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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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August 4, 2014

Re-arranging the Dining Room

You know those pictures where it starts out looking like one thing but the longer you look at it, you are able to see another image appear?

Well, I’m really horrible at those.

Everyone around me will see that what looks like the solar system is in actuality a big bowl of apples.

Squint your eyes, they say. Tilt your head, jump up and down, close one eye and stare at it for 10 minutes with the other eye, spit on the ground and then spin around twice. THEN you’ll see it.

But, I never do. So, I fake it.

“Ohhhhhh! There it is! Yes, I totally see it. I totally don’t see the solar system any more but instead I see a bowl of apples!”

dining room
 

I really think the key to the success in seeing the picture within the picture is changing your perspective.

And I think sometimes that’s the key to success in decorating too.

Case in point…my dining room.

When we first moved in I was absolutely positive that there was only one way to position our table. And that’s where it stayed for 5 years. You can see it here.

Then I fell in love…chair love.

These weren’t just any chairs. These were dining room chairs on casters, slipcovered in creamy perfection with sassy little pleats.

I wanted them. But, even though they were already at a discount store, I still didn’t want to pay their price. So, I waited and waited and waited and waited. Going back again and again and watching that price drop lower and lower and lower and lower.

Until, that one magical day when I went to visit them and the price was so low that I just couldn’t hold off any longer.

And now, they’re mine…ALL MINE! (cue maniacal laugh)

upholstered dining room chairs

As I wheeled these chairs through the store (they wouldn’t quite fit in the cart!) my mind was racing with thoughts about how I was going to make them work with the current layout in the dining room. In the process of stalking these chairs and willing their price to drop I somehow lost sight of the fact that there really wasn’t room for them.

I got home and stood in the doorway from the kitchen to the dining room for a long time just staring at the space like I stare at those paintings withing paintings. I squinted my eyes, tilted my head and just when I was getting ready to spit on the floor and spin around twice (okay I wasn’t actually going to do that!) my perspective changed!

traditional formal dining room atthepicketfence.com

I realized that by turning the table the other way that it would give me enough room to use my new chairs AND it even gave me enough room to add an extra leaf.

Seriously! Why on earth did I not do this sooner?

Suddenly there was all of this extra space and the room felt sooooooo much bigger!

dining room living room combo

You know, it’s  funny how a simple change of perspective can make such a big impact.

This is true of pictures within pictures, decorating and…well…life.

Sometimes we all just need to look at things differently, right?

Maybe it’s something as simple as a room or maybe it’s something as complicated as a relationship or a difficult circumstance you suddenly find yourself in.

formal dining room set

I’m the first to admit that changing one’s perspective is easier said than done.

You see, the thing is, I’d been feeling like I needed to start from scratch with my dining room. I looked at those images on Pinterest and felt like this space was just all wrong. Like my matching table and china cabinet were just not ‘in’ anymore. That I should just wipe the slate clean and start all over.

My perspective of this room was that it was just not measuring up.

But simply by turning the table around and adding two discounted chairs, suddenly I saw my dining room in an entirely new light.

Nothing dramatic happened. It just felt ‘right’…like how it was always supposed to look.

hydrangea centerpiece

Changing my perspective about the room also changed my attitude about it.

Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude about it.”

I’m fairly certain she wasn’t referring to dining rooms.

But, who am I to question it when decorating leads to profound life lessons?! 😉

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11 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: dining room

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Comments

  1. Cindy says

    August 4, 2014 at 4:32 AM

    Your dining room is gorgeous, and I love your new chairs…great addition!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

    Reply
  2. Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says

    August 4, 2014 at 5:41 AM

    Fabulous post and your dining room is stunning. I love the new chairs too.

    Reply
  3. Jordan@the2seasons says

    August 4, 2014 at 5:55 AM

    What a great room. I am ready to come over for dinner!!

    Reply
  4. Andrea at Opulent Cottage says

    August 4, 2014 at 6:03 AM

    So pretty! What an elegant room!

    Reply
  5. Jean from Georgia says

    August 4, 2014 at 6:46 AM

    Pretty photos. Have you thought about lining the interior back wall of your china cabinet? Chevron would be pretty or a watermarked silk fabric would lighten up the darkness of the wood. Just a thought from my perspective.

    Reply
  6. martina says

    August 4, 2014 at 6:56 AM

    LOVE your new chairs Vanessa…your dining room looks gorgeous!!

    Reply
  7. June says

    August 4, 2014 at 8:23 AM

    LOVE THE CHAIRS VANESSA! Worth the wait. Love the change to the dining room as well.

    I recently had a wall taken down between our kitchen and dining room. It allowed me to play around with the space a little more since like you I had one vision to begin with and kept it that way for 25 years. What I did and love is move my big china hutch to a living room wall and I absolutely love it! Ironically my sister came over and commented she had been thinking of doing the same thing.

    It’s a long room and I haven’t totally completed the project. You can still see the hutch from the dining room table and I just love how it is all coming together.

    Thanks for the great inspiring posts.

    Reply
  8. Nellie says

    August 4, 2014 at 11:22 AM

    Hi Vanessa,
    Love love love your new chairs, and they do look wonderful with your table…..and other chairs. You are so right about perspective, it is everything really.
    Sometimes we all need a change…….or need to change ourselves.
    Your dining room looks lovely and love your tablescape as well.
    I love white anything……..
    it just makes me hap hap happy………

    Have a great day,
    Blessings,
    Nellie

    Reply
  9. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    August 4, 2014 at 12:16 PM

    Love that quote from Maya….and I guess it takes getting those fabulous chairs to make the change happen…they are wonderful and look so great in the dining room…where there’s a will there’s a way and you did it…So happy that you were able to get those chairs!!!

    Reply
  10. Becca says

    August 5, 2014 at 5:59 AM

    That’s right … all in the perspective! And, it IS fun to change it sometimes! Having said that, I LOVE your new dining chairs … I have a crush on them, and, if I spotted them at a fantastic price, they’d hop in my cart, too! They look beautiful in your dining room and the new arrangement is fantabulous! Great job, friend. xoxoxoxo

    Reply
  11. debbiedoos says

    August 5, 2014 at 4:21 PM

    I love it Vanessa! You have such a warm traditional Dining room where I can see many of memories made. Cozy, homey and full of LOVE!

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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