Thursday, October 22, 2009

Day 5/33 : The Dining Room turned Library

I've always wanted to try this combination in my dining room - and having the urge to show 33 pictures of my tiny Casa de la Vanderdogan gave way to the opportunity! It's a different tablescape than you've likely seen around my place, but one I'm thinking might actually stay awhile.

And what's more, there's another picture today!



Now, the photos are coming out very grainy. I've noticed, so if you're noticing it thinking I'm unaware ... I'm working on fixing that. I recently found that my ISO is what is causing the grain to the photo. Because we have low light spaces, especially seeing as how I photograph mostly at night (thanks to the day job!) I set the ISO at the highest setting, and that was a mistake. I may replace these pictures with better ones in the coming days ... stay tuned!


EDITED PHOTO: (What do you think??)


So thank you so much to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for allowing me to post this tablescape as part of her popular Tablescape Thursdays! Now run over, and check out what everyone else has going on! (After you comment, of course!)

53 comments:

  1. Artie, Artie, Artie. I think you should keep your dining room like this always! It is gooooorgeous. The colors are my favorite ones and so quintessential Fall. Books, of course send my heart a-flutter, and all that warm wood, the globes, the cross bottles... it's all just stunning. You keep amazing me!
    Beautiful!
    xo Isa

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  2. Who would have thought? So many unexpected features, from the position of the chairs and books, to the candles on the floor, ...yet all works together in a wonderful and beautiful way! ...am loving this series of posts! ~Rhonda

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  3. Oops! That was me up there.
    xoxoxo Isa

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  4. Artie-This is a beautiful room--all the details, textures, and layers. A dream for a book lover like me!

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  5. Those photos looks like they jumped out of the pages of a magazine! Artfully placed things with a purpose, to please the eye...
    Fantastic Day 5!
    ~Really Rainey~

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  6. Artie, what a fabulous room, I ♥ it!

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  7. Love the dining room this way!

    I see you brought two of your leather chairs in and they look good -- what a great place for a quiet read!

    I've seen chairs positioned the way you have yours (on Joni's blog?) -- and they make it look more like a library than a dining room.

    Of course, your furniture is great for either a dining room or a library.

    I love the tablecloth -- and of course, your colors!

    Can't wait until the next of the 33!

    Am really enjoying these glimpses into Casa DeLaVanderdogan

    But it makes me want to say more!

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  8. Artie, What a beautiful surprise. It invites and says... come, sit and stay awhile. I love the colors and the candles. Beautiful and sophicated and very unexpected!
    Yvonne

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  9. What a wonderful use of a dining room. For the amount of times we really use dining rooms it's great for it to have a second use! You have a beautiful home and take lovely pictures. I really appreciated you stopping by my sight and leaving a nice comment : ) Have a great week. Sherri

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  10. outstanding!! Thanks for sharing!

    Sophia

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  11. Wow, this is so clever. Are those little globes I see in the middle of the table? Nice touch! This is very sophisticated and warm-great job.
    Best wishes, NM.

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  12. This is truly stunning...I'd keep it this way and enjoy for awhile!
    Janell

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  13. Wow! The colors and the layout. I love it. You have such style. Great pieces put in just the right places.

    Thank you for stopping by to see me.

    Rebekah

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  14. Artie, I just LOVE it! Looks stunning. I turned our living room into a library, and I have a table in there with eight chairs for extra dining space. I still have our DR, too. Don't you love it? I'm so glad you did this and shared it with us.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  15. I love the rich colors and the wonderful layers and textures. I see a couple of good books I would like to read as well!!

    Maddycakes Muse

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  16. Ditto to Maddycakes re the colors & textures. Love those chairs...gorgeous!

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  17. So your a Tiffany's kink of man are you ?
    Well you have good taste and I like that.
    Love Your New Library. Very rustic and rich looking. I think Audrey would have enjoyed reading a book in your new Library.
    Happy TT
    Going to bed now.
    Love Claudie
    xoxo

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  18. Artie, this room is just so inviting, the fabric mixed with the wood tone and the wonderful books, it all says come in get comfortable and stay awhile, i love it, so interesting and beautiful..thanks for sharing it..

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  19. Yes! This is perfect for fall...one of my faves is the stacked oils against the bamboo blind...

    And lookie cookie...we got more than one pic! I like the bit more light and less grain in the last pic!

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  20. What a difference that made to change the setting on your camera! Outstanding collection of some very interesting pieces. I love all the textures & the different layout. Very unique!

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  21. wow - it looks so different! it's almost as if I don't even recognize the room. wow. it really looks fabulous. keep it like this.

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  22. I love the way you have books "scattered" around, but still so neat looking.
    Yep, grainy pictures, even the last one isn't right.

    Justine :o )

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  23. Really awesome room! The second pic was much sharper too! Your style is fabulous!

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  24. This is wonderful! I love your library look - fun to see the change and everything you show us is always soooooo elegant.

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  25. Artie, this is fabulous. Since I am a book lover, I need to stay for a while and just look. :-)

    Barb

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  26. What a great idea! I LOVE IT! I've always wanted a library in my living room...this looks so cozy and warm...perfect for a crisp autumn day OR a rainy autumn day! Thanks for sharing!

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  27. Artie- THANK you for leaving me a comment on my blog so I could find your amazing blog! I am in love so far- like seriously this dining room is amazing!!

    OK, off to read more so be prepared for like 100 comments on the rest :)

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  28. I love a dining room/library combo. I totally plan to do this when we move to a smaller space. So warm and inviting.

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  29. Oh, Artie! This is my favorite yet. Absolutely gorgeous and, more importantly, so liveable! LOVE it

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  30. My favorite too. Fun, lived in look, warm and inviting, a quest for knowledge. I love the paintings and ladder in the window and the candles on the floor. Nostradamus been by lately?
    Lee

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  31. To my eyes this is the most perfect room ever!!! But I guess I have to mention the little white thingy on the wall in the corner - I assume it is a speaker. How about a blob of wall paint on it? When are you going to become really famous? You certainly have the talent. Sally

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  32. Oh, I love it!! Would never work in my house (but that's b/c I have 2 toddler boys who climb and destroy)

    But maybe in a few years, I can adopt this style too!

    The backward chairs, the books, the ladder... love it!

    Oh, the little little man statue holding a candle, he is the best!

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  33. It looks as if you found the correct setting, the last picture is really so much better. This room makes me want to curl up in a corner and start going through all those wonderful books. The colors are gorgeous.

    Sue

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  34. Ahhhhhhh, so lovely! Fall colors, rich fabrics, great lighting - even the grainy pics!

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  35. I like the way you positioned your chairs...a very different approach! The room is lovely - I didn't expect anything less :-)

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  36. artie! what a incredible idea!!
    my girls would love it, my boys not!
    where should they put the pasta??
    :)))
    nice knowing you!
    baciusss

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  37. Looks straight out of Southern Living Magazine to me! Stunning! I WANT that ladder! I covet it. Be still my heart. "Bad" photos are not, this room is AMAZING!

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  38. Love your unique use of this seldom used room in a lot of people's homes. It is very charming and warm. Makes me want to take one of those books, put on my reading glasses and spend an hour or so engrossed in it!

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  39. I like it so much I am now dragging things all over my house to get a similar look and feel. I think my husband is getting a little tired of moving the furniture around but I think he likes the new look around here too:) Thanks for sharing.
    Joyce

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  40. Artie~ ~I adore this. The colors are my favorites and I love the richness and warmth of it all. The canvas's stacked against the bamboo window treatment are geneus!
    If you have another table to dine on I would leave this as is. I could spend hours and hours in here knitting and reading. You are givin' me ideas! Thanks.

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  41. All I can say is "WOW!" Your rooms are amazing. Thank you for sharing your design ideas with the rest of us out here because I feel that I have entered a designer showroom everytime I open up your blog. It is a feast for the eyes and this dining room has so many great ideas it needs to be studied rather than just viewed. Peggy from PA

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  42. Love it! Very artistic feel to it!
    Brenda

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  43. What a wonderful space. It looks like it could be a painting. I was curious if you retook the picture or edited it......

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  44. Beautiful! Thanks for visiting my blog...if you hadn't, I most likely wouldn't have found yours!

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  45. Hi Artie...

    Oooh...I just love how your library found its way into your dining room, my friend! It's lovely!!! Ohhhh...the rich and warm ambiance! Love, love, LOVE it, Artie!!! Thank you for sharing more of your fabulous home!!!

    Warmest wishes,
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  46. Just fabulous! Your photography is so nice. Beautiful!!

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  47. Hi,

    The original photos with the high ISO while grainy do look sharper, probably thanks to the high ISO which helped to capture faster under low light settings.

    The latest photo while "cleaner" loses the detail and richness of the colors, plus it seems to have blurred the picture somewhat, not to mention the overexposure on the hanging lights. Might I suggest a faster lens or a flash?

    Anyway, great composition! I just thought I'd give my two cents and point out some areas to you that you might want to take into consideration next time =)

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  48. This is the way my d.r. table looks all of the time - well, not this great, but it is covered in books. I decided long ago that the seldom-used d.r. would make a better library. In 4 yrs. time, I think I've cleared the book 3 times to serve guests. I normally use a table in the family room. Your "library look" is great - I love the old world look of it. I may turn my chairs around and stack books in them now! Thanks for the inspiration. laurie

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  49. Hey! That is an awesome space! I have the same lighting issues...I try to do my photos in the morning(Saturday).

    I think my favorite part is the canvases on the window treatment. That is pretty cool!

    ~Liz

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  50. hmmm, well...to call a place a library I think you have to have wall to ceiling bookcases, lots of soft leather chairs, and a rip roaring fire with some classical music softly playing ....some coffee or tea and oh, yes, some rain. Soooooooooo, perhaps you have a miniture library.

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  51. Steve and I talk about doing this to our dining room, also know as "the room that gets used once a month".
    I know we would use it so much more as a library. I think we may even eat in it more if we were surrounded by the books we love.
    You did a fantastic job!

    xo
    Brooke

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