We’re back home from visiting family for Thanksgiving. We unpacked and put up the Christmas tree the day we got home so we had lots of time to enjoy the lights and ambience through the season. I also set up a tree in the dining room, which is exciting to see against the backdrop of the mural. This week, I’ll be working on more Christmas decorating, but before we get into that, I wanted to share what the mural looks like for now. I still don’t consider it finished because I want to add or adjust a few things, and I’m still strongly considering applying an antiquing glaze to mute the colors and soften the overall look. I even received the glaze just before we left for our trip, but I decided I would get through Christmas and then decide.
So, here is how it looks for now…
I love the peeks I get of it through the kitchen and foyer. It adds a lot of character and, honestly, it’s nice to see some real paint on the walls after living with a coat of white primer for over a year. Everything in this room is now freshly painted. The ceilings, trim, wainscoting, and walls.
You can read about the block print wallpaper inspiration for the mural HERE, how I installed the wainscoting HERE, and details about the curtains HERE. I did record some videos of the process, but the lighting was so poor I’m not sure how great the video quality will be, but we’ll give it a try. That’s the downside to doing a project like this in the winter months! I lost sunlight so quickly.
The area behind the buffet specifically bothers me. That row of trees is too redundant and is the result of working too close to the mural without taking a step back to see how it was looking overall. It’s a relatively easy fix that I’ll likely sneak in between holiday festivities. Esmé, who is the naughtiest and sweetest of cats, was the perfect model. Sitting in the perfect spot to distract from the row of trees.
A few people commented on the high chair the last time I showed it. I’ve had it for over 25 years and, before that, it was in my Opa’s attic. We’re not 100% sure, but it was used by my Oma or Opa, so it’s always had a special place in our house.
I love how all of the furniture sits against the mural. It makes the pieces make more sense now. I still need to give that table and chairs some TLC, but I’ll get to it one of these days. I keep debating if it’s worth the time and effort or if I should keep looking for the perfect set. This one has a lot of things going for it, but I’m not 100% sure it’s the right set for this dining room.
I set up the tree in the corner with the clock and it looks so good! I can’t wait to finish it and share it.
In addition to painting the mural, it was a treat to get the doors to the kitchen painted and install the new hardware. I love these little doors and they look so much better with Oval Room Blue on the back and brass knobs on both sides. (THESE are the ones I used.) Knobs have just been on the kitchen side since the reno, so if the doors were closed, you would have to walk around to the kitchen to open them. It’s a little thing that makes the house feel a bit more finished.
I’m off to decorate the trees, but I didn’t want to miss showing how the mural was coming along…
I love seeing the mural with the furniture, it looks great! That tree behind the high chair makes you feel like you are sitting outside!
What I think doesn’t look as good though is the portraits on the mural. They detract from looking at the mural, which I consider a giant painting worth examining. I want to see the mural, not some smaller works put on top of it! I know others might not agree, we all see things differently, but just voicing my opinion that it might be better to keep this room simpler so that the glory of the mural is not interrupted by small stuff that shouldn’t be there.
KIm, I totally agree. That is the first thing I thought when I saw that portrait on the wall.
Can you share what antiquing glaze you purchased?
Really beautiful! We are our harshest critics, you did a great job on a huge project!
Your mural is stunning. I’ve been following you for over a decade and this is my absolute favorite room you’ve done. Your talent is incredible!
How will you decide whether or not to do the antique glaze? Once it’s there aren’t you stuck with it? Guess you could proceed slowly and build up the layers until you get it just right.
Your home is so welcoming and warm…hope you get to enjoy it for many years to come.
Just fabulous! You have a terrific eye and always know just the right touch. This is truly one of your masterpieces! And I love that it will change and be one even more striking over time. Superb!
I must agree with Kim. Allow the mural to be the star of this room. It is so beautiful!
Having all the furniture in the room…and clock and high chair, etc. makes me love the mural all the more. At first I didn’t think I liked it as well as the one in your last dining room. But as always, once you put everything together, and with those curtains, especially, now it is just perfection! (I confess I had the same thought about the portraits detracting from the mural.)
Absolutely gorgeous! I won’t change a thing! Just sit down and enjoy a cup of tea, your tree, and your beautiful mural. 🙂
I love the corner with t he high chair. The mural is beautiful!
I agree! It’s so very special. I often wonder if living in I agree! It’s so very special. I often wonder if living in a home with three males.. do they come in and say oooh and ahhh or is it just all of us. This room is beautiful, Marian. a home with three males.. do they come in and say oooh and ahhh or is it just all of us. This room is beautiful, Marian.
Amazing! You are really talented!
I think it’s amazing . At first I was so surprised at how different it is from what you did before – but it’s bold and beautiful and a real nod to your yard . I wouldn’t change a thing – and the portraits are so You ! Very beautiful work as always .
The mural is beautiful! As an artist myself, I am hoping you go forward with the antique glaze. I think it will be the perfect finishing touch and give the mural an old world feel. 🙂
Everything is coming along nicely, in every detail. One thing I keep gravitating to and can’t remember if it was a DIY you’ve done or if you’ve purchased it. That cute tassel hanging on the brass doorknob. I love it. If you could give me the link to the DIY or site you purchased it, I’d surely appreciate it. Thank you 🙂
You have chosen stunningly beautiful furniture for that room!
For me, the mural needs to be softened, so it accents the furniture instead of competing with it.
I think the mural is beautiful and I love your furniture pieces with it!
Is the trim in the DR, the wainscoting, the same as in the foyer? It looks different in the picture but Im betting it is not. If it is different, what is your thought process there?
Also, have you thought about putting similar trim on those doors? My eye thinks it would look so finished and grand, but maybe you are thinking it would be too much? I always defer to your impeccable taste 🙂
Everything you touch turns out beautiful including this room. I have to confess there’s a place in my heart for the mural in your last home. I will always love that dining room.
Everything is lovely! Perfection as always with you!
The mural is so lovely! Each wall has its own details to admire and I love that the view from each dining room chair will be a bit different. The style reminds me of paint by numbers in the BEST way! I’ve always thought it would be fun to do a PBN wall mural somehow and your artistic touch is very inspiring. I hope you have really patted yourself on the back for this endeavor!!
It is absolute perfection. You are so so talented.
I love the portrait hanging over the mural. If you look at English country houses, it was very common to hang paintings over murals and scenic wallpaper. Sometimes, great decorating doesn’t “make sense”, it just works. Bottom line, it’s your home, do what feels right to you.
I love the furniture with the mural, but not in love with portait.
Beautiful…love the whole room…including the portrait on the wall. Clearly the vision of “artist Marion”.
Just curious…have you considered changing out the solid doors that open into the kitchen with divided light french doors instead so you can see through to the kitchen from the dining room when they are closed? Also, when they are open, you’ll be able to see the mural through the glass. Is that a 30″ opening?
Now that’s a good idea… French doors would look gorgeous in that spot… The narrow plain solid doors have always niggled me for some reason.
Love the mural!
I’m loving the mural, especially the way you added the portraits. I just love the way they work together. The scene looks like it’s protecting them. Perfect IMO.
Love the addition of the of the pictures, especially in shot that shows the drapes and chandelier. That spot has nothing directly around the picture and it provides balance and visual interest. Will you be painting those electrical switches to compliment the particular painting around them?
Beautiful! Beautiful! Enjoy all of your creations. Liked that you painted all the wall sockets in the wainscoting. Will you also be painting the light switches in the mural area? Also liking the thought of glazing your walls too!
The trees remind me of one of my favorite botanical print wallpaper patterns, Sandberg Raphael. I love the traditional and classic feel of the mural. It’s so elegant!
Your mural is fantastic! It reminds me of the opening credits of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS.
NO GUTS NO GLORY…. I Love It! that took a lot of guts ! you go girl!
Just beautiful and elegant! Someday down the road, you’ll have sweet grand babies sitting in that heirloom high chair!
Marian,
I have a highchair just like yours that also sits in my dining room. It was used by my grandmother so it is well over 125 yrs old. It even has some of the original red paint on it. When it was given to me my grandmother warned me that the kids would sit and bang the tray against the wood arms. I put my oldest daughter in it for her first birthday picture 42 Yrs ago however that was the only time it was used.
The mural is very pretty and I think the glaze would mute it and make it so pretty.
Your mural is beautiful. I cannot imagine how many hours you spent working on it! If you ever tire of the blue wainscoting, I think the darkest green color would look sophisticated, and really ground the room. I feel like the gorgeous drapes are lost, but most likely they pop in person? Again, beautiful job. Enjoy!
This is STUNNING. I love it so hard.