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3.29.2013

Switch It Up!

 one year, on the day before Easter, i awoke with a wild idea.
[which, truly, isn't that unusual]
the family was coming the next day for Easter dinner, and i wanted to do something different.

and no, i'm not talking about making a new dish for the meal.
i'm talking about the place where we'd HAVE the meal. i was ready for a big change!
 this photo shows my lovely seven-foot-long pine dining table in the dining room. 
which is fine, but the sunlight never really reached this part of the house.
 and i wanted a sunny Easter gathering
[since the weather in Seattle was cooperating that year!]

so... i pulled the dining room table out into the living room,
and moved the round farm table from the living room to the dining room...
sadly, while i don't have a photo to show the whole dining table in its new location,
i do have this one with GLORIOUS sunshine pouring in the windows onto the pine. 
it literally glowed with warmth, which was exactly what i wanted!

with two windows facing the front yard (south) and a glass door from the porch (west),
the table was a bright and happy place for our holiday meal.
 the round farm table made a charming addition to the dining room space.
 i pulled a park bench and two garden chairs from the front porch, 
which completed the seating area.
the room offered a more sunny and open look - much like a 'breakfast room',
which is exactly how it was used for months afterward!

[and when the kids showed up on Easter, 
everyone gathered here for pre-dinner drinks and conversation!]

here's a floorplan sketch to show you how it played out:

i left the tables this way all through spring and summer that year, 
and loved the way that we used the space differently.
i used the large dining table as a desk on many days,
since i was able to look out onto the sunny yard and porch awhile working.

remember: it didn't cost me a thing - just some muscle and a little time - 
but the Cottage was renewed and refreshed!

what about YOUR rooms?
is there a switch you can make that will revitalize your space
 and give your rooms a new look and functionality for the season?
give it a try!

[i know, it may be hard to convince your hubby that this is worth doing...
just remind him that it's a free way to redecorate!]

1 comment:

  1. I love ah-ha moments like that. I have a girlfriend that loves to entertain so she switched her dining room with her living room and it worked perfectly for her family. (she also had a family room)...Great idea...and fun for you- xo Diana

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