A “Bare Box” Space Becomes a Mid-Century Dining Room for Under $500
Whether your home was built in the 1950s or ’60s or not, mid-century modern design style is incredibly popular. (In fact, Apartment Therapy’s Executive Home Director, Danielle Blundell, writes that it has homeowners and renters in a chokehold.)
DIYer and renter Juliene Winborne (@athomewithjuju) is a fan of the look. “My dream homes are mid-century modern, with wood walls and ceilings,” she says, and her goal was to “create that same look in [her] rental apartment.”
The problem? Her apartment, especially the dining room, looked far from Eames-esque. It was “a bare box,” she says. “The walls were all white, and the room felt very small and bland.” She decided to challenge herself to give the dining room more mid-century modern flair for under $500.
“The dining room felt like the perfect place to experiment, play with design, and really have fun creatively, so I leaned fully into that opportunity,” Juliene says.
The peel-and-stick statement wall was the big difference-maker.
Juliene’s mom, Yvonne; aunt, Linette; and boyfriend, Joseph, helped her create a faux wood statement wall in the dining room. “I also didn’t have anything that I’d consider my ‘wow moment’ that would make the space really pop. So, first, I decided to … create a statement wall,” Juliene says.
The DIYers used $20 rolls of peel-and-stick from Amazon, and the only setback they encountered was running out of rolls before they were done and having to order extra — and the elbow grease of applying peel-and-stick was worth it.
“The faux wood wall is my fave,” Juliene says! “The room now feels like a warm hug when I walk in. The space overall feels elevated, and I love that.”
The furniture was budget-friendly with lots of secondhand finds.
Another aspect Juliene is proud of is that she took her time to find bargain furniture that fit her style. “About 60% of this project was secondhand,” she estimates. She bought the table and chairs on Facebook Marketplace, the wall sconces are secondhand, and the sideboard was discounted from the Crate & Barrel Outlet.
“Also, I saved a lot with the rug because I bought it on sale,” she says. “The art was a bargain as well.” Juliene’s advice for DIYers is to take your time to find the right furniture. Don’t feel pressured, rush, or settle.
“I’m most proud of how I used my creativity to create the space under tight budget constraints,” she adds. “I wanted to bring some style and personality into the dining room — something that felt welcoming [and] exciting,” she says. And it is for both her and her guests.
