Come dine with me.

So after spending the past couple of weeks teasing you with promises of pictures and details, I figured that it was finally time to share the story of my dining room with you. So sit back, critique and enjoy.

In the beginning there was nothing, well, okay. That's a lie. There was carpet stained by the previous tenant, an air conditioner that hadn't been cleaned since installed and the sexiest of brass chandeliers.

Being on a budget, the room has been furnished as I've had the funds to do so. First up, this walnut finish dining table - snagged for the princely sum of $49.00. Each fall Superstore brings in an assortment of ready to assemble furniture and hawks it like crazy until they begin bringing in Christmas merchandise. And when they blow it out, there's no telling how cheap it will go! At the time, I had a truck and was able to easily lug it home and up the stairs. And the folding chair you ask? A whopping $6.94.

Next up came a fresh coat of paint. Okay, so it's a rental and you're asking "why would you invest time, energy and coin into this place?" Well, without rambling - basically I need wherever I'm living to feel like home. For me, that includes paint (even if not technically allowed)....

Throw in my favourite thrift find of all time - my Soviet era school map, which I cleverly picked up for $10 on the coldest day of winter at an indoor flea market. Apparently you can snag a great deal when it's -36 and you're the only one wandering through the market. I love this piece for the vintage appeal, the bright colours and for how it has become an awesome dinner party conversation starter.

I lucked out the following spring.  Once again, my friends at Superstore were offering a select assortment of furniture. Almost as good as the deal on the table, I snagged four gray parson chairs for $19.00...down from $49.99 each. I love this chairs! They've held up well and were stupidly easy to put back together. They're not the lucite Stark chairs that I dream of, but hey, a guy has to start somewhere!

Not to bad huh? Throw in a piece of President's Choice white ware and some strategically places fruit and you've got a scene.

Throw in a few more accents, like my vintage eight ball, some Value Village finds, an accent shelf from Winners, some of my fave pictures and my Mr. Peanut salt & pepper shakers....it's all about being around stuff you love. 

So there you have it! It's still kind of a work in progress (I don't think that I'll ever finish decorating a space before beginning to rethink it)....but I love it none the less! It's mine, it feels homey and it's where I enjoy entertaining friends the most. What do yah think?

D-