My Kitchen Tour: the dining room sprawl

November 13, 2013

Aimee

by Aimee

My kitchen has inevitably sprawled into the dining room over the years, which is why our main eating area is part of the kitchen tour.

And it only seems natural to walk you through the space where we gather as a family to eat once all that cooking has transpired. I should warn you, though, I don’t pretend in the least bit to have a sense of style when it comes to home decor. It’s a chore for me, the way cooking is to others – I totally get that.

However, I know what makes a space feel distinctly ours: a mix of vintage and modern furniture and accessories, a pop of color, and a touch of nature. Let’s begin around our battered dining room table and mismatched chairs.

I think the table is actually a desk, but it seats eight comfortable and it was free, so I’m happy. The buffet behind is a converted antique dresser (another freebee) that houses a ton of food photography props. The artwork is by my talented Aunt Jenny.

The overhead lights are my biggest beef. They were here when we moved in and I am perpetually on the lookout for something else that fits our country style. Any ideas? Please share them in the comments – and thank you!

Here’s a closer look at the hutch, on a particular day when I was feeling blue, or something. The quilted table runner is from Etsy. My mum shipped me two of her blue vintage jars when she heard my upcoming book titles was ‘Brown Eggs and Jam Jars’. She is the best.

breakfast tray of oatmeal toppings

I keep a tray of toppings handy for our near-daily oatmeal breakfast: currants, chia seeds, pepitas, ground flax and maple flakes. Danny’s mother made the soft quilted table runner for us. I love how it already looks warm and vintage, although it was handmade this past summer.

Simple Bites Kitchen Tour: dining room

Clara, simultaneously messing up my clean floors and charming me with her wide grin.

Beyond the table is the playroom, but the area is semi divided by a sideboard and pot rack. The sideboard doubles as an outdoor bar in the summer, as the table top separates and slides out to reveal a handy metal tub for storing ice and drinks. (See it in full action here)

Again, more storage for awkward-shaped platters, cutting boards and baskets. The boys often set up a chess game here after school and pull up chairs.

It works well as a good place to stash bulky items, and amazingly, Clara leaves everything well alone (for the most part).

My pot rack hosts a collection of items that represent most everything I love about homesteading. A wire egg basket, canning rings, garlic and dried herbs from the garden…

Simple Bites Kitchen Tour: linen cabinet

This small wooden cabinet was a wedding present, handmade by my brother, Josh. It stores the bulk of my linens, both for food styling and for everyday use at the table.

Simple Bites Kitchen Tour: dining room

My collection of vintage silverware and utensils is slowly growing, thanks to flea market and garage sale finds. I use these all the time, so I keep them handy in an old wooden box.

Simple Bites Kitchen Tour: dining room