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French Vintage Dining Room – Before and After

Have a look at my before and after French vintage dining room makeover.

French Vintage Dining Room/vintage bookshelf, gold mirror - So Much Better With Age

I bet you didn’t know there was a corner fireplace in this room. And did you know that it was once a family room?

Because the main floor of this house is quite long and narrow and small on space, I didn’t need a living room and a family room so I got rid of the room altogether, expanded the kitchen and made the previous family room into the dining room.

The dining room before with an old fireplace and wood floors.

For us to make the room work as a dining room with my French Vintage flair, the fireplace had to be removed.

My French Vintage dining room that was once a family room.

By removing the corner fireplace, it allowed more room for a dining table and it opened up the whole space.

The dining room with new floors and a French vintage vibe.

This renovated room connects the kitchen to the hallway, a door to the basement and to the back deck.

It seemed odd to me that there was a TV on one wall with a couch on the other wall and the middle of the room was a busy traffic zone.

The dining room before which was used as a family room and a TV is on the wall.

Here is the door to the basement and to the right of it is the hallway to the powder room, mudroom and foyer.

This wall was so small it just fit a love seat.

There is a black leather couch beside an open door leading to the basement.

So this was one of the walls that I wanted gone during renovation but a partial one had to stay because of the sewer line.

Renovating the room by tearing down some walls.

Here are a few renovation photos. Nothing like fresh drywall…aaahhhh.

Putting up new drywall in the dining room.

Bye bye corner fireplace!

Using drywall mud to fill in all the holes fro the nails in the drywall.

You can see in this shot that the room really isn’t that big. I did a lot of measuring to make sure I found the perfect size dining table and I also made sure that it stayed closer to that far wall so as not to impede on all the traffic zones. The French chandelier was hung more to the far wall side too.

As you can see I replaced the sliding glass doors with new French doors leading out to the backyard.

To me, nothing is more relaxing then having the doors swung open in the dining room to dine sort-of al fresco.

Preparing the walls for paint.

And now here are the after photos.

The French vintage dining room with a table, chairs, tulips on the table and a French chandelier above the table.

These are just the basics in this dining room but the items I’ve chosen are things I absolutely love and keep in line with my French Vintage style.

The cabinet/bookshelf came with the house and there is just enough room to keep it tucked on that wall.

There is a round gold mirror behind the dining room table.
French Vintage Dining Room/purple tulips, curvy chandelier.

I wanted this room to be more sparse but once I put the cabinet in there to hold all my decor stuff, I kept it there and love how it looks.

A distressed wooden shelf is behind the table and a round gold mirror is above the shelf.

Here is a view down the hall with new doors, bannisters and light fixtures.

French Vintage Dining Room/Mora clock, tulips - So Much Better With Age

French Vintage Dining Room/Mora clock in gold mirror.

And here is a shot from the dining room to the kitchen. Everything to the right of the beam was the part of the wall that was removed and where that couch once sat.

You can read about my big kitchen renovation here. Even though two load-bearing walls were removed and a beam installed in their place, that post on the kitchen island still needed to stay because the floor joists changed direction at the kitchen (don’t ask me why!).

A look at the mostly white kitchen from the dining room.
A white kitchen island with wooden stools and a wooden tray on the island.

Everything in this room is neutral like the rest of my house so when flowers are brought in like these fresh tulips, they just can’t help but pop and to be need photographed.

Up close look at the purple tulips in a champagne bucket on the table.
French Vintage Dining Room/close-up of tulips.
French Vintage Dining Room/mora clock, tulips - So Much Better With Age

Here is one last before and after shot:

French Vintage Dining Room/before corner fireplace.
Dining room table and chairs with tulips on the table.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

What do you think? Isn’t that a big difference?

Don’t be afraid to change rooms that aren’t meant to be what they were made for. Change things up to what works best for your family and your lifestyle.

Sources:

similar table and chairs below

Click in Case You Missed:

Kitchen Renovation

My Big, Beautiful Kitchen Renovation.

French Vintage Living Room

French Vintage Living Room - So Much Better With Age
How I Changed this Family Room into a French Vintage Dining Room - So Much Better With Age

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23 Comments

  1. It is so smooth now, it flows so well. That post in the kitchen seems to anchor the room a bit, think it actually helps. Did you reuse the old floor or put down new stuff? So now you have a living room and a dinning room, yes? I’ve never understood why people needed two family/living rooms on the same floor, basically one on top of the other. One usually is wasted space. Your home is lovely.

    1. I’ve never understand that either, Jauquetta. That’s why the living rooms stayed so formal. I’d rather use every room in my house! New flooring had to be put down as two walls were removed. It also made it more cohesive as there was tile in the front hall and entryway. Thanks for your sweet comment.
      Hugs, Jamie

  2. Such an improvement! A year already? I guess when I think about it our renovation has been done for well over a year now. Maybe it’s just because we’re still recovering from the dust and chaos that it seems shorter ;

  3. WOW – What a transformation. Love everything, especially the removal of the slanted wall. That made such a difference and I am sure much easier to work with. My favorite thing is the chandelier – I do love, love it ! Great job – enjoy your new space!

    1. Thanks so much, Sandra! I know, what a difference taking out that wall! And I love the chandelier too. My favourite thing in my whole house I think (besides my fireplace).
      Hugs, Jamie

  4. Hi Jamie! Love your style! Its exactly the look I’m going for as well. Can you please tell me where you got your dining table? Thank you!

    1. Hi Sophie, thank you so much! I bought it at a local shop and I’ve seen it before at Wayfair but currently they don’t sell it. I’ve been meaning to search for a new source for it and will soon!
      Hugs, Jamie

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