An Indoor Garden

Hey everybody! Happy Wednesday! I am excited about today’s post because I get to highlight a favorite room of mine… buuuut it’s not in our house. We’re taking a little field trip today and heading over to my parent’s neck of the woods because I want to show you one of the rooms that they recently updated, which now looks GOR.GEOUS.

Growing up, there was a room off of the kitchen that had always served as the dining room. When you enter the front door, you’ll find yourself in what used to be the formal living room and if you walk straight ahead, it will take you into the kitchen. If you turn right and work your way around the corner, you’ll end up in that dining room. We spent many birthday parties and big family meals in that room… here’s a my tea party birthday party from back in the day.

In that picture above, the window straight ahead is looking out into the backyard. Behind the camera is (what used to be) the formal living room… more on that in a minute. And in the picture, there is a doorway to the left of the table that leads into the kitchen. Here’s a shot from the opposite direction, looking back into the living room. And you’re welcome for the extra dose of awkward pre-teen Leslie. 🙂

For those of you who like family tree stuff, that’s my Grandpa all the way to the left, my mom next to him, my cousin Brooke, Beau and Clint (they look so young!!), and my Aunt Becky holding my cousin Megan. Those names might not mean much to you, but if you want to know who I am at my very deepest level, you have to know my family. My tribe. 🙂

So that’s the room we’re talking about today! What used to be a dining room, my parents recently decided was no longer suited for such. Being a narrower room, along with housing a china cabinet (out of frame in both pictures, but it’s to the right in the top shot), when we were all packed in there, it was cozy. Hard to get in and out of once you were seated kind of cozy. Plus, our family has since expanded and grown and we no longer fit in that room when we’re all together! So my parents decided to switch things around. That large room when you first walk in the door that used to be a formal living room? BAM, new dining room. They moved the table in, along with the china cabinet and that room can now house at least 20 of us eating around the same table… it’s a pretty long room. As for the smaller, used-to-be-dining room… it got a pretty great makeover too. Here’s how it looks today:

This room went from a squished, dark dining room to a true feast for the eyes (see what I did there? har har)! The biggest element of this makeover and I’d even argue the biggest game-changer in the process was their choice to open up the right side wall into two large windows. You can see it better here…

In doing that, they essentially created a space that could serve as a functioning greenroom and opened the possibility to fill it with tons of plants that thrive with all of that sunlight. I love that all of the plants make you feel like you’re in an indoor garden… there is something very peaceful about having living plants inside and now this room has an abundance of that. The other thing they did was add wainscoting under the chair rail, paint the bottom half a bright white, and added a light blue to the top half. The room is now so cheery and inviting! My mom hung some drapes she made herself (DIY runs in the family, apparently) to tie the whole look together.

Growing up, the love seat (pictured below) was always my favorite place to read and originally it’s home was in the formal living room. In it’s new home, it now serves as the perfect place to cuddle up with a book and a blanket and enjoy the warm sunlight that comes through the windows.

Having so much sunlight available even allows for this little bird cage- turned- terrarium! You can’t really see it in this shot, but it’s the neatest thing, complete with plants, a mini bench, and even tiny Christmas lights. I say “little”, but actually it’s quite large… and really fun to look at!

What I love most about this room is that it is small enough and cozy enough to curl up in and enjoy a nap or read a book by yourself, but large enough to accommodate a group of people chatting and sharing a drink together. I remember during one family party, my cousin left the big group to come in here and give her daughter a bottle. I came in a little later to sit and chat with her and eventually, one by one, everyone trickled in until all the seats and floor were filled with people, just enjoying time and conversation together. I think that’s when you know a room is serving it’s purpose… when it draws people closer together. 🙂 I mean, wouldn’t you want to stay and chat awhile in this peaceful space?

So that’s the new room! What do you think? Anyone else have a smaller room that serves as a dining room, but could be better suited for something else? Maybe this has even inspired you to move some furniture around and see what some possibilities are… I say go for it! You can always put it back. 🙂

Psst. Do you have a room that you gave a little TLC that you’d like to show us? Maybe you just did a project that turned out great and want to share? Click HERE to tell us about it and YOU could be our next Reader Feature!