There were 2 walls in particular that needed help. They were blank slates waiting to receive some decor love - something that would add color and interest to the room. So, I'm going to start by showing you wall #1 - next to the corner curio cabinet in the room.
I will let you know that in the past, I tended to decorate my dining and kitchen spaces in a mostly french-country style, using blues, whites, and a touch of yellow. And although I am modernizing this new space slightly - especially with the wall color - many of the accessories and accent colors I use will still fit this theme. The wall color will just allow for a little versatility across seasons and years.
To start out, here is the wall next to the curio cabinet that I wanted to decorate first. The reason I wanted to do it first was because I had a pretty good vision in my mind of what I wanted to display on this wall. Joey got me started by hanging a white shelf that we already owned (it actually needs a little paint touch-up, but that will have to come later). The white shelf is the same "white" as the white trim in the room.
Once the shelf was hung and before I began the decorating part, I got out everything I possibly wanted to use in the room (sticking to a blue, white, and silver color scheme) and set it out on the dining room table - including the Christmas-y items I wanted to add. This way I had easy access to all items and could switch things in and out until I got the final product I wanted.
One of the products I knew I wanted to display on or around the shelf was some of my Wedgwood blue transferware, and so I started with that. I have one platter in this pattern and intended to hang it on the wall using a plate hanger. I initially hung it above the shelf, but then changed my mind and moved it below the shelf (oops - 1 extra hole in the wall that will have to be covered up with something else).
In addition to the platter, I hung a variety of silver ornaments from the pegs. Ornaments seem to be a theme for me - I have them in just about every room this season.
The silver and blue colors look really pretty against the "colonial beige" paint color.
On top of the shelf, I went through what felt like 100 different arrangements of china and decorative accessories until I got an arrangement of items I was happy with (Joey got tired of answering the "What do you think about this?" question).
In the center of the shelf, for variety, I placed a book that contains beautiful illustrations of my favorite poem Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Notice the front cover is also in the blue and white and silver color scheme. I set a pretty blue ornament in a little bowl in front of the book, and hung a wreath above it (to cover the nail hole where I had originally hung the platter).
Here is what the entire shelf looks like all put together. I arranged some of my china plates and tea cups on the ends of the self and placed silver votive candle holders toward the center.
Looking at the shelf from a wider point of view, here's what we see...
Looks a lot better than the "blank slate" picture at the beginning of the post, right?
You can see my dining room table in this picture as well - with a blue tablecloth covered in silver and white snowflakes and some silver and white candles.
Stay tuned for Dining Room Wall #2!
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