wake up your breakfast room

Use these easy, speedy ideas to get a whole new look.

Maybe the best thing about creating a cheerful breakfast room is that you don't need an actual room. Start with any bare space in your kitchen-even if it's a cozy corner that's only big enough to hold a two-seat table. Our design team quickly turned this unimpressive spot into a delightful dining area. Now, it's a great place to read the a.m. paper, gather the family for lunch, or linger over tea. Even better, these decorating moves are easy to do, and the cost won't take a big bite out of the family budget.

* Cover Windows With Color

All of the shutters were blocking out great sunlight, so we removed the ones on top and added simple panels that can be pulled together for privacy. Because this isn't a formal room, we selected a bold orange-and-blue paisley fabric. To have the panels sewn cost $60; the drapery rods were $30 each. (Tip: The more vibrant the fabric on the window treatments, the more plain your rods can be.)

* Step Up Your Paint Style

Taking a cue from the drapery fabric, we brushed on paint in a soft blue color-oil-based, high-gloss on the molding and shutters, eggshell-finish enamel on the walls. Remember when painting window shutters that the color will be seen from outside the house, too, so apply paint only on the side that faces indoors, and leave the street-facing side white if you want to save time.

* Give Windows Some Wow

These old windows looked as if they had been painted about 100 times-what else could we do with them? Two-tone color was the answer. We painted the window sashes (the framework that moves when you open a window) a darker shade of blue for decorative drama.

* Hang a One-of-a-Kind Light

This piece is not to be confused with a pricey catalog lighting fixture. We purchased a paper drum shade from a lamp store for $ 18 and had it wired to hold two 60-watt bulbs. It took an electrician less than one hour to hang it. The total cost was $130. (Safety note: Hire a certified electrician to ensure that a new light source is properly wired and connected to a switch. If you're replacing an overhead light, you could use a hook and chain in the ceiling to move the light without installing new wiring.)

Decide where your table will be before the light is permanently in place. Sit at the table to decide if you like the height of the fixture. The light should be low enough that the bulbs don't create glare but high enough that it doesn't obstruct your view.

To customize this shade, we glued blue velvet ribbon around the top and bottom edges with a clear-drying craft glue, such as Aleene's Original Tacky Glue, available at crafts stores.

* Mix-and-Match Seating

Because the table in this room had seen better days, we bought a new distressed white one and paired it with a bench seat and two chairs. A bench is a great buy for a tight space, plus the table's pretty drop leaf can be seen better without chairs in front of it. If your table and chairs are in fine shape, consider painting them, and then add a distressed finish by sanding along the edges. White furniture does wonders to enlarge a space.

* Don't Ignore the Floor

When you're dealing with a small corner, it can be doubly hard to find a rug that fits. Which is why we decided to make our own, using 16 adhesive carpet squares, such as these from InterfaceFLOR. Most carpet tiles cost between $7 and $10 each, and they adhere to cement, wood, or tile floors. We created a thick stripe pattern with our squares. The best part? If you have grape juice-loving kids in the house and the carpet gets stained, you can easily replace tiles.

* Add Creative Cabinetry

Remember those shutters that we removed? We didn't dare throw them out. We recycled them into doors for a cabinet we had built. Inside, extradeep shelves hold cookbooks, tabletop linens, glassware, and a small television. Outside, we had slots cut into the shelving to hold wine bottles horizontally-the proper way to store vino.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation May 2005
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