Our Dining Room Refurbishment Project

With the Kitchen coming to completion (apart from a few finishing touches), it was time to focus on decorating the rest of the room. Which included our Dining Area. (Read about my DIY Kitchen Refurbishment, Part 1 and Part 2 over on the blog.) Plus I finally get the chance to my up my Geo Wallpaper, which has been a long time coming! To show you what it looks like as a feature wall.

DIY Dining Room Refurbishment

Our kitchen and dining area are in one room. The kitchen leads down the left hand side, and our dining area opens out on the right hand side.
It is really important to us to use our dining area on a daily basis. It is a place we eat dinner and spend evenings together. I feel making time for each other is an essential part of our relationship. And eating at the table is the perfect way to do this. Even when it’s the last thing we want to, after a very long day!
Therefore when it came to decorating our entire kitchen, the Dining Room refurbishment was just as important.

All things Wallpaper

One thing I want to do throughout the whole house project is incorporate my Laura Felicity Products. To give them a platform for potential clients to come and visit, and see online.
When it came to planning our kitchen and dining room refurbishment, I knew how I wanted the dining area in particular to look.
With the grey cupboard doors and drawers, marble counter and copper accessories, there was only one wallpaper that was perfect for this area. That is my Geo pattern.
It’s contemporary/Scandinavian inspired design, goes beautifully with the kitchen decor choices. Plus the colours of mustard yellow, light pink and grey, create a warmth to this geometric and abstract print.
This made me think it really was the best pattern out of my collection to go for.
Before the wallpaper went up though, we had to prepare the walls.

(Before images)

When we moved in, the dining area had a Dado Rail running around it. This really was not right for the space, because it made the small area, look even smaller. This is because it didn’t enhance the height of each wall.
We made the decision to remove the dado, which was done initially when we first moved in. We whitewashed all walls to keep it neutral, because the colour scheme was peach with wooden panels.

Once the Dining Room refurbishment started we had to first fill in the indentations this left on the wall. This was done by using Polyfiller, and left to dry.
After this was dry (we left it for a few days, just to make sure), I sanded back the Polyfiller to make smooth against the wall above and below where the dado used to be.
However, it didn’t stop there. Because the walls were a still a little uneven, we bought heavy duty lining paper and lined the whole dining area.
By doing this, it would ensure us that whether we painted the walls, and/or wallpapered the surface would be as smooth as possible.

DIY Painting and Decorating

Once the lining paper was in place, I then painted the whole kitchen and dining area, leaving one feature wall for the Geo wallpaper.
We went for Dulux’s Easy Care Kitchen paint, ‘White Cotton’. It is a beautiful compliment for the Geo wallpaper, and goes perfectly with our grey kitchen cabinets. It took two coats of paint per wall, which really has enhanced this lovely shade of white.

One thing is I wanted to keep the whole kitchen and dining room refurbishment light and airy. Which is what this Dulux kitchen paint has done for the area.
After the painting was complete, I was able to get my hands on the Geo wallpaper, and begin installing!
Even though I design wallpaper patterns for a living, my hobby is to also hang it as well. I love it! So I jumped at the chance to install my own.
Plus it enables to me to understand what my wallpaper needs are as a product, when being installed. Therefore I can work closely with clients and their decorators for guiding, if they want, or need.

Once the Geo wallpaper was up, it really did bring the whole room to life. I absolutely love looking at it.
The final finishing touches I think went on to do was re-paint the skirting boards, doors and door frames.

For the doors and door frames I used Dulux’s Quick Dry Satin Wood Paint, ‘Jasmine White’.
The skirting boards were refreshed with Dulux’s Quick Dry Gloss Paint, ‘Pure Brilliant White’.
With both paints you are able to wash up with water. So no icky oil based painting, and faff of cleaning up. One coat was only needed, because this was simply a refresh. Plus both dry lovely and quick.

Finishing Touches

Similar to the Kitchen, we have a few finishing touches to happen within the Dining Room refurbishment.

• My Geo design will be installed as Roller Blinds for the Windows and Back Door.
• We have ordered a new dining room table and chairs, a shelving unit is coming to create another feature wall.
• Plus I am thinking of painting our pine dresser we have in that area as well.

I shall keep you updated!
Then, Our next focus for our DIY Home is the Living Room, which I can’t wait to show you.
Make sure you see daily updates about how our home refurbishment project is going, then come over to my Instagram Page, and check out my Insta Stories.