A little neighborly Room Crashing

My next-door neighbor Kim has been hard at work turning her already-beautiful dining-living room combo into a space that you'll never want to leave. Here's the dining room half.  I just love the wall color:  Functional Gray by Sherwin Williams...makes Kim's moldings and doors really pop.  Last week, she had two chandeliers installed (here's one below), and they are such a perfect finishing touch...don't you think??  With the dining room table decorated, she really achieved a light-filled and elegant, yet cozy, dining space:

On the other side of the room is a buffet that Kim just refinished using no-VOC Annie Sloan Chalk Paint! I hadn't even heard of the product, but it turned her classic wood buffet into a piece that looks vintage and loved in no time.

Here's what Kim had to say about the chalk paint and her technique:  "The beauty of that product is no sanding or prep work is really required.  The website even says you don't have to clean it.  Personally, I rubbed it down with some mineral spirits to get off any residual dirt.  Then, I literally just painted the product right onto the buffet.  I used a 1:3 ratio of French Linen and Old White.  French Linen is a much darker grey.  Painted two coats.  Then I used the clear wax to seal the chalk paint.  Distressed with sandpaper in a few places and did one more coat of clear wax.  Finally used the dark wax on the edges in the spots with lots of detailing (arches on the front doors) to give it a more weathered appearance.  The chalk paint product is really really fantastic.  I kind of want to paint a bunch of things with it now!"  She also recommended a web site with more photos of furniture pieces that have been transformed by chalk paint:  http://www.methenyweir.com

Remember I said that this room is a dining-living room combo?  Well, across from the dining room table is Kim's fabulous living-room-in-the-making. Here's the second chandelier and the soft Safavieh rug she picked...both from Overstock. I love her two-timing coffee table that adds four more seats to the room when needed. The art you see above and to the right of the sofa will be up on the walls soon, and some yellow-and-gray ikat curtains are going on the windows soon. This room is going to be just as stunning as her dining room. More soon!

P.S. So, friends, if you come by our house, and I'm not home...you'll know just where to find me!

P.P.S.  Thanks for letting me crash, Kim!!