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When I was taking interior design classes in school, we were taught to create inspiration or mood boards for the projects we were working on. Because I am such a visual person, I always loved that part of the planning process. There is something about having everything placed together in front of my eyes that helps me tweak and fine tune my vision.

Maybe that’s why I love Pinterest so much.

For my latest project, I thought I’d gather my dining room inspiration and create myself a virtual mood board. This will help me in figuring out what I’m after. To get the look and feel that I want.

My goal:

Farmhouse charm with a collected, fresh, happy vibe.

Plain neutrals are a little too hum drum for this chick, that’s where me and JoJo part ways. I crave color. But, she is teaching me that if the backdrop is neutral and there is lots of white and wood, color can shine without being overbearing. My wish list includes: shiplap, chippy paint, a farmhouse table, a place for my favorite vintage collections, old wood, and accents of fun fresh color.

A room that tells a story.

Dining Room Inspiration Mood Board:

Here’s what I came up with…

Sources:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Progress:

The shiplap is up and painted. The curtains are up. And thanks to my trucker coming home, my Mother’s Day chandy is all lit up! I need to paint my old buffet, then tackle a hutch I bought off a friend. Despite it not being exactly what I want, it’ll do until I find what I’m envisioning. I had a hutch on loan from my mother in law, however, when I got it in the room it just didn’t look right at all. Too small and the cherry wood was WAY too formal. So back it goes and the hubby is thrilled to load it in the truck again, let me tell you! Sometimes visualization doesn’t cut it and you just have to physically put a piece in a room to see it doesn’t work. Oopsies, my bad. (Love ya, babe!)

I’m still looking for a farmhouse table that is in my budget. However, unless I can find an old one to refashion, I may have to build one myself. My dream table is probably going to have to wait. We’ll keep using the smaller one we have for now. Our dining room isn’t that big but, I think we can seat 8 with the right proportioned table. If you see something this yard sale season that you think is a contender, please give me a heads up! I’ll make you peanut butter bars!

I’m sooooo close to having the room together and it sure feels so good!
Oh, and it’s nice to be able to fit a vehicle in the garage again.

Let’s see how long that lasts.

How do you plan for a project?