A Thanksgiving Dining Room Makeover

When Kelli and Andy Wilke moved with their three kids from a small cabin in Jackson Hole, WY, to a four-bedroom Colonial in Wilmington, DE, they were thrilled to have more space, including a formal dining room, which they’d never had before.

Although Kelli loved the room’s size, she just wasn’t sure where to begin. She set out a few basics—a small table, a wood hutch, and some leftover chairs—but as November approached, she started to stress. “We wanted to host Thanksgiving, but our table could barely seat five, let alone 20!”

So we answered her SOS and set about making the once bare room holiday-ready. It took smart storage pieces and a fresh color palette of gray, gold, and green (plus a bigger table, of course!), but the end result “couldn’t be prettier,” says Kelli. “I want to eat here every night, not just holidays!”

For buffet-style dinners, a sideboard is a must. This one is from an estate sale and was originally stained wood. We spruced it up with two coats of tropical green paint (Talipot Palm by Sherwin-Williams), then spray-painted the wood legs Gold by Valspar. The brass pulls and latches are all original—they just needed a good polishing.