combination of navy and chartreuse, blush and gray. 

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room design board: navy, blush, chartreuse and gray

…finally, a room with some fun personality and color! Decorative accessories + paint = a color lovers’ dream! I love the power of paint, don’t you? Take a look!

The reveal:

Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

{above: extra large serving tray basket no longer available…I’ve had it for years}Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorloversColor Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

Comparison: 

before

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

after

Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

before

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

after

Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

before

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

after

Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

 

Shop the room: What are your favorites from the design? (Some affiliate links included where applicable. TY!)

The Mine has an enormous gorgeous selection of unique fine furnishings to bring in texture and color through decorative home accessories.

Add beauty to the walls and bring in fun pops of color with paper and fabrics. Minted has such a beautiful selection of stationery, wall art and fabrics. 
#mintedcolorlovers
 
Birch Lane is an affordable shopping destination with classic designs. 

Michaels Stores: wood burst wall mirror // wood/blue glazed ceramic vase // boxwood planters. 

Target – wire diamond table lamp

Young Living – Desert Mist Diffuser (diffuse a vibrant blend of lemon, grapefruit, orange and ylang ylang!) 

desert mist diffuser @diyshowoff #1836762

Rustic Style Wall Mount Coat Rack

Cutting Boards & Cushion Covers

Paint Colors: (watercolor/ombré paint treatment tutorial later this week)

Blush // HGTV Home/Sherwin Williams Quartz Blush

Gray // HGTV Home/Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray

Chartreuse // Valspar Gilded Pesto

Navy // HGTV Home/Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik 

Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers Chartreuse // Valspar Gilded Pesto Navy // HGTV Home/Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik Blush // HGTV Home/Sherwin Williams Quartz Blush Gray // HGTV Home/Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray

Color-Lovers-Blog-Tour

Color Loving Tour: Ready for more Color Lovin’ fun? Visit these talented blog friends and check out their beautiful room reveals:

http://www.kellyelko.com/2017/06/color-lovers-colorful-living-room-makeover/

https://inmyownstyle.com/2017/06/decorating-room-makeover-before-and-after-reveals.html

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2017/06/colorful-happy-home-dining-room-reveal.html

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/screened-porch-new-summer-edition/

http://www.dukemanorfarm.com/2017/06/screen-porch-reveal-pop-color.html

http://inspiredbycharm.com/2017/06/color-lovers-bedroom-makeover.html

http://foxhollowcottage.com/living-room-makeover-reveal-at-the-little-cottage.html

http://www.fourgenerationsoneroof.com/2017/06/colorful-modern-farmhouse-office-decorating-ideas

https://diyshowoff.com/2017/06/27/color-lovers-10-bloggers-10-room-makeovers-dining-room-refresh/

https://jenniferrizzo.com/2017/06/gray-and-coral-family-room-makeover.html

Love it? Share it! (Thank you!) So happy you stopped by!  

Color Lover's Room Makeover - dining room reveal @diyshowoff (navy, chartreuse, blush and gray for a soft but colorful fresh new look) #colorlovers #birchlanecolorlovers #TheMinecolorlovers #mintedcolorlovers

Color Lovers: Dining Room Refresh

Color Lovers Blog Tour: 10 color loving bloggers working on 10 colorful rooms! Are you ready for some ideas on adding color to your home? You hit the jackpot! Follow the tour below and stay tuned! 

Color-Lovers-Blog-Tour

The Challenge: Our dining room is looking kind of stale and uninspired. It’s hard to tell in photos but it needs a paint job pretty bad and well, while I LOVE neutrals too (have I mentioned my design-mutt style?), I am ready to add some color to my neutral base.   It’s usually looking like something along these lines…

#loveyourhomechallenge @diyshowoff dining room #loveyourhomechallenge @diyshowoff dining room #loveyourhomechallenge @diyshowoff dining room       

::yawnnnn::

Nice enough. Clean. Bland. It’s time to liven things up with some color, baby!

Before: See the patch work for nail holes, dings, cracks and scratches in the walls below? These walls require some TLC! Since this room doesn’t have direct access to a window (although behind where I’m standing to take the photo is a set of French doors in another small room), there’s little to no natural lighting so it’s important to keep paint options light and bright but oh man, if you know me, I do love being creative so I might have something special planned for that back wall. Watch out! I’m armed with my FrogTape and ready to go! 

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

See how dark the room typically is?

Okay friends, so here’s the plan: feel free to tell me your thoughts in the comments. If they’re nice. haha. Just kidding. Constructive criticism welcome! 

Walls & ceiling: Freshen up the ceiling and walls. The walls will be neutral and light for the most part (again, those lighting issues) with the exception of maybe something fun on that back wall. The ceiling was actually a lighter shade than the precious taupe-y walls at one point but as you can tell below, definitely not clean crisp white. That’s changing! 

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

 Sliding door: I still swoon over this door. I’ve considered repainting it for a change /something different but I am still so in LOVE with the chartreuse color so it’s staying! However, I’m adding frosted contact paper to the windows to give the bedroom privacy (there’s currently a dark curtain there…blah). The frosted film will still allow some of that natural lighting to make it’s way into the dark dining room but provide privacy between the rooms.

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

My thoughts on decorating and loving color:  I looooove bringing in color with paint and decorative accents. Why? Mostly because I love to rearrange and redecorate often. I find that keeping the furniture (those big ticket items) neutral allows for adding and changing color schemes whenever the itch to do so hits me. And I get itchy often. Wait. That doesn’t sound so good, does it? lol What I mean is…I find that my reward for ‘cleaning’ is re-arranging and redecorating. It keeps things fresh and motivates me to get the sweeping, dusting, picking up tasks done. So for me personally, change happens often in my home. It makes me happy. 

Summary: Paint and decorative accessories are easy to change so do what you love! I’m no stranger to colorful accents. Remember this fun room? Not everyone’s cup of tea but my family room was so colorful-carnival, I couldn’t help but smile in there. Ya know?

family room was once a kaleidoscope of color

eclectic family room

 

guest room/nursery

combined nursery/guest room @diyshowoff

Anyway…back to the dining room and adding color there! 

Keep: existing handmade barn wood dining room table, built-ins (I’m always tempted to tear those out but…they’re so functional I’d be crazy to do away with them, ya know?) and existing light fixture (still love it so working with it). Those two built-ins are actually a very light shade of blue. I’m ready for them to be white so I never have to paint them again in my lifetime.

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

Built In Cabinets:  I guess previous homeowners had a LOT to display since out of the 4 corners in the dining room, 3 have built-in cabinets. Well, who doesn’t love storage? So they stay. I’ve lived 10 years with being able to see what’s in the built in cabinets and it’s not always pretty. The best of intentions sometimes get out of control. My plan is to hide the contents.  I love this lace pattern privacy window film (affiliate link) on the two matching built-ins for hidden storage. Spray painting hardware. 

before…peeling light blue paint

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

after will be fresh, crisp and clean.

The other built in cabinet shown below will get a fresh restyling. 

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room before

Design board: I am SO super excited for this fresh colorful update!!! 

  • Update the seating. Birch Lane is an affordable shopping destination with classic designs. 
  • Add beauty to the walls. Minted has such a beautiful selection of stationery, wall art and fabrics. 
  • The Mine has a killer selection of unique fine furnishings for my plan to bring in a few feminine touches and color through decorative home accessories. 

Color Lovers series! @diyshowoff dining room design board: navy, blush, chartreuse and gray

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

COLOR LOVERS PALETTE: 

blush, gray, navy, & chartreuse 

I am in LOVE! What are your thoughts? Not vibrant but certainly color lovin'! Think it's not colorful enough? Just wait and see! It might look muted in the plans but it's going to make my boring dining room bright and colorful! 

before

dining room before-7

I feel it's versatile. I'd have no problem adding in maroon or magenta, teal or turquoise, gold or silver, black or brown or even eggplant...lots of color options for adding colorful seasonal accessories. 

Mark your calendar! Stay tuned! On June 27th, stop back to see how a coat of paint, some DIY and a color palette of blush, gray, navy and chartreuse give my tired dining room a bright and colorful new look!

Longing for some more Color Lovers eye candy? Visit these talented blog friends in the Color Lovers tour. Prepare to be wowed and inspired!

Kelly Elko/In My Own Style/Inspired by Charm/Tatertots and Jello/Southern Hospitality

Fox Hollow Cottage/Four Generations One Roof/Jennifer Rizzo/Duke Manor Farm

Color-Lovers-Blog-Tour