Four Doable DIY Ideas for a Dining Room Makeover
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a formal dining room in their home, but for homeowners who cherish time spent with friends and family, the dining room can be an oasis of togetherness in the desert of doing our own thing. If we're being honest, the dining room isn't at the top of everyone's to do list when moving into a new home. Sure, you selected a dining table you love and chairs your spouse will tolerate, but beyond that, what have you done for your dining room lately? Let's show our diningrooms some love with 4 doable DIY projects that can each be completed in a weekend (or two, we know how that goes).
Idea #1: Change Your Vent Covers
Such an easy upgrade. We love Vent Covers Unlimited of Maryland for their huge selection of wood, resin, or metal vent covers and air returns. If you have a historic home, or you want to create a period look for your dining room makeover, they have era appropriate designs for any decor. Their website will show you how to measure for custom sizes if your ducts aren't standard. We're so in love with their inserts for doors, windows and cabinets we'll probably feature them separately soon, but if you want to dress up a china hutch in your formal dining room in time for Valentine's Day, be sure to check out their gallery on Houzz.
Resources
Where to Buy: Vent Covers from Vent Covers Unlimited
Inspiration: View vent, door, and cabinet makeovers on Houzz
Idea #2: Chandelier Makeover
Paige Sloan and hubby turn trash into treasure with their upcycled yard sale chandelier on Reasons to Come Home. Although not everyone may be up to rewiring a chandelier, anyone should be able to use the takeaways from this tutorial: A base coat of flat black Rustoleum, then spray metallic Rustoleum from a distance to achieve an oil rubbed bronze finish. (If you need to change the light sockets from tall fake candles to short vintage-look hardware, you can find them in the lighting aisle at Home Depot.) Then screw in vintage dimmable edison bulbs for a chic exposed light source that will fascinate your guests and kids.
Resources
Where to Buy: Dimmable Edison Bulbs from Home Depot
DIY: Upcycled Chandelier Tutorial on Reasons to Come Home
Idea #3: Build-It-Yourself China Hutch
In this two weekend project guide from Lowes, build your own 8' China Hutch with complete materials list, diagram, and step by step instructions. (They recommend getting your materials cut to size in the store for easier lifting and transport.) Or steal this idea and give your own china hutch a makeover with the look of vintage tin ceiling tiles. Lowes and Home Depot both carry affordable aluminum backsplash panels in several tin tile patterns. Anyone can cut them to size with tin snips or a utility knife, and popping them in is easy with double sided tape or polyurethane construction adhesive.
Resources
Where to Buy: Aluminum Backsplash Panels from Home Depot
DIY: China Hutch Project Guide
Idea #4 DIY Dresser to Wine Rack
After looking at several DIY dresser to wine rack how to's, here are some tips we've picked up for a successful transformation: Scour Craigslist and the thrift stores until you find a dresser with good bones. Wine bottles are heavier than clothes, so keep looking until you find one made of solid wood. There are several ways to make the cradles for the wine without having to use a router. You can make slats from 1 x 2's, or you can buy this pre-made rack that's super easy to adjust to the size of your dresser. To get the look of the photo from thehappyhousewife.com, refinish the top with kona stain by Rustoleum, then refinish the base with Annie Sloan chalk paint or create a faux lime wash with latex paint.
Resources
DIY: Dresser to Wine Rack Tutorial on The Happy Housewife
DIY: Faux Lime Wash Tutorial on The Barnett Bulletin
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