Funky Dining Room Features

Carolyng2012 · 03-04-2012, 10:48 PM

Hey all,
My husband and I are moving into a rental house that has a very old fashioned dining room, and I want to update it a little bit without destroying the wall. The wall has dark brown cork and has a trio of diamond shaped mirrors with a fern pattern overlaid on the mirrors right in the middle. It looks awful, but was popular back in the day. Also there is this weird looking rafter (that looks more like a shelf on the celling) that is also dark brown. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to make this look updated, but also not completely destroy the wall?

**My husband thought tacking sheetrock up would work alright, with a hole in it for the mirror. We don't really mind the mirror, but the cork is hideous.

titanoman · 03-05-2012, 05:18 AM

You can't remove the mirrors before sheetrocking?
What dark rafter? If you mean that framing up against the ceiling, take it down.

canoes · 03-05-2012, 04:58 PM

Sheetrocking is a really a skill and I'm not sure just tacking it up without seams and joints would make it look a lot better.

I'm not the greatest at decorating, but have you thought of a wide drape from the ceiling to floor just to cover it? You could have a matching one over the window.

Blondesense · 03-05-2012, 08:07 PM

What about covering it with tapestry style fabric. Using the same fabric elsewhere (pillows on the couch, or other curtains, etc.) would tie it all together.

How do the owners feel about this wall? Maybe you could reach a deal to drywall it. You do the labor, they supply the materials?

planealexander · 03-21-2012, 01:12 PM

Those extra wooden shelf looking things would look great with some thing that you could mold to fit into each one, and put some funky patterns to cover it

ARC Painting · 03-22-2012, 01:23 AM

What about painting it?! Are you trying to do something that allows the wall to stay intact? Anything you put up will need fasteners of some kind...the least intrusive would be a curtain or draped fabric (as a kind of wallpaper). If it were my place, i'd talk the landlord into updating it

Okami · 03-30-2012, 02:02 AM

That dining area is crazy weird

MissKat · 03-31-2012, 05:39 PM

If it's cork, you should be able to secure some fabric to it. I would use grass cloth to play up the 50's Asian vibe you've got going with the beam and mirror.

jojoroberts · 04-01-2012, 01:27 PM

First how is the cork secured ? Most landlords do not mind improvements if it raises the value of the house. See if it's glued or nailed. Might just pop right off and then sand it and patch it. Pretty easy fix. Most suggestions seem to be to cover it. I am a diyer and this doesn't seem to much of a job. It's one wall. Depending on your style you could put breadboard paneling up 4x8 sheets, paint it and trim it out.

Janetp · 05-07-2012, 12:00 AM

You are getting good advice about talking to the landlord about changing it up. If you are willing to do it and it will be an improvement ( and it will!} They will most likely let you remove the beams separating the rooms as well as covering that wall. If your're not good at drywall, them JoJo's idea about the bead board sounds like your best bet. It is also less time consuming as well.