Instead of a formal dining room, I would do a library/lounge room that could eventually also serve as a playroom. Have plenty of built-in storage to store kiddos toys away so you don't have to see everything. There's nothing better than having your kiddos play area where you all spend most of your time (even your office). You already have a great size space for dining, to which you can even bring in an extra table for special events if needed.
I second this a library would be awesome. I’d add in a window bench that you can curl up and read a nice book. Maybe some bean bags if you’re into that.
I am from the UK, and things are quite different here. We often have smaller houses so that might make a difference, however dining rooms are rarely used… You already have a beautiful set up in the kitchen and I find that most people gravitate towards hanging out there anyway! I would totally use that for another space! Even if it's just eventually turns into a playroom! This house is gorgeous! You deserve all the joy gets you!
Trust me, large houses aren't the norm here. Well, let me rephrase that....there are a broad range of house sizes in the US. There are also huge differences in house prices here, like houses near larger cities are more expensive, no matter the size. The closer you get to the country's capital, the more expensive houses are, too. For example, the houses where I live are more expensive than the houses where my brother lives, one state below us (we are closer to the capital). Sorry, that was probably more than you cared to know lol.
It’s a stunning home India! I am actually an interior designer but I specialize in commercial design, so not up on all the home stuff brands and whatnot, but I definitely think setting the dining area up as a library situation with giant builtin shelves would be amazing!! It would add so much character and that sense of age and Permanence that is so hard to come by in new builds. And it could still function as a dining room when/if you ever want that! Anyway, love what you have done so far, you have excellent taste and it really looks like yours and not just like you went to a design store and bought everything they sold you. It’s important ti make it yours and build the design slowly. It will be better quality and mean more to you when you really think about each piece you bring into the space. Happy decorating!!
I think the rug under the kitchen table would be a nice color contrast! Considering the inevitable crumbs and food spillage concern, I would research the brand Ruggable. Their rugs come in two pieces, a base and a thinner top part. The top part can go in the washing machine so I know a lot of people enjoy that aspect in regards to kids and pets. 😊 All that aside, your home is beautiful and I'm so happy for you guys! ❤
Yes! But if @indiabatson shoots her videos from there, the color should match her skin tone. I know it sounds weird but you don't want to look greyish, greenish in your videos because an olive color brings out that tone in your skin. XD My two cents!
I love your house! There is nothing wrong showing your dream come true and your hard work coming through. I would do a comfortable mix of colors rug for the living room instead of under the kitchen table. The mud room green is a gorgeous color very relaxing and elegant. The bar I would do a fun wall paper but I wouldn’t paint the wood. It’s such a beautiful stain.
I like the idea of a living room library on the open space you have. That way you may be able to have some extra space for guests and maybe some free shelves to put photos - if you're into that sort of thing, of course - still, congrats on the new house ❤
This house is absolutely gorgeous and my literal dream. You have done an incredible job and I would love to see the progress of furnishing it! I hope you have a wonderful time living there and God bless 🥰
You’ll never regret a formal dining room. It’s great for hosting meetings, Bible studies, and making holidays feel extra special! I love our formal dining area 🥰
Everyone is different, usually people know if they would get enough use of it. We had one in my parents house and it never got used. Not even for holidays
Instead of a formal dining room, I think a second lounge room. For reading, playing, or just relaxing. Love the accent wallpaper idea with your drink bar. A rug under the dining table is tricky extra work when kids arrive. I love the dark, moody idea for your office. I am a green lover, maybe the same colour as your mud room hutch to tie them together. Thank you for showing your house. Congrats again. You guys are amazing. Can't wait to see the progress.
Best wishes in your new home! It will be looking so nice as you both work on it. We live in the ATL area too. We built in 2008. Our rooms morphed over time as we changed, and had a kiddo. We never used our dining room as-is. Just not a fan of them. We turned ours into a beautiful, fun music room. I became an adult piano student and my son started years ago. In a high-ceiling house, invest in a long cleaning pole you can get cleaning attachments for. They have them at Home Depot & Lowes. I sew & made some of our window treatments. We used Smith & Noble for some cool remote-control, clean line window treatments, especially for our up-high windows. We have a fun modern rug under our eat-in table. It survived my son's childhood no problem haha. I'm a neat freak though, and am not afraid of the maintenance. It helps break up the hard surfaces & cut down on the echo in an open floor plan. The butler's pantry would look so cool decked out in a fun style like you described.
Hi India, it doesn’t get much better! 🏡 Congratulations to you and Daniel. Job well done!! I’m sure you may plan to, idk, but area rugs always help to warm a space, add texture, color, visual interest, prevent echoing and keep the dogs from sliding too much too. Just a suggestion since you asked 🤭. Great job on your new home!! Watching from Michigan…Kim
I like how your home isn’t the “standard influencer house” that everyone has with the same decor everyone else has (Hermes H blanket, same coffee table books, cloud couch…..) I like how you’re adding personality as you go!
You asked for opinions on lots of areas, so I will do my best to remember them all. Dining Room: I do not think you need a formal dining room with the table you have off the kitchen. It might feel weird. You could do a library area or second, smaller living room there or a play/toy room when you have kids. Rug: I personally would not put a rug under the table. It might look nice, but I feel like it would be a lot harder to keep clean, especially after you start having children. Butler's pantry/drink bar: I would recommend keeping the wood natural. It will keep it connected to the rest of the house. I also feel like it would be a waste of the money you spent to have it look like that with the natural wood feel. I like the dark, moody paint or wallpaper there though. That would be nice. even if just as an accent up the wall behind the shelves. If you pick something that ties in with or matches the pain in the mudroom shelves and the wallpaper you plan to do in the little bathroom/powder room that would be really nice. Thanks once again for a great video, India!
it's so cute!! for the small bar pantry, i think you should leave the wood, but do a nice dark green wallpaper and let the wood pop! I love the warmth compared to most new builds! congrats!
I’m super late to the party, but I say no on a real rug under the kitchen table. If you want contrast as well as easy to clean, you can get a vinyl rug though! I plan to get one for under my kitchen table to protect the floors from scraping/scratching and it will be very easy to clean. Love the mud room area! It’s so nice to have a place where you can just drop your coats, shoes, etc when you get home, especially with kids! I was drooling over your pantry! What a joy to have all that space and the ability to have your small appliances out, but not on the counters! Congratulations!
Beautiful home. I would keep the dining room a dining room since it’s at the front of the house you don’t want to turn it into a messy playroom area. A rug under the kitchen table would add warmth and interest. There are so many durable rug materials to choose from now. Love the idea of wallpaper in the powder room and bar area. Love the wood tones you’ve chosen.
India, your home is gorgeous and make it like the two of you want it to be because there are no rules right or wrong’s when it’s your home! The different homes I have had were all so different and I loved it that way! You two will figure it out! 🤗🙏💜❤️
I have been bugging my husband about the frame tv! Lol. Love them and the whole house is lovely 🥰 I am in love with your outdoor area! That would be so much fun to decorate flowing from your great room area out to the patio.
I don't think you'll ever regret having a formal dining room for special events and holidays!!! plus you don't have to get the most expensive dining room furniture since it's not used daily, it can still withstand occasional use even if it's cheaper (just pick something pretty that you like lol and that matches your aesthetic) also if you are gonna color/wallpaper the bar area, maybe think about going with a green color palette similar to the mudroom/cubbies cause that's in a proximate area so the two colors/designs don't clash :) LOVELY BEAUTIFUL home!!! i am so happy for you India!!! may God bless you and your family always
Congrats to you & Daniel on such a lovely home! I love your pantry! Since you asked…I would put a rug under the kitchen table, in a color that won’t show spills, red wine, etc. (I have lots of traditional/Persian style rugs all over my house and have no issues vacuuming them clean). I don’t think you should paint the wood in the bar area, the walls yes, but not the wood. The dining room would make a lovely plant room, but that’s what I would do, I realize you’re not a planty person; that room would make a great open style library too.
omg girl... you need to get some window coverings on - would totally freak me out with lights on at ngiht - no privacy. BUT having said that - I LOVE your new home - you did such a great job in designing it. Wish you nothing but happiness and peace while you own this home. Thank you for sharing - its wonderful.
Your house is gorgeous. I think the front "dining room" would be great as a casual living room. You could do some built-ins along one wall so that you can store things when children come along. It's always nice to have two living spaces.
Congratulations on your new home … very exciting times moving into your first owned home! Just an FYI on a couple descriptive words you were trying to think of - The bars on a staircase are called “spindles,” and your ceiling is a “coffered” ceiling (rather than a “crawford” ceiling). Again, just a beautiful home … have fun putting your homey imprint on it!
Congratulations sweetie. It’s gorgeous. Take your time in your decorating and understand your taste will change as the years go by. Have fun with it ❤️
This home is absolutely wonderful India and I'm so happy for you! this place looks very peaceful ! For the bar area I see a darker space to cut off the rest of the house and make this area different like you said, not espacially super dark but def more in the winstub style
Stunning home ❤ congratulations it’s looking fabulous so far. You could definitely use the dining room as a second living, relax, reading space. I love all the furniture you’ve chosen, especially the coffee table and kitchen stools. An olive or navy study will be so stunning. So many great possibilities. Thanks for sharing your home xx
The house looks gorgeous. Definitely put a rug under the kitchen dining table. It will farm it up a lot. And get something like rugable that you can throw in the washing machine. But an antique looking one will create a great contrast
I would make it like a game room space, a fuzz ball or billiards table..yes put a rug but get outdoor type rug from Walmart...the rugs are good and I clean it with babywipe if need be.. paint the space you asked about...the house is beautiful....happy for you both..🏚️
Beautiful! I love the vision for the bar area! I don’t know if this is what you were meaning but I wouldn’t paint the cabinets just everything else. Another thing you could do is like a really bold beautiful tile (might be more pricey) but it’s a really beautiful look!
Hey India! Your home is gorgeous, I’m so happy for you 4 👩 👨🏻 🐩 🐩 I love that bar idea with the fun pop of color. The navy in the office would also look great ❤
The dining room you can use the furniture that can convert into a dining table. My aunt had this and it could made any size. And then add a few accent chairs.
It’s a beautiful home. My formal dining room never gets used. We’d convert it if we didn’t buy an expensive table to put in it years ago thinking we’d use it. We aren’t having kids though so we rarely host. We always travel somewhere else for holidays but where I live formal dining rooms are being phased out of new homes.
Your house is stunning I love it so much! So incredibly happy for you and Daniel… enjoy this beautiful blessing you deserve all the good things this world has to offer🤍
Love your new house! ❤ I think a rug under the kitchen table will be great. I think low pile synthetic rug is easiest to clean. I don't want you to paint the cabinets in the bar area, because I loooove natural wood. What if you found a wallpaper that matches the brown of the wood?! Could look amazing and it would also be an easier project. Can't wait to see what you do with the space! 🎉💃🔥
Congratulations on your home. I hope you and your family are very happy there. Best of luck and try to enjoy the decorating. It doesn't have to be finished/decorated immediately despite what social media makes us believe!
Hi beautiful India.. baby girl I'm going to correct you on something it is that you're not "lucky" you're BLESSED! don't be afraid to show what hard work and dedication can do and how God rewards us.. you have a beautiful home🩷 the dining area well in time you're going to wish you had that space.. but you entertain a lot of sounds like.. so what about a cozy yet elegant inviting seating area.. where guests can also gather and visit in and give more places to sit.. of a grand library.. tall shelving, maybe even a piano, which would be great if you have piano players around you.. nice seating.. I see it in my head, but I can't get it to come out right with typing it lol.. I'm sure whatever you do will be amazing! You have done fantastic so far! Stay blessed fantastic Congratulations to you both give the glory to the one who deserves it the most❤🙌 can't wait to see the top floor
I love your home and how you decorated it so beautiful! I love Wednesday and mochi so adorable and sweet! I love how humble and grateful you are. I really enjoyed this video! Love you 😘😚😚😊😚❤❤❤
Your new home is beautiful!! Thank you for the tour of the main level. Love all the choices you two made with the home. Maybe the 'dining room' can be a library and a future 'playroom' for kids, but nice and organized :)
I think you should do an amazing dining room. It makes such a statement in a large home. A place you can entertain, have family traditional holidays and a space removed from the the ongoing noise from the kitchen family room area. You won’t regret it.
India, with your love of books, as others have shared, perhaps the Dining room could have a "country club library lounge" vibe. Maybe with a couple of over stuffed chairs and a small table that could be used for game night... Though I do realize you have your sofa & fireplace for reading...🤷♀️
I love your home! Love that blue colour you were showing. Yes to a rug under the kitchen table. Just one thing I wanted to point out. What you were referring to as wainscoting is actually board and batten. Will there be a part 2 of the upstairs, or is that off limits?
It's honestly refreshing to see a house tour but it not being fully furnished because it's expensive! Thank you for sharing still! Also, a rug would be so cute in your eating area...maybe a ruggable so you can wash it?
If you dont have a tv in your living room you could do a tv room/sitting room in the formal dining area and put a hutch with doors so it can be hidden when not in use
You’re going to need a family room type area for kids someday. Do some built ins with a couple simple desks built in and lots of storage like cube storage down low and bookcases.
Your home is very beautiful. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come. Just wanted to mention (don't know if anyone else noticed) but the ceiling in your living room is called a coffered ceiling. The dining area can be made into a sitting room with comfy chairs. Rebecca Robeson did that in her living room - her channel is called Kinwoven. Have a blessed day! Arlene
This (what you have shown) is literally my dream house layout and will shamelessly be sending this to my husband because I can never vocalize my vision. Lol and they free room in the beginning would be my bookworm dream library/reading area.
I wouldn’t do a rug under the kitchen table especially if you are planning to have kids. Where I would like to see a rug is under the couch! Much cozier to add a rug there. I like the idea in other comments of making the dining room a library/more formal (but still cozy) living room. At my house we have a living room and it’s nice for when people like just step into the house to say hi to just sit down real quick and then if they are staying over we move into the bigger comfier family room that’s by the kitchen. The living room is also nice because it’s quieter area and we have our piano in it!
Loved the video, love your home. Funny thing, I was listening to it with one of my headphones in and when you went into the kitchen I thought someone was behind me because all the sudden I could hear Daniel breathing behind the camera 😂😂😂
Beautiful home! Don’t bother with a formal dining room that will only get used a few times a year. Your eating area in the kitchen is perfect for either casual dining or entertaining. When babies arrive that would be a perfect spot for a full children’s play area!
Hi , Pretty Lady! The name of the stairway "middle part" are called balusters - and I've also heard spindles. It's gonna be a Beautiful Home and it mirrors you and your family!!
You could add more wood into the kitchen by doing a wood look on your stove hood. Even if you did something temporary before you invest. It would be a nice statement piece without being overwhelming.