How to Make Over a Dining Room, Cont'd

Conceal the expansion gaps between the baseboards and the edge of the floor with strips of quarter round, which are attached with a pin nailer.

Attach chair rail
When attaching the chair rail, it may be necessary to join two pieces together to get the length needed. By cutting opposing 45-degree angles on the ends of two piece of molding and then overlapping them, the joint, called a scarf joint, becomes almost invisible.

To give the chair rail a smooth and continuous appearance as it wraps around the corners, cut 45-degree miters on adjacent ends. When these angles are placed together they form 90-degree angles.

Use an electronic stud finder to locate the wall studs and mark them with a pencil. Use a nail gun to drive finish nails into each stud to secure the chair rail in place.

The completed chair rail and paint adds a lot of interest to a wall that was very plain.

A new light fixture can add a focal point and do a lot to update the look of a dining room.

With new walls, floor, lighting and furniture, this room is transformed with a look of contemporary elegance.

       

Before                                                     After