Choosing a design and decor direction is no simple task, even for us! And we kinda wrote a book on it. In Housewarming, we map out several different ways to approach a room. We included one simple and obvious starting point: let the house decide. Rather than turning the space into something it’s not, the process becomes more of a nip/tuck rather than a full gut job.

That was our approach to our breakfast room at Benwood. When we first toured the room, we were immediately hot for it — the beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows, the medium-light tone wooden trim, the simple, unassuming white walls that welcomed all the natural light. It felt like walking into an “after,” not a “before.”

That being said, it was empty, so we set about shopping to fill the space, with the goal being to work with the existing style and nature of the room rather than to try and change it.

We played with the airiness of the space by incorporating three key white pieces with texture — a concrete table, boucle dining chairs and a knotted ivory rug — to preserve the brightness while providing gentle contrast as the light worked its way over grooves and bumps.

Next, we brought in this Bucru Curio Cabinet in a medium tone walnut wood and gorgeous shape that stands out against the white brick wall behind it. Matching the tone to the legs of the dining room chairs helped add richness to the space and made both pieces feel more like they belonged.

Finally, we replaced the existing brass chandelier with this 5-light chandelier. We love a brass moment, but like too many brass finishes of the 90s and early aughts, this one looked oh so very cheap. In keeping with the earth tones and neutrals, we opted for matte black. It stands out starkly against the white walls, providing a focal point, and its long, curved lines add movement.

If walls could talk, I’d like to think they’d give their approval.

We’re so happy with how the space came together, and we’re even more happy we were blessed with such a gorgeous starting point to work with! While we plan out our eventual renovation of this home, I think we’ll be keeping the breakfast room very close to how it is currently. For now, it’s perfect for us.

Below you’ll find each of the pieces we used in this project!