I’ve been waiting to post another room in our home and since the dining room is finally done, I had to share. At first, this space was just a room you needed to walk through to get to other rooms in the house. Although it had tons of character, there was nothing really special about it yet. But now that it is all put together I have to say it is one of my favorite rooms in the house!

So here is what the dining room looked like before. The worst part was the rug. Not only was it ugly but it was everywhere in the house. I give credit my husband Dan for pulling up every single one himself. It was tough job for sure. Other than that, we knew the chandelier had to go too. The risers in the corner had to stay so I just figured we would cover them somehow.

The elements of the space we loved were its character and style. The decorative ceiling and rosette around the chandelier were definitely a plus. We both actually love the toile wallpaper so that was a keeper. I knew once I did my magic, this room would look spectacular. Although we didn’t have a big budget, I did my best to find items I loved at great prices and in some cases waited till they were on sale or found them somewhere else for less. Smart shopping is always key.

After the rugs came up there was an astounding difference. Then all I had to do was paint the woodwork and scrub the wallpaper. Not so bad. Then go searching for the perfect items to fill it up. So after about 4 months or so, it finally came together and we couldn’t be happier. I was going for country modern with a rustic touch. I wanted it to be perfect for formal entertaining but comfortable enough so it wasn’t stuffy. With a combination of dark brown, cream and blue, the dining room was transformed into an updated space that has vintage appeal.

The cabinet piece I purchased at Ikea for a great price. You can’t go wrong at $135 for a cabinet. It’s a new item they just started selling and I am very happy with it. I am also happy I waited instead of dishing out more money for something that would be double the price!

The table, oh how I love my dining room table. With buttercream and dark brown cherry wood, it brings that country modern feel I was going for to a new level. I had bookmarked it before we even moved in the house and waited till we had the funds to buy it. It’s a good thing I did because I got it $100 cheaper than the sale price. At $815 with shipping, this was one of the best buys we made. For a 7 piece dining room set, that is really good. Thanks Overstock.com!

The Home Sweet Home picture was a quick thing I made to fill in a vintage frame we had. I think it fits nicely for now. Not bad for 5 minutes of my time. The vase I already had, it used to be my mother’s, and the dried cotton was something we had used in our wedding so I figured I would continue to use it somewhere in the house. It found a perfect home in my mother’s blue vase.

The blue plaid curtains were a great find as well. I knew I wanted plaid because it goes so well with toile so the challenge was to find a pair that worked in the space and were selling for a good price. I found this pair on Overstock.com as well for only $28!

The chandelier brings so much style to the room. I first saw on it on a popular website but after some searching I found it on a random lighting website for a lower price. I wound up paying like $80 or so for it which is awesome. You would never know! I plan to buy small shades for the lights too. I found a nice wicker pair at Pottery Barn I just might have to get. I think they would look so cute.

The framed photograph is one I took while Dan and I visited Maine two years ago. We already had this piece and I pretty much knew it was going in the dining room. The pitcher and bowl were great finds at a local antique shop I couldn’t resist buying. Especially, since the set was only $15.

The cabinet was the second piece of furniture we bought for the room. I found it at Country Door.com for $250 and simply adore it. What a great piece. I switched out the knobs for vintage glass ones the previous owners left behind. They added so much charm and character, as if they were meant to be. I am glad they were left behind and it makes me happy to have a little piece of history remaining in the space.

Love this chair. We found it a few years ago at a garage sale for a few bucks. This is the second in our collection.

I decided to stack the crates we had in front of the risers to hide them, which worked out really well. Not only can we showcase our collections but now this corner adds that rustic element I wanted in the space. The vintage birdcage is what we used for our wedding to hold all the card from guests. It’s nice to have it showcased in our home.

The cotton braided rug is a mixture of gray, blue and brown that go well with the color of the hardwood floors. I think it helps the buttercream stand out as well. I found it on Overstock.com for $112 with a special code. I love it.

All in all, this space proves you can have a beautiful room and not spend thousands to put it together. With a little creativity, some DIY knowledge and research, you can find items you love without going broke. For under $1500, I was able to design a dining room I absolutely love and it makes me even more happy to say I did it all on a budget.