Eureka. Let's swap the living and dining rooms!

For 25 years this was our dining room. When we moved in, it already had the dining table chandelier and was just off the kitchen so I never even questioned it. Turns out, questioning things is a good thing. I could go all mom preachy on that subject, but for now I'll stick to the topic at hand.

Our dining room was cramped. If I put all the extra leaves in the table to accommodate family and friends gathered 'round, then someone (usually the little, limber ones) pretty much had to climb under the table to get to the other side. (That is only a slight exaggeration.) Oh, the color changed often...but I could never fix the space.

We were hemmed in. We gave ourselves a little breathing room when we removed the dining room windows and replaced them with french doors leading out to our screened porch addition. Then, if the weather was just right, we could open the doors for false sense of space.

While we were living with this dining room what we weren't doing was living in the living room. It was the large open room right inside our front door so, of course, it was the living room. We even had furniture in there but this room was rarely occupied. I struggled to even find a picture or two of it and realized it was because we were never in it.

These photos are the best I could find (just look at precious baby girls being all adorable). Keep an eye out for that ivory sofa...25 years later she's still rockin' that same fabric.

Anyhoo, one day my friend Kay came over and was walking through our house and super astutely picked up on our problem that I never thought had a solution (note to self...think outside the box on occasion). She just asked "have you ever considered swapping your living room with your dining room?" Eureka. Well, no I had never considered it but it was genius (thank ya, Kay).

These pictures are pretty much taken at the same angle but about 20 years apart. Outdoorman had previously built these bookshelves and window seat. I'm of the mind that a house can never have too many built-ins. I just think they add a little history and character. The wall to wall green carpet had already been ripped up to reveal original oak floors. Yippee!

We did add a chandelier to the new dining room (Ballard Designs) but not much else had to change. The original fireplace just adds cozy to a fall or winter dinner. The leaves stay in the table now and no one has to crawl under it to get to the other side. It's fab.

The former cramped dining room has now become my favorite little sitting spot. I can move from the sofa (recognize her?) to my big ol' swing depending on the weather. Also note, the chandelier has never changed and Jim Gray's painting of "The Smokies" has always been on this wall.

It's just the coziest spot in our house, I think. I can see artwork of the beach, the mountains, and Japan (my very favorite places) and I can snuggle under the afghan that Big Girl crocheted for me a few years ago and keep warm by the new small electric fireplace if I get really cold.