I haven’t exactly been secretive about my new dining room rug. But then I haven’t really showed it off in my dining room yet either. I talked about it in my post rounding up six of my favorite modern traditional rugs and mentioned it on Instagram here and here. Sometimes I feel like I am moving at a snail’s pace updating this house, which is ironic because I’m constantly making to-do lists and jumping from project to project and battling the occasional (mmmm…maybe often is more honest) exhaustion from DIYing most of the house updates. I’ll step back sometimes and look at a room and think, “My gosh, am I STILL not DONE in here?!” Which is how I was feeling about the dining just now with its lack of wainscoting, artless walls, and rather haphazardly styled built-ins.
But. I also plan to be in this house for a long time. I don’t want to rush anything and make decisions I’ll later want to reverse. Aaaaand…you guys…when I actually looked back at where the dining room was just a year or so ago I realized I actually have done quite a lot in here (a new light fixture, reupholstered chairs, new window treatments, grasscloth wallpaper on the walls, paint). Just take a look at the room fifteen short months ago.
And here it is today.
I’ve been stalling on finishing it up for a few reasons. I need to carve out the time to do the wainscoting below the chair rail. I’m also having major wall art phobia for fear of putting a hole in the grasscloth wallpaper. Truth be told, the one big wall in the dining room will probably stay empty until I am 1030% sure of whatever is going up there.
But the other piece that was holding me up was the rug. I really, really like the simple medallion one that I had in here (don’t worry, it’s been relocated to another spot in the house!) but ultimately I was feeling so drawn to something with color and pattern. And from the second I saw the Surya Zahra rug I was basically obsessed. Like I would maybe die if I didn’t have it in my dining room. Then it was on backorder for 100 years. Actually more like 2-3 months but it felt like a hundred years because I just wanted this gorgeous, handmade, colorful goodness in my life as soon as possible. Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue…
I was positively giddy when it arrived and I unrolled it and actually saw it in person for the first time. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. It basically snapped the dining room into the feel I wanted for the room. I realized recently that almost everything I do in the house is working toward this end goal of creating a traditional look with a modern edge. Not modern as in modern design – which can be beautiful, but isn’t my aesthetic at all – but modern as in a modern take on traditional. And can you even get over the color palette – pink without being precious, blue somewhere between navy and teal, charcoal gray, and the perfect dashes of this punchy orangey red.
It was just the colorful kick that my traditional dining room table and chairs need. Of course, the pop of pink on the chairs doesn’t hurt either :)
I have some great news for you too – right now ALL Surya rugs from Rugs Direct are 40% off. So this one in my dining room, as well as the same rug in all colors, as well as alllllll the Surya rugs. I am a big, big fan of Surya rugs in general – the quality is excellent. Oh and there’s more – through the end of November you can get an additional 15% off by clicking on the Rugs Direct ad in my sidebar. Enter your e-mail address and Rugs Direct will e-mail you a coupon for 15% off. How great, right?! If you’ve been thinking of buying a new rug for any space in your house, now is a great time to do it with the combined savings.
Thank you to Rugs Direct for sponsoring this post. As always, I only share products and companies with you that I truly like. All ideas and opinions expressed are my own.
oh it’s perfect!!!! so pretty and of course the right amount of pink!
Thanks so much, Cassie! I keep thinking I’m pushing my luck with Scott and the pink but so far no (major) objections :)
it’s absolutely gorgeous!!
Thanks so much, Erin!
Well, I’ll say you’ve made MAJOR progress! It looks just beautiful as is right now, Jen. Your new rug is the perfect addition! Love all the colors and the vintage feel.
Thank you!! Thank goodness I looked at the photo from a year ago to keep myself from getting depressed about my sloooowwwww progress ;)
Beautiful space and that rug is perfect in every way.
Thank you, Shelley – suddenly I am itching to have a dinner party ;)
ooooh love that rug! I’ve been eyeing it for a while!
It’s hard to beat my entryway rug but I think this one is officially my new favorite!
You some how manage to make all of these ‘in progress’ spaces look so chic! Love the rug!
Haha! Well pretty much all I have are in-progress rooms so I have to get crafty ;)
LOVE it!
Thanks, Chelsea :) Me too!!
That rug is just perfect!!! Your room has really transformed!
Thanks, Gabbi – that original green color just wasn’t my style at all! I was so happy to sort of neutralize everything and then add color back in :)
I’ve never been so in love with a rug. It’s stunning!!!
Tell me about it – me too! Thanks, Claire :)
I am new to your blog via Craftberry Bush(love her!). I love your chairs! Did you buy them with that fabric or did you pick it out? we are looking to upholster an antique couch we just got and I am looking for fabric.
Hi Sarah – I agree, Lucy is wonderful and so talented! I reupholstered the chairs in that fabric – it’s by Lacefield Designs, the pattern is called Malta, and the color is Mulberry. It is really, really beautiful in person!
Thanks! Do you recommend the company you bought the fabric from? I have three kids so as you can imagine it will get a beating :)
Their fabrics are beautiful and all upholstery-weight. I have two little kids so know just what you mean. Hard choice!
Love this rug so hard! Also, did you DIY that juju?!?!
I did, but only just. Glue burns on my hands still healing ;) I’ll probably post about it in a few weeks.
Oh my gosh I can’t imagine the sheer volume of feathers! Well played! I got ours from a guys I met at the flea market. He called me from a parking garage in TX when he found one in a neutral color like I wanted. So funny to me.
That sounds like a good connection to have – I love that he called you from TX! Haha!!