Prescription from The Decorologist: Change Your Rooms, Change Your Mindset

Do you ever re-envision your rooms?  Maybe your dining room should be your office instead.  Maybe your living room and dining rooms might like to trade places for a season, just to see what it’s like.  I decided it was time to give my dining room the chance to take center stage in my home for a season, and moved it right into my living room.

My New Dining Room

 

I didn’t move everything – just brought in the table, chairs, and white buffet/dresser from the dining room and moved all the seating and accent tables out of the room.   Most of the artwork is still in the same place as before.  If you want to see the two rooms before the switch, check out this post.

Dining Room

  

 

It’s really fun to eat here in the middle of the house!  Makes dinnertime a little more special, somehow.

Dining Room

 

The room beyond is our enclosed sleeping porch – ok, it’s our sunroom, but “sleeping porch” sounds so much lovelier.  That’s where we do most of our hanging out and television watching.  Somehow, it seemed a little silly to have 2 living areas side-by-side anyway.

 

Just because a room is supposed to be a dining room, or a living room, or a bedroom – it doesn’t have to be!  I frequently encounter people who are adding on rooms to their home, when they are not using the space they already have to the fullest potential.  Think outside the box and try mixing  up your rooms sometime.  Things might never be the same again . . .

19 Comments

  1. Pam Barnett

    I love it! Have you had supper club there? Remind me to always pay attention before I sit down at your house, I might miss the seat!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Cooking Club here next month, actually! And yes, you should always look before you sit – it can be dangerous for the blind around here 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lezlie Owsley

    I want to know what Mr. Man thinks of the change? I wonder what his modifications will be?! I like it and notice the wall color in the room much more. Show us the former dining now living room, too.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Mr. Man was outta town when I did the switcheroo. I was a little worried about his reaction, because he doesn’t love it when I do these kind of things without prior warning. But guess what? He LOVED it. He likes the dining room being in this room, and he LOVES that I moved the more comfy sofa into the sun room. I’ll have to take a few more pics to post . . .

      Reply
  3. Barbara

    I would have loved to see the before pictures! What a fun idea! Reminds us to think outside the box! I’ll bet this table has seen some good times!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Barbara, there is a link in the post to some before photos of the room!

      Reply
  4. Kelly Berg

    You have such great style, Kristie! You could move any of the rooms anywhere and it would look great. 🙂

    Happy Friday!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Thank you, Kelly – you are very sweet 🙂 Have a great weekend!

      Reply
  5. Ivonne Gardin

    Really nice. I do that all the time : ) It keeps me busy and it makes me feel like I have moved to a new house : ) It’s of course less expensive than moving. It also helps to stretch your imagination! When you think there is no more you can do with a room…Zas! There comes another idea!! It’s lovely, congratulations! : )

    Reply
  6. Teresa Tullio

    Kristie, youre home is just lovely, I love youre style and inspiration. I did something similar by switching my guest room/studio and my master bedroom. Worked out so much better and more efficient. Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Kelly

    I think this is my favorite post ever! I think your new dining room looks so inviting. Do you use the fireplace in the winter? Wouldn’t that be cool to eat there with a fire? Your home is so beautiful. Love it!
    ps. What color is on your walls? very pretty.

    Reply
  8. joy

    what’s next to this new ‘dining room’? I feel that this room has way too many stuff in it, lamps, pictures, and other accessories everywhere…sorry being so straight 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Joy, I do realize that my personal style is a bit MUCH for most people. I live in a “period” house, so I like to decorate it like it’s from another place and time. It’s just how I like to live, and I decided long ago to create a home that felt like ME. I also consider my home to be somewhat of a laboratory for my decor experiments, so sometimes it gets a little kooky around here! I sometimes hesitate to put photos of my own home on the blog, because I don’t want people to think I will decorate their house like mine – I’m all about finding out what makes “home” for each individual person and helping them create THAT for themselves and their family. As always, thank you for your honesty, Joy!

      Reply
      • joy

        en, I think I know the feeling you were describing…a feeling of from past to current, of being..thank you.

        Reply
  9. Sheila Zeller

    Good for you Kristie! I can sense that special feeling you described, eating in the middle of the house, and I bet the girls love it. Change is good…

    Reply
  10. Missy

    Hey – saw your “new” dining room when I picked up your sweet girl yesterday, before I had read this post….I love it! It’s really inviting, and although I would have thought it would make the space look too crowded, it really didn’t at all. Makes me sad I won’t be sitting there for Cooking Club next month .. sigh…

    Reply
  11. LaJuana Gill

    Love it! Would love to see pictures of the living room in the dining room! What did you do about the height of the chandelier?

    Reply
  12. Radhika

    Looks lovely! I love the color on the wall.

    Reply
  13. Michelle at Faith, Trust, & Pixie Dust

    I love this “outside of the box” type thinking. And I’m crazy about your house. {Still enjoying the books in the fireplace!} Are the drawings of the lovely lady someone you know? Thanks so much for linking this fabulous idea to my party.

    Warmly, Michelle

    Reply

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