If you come over to our home, it will always look like we're getting ready for a dinner party.

Today's Tackle has to do with decorating. My dining room was the last room in the house that I really hadn't attempted to do anything with yet. But it was really starting to bother me because it is one of the first spaces that you see when you walk into our house. Nothing like a bad first impression!

Our dining room table is an old farm table that we bought at an antique store in Oklahoma City when we first got married. It's old and beat up and if you run your hand over it you'll get a splinter. But we've always loved it because it was different and unique.

After moving into the new house, I was feeling the need for a change. I didn't really want to get rid of the farm table, but I didn't have any other dining room furniture to go with it. I looked around, but couldn't commit to any new furniture. This old farm table had traveled 1,300 miles to our new house and I hated to get rid of it.

So instead, I decided just to decorate the top of it and make good use of what I had. I forgot to take any "before" pics, but basically there was nothing but the table and an old light fixture that came with the house.


As you can see, the room is fairly...blank. So, I bought some plain, cream dishes that will always serve as a base. I also got new napkins, and dark chocolate, square, grass place mats that help to darken the table a little and also brings out some of the dark colors in the rug. The mirror hanging on the wall was another re-purposed item that I spray painted chocolate brown.


I used a mixture of two different salad plates with fall colors--mostly brown, orange and mustard yellow. I'll change the plates out during the seasons. I already have some picked out for Christmas. The silverwear I already had. It's meant to go with my china and usually sits in a box in the closet, so I'm really glad that it has a purpose now.


In in few weeks I'll add some little baby pumpkins to the table for Halloween. I'll leave the table this way through Thanksgiving, and then leave my base items and change to red, brown, and green for Christmas.


This is the light fixture that I ordered to go above the table. I love, love, love it! It's a little funky and adds something different to the room. I still need to find some kind of buffet or sideboard to go in room. Once that's done, I'll feel like the room is finished. But for now, I feel good that I made my farm table work with just a few new plates and pretty new napkins.

Just don't sit at the table to eat. You'll mess everything up.