Home is more than just a place; it's a reflection of who you are and what you love. For home design enthusiast Ashley Whatley, it was a Tudor-style house that captured her heart, and after a year and a half-long renovation journey, the space is now everything she dreamed of.  

The home, built in the 1980s, was purchased in March 2023, with plans to complete a 3–4-month renovation. Unfortunately, the process was delayed by a year and a half, due to an unfortunate experience with an unlicensed contractor. Despite the setbacks, the couple (along with their rescue dog Piglet) finally moved into their dream home in September 2024. 

Ashley shares that the Tudor style was always a dream of theirs, even before they found this particular house. "I was actually looking for land to build a Tudor, as they’re rare in our area," she said. When the listing popped up one morning, they jumped at the opportunity. “I saw this one pop up at 6 AM on a Thursday morning and I immediately texted my friend who is a realtor and told her I needed to see this house ASAP. By 10 AM we were walking through the house and figuring out exactly what we would do to turn it into our dream home.” 

Eclectic Meets English Country 

Located in a great neighborhood with a spacious backyard for Piglet and a large workshop for her husband John, the house had all the right bones to become their perfect home. 

The design style was easy: an eclectic blend that draws inspiration from European interiors with a particular love for the English Country aesthetic. The home was filled with antique finds, original art, vintage rugs and beautiful, lived-in details. “I’m really drawn to natural stone, earthy colors and finishes that patina over time,” Ashley explained. “The design brings in a sense of history and warmth, making the home feel timeless.” 

Traveling has also played a key role in inspiring their decor. Visits to places like a local flower farm, Italy and Scotland, as well as stays in design-centric locations like The Proper Hotel and Jean Stoffer’s Slow Flip, helped shape the vision for their home. A subscription to English Home Magazine and regular listening to design podcasts also keep the creative wheels turning. 

From Outdated to Moody and Cozy 

The dining room was part of a full home renovation. Before the transformation, the room was filled with outdated finishes like popcorn ceilings, pale yellowish and green walls and faux wood floors. “I wanted to change almost everything, except for the arched opening to the entryway and the large window with the window seat,” Ashley mentioned. These details sparked a vision for the space, and a major redesign followed. 

Before

After

"I knew I wanted to create a space that was moody and intimate, perfect for sharing secrets with friends,” she said.  

The Star of the Dining Room Makeover 

For this dining room, Ashley chose Dirty Chai, a rich, earthy brown that evokes the warm, moody feeling they were aiming for. After experimenting with various samples, including Field Trip, she was drawn to Dirty Chai for its deep, inviting tones. 

Before

After

The light in the room, with its large front-facing window, made the dark color feel less intimidating. "The big window helped balance the deep shade," she explained, "and the color looks just as beautiful at night under lamp light." 

Color-drenching, a technique that involves painting the walls, trim and ceiling in the same shade, helped amplify the mood in the space. This seamless flow from wall to ceiling made the room feel taller and more expansive, while keeping the aesthetic perfectly cohesive. "Dirty Chai helped create that intimate, cozy secret-telling feeling I wanted," Ashley stated. 

Elevating the Space: Additional Renovations and Touches 

While paint was the focal point of the transformation, other improvements were also essential. The popcorn ceilings were scraped, and new white oak hardwood floors replaced the outdated faux wood. Thicker baseboards and crown molding were added throughout the house, elevating the overall look. The narrow opening to the kitchen was widened, removing an unnecessary pocket door and allowing for more light to flow between the rooms. 

Decorative elements were carefully chosen to complement the moody dining room color scheme. An oil-on-canvas tapestry, sourced from Facebook Marketplace, added richness and depth to the space with its plum undertones. The tapestry became the centerpiece of the room, surrounded by vintage furniture pieces and subtle accents. “The tapestry grounds the space,” says Ashley, “and everything else is kept simple to let it shine.” 

The Unexpected Joy of Bold Choices 

What’s most surprising to the homeowner is how much they’ve embraced their dark, moody dining room. Coming from a home full of gray tones, making the leap to bold, saturated colors in this house was initially intimidating. But with the success of the Dirty Chai dining room, they now feel empowered to experiment more throughout the rest of the home. 

"The rooms with color have truly become my favorite," she shares. "There’s something about being enveloped in color that makes it feel like home." 

A Dream Tudor Come True 

The dining room transformation was nothing short of magical. What once featured outdated finishes like popcorn ceilings and pale yellow walls is now a cozy, intimate space drenched in the rich, moody tones of Dirty Chai. By color-drenching the walls, trim and ceiling in the same shade, the room feels expansive and elevated, with a seamless flow that highlights the home's architectural details. 

The addition of new hardwood floors, wider openings and carefully chosen decor like the stunning tapestry has made this dining room a true centerpiece of the home. It’s a space that perfectly blends warmth, style and the sense of being enveloped in color, creating a welcoming atmosphere for shared moments with friends and family. 

Whether it’s a full renovation or a small update, choosing the right paint color can be transformative. For Ashley, Dirty Chai was more than just a color; it was the foundation of a design journey that turned their dream Tudor into a cozy, inviting home.