I remember the texts like it was yesterday. It was sometime in March when I looked down at my phone to a text from, “Fiance <3” and saw photos for the first time of this little space and he said, “Want to live here?”

I fell in love immediately with this old house. I’m not sure if I was just in love with the idea of sharing a home with my best friend, or if it was partially shared with a love of the charm and character of this 1920 something house on a hill complete with a picket fence and a space to plant a garden. I think I envisioned it being all sorts of “move-in ready”, and well, it wasn’t.

My precious now-husband and his entire family has come over for multiple elbow grease afternoons of scrubbing floors and cleaning out pine needles from the backyard, ripping out old bushes and cleaning the bathrooms. My husband and I have had countless date “nights” of hitting up Home Depot for their clearance rack of plants and planting our first garden, growing some exotic fruits and vegetables liiiiiike….we even have a banana tree…!!

When our first tomatoes and kale plants started sprouting, I’m pretty sure I might have shed a tear, I was so tickled pink!

I’ve never met a single newlywed who “had it all” when they first got married. Well, we have more than enough and have been so blessed by this little house we’re making into a home. Every little completed project is like another check off the list, but the process is where there is the most beauty and refinement :)

This little dining space has received a whole makeover of fresh white painted wainscoting and trim and the entire room was decorated for under $200. No, it’s not my dream chunky wood farmhouse table, but it’s a space to share in yummy meals with my favorite people and it’s just perfect until we can have that yummy warm chocolate wood cedar table with benches ;)

Home Goods is one of my dearest friends, alongside its partner, IKEA. Both are within 10 minutes of my house, yikes I know.

This room has been a slow process of piecing together bits of things we love, and there’s really not much that “matches”, but it’s all things cozy and I think my favorite part?

The branch we found in the backyard that I told my husband, “I need your help! Let’s chop it into the right size so I can use it as a curtain rod!” 20 minutes later, bingo, my $10 curtains I found brand new at the cutest antique store were hung!

My blue vase with twinkle lights was a steal from Home Goods for under $12 in perfect condition on the clearance rack, and our white storage dining bench isn’t the built-in I envisioned, but it works for now ;)

The “With My Whole Heart For My Whole Life” lettering is from Lindsay Letters, the sweetest wedding gift from Jessica Lauren .

The spool is my latest addition that has found its temporary home in the corner with the sweetest tray from Emily Magers. I found it at a flea market for $20 and wheeled it right down the street to my house! You guys! Camas is the SWEETEST town. There are always markets of some sort, from antique, vintage vendors to fresh fruit and live music!

The table, chairs + dining bench are from IKEA and took literally only 20 minutes to put together. I gave myself a pat on the back when it was done ;)

The New Feast cookbook is from Anthropologie and is from my dear friend Jennifer who you all need to meet!!

Most of the little accessory pieces are either from Home Goods or Target :)

Check back in a few months from now, or come knock on our door, and I can guarantee something else will have probably changed in this room. It’s an ongoing process and I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Getting to make this cozy house into our home and have a yummy dinner on the table every night is a priceless gift that I absolutely cherish.

Eventually, I’d like to get a modern, industrial dining room light, a chunky cedar dining table with benches, and a white rug to go over the refinished floors (once we refinish them ;)). Ahh. But until then, I’m going to savor every day of this newlywed dining room, because it’s practically perfect for us.

And now, I introduce to you…our cozy dining room project: