We gift wrapped the dining room | How About Orange

February 17, 2014

We gift wrapped the dining room


The dining room wallpaper is finished. It almost killed us, but we prevailed. Remember when my plan was to do just an accent wall? After living with it for a couple weeks, we decided the rest of the room looked too stark and incomplete. So we bought more.

We painted the white ceiling light gray and added paper to the other walls. It took two Saturdays and a couple late nights after work to do the remaining three walls, because we are possibly the slowest wallpaper hangers in history. And one of us is an annoying perfectionist. This room has two windows, a fireplace, and five doors to maneuver around, with rosette blocks that stick out on the corners just to add some extra pain and suffering.


Painting the ceiling was a challenge since we didn't want to get paint on the wall that was already done. I had nightmarish visions of turning it into a Jackson Pollack mural, so we tried to tape a plastic sheet over it. The painter's tape wouldn't stick on the painted walls, however; the plastic was too heavy. Alex had a roll of plastic film from work, so we decided to try that, thinking that taping up strips would be easier since they'd be lighter. To our amazement, the stuff clung to the wall with static electricity alone. This discovery was the greatest moment in our entire project. We couldn't stop high-fiving. It was how Ben Franklin must have felt.

With a tiny brush I carefully painted the ceiling along the edge of the wallpaper, and then the rest of the painting was easy. We didn't spill a drop on the plastic. Figures.

Then came the marathon wallpaper application, and here we have it:


It's cozy and pretty and dramatic. I love it. I'm more of a minimal girl at heart, but in a Victorian house, you have to have some fun.

For Valentine's Day Alex bought me flowers that match the paper. That might seem like no big deal, but God and I both know how much he detested doing this project with me. Trust me: that gift was an amazing act of self-sacrifice.

A more modern light fixture is in the works, along with some artwork and a painted dresser. We're coming down the home stretch in here!

P.S. The paper is Sophie Conran's Balustrade in Claret. It was on sale when I bought the second batch, so if you need to have some, maybe a discount will come along.

30 comments:

Grandma G said...

Hard to believe that's the same room! "Cozy" is definitely the word now! LOVE IT!!!

Mum

kansasgirl1 said...

The room looks wonderful! Really like that wallpaper with the dark woodwork. Great job!

Sal said...

I looked back at the old pictures when you hung the curtains and you're right - the all-wallpaper look is better! And the colour is great!

Stacey at dohiy.com said...

Benjamin Franklin would be proud!

Ashley said...

Wow!! This is so beautiful!! I love the mix of the drapes with the wallpaper. I can imagine really beautiful dinner parties in there!

Sarah said...

I love the rug! You may have written about it before, but can you tell me where it's from?

tuulikki said...

100% awesome! Love the look, so wonderful all together--wallpaper, rug, fireplace, curtains!

Shira said...

OMG, it looks FANTASTIC with the whole room done! "Mindblowingly WOW" is the expression that came to mind.

Jessica Jones said...

Wow, thanks! Sarah, the rug is Nourison Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug, Waverly Izmir Ikat in Aegean.

https://www.google.com/#q=nourison+sun+shade+rug+aegean&tbm=shop

It's a very flat pile and can be used outdoors, so be aware that it's not all plush and soft like you might be wanting. Definitely has an "inexpensive outdoor" vibe. But it works for my dining room since it's easy to slide chairs on it and I don't have to worry too much about spills being hard to clean.

Sarah said...

LOVE IT! When I ever get a dining room, I'm stealing your idea and going all out on a dramatic wallpaper. Thanks for showing us how it's done!

chocolate cake said...

Kapow! That is one dramatic room. Looks amazing :D

Kim said...

I love how dramatic this is!

Pat said...

Cool with a capital C. Looks great!

i am pam said...

stunning. i have watching your progress and it is coming along. so much to do but you do it well.

Emily said...

At first I wasn't sure about how this would look, but I actually really like it! Good job!

Melissa I. said...

That is incredible! I love it!

maria f. said...

You should be proud of the project and the result.

Kim Herrington said...

That is one intense room! But beautiful.

lp said...

Nice job!

Geneviève said...

I love your dining room! Must have been hard work, but the result is stunning! And it clearly wouldn't look as nice if you hadn't covered the fireplace tiles. Nice work!

Sarah said...

It looks stunning! Beautiful job!

Poppyprint said...

I just love how Gramma G podiums every time. Stunning room sure to yield fantastic dinner discussions!

amy said...

I love it. Much better than just one wall. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it is AWESOME :)

Anonymous said...

The color wrap is just right for the drama and beauty. Lovely.

Mel

LiEr said...

Jess! It's lovely. The room looks perfect. And as your Mum and I would mutter to each other about the print-matching at the seams, the wallpaper job is a perfectionist's dream come true. I love how it all looks right together - the drapes, the wallpaper, the fireplace - gorgeous!

Jessica Jones said...

Thank you! That makes me happy! I was scared to do it, but all the best projects involve fear, I think.

Diana said...

Lovely job. I am super duper crushing on the candlesticks you have on the mantlepiece. Did you make them or buy them?

Jessica Jones said...

Bought at Target!

Anonymous said...

How romantic that will be with soft candle light! It is beautiful and perfect for your wonderful home.

Wallpaper Trail said...

The end result is absolutely fabulous! Everything from the chandelier, the curtains, the table, the mantel to the wallpaper is perfect. The matching flowers are a nice touch too ;)

I own a wallpaper shop in the UK but don't currently supply Sophie Conran papers. Seeing your roomset is making me think that I need to open a trade account lol :)

John