A Tiny Dining Nook Gets a “Parisian Cafe” Makeover for $1,000
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Apartment
PROJECT TYPE: Dining Room
STYLE: Glam, Parisian
SKILL LEVEL: DIY
RENTAL FRIENDLY: No
For some, the ideal way to start the morning is with a cup of coffee, and that’s made even more ideal with a cozy backdrop to sip it in, whether that’s a spot outside, a coffee bar, or a dining nook.
For Galina Efremova, it’s the latter. She turned a “plain” breakfast nook into a chic space for her morning brew. “It was a clean canvas for me to play, and I loved it,” she says.
The design vision was “Parisian salon vibe.”
Galina started by giving the nook a bright coat of white paint (Benjamin Moore’s White Dove) and re-tiled the old windowsill with marble tile. “I wanted to create a Parisian salon vibe to enjoy time with friends,” she says.
And that’s where her furniture plays a big role: She added a white marble dining table to match the windowsill, bench seating, a black and white rug, a new glass globe light fixture, and a vintage mirror and bar cart. “I am the most proud of the combination of vintage and modern pieces,” she says.
Box molding was the biggest difference-maker.
The new tile in the windowsill was a DIY job, too, but the DIY project Galina is most proud of in the newly revamped space is the added box molding. She bought the pieces from The Home Depot and cut them herself.
She says measuring and cutting was the hardest part, but the effort was well worth it. “They created an illusion of a taller ceiling,” she says. And they helped complete the chic look she was after. “I feel like I am in a Parisian cafe every day,” she says.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
