Doing a Runner

Nope, this has nothing to do with skipping out on the bill at a restaurant. Though it does have something to do with dining. Specifically, my dining room table. This is the "room" I'm showing the most attention to lately (I put that in air-quotes - yes, I actually did air-quotes when I said this to myself a moment ago - because our dining room isn't a separate room from our living room). I've nearly finished painting the chairs - 6 out of 7 ain't bad - and I've started keeping my new trifle dish on the table filled with fruit as a centrepiece. This means: 1) I don't have to find anywhere to store it yet, and 2) it decorates the table without requiring me to buy more cut flowers.

However, what with our newly coloured chairs, I've come back again and again to an idea that I've always wanted to act on: getting a table runner. I know I've probably mentioned Spoonflower fabrics ad nauseum by now, but I've only just gotten round to any serious attempt to make up my mind about the whole scheme.

You see, at first I thought: "well, maybe I can find a nice table runner already made." No dice. I hounded Amazon for a day or two and everything looked like the silken poly-blend sorts of affairs you get to dress tables at a wedding reception. Not exactly what I was looking for. So, I checked a few home goods stores' websites. Alas, an 8-foot-long dining table isn't exactly a popular size for today's families. And really, if I was going to do some sewing anyway, what was the point of getting 2 runners that were too short and then stitching them together? I'd just as soon get a pattern of fabric I was really in love with and sew the whole thing myself...when I borrow someone's sewing machine. (Please imagine the most endearingly cute sheepish grin that you can at this point. Sucking up is so much less effective over Teh Interwebz, I find...)

So, I looked at Spoonflower, I checked the local fabric shop back in our old neighbourhood, and I trolled through a few more online repositories. The fabric featured in my little mood board-style mock up below is still far and away the winner for a runner. I know chevrons are one of those trendy things I might hate in another few years, but I can't find anything I like better!

Fabrics via Spoonflower, pillows from here and trifle dish of citrus fruits from here.

Besides, paired with the wooden farmhouse table and a nice floral fabric for the seat cushions, I think this sort of look could stand the test of time for the next ten years or so. Besides: I can always change out the accents...and my Blue Willow dishes are pretty darn timeless.

So now that I've decently convinced myself of the rightness of this project, I just have to wait for the opportune moment to shell out $30 US to snag the fabric for my runner. Chair cushions may have to wait their turn, but rest assured, I'll give the full scoop on making them when that project finally goes down.

Also, I might come back later with a post about mood boards and planning a room...I've just realised this is way easier to explain when you can work backwards to deconstruct a look. When you know what elements you can pull out of something like that, it's easy peasy to reverse the process to help yourself create and visualise an all-new look.