I hate to admit, a majority of our meals are eaten in the kitchen. It just seems easier with a three year old who still throws rejected food downward…we’re working on that. I love the idea of a formal room dedicated to dining and conversation. I imagine 100 years worth of happy announcements from soon to be parents, heated debates from teenagers and life advice passed from generation to generation. This dining room has heard talk of war, discussions about the generation gap and dreams for a prosperous future. I envision wide eyed children listening in rapt attention to a grandparent’s tale from the old country and tear streaked cheeks when faced with a empty chair that was filled just the day before…life happened in this house…and we strive to add our voices to the very essence of this home.
Our dining room, like our living room, is a bit crowded with our treasures from around the world. I try to keep a happy balance of high and low elements with a few touches of whimsy.
With a very formal antique crystal chandelier, I wanted to create a more casual window detail. These grainsacks from Europe add a rustic touch…and they were super easy to do.
Looking for an adult beverage…just open the antique Chinese cabinet. My favorite vintage suitcase holds glass decanters and seltzer bottles.
A simple patriotic touch on the table seems so appropriate in the Summer…
…and speaking of Summer, the Princess is quite taken by our vegetable garden, although she does seem a little perplexed as she contemplates a radish.
Let’s Party…
The Art of Homemaking. Show and Share. BTTCG at Bernadeen’s. No Place Like Home. Tuesday at our House
Tweak it Tuesday. Inspire Me Monday. Inspire Me Tuesday. The Scoop. Titus 2 Tuesday. Thrifty and Vintage
Make it Pretty Monday. Monday of Many Blessings. Let’s Talk Vintage. Wow Us Wednesday. Talk of the Town
Share It. Tuesday With a Twist. Inspire Me Wednesday. Work it Wednesday. Home and Garden Thursday
Share Your Cup. Share Your Style. Thursday Favorites. Thursday Inspiration. Suburban Simplicity
Moonlight and Mason Jars. Wonderful Wednesday. Thoughts of Home. Rooted in Thyme. No Rules Weekend
Vintage Charm Party. Making Broken Beautiful. Home Sweet Home. Feather Nest Friday. Friday Favorites
Your Inspired Design. Shabbilious Friday. Must Love Home 5 Star Fru Fru. Morning Cup of Joe. Home Matters
Sweet Inspiration Best of the Weekend. Share it One More Time. Peace Love and Link. Sunday at Home
Inspiration Monday. Make Your Home Sing. Busy Monday. Amaze Me Monday. Dishing it/ Digging it
Little House Link. Finding Silver Pennies. Anything Blue. Ta da Thursday
A Day of Small Things... 
How poetic your words are for the dining room. I have oodles of photos of relaxed and formal gatherings at my grandmothers’-mothers’-great aunts dining tables for happy times and sad. Loved this post, and your vintage dining room, Sand
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Thank you. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if these walls could talk. I really love this old house creaky floors and all.
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I love your way with words, Amy! Life happened in your home and now you can add your own memories to the mix. You have some wonderful pieces of furniture and I like the teapots in the center of the table. Very festive in red, white and blue. Thank you for sharing and have a lovely day.
Blessings,
Sandi
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Thank you. This house is a rare gem. We are honored to be a part of the history.
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The dining room has always been the center of family life for generations- great food, great conversation and great people! Love your window treatments and pieces of furniture. It looks so warm and inviting. Your Princess just grows more beautiful. Thank-you for sharing this lovely post.
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I like to think we are adding to the history of this house even for our short time here. This house really needs someone to love it back to glory. It would be a labor of love.
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Amy what is life but a string of memories held together by a family. A lovely post. Mimi xxx
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That seems so much more apparent now with Princess in our lives. The bittersweet moments of her growing up…we weep with sadness and beam with pride
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Your dining room looks beautiful, warm, and inviting. I love your window treatments!!!
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Your home is gorgeous. Your photography is great. You have a lovely subject. Thanks for sharing. I hope you’ll come by and visit. Please let me know you’ve come over!
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Thank you. This old house has so many challenges but I love my time spent here…creaky floors and all.
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A wonderful inviting dining room for sure. Your little princess is a doll baby, so adorable.
betsy
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She is busy little Princess and we love her so much.
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Dear Amy:
Your home looks so warm and friendly and lovely. I love this photo of the Princess looking at that radish! Thanks for sharing and linking such charm.
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I think she expected a carrot! Her favorite thing to do with her Baba is helping in the garden.
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I love that your home contains treasures and memories. That’s what makes a house a home.
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I agree!
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Beautiful…the words, sentiments, and furnishings. So much so that I pinned it. Nancy Andres
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That makes my heart happy. Thank you
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Your dining room is lovely.
Shared meals around our farmhouse table through the years are some of my fondest memories.
Thanks for sharing with SYC.
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Happy memories for sure. The dining room is so much more than a place to eat.
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What a special room! I just love how welcoming and cozy it is. It’s the perfect place to have a meal with family and friends. Thank you so much for sharing at Inspiration Thursday!
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Thank you. I will miss your partyš
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Amy, You will eat in the dining room as a family soon that you think. Radishes can be a mystery or the simply miracle of planting a seed and reaping a vegetable is amazing. Sylvia D.
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She is just fascinated with the garden and a good helper. I think she expected a carrot!
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I just love your dining room! It is so cozy and your window treatments are lovely!!
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I love that you have the things you cherish in this room. Life does happen in the dining room doesn’t it? You’ve got the perfect room for lots of happenings.;-)
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A little more space would be nice…dreams for someday.
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Such a sweet post, Amy. It’s fun to think of all the history a home can hold. I do believe you are adding some more wonderful life for the walls to hold. Happy Thoughts of Home.š
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What a heartfelt post. I love that you instantly get a sense of the family that lives and dines in the room. Truly a home!
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Thank you!
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The room is lovely–I am pretty sparse and minimal in my tastes but adore looking at all your fabulous things! It is amazing how such a diverse collection all makes sense together. I guess when everything is something you love, it works!
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Everything is pretty tight in this house. Someday I hope for some more room. I do try to rotate things in and out and I am lucky to have a pretty large basement for storage.
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Love the grain sack curtains and the way you’ve displayed your seltzer bottles! I have 5 and they are one of my favorite collections! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
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I love almost anything glass. So much has been tucked away or placed up high. The grainsacks were just a thought one morning and I did a little experiment…and they have been there since.
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Those grainsack curtains are so original and lovely! And I always swoon for seltzer bottles. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm! xoKathleen Charm Bracelet Diva {At Home}
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Your living room is so lovely, and it’s great you keep all those memories there. The seltzer bottles are so pretty and colorful, and your Princess is too cute, look at her face looking at the radish!
Thanks for sharing it with us at Sweet Inspiration party!
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You had me smiling and remembering some fond memories when my kids were little by the 1st sentence! I can’t wait til my kids have children of their own and I can go visit them…and then throw food on the floor for a laugh. Thanks for sharing it at the DI & DI Link Party.
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After cleaning the first stain from the antique rug I moved the party to the kitchen. I am told I will miss these little things…
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Your dining room is wonderful. Those treasures are important. You’ll be making some wonderful memories in that room — soon! Looks like you are ready for the 4th of July!
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I love the 4th!
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Oh, I just love how you described the family. Reminded me of my childhood–listening wide-eyed to my uncles, aunts and grandparents tell family stories. Thank you. Hope to see you back at the #HomeMattersParty
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I really wish I could go back to those childhood days…I would appreciate those conversations so much more…but I guess running through the house with the cousins is a memory I cherish as well.
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I love the story and picture it formed as you describe your dining room dreams. Silly me I think people rarely eat in the kitchen or the dining room these days…I think they eat on TV trays in front of a show! Eating in the kitchen? You are winning a battle already. Love your collections from around the world, it really makes your room so much more than a room. It is memories and love just waiting for some more to be made as you eventually gather there.
Also, an amazing list of Link Parties! Thank you for joining our little newbie.
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Thank you! We have one TV we don’t even turn on until after bath and bed. Our house is a bit cluttered right now but hopefully soon we will have a bigger house…we love this rental however
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Your dining room is absolutely beautiful and your little girl is darling!! I love seeing all of your treasures from around the world and really appreciate the verse on the table decorations!
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Your dining room is very pretty. I liked the description you gave of the things that go on there. your daughter’s face with that radish is too cute! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
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I think she truly expected to find a carrot!
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It is an honour to share in the history of a home Amy. Thanks for sharing at Five Star Frou-Frou this week. I hope you’ll join me again for the new linkup. Mimi xxx
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