The original ceiling in the dining room was decoratively painted canvas, over horsehair padding and a rough plaster base. The windows were amber stained glass panels. The wood wainscot, doors, casings and other trim were chestnut. When the building served as a convent, meals were served at long tables, and a reader would sit at the far end to present the daily lesson.
At some point the canvas ceiling was repainted beige, and "modern" lighting was installed. Later, carpet was applied to the walls, and a stretched fabric ceiling was installed over the painted canvas one. These changes increased the amount of sound that was absorbed by the walls and ceiling. Most of the lighting was directed downward. Unfortunately, a lack of make-up air at an exhaust hood in the adjacent kitchen put the dining room under negative air pressure, causing dirt and coal dust from the attic area to be drawn through the ceiling layers and discolor the stretched fabric ceiling. After this ventilation situation was corrected, the Sisters saw an opportunity not only to replace the ceiling, but to rethink how the architecture might support the community's present needs. This project's goals were to replace the discolored ceiling material to improve the appearance of the room, design a more flexible lighting system, replace the original wiring, improve the sound characteristics of the room, integrate the beverage station into the room's architecture, provide additional storage space, and make the room feel more intimate for daily use.