Formal Dining and Office Before and Progress

As promised, I am sharing before and progress pictures of our formal dining room and office.  But first, let me explain a little about the layout.  

When the house was on the market, the house was set up with a formal living room with a small formal dining room off to the side.  We are not really formal living room/sitting type of people.  But I did want a larger space to entertain and have special dinners.  My dining table would barely fit in what was the formal dining room.  

After a suggestion from my friend, Stephanie, we decided that it would make more sense for us to convert what was the formal dining room into an office, and what was the formal living room into the formal dining room.  It is a much more functional layout for our lifestyle. 

Formal Dining

Before with the drapes left by the previous homeowner and yellow walls. 

I tested out a couple of greys before deciding on the one I love!  

Here it is with the draperies gone, the walls painted grey, but still had carpet. 

I took these pictures in December of 2012 right after we had the floors put in.  It was still a pretty bare space at this point, but looked a lot more updated and modern with the grey walls and dark floors. 

Here is another shot of the dining room.  I really love the windows that let in so much natural light. The dining room table was given to me by two of my dearest friends I call my sisters from another mister.  It was unfinished and I did a whitewash finish on it.  The antique piece in the corner there was given to us by J's dad.  It is a pie safe made from an old upright organ.  

Still to do:  
Have electrician install chandelier and recessed lighting.  (This room currently has no overhead light.  There is a switch that turns a couple of the electrical outlets on and off that was used with lamps.)
Purchase rug
Purchase dining room chairs
Art work and decor

(I am a little further along in this room than these pics show, but I will reveal the updates when I share my fall home tour.) 

Office:

What a mess!  We piled everything in this room when we were getting ready to do the floors.  This was the formal dining room, but we thought it was better suited to be an office. 

 At this point, floors have been done, walls painted grey, curtains hung, and temporary light fixture has been hung to replace the chandelier I took down out of here. I found the silver barn light at Lowe's marked down to $10.  While it is not the right light for the office, I hope to find another home for it later. Maybe in the mudroom.

 The temporary computer desk will be replaced with built-ins along that whole wall.  The cabinets we are using to do the built-in desk area are sitting in my garage on saw horses just waiting to be painted. Man, I need to get started on this project! The piano will be moved (and refinished).  


Still to do:
Paint cabinets taken out of kitchen and make built-ins along back wall of office. 
Add new light fixture and a couple of recessed lights or pendant lights above where desk area will be.
Add rug.
Add decor elements.

So, there you have it.  I really hope to get started on the office project soon.  It is beckoning me even now. I won't be able to put it off much longer.