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My Dining Room Finale!!!

Feb 15, 2016

Well, sometimes the first room you start is the last room you finish. This was certainly the case in my dining room! Starting the transformation in 2014, I’m happy to announce it’s finally finished!! You got a sneak peek back in December in this post about the artwork I chose, and today I’m so excited to share the completed look!

The Before Shot of My Dining Room - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

Here’s the before! Moving from a traditional look with a Country French flair to a more contemporary style that still incorporates older elements, I was able to use all my existing furnishing in other rooms. The trumeau mirror and light fixture moved to the breakfast room, the table to my home office, the chairs to my conference room at work, and the small painting to my entrance!

Chandelier in My Dining Room Makeover - Leslie Sinclair Segreto Finishes

The first purchase was a chandelier I found at Janet Wiebe Antiques! You can still see the hand-painted detail we used to have over the paneled trim that bordered the entrances into the living and dining rooms. If you look really closely over the staircase, hanging above the door to my music room, you’ll see the bottom of two arched overdoors I purchased from Joyce Horn Antiques. These were panels from a French music room, and they hung in my entrance for years. See if you can spy where they landed later in the post!!

Antique Fortuny Fabric for My Dining Room - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

The second purchase – and my color inspiration for the whole room – was these vintage Fortuney drapes which I bought from Atelier Fifteen-O-Five, a consignment shop in Houston. The material has tiny hints of lavender which I wanted to bring out in the rug and chair fabrics!

Madison Lily Rug - Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

I found the perfect rug at Madsion Lily!!! Silk and wool – the colors were spot on, and I adore the almost painted-like weave!! The table came from Denny Register Antiques! He has a huge warehouse and buys up gorgeous furnishings from estates. I actually first saw this table six years ago while looking for a conference table for my store, but I felt it wasn’t large enough. Then when I was shopping for my son’s apartment in Dallas a few years ago, I noticed it was still there, buried under lots of stuff. I called Denny when I was furnishing this room, and to my surprise, he still had it! Some might think it’s a table no one wants, but I felt it was meant to be and perfect for me!!!

My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

I love the mid-century lines of vintage chairs and found a set of five at MAI! They needed to be recovered, and I really wanted to come up with a way to remove the caster wheels and dress them up. Having faith something would come to me, I went ahead and purchased them all!! (Though I wish there had been six…)

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Searching the web, I found some stunning brass curtain rods….. but at $4000 per rod, they were definitely not in my budget! Since I love Lucite, I typed in Lucite and brass on Etsy and found these from LuxHoldUps! LOVE!!!!

LuxHoldUps Drapery Hardware in My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

They look great hung, but I had forgotten to order the finials!!

LuxHoldUps Finial For Lucite Drapery Rod (Polished or Brushed Brass) - Segreto Secrets

Pulling up the LuxHoldUps page again, I started wondering if the end caps might also work as feet to replace the casters on my Lucite chairs! So I ordered a set of the cylinder end caps for both the rod and the chairs, and then I also bought an end cap to see how it would look on the arms of the chairs!!

As a side note, I wanted to let you know that the rods also come in chrome, and you can even choose square vs. round edges! So lovely!

My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

While I was waiting on the end caps, I started pulling some pieces from other rooms in the house into the dining space. You can see the French overdoors I mentioned earlier landed here!! A large contemporary painting would have also looked great, but I love these pieces and was committed to my quirky mix of old and new. The antique mannequin, outfitted in a late 1800s jacket (and, yes, I did wear this when I first got it!), was previously in my dressing room and needed a new home! It won’t stay here though. I wish I had taken a better picture of the chairs’ casters, but this was before – the next picture shows after!!!

Acrylic and Brass Chairs My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

Look what a difference the new “feet” and arm end caps made!!!! A whole new set of chairs! I also recovered them in Donghia fabric!!! The material looked a bit like the reverse tones of the rug.

Acrylic Furnishings in My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

If you go back and look at the picture where I show the drapery rod, you can see that the old wooden windows have been replaced with ones from A.C.I. Metal Works!! This made a huge difference in the room and lets so much more light in!

Wood Planked Ceiling with Hand-Painted Medallion - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

After removing the crown molding and widening the room’s opening to the entrance, I wanted to give the dining space something special all of its own. I purchased reclaimed wood from AR Floor Designs of Houston and had Goodchild Builders install it. For some additional charm, we hand-painted a design around the chandelier!

Plaster Finishes with Metallic Panel Border - My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

Since I can never leave well enough alone when it comes to finishes, we painted a border on the ceiling and a thin paneling detail over the polished plaster on the walls. These stripes were created with gold leaf!!!

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You can see the panel detail to the left of this entrance shot. After two years of pondering over selections, the big push to finish was to be able to photograph the room for Segreto Vignettes! It’s finally going to press this month!!! You can see I’ve moved the mannequin to the right of the door! If you notice to the left, I got three acrylic boxes from CB2, hung them on the wall and placed amethyst on top of each to create art pieces. This was one of my crazy ideas for the dining room, but I decided it would work better here. The chairs are ones I have loved for years but could never find a place for at home, so I had put them at the store as extra seating. We refinished and recovered them, and now they’re perfect! A wall bracket was hung in between to serve as a table!!! And remember the small painting that was previously in the dining room… it found its new home here!!

And now for the after!!!!

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Well, you might notice as you look through the next few photos that I shot the room with three different styles of console tables!! Which setup do you like the best? This first one shows a bar console I purchased from Mecox in the window!

My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

In the second one, I moved the bar console to the side wall and added a Lucite console from Lam Bespoke which had been in my living room. I accessorized it with a coral piece from my living room as well. (You can check out the whole living room redo here.)

My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

The third version is the same as the second; however, I replaced the coral with an amethyst I borrowed from the Segreto Boutique. So, do you like version 1, 2 or 3 the best?

My Dining Room Finale - Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Secrets

I hope you enjoyed my dining room’s final reveal!! You can see I’m testing out different finishes and trying new looks for my own home! The finishes remain classical, but I’ve had fun trying to mix lots of different elements together into one cohesive look! Thanks to Wade Blissard for these wonderful after pictures and to Dave Shilling for the shot of my dining room’s last look!!! Till next week!!!

xo, Leslie

P.S. Find me on INSTAGRAM Here!



40 Comments
  • The Enchanted Home
    Posted at 06:22h, 15 February Reply

    Wow you did a fabulous job….the chandelier is spectacular and love the ceiling detail. Funny I recommend that Lucite resource as well to a friend and she said the quality/price point was fantastic! Thanks for sharing:)

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 07:02h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Tina!! Thank you!!! I am loving the contemporary mixed in for now!! I hope you have a great week!! xo

  • Rhonda Jacobson
    Posted at 07:42h, 15 February Reply

    Leslie, this is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing .

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 08:34h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Rhonda! thanks!! And Thank you for following!! Have a great day!! xo

  • Teddee Grace
    Posted at 08:32h, 15 February Reply

    This is absolutely mesmerizing! I love every detail and the juxtaposition of the reclaimed wood ceiling with that fantastic rug and all of the Lucite. I’ll take #1. Anything else seems to crowd the room a bit.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 08:34h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Teddee! Thank you so much! some times I wonder is its just a crazy mixed up mess! Thumbs up on 1!!!

  • Janie Horn
    Posted at 08:51h, 15 February Reply

    Beautiful room! You are so creative. In my opinion, I’d leave the bar in the corner and nothing in front of the window.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:21h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Janie!! I would be able to see outside better!!! That might be the ticket! Have a great evening!!

  • Taylor Greenwalt
    Posted at 09:00h, 15 February Reply

    Hi Leslie…you did a fabulous job! I love the curtain rods and all the little details! So pretty!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:21h, 15 February Reply

      Thanks so much!! that was quite a find! And they were so reasonable!! Have a good one!

  • Tiffany Alexander
    Posted at 09:39h, 15 February Reply

    Everything you do is amazing, but I especially love #2 ?.. What a gorgeous room!!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:20h, 15 February Reply

      I think #2 seems to be the winner at this point! So fun to see all of your comments!! xo

  • Rose Blamey
    Posted at 10:08h, 15 February Reply

    Wonderful job. Beautiful chandelier! I like option #2 with the bar cart and lucite console table. How fun!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:19h, 15 February Reply

      Thanks Miss Rose for the input!!! I can’t wait to see the final verdict!!! xo

  • cindy hattersley
    Posted at 10:15h, 15 February Reply

    Leslie this is wonderful! I love the mix of the juxtaposition of the lucite chairs with the old world ambiance of the room. Such a great showcase of your work!!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:19h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Cindy!! Thanks so much! I am really enjoying it! Its so fun, and airy!! Have a great evening!!!

  • classic•casual•home
    Posted at 10:36h, 15 February Reply

    YOU are amazing!!! Using those end caps…brilliant. It’s a jewel of a room….your lucky guests who will see it in candle light.
    Mary Ann

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:18h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Mary Ann!! I need to have people over! Then I will have to cook–haha Enjoy the rest of your day!! Thanks for following!!!

  • Barbara Bussey
    Posted at 10:45h, 15 February Reply

    Many would have been thrilled to have your old dining room! The changes you made are amazing. I would have never thought to pair the lucite chairs, with the table, but it’s perfect! The drapery fabric, gold leaf wall trim….I mean come on! I need to order more of your latest book, for the shop.
    Cheers!,
    Barbara

  • Chris
    Posted at 10:49h, 15 February Reply

    Just beautiful. I like #2 far better than the other 2.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:13h, 15 February Reply

      Thanks!! I’m taking a tally!! Have a great day!!

  • Teresa
    Posted at 11:16h, 15 February Reply

    Oh my goodness! Exquisite! Love the ceiling mixed with the table and chairs. Love your style. Thank you for letting us view your world.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 17:13h, 15 February Reply

      Hi Teresa! Thank you so much for following my crazy world!! I’m glad you enjoyed!!

  • michele@hellolovelystudio
    Posted at 17:16h, 15 February Reply

    it really is magnificent, leslie. i think my favorite aspects are the reclaimed ceiling with that perfectly juxtaposed decorative painted touch encircling your elegant chandelier & also the way you followed your heart and ‘created’ those retro chairs. what a journey those chairs went on! i love the way you approach the design process–so organic and artfully, not holding on too tight to a single era or object but holding them lightly and letting it unfold. bravo, friend, and best to you as you complete your next book!

  • Tongula
    Posted at 11:25h, 16 February Reply

    Stunning! I especially like option #1!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 07:41h, 17 February Reply

      Thanks for your sweet call yesterday! Have a good one!!!

  • Verne Johnson
    Posted at 20:07h, 16 February Reply

    Leslie.. The “After” Dining Room is absolutely breathtaking; what beautiful chairs: lucite, acrylic? Whatever, everything is wonderful. Option #2 Side Table (lucite with the Coral) is a personal choice! Love the ceiling and painting also.
    The DR “Before” was striking as well!!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 07:41h, 17 February Reply

      Hi Verne!! The chairs are vintage Lucite! Thanks for the vote–think that one is in the lead!! have a great day!

  • Carla Glaze
    Posted at 12:11h, 18 February Reply

    Love it all! Absolutely stunning. The combination you put together of new and vintage works so well together.. Great job once again.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 06:51h, 22 February Reply

      Hi Carla!! Sometimes I feel its a crazy mixed up mess!! Thanks for your comment! It has been fun to redo!! Have a great week!

  • Karena
    Posted at 09:35h, 19 February Reply

    What an amazing transformation Leslie!! Your dining room is gorgeous and I am amazed at the caster solution you created!
    #2 is my favorite for the window; however I also agree with Janie, as a beautiful view is priceless!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 06:50h, 22 February Reply

      Hi Karena!!! I think #2 is the winner!!! You are always so sweet to comment! xo

  • Nancy Ahmed
    Posted at 19:21h, 20 February Reply

    Simply Love it!!!!!!! I am very much into lucite/acrylic myself… those end rods just added a perfect touch of elegance and modernism.
    By the way I had almost bought the acrylic side tables you purchased at Lam Bespoke last month, they look great in your new living room.
    Thanks for sharing all the details!!!!
    Til next Monday.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 06:49h, 22 February Reply

      Hi Nancy!!! They have so many pretty things in that store!!! I hope you have a wonderful week! xo

  • Evie
    Posted at 14:49h, 22 February Reply

    I love the inspiration your blog / pictures provide. I love #2 since the heavy coral piece seems to balance the room.

  • Design Chic
    Posted at 21:59h, 26 February Reply

    I am completely obsessed with your dining room. The lucite table and chairs are fabulous and the new “feet” are brilliant! Love it all, Leslie!!

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 07:15h, 01 March Reply

      I’m so glad you like my crazy designs!! this room was fun! xo

  • Elizabeth Stephens
    Posted at 11:39h, 13 March Reply

    Leslie, you are such an inspiration! I love what you have done with your home. I always look forward to your postings!!
    May I ask what color did you use for your hand painted design on the wood. I absolutely love the reclaimed wood and the hand painted design. I am using reclaimed wood with a future project. I also am looking forward to your new book 🙂

  • Cara
    Posted at 07:16h, 08 August Reply

    I just found this older post. I am usually not attracted to neutral rooms, but this one has so many interesting textures to hold my interest! I love it! It has that Old World country look that I love perfectly balanced with a very modern vibe. The ceiling adds warmth. There is just one thing I would change. The lucite table in front of the window is a little too much lucite. Maybe aged wood table? To leave the view open and bring the outdoor scene into the room, I would find some beautiful pots, put easy care plants in them and line them up on the floor next to the window. just my opinion if you like houseplants.

    • Leslie Sinclair
      Posted at 07:41h, 08 August Reply

      You and I are on the same page! The final room doesn’t have the Lucite table there but a simple gold bar cart! Thank you so much for following and commenting!!

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