Welcome back to my One Room Challenge!  Where designers volunteer to transform a room in 6 weeks and write about the process.  And, here I am at the halfway mark – Week 3.  I DID think that I was making good progress toward the finish, and I am certainly pleased with how everything is turning out…but seriously….that was the fastest three weeks ever!  And there are only 2 weeks left before I need to photograph and be ready for the reveal!!  We are all feeling the pressure of the time frame, but be sure and check in on the other participants- we love having you follow along and keep the good thoughts and comments coming.  Some of the Wednesday posts are are certainly keeping me amazed at all the great inspiration.

I promised last week that I would highlight the artwork in the dining room.  I mentioned that I have known my “clients” for many years and I have noticed all the paintings they displayed around their home, but like often happens, I didn’t really LOOK!  I was surprised to learn some years ago that most of them were the work of his mother – Katie.  I was not fortunate to meet Katie, but she was very talented and I have admired many of the works she did.  Not only did John’s mother create these and others throughout the home, but John’s grandfather was ALSO quite an artist and John and Missy’s daughter Margot, is following in their footsteps!

I decided to highlight these still lifes of fruits and vegetables and create a classic effect in the dining room.  I selected an anchor piece of grapes in a basket by an unknown artist…but we are quite sure it is a family member as well.  I loved “shopping” in the home art gallery and finding potential works for the dining room-here are a couple I am definitely using, and I have a few more that I am going to keep under wraps until the reveal!

 

 

I really enjoyed finding just the perfect frame to highlight the paintings above and below, but the final image of the grapes were in a beautiful vintage frame that did NOT need any improving.

 

 

My plan is to group these, plus a few others I’ll reveal later.  Grouping them together gives them ALL more impact and I feel very lucky to have so many to choose from that I like.  The opportunity to make use of these family pieces, essentially to enhance a space that we celebrate family with meals and gatherings, feels perfect to me.

 

 

The fabric for the drapery is in the works, the wallpaper is up and the rug has been selected- I have just a few more items to complete the room and get delivered before those final touches have to be in place….come see next week how I am doing!  And, of course, be sure and check out all the progress on my fellow ORC designer’s rooms!

Cheers!

Meredith