I recently hosted a reception for my sister and new brother-in-law, which prompted a shopping spree to furnish my dining room for the gathering. You’ll remember my open-concept early ’80s house began with this dining room space:
Dining room BEFORE.
Replaced: That fan with light kit for the glam chandelier gifted to us from a relative.
Added: Paint (straw beige), “farm” WPA bridge table built by my dad
Existing furniture & decor: vintage bar cart, spray-painted to cover brass, simple black entry table for corner, mod bookcase turned on its side (Target), two zebra dining room chairs, barn stars (although it added to the rustic feel, I painted them silver to provide sparkle and unity)
Purchased: six retro Drexel dining room chairs from Craigslist (US army bought them in 1965 and 1968, respectively, according to the stamp on the bottom of the chairs. The woman I bought them from brought them back from their Army quarters in Germany. LOVE these. Will paint and re-cover soon. Thinking something BRIGHT for a pop of color. Already enough brown and black in the room.
Vintage Drexel dining room chairs from the 1960s BEFORE
Decor purchased: Originally, I shopped for a retro lamp, but couldn’t find one that was tall enough or cool enough for the end of the bookshelf, so I decided to go glam instead, with this crystal drum shade and sleek lamp from Hobby Lobby. (50% off). The shiny silver apple (existing) balances the bookend, colorwise, but I’d love some painted branches in a clear vase at the end. The mirror was gifted and adds more glam with its metallic gold. I wiped on metallic silver to make it two-tone.
Bookcase becomes server when needed and magazine stand.
Bookcase becomes a pretty server with vintage barware (and my gorgeous sis in the reflection.)
Peek at the silver stars and original "family tree" art with blue metallic paint on main wall.
A cool clock seemed fitting next to the Cappiello advertising print and above the bar cart. Again, I tried to find a retro clock, but they were pricey and many of them were wind up. I love this mod-inspired mirrored one, which is great next to the “sunburst” in the print.
Glam + mod mirror. White switchplate is now chrome!
To re-cap, if you’re looking for a blended style like “retro glam,” here are elements to look for:
-metallics (silver/gold) and mirrors
-clear items such as crystal, glass and clear plastic
-retro and vintage elements to give the “old Hollywood” or mid-cent mod look. Think clean lines and shop retro stores or craigslist for finds.
I still have the chairs and the corner of the room to finish. Will post more pics when it’s complete. Good luck on your remodeling!
