MASTER BEDROOM UPDATES - DRESSER/TV/GALLERY WALL

It all started back in November when we upgraded our queen size bed for a king size bed.

Then in December we replaced the TV in our family room 

and decided to move the old TV to our bedroom.

The old 32" box TV wasn't quite cutting it. 

The first thing I did was go on the hunt for a long dresser 

to replace the painted armoire that housed the box TV.

I found the perfect one at a funky little resale shop in Cincinnati called Connecting Times Resale. 

I follow them on on Facebook and am often intrigued by the pictures they post. 

I pop in there from time to time.

The day I found this dresser, I had actually stopped in to see a different dresser they had posted.

Turns out I liked this one better.

I love the legs, the wood grain and the vintage hardware.

And it just happened to be the perfect size for this spot.

I sold the armoire.  We moved the dresser in and promptly hooked up the TV.

Next I got out the hammer and few nails and went town 

creating a gallery wall around the TV to disguise it a bit. 

I used things I already had on hang.

Like this Batik I got for Christmas. 

I may have dropped a subtle hint about adding it to my wish list here.

I framed some concert tickets to one of our favorite bands and hung those here too,

along with a thrift store painting. 

A signed concert poster tacked to a back of a wooden frame is front and center on the gallery wall.

Have I mentioned I like red barns?  I grew up on a farm and we had a red barn on our property. 

I have always been drawn to "red barn art".  These came from the thrift store too.

The other Batik, a ginger jar print and more thrift store art rounds out the gallery wall.

While I really enjoy the serene wall color in this room, I was ready for some pops of color.

The plan is to eventually mount the TV on the wall.

However, there is a brick chimney hiding behind this drywall.

No easy feat for us unhandy folks!

I spend a little too much time lounging in my bed nowadays. 

A TV IN THE BEDROOM

My kids always ask if they can have a TV in their bedroom.  

My answer is always the same.....

"When you grow up and have our own house, you can have a TV in your bedroom".

It keeps me from looking like a hypocrite, since we have a TV in our bedroom.

I am not a huge TV watcher, but occasionally, I just want to retreat to our bedroom,

cuddle up under the covers and watch some good ole trashy TV. 

We have had a big box TV in our armoire for many years.

Santa brought a new TV for our family room.

Therefore, the box TV gets to take a hike and the 42" flat screen 

that was in the family room is moving to our room.

I am on the hunt for a dresser to replace the armoire. 

Not sure what I will do with the armoire yet. 

We plan to mount the TV on the wall over the dresser.

I'll be adding some art around the TV to disguise it a bit. 

I'll be going for a look similar to this. 

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I have my eye on a dresser and I have started to collect art for the gallery wall.

Disclaimer:  I don't see anything wrong with a child having a TV in their room.

As a matter of fact, I had a tiny black and white one in my bedroom as a child.

It just happens to be our personal decision to not allow our children to have one in their rooms.

MY GIANT GALLERY WALL

The wall in our stairwell has been bothering me since we moved in to our home.

I initially hung a few of our travel prints there, but was never quite happy with the look.

A few months ago, I took them all down.

The wall sat naked for quite some time and every time I went up or down the stairs 

(about 50 times a day), I cringed. 

I recently ran into Pottery Barn and noticed these large, square, gold frames hiding in the corner.  

I picked them up and noticed they were on sale for $31.99.  Not too bad since they were 18"x18".

To make a long story short, I bought four that day (and they happened to be on clearance for $21.99)

I then proceeded to call all over the country to hunt down nine more (five for me and four for a client).

Where there's a will, there's a way!  

The smaller square frames came from Ikea and I'll tell you all about those at the end of the post.

Now for some pretty pictures....

 I risked my life on a ladder and hung everyone of these all by myself. 

The frames are filled with prints/postcards/artwork from places we have traveled to 

or hope to travel to someday.

I really wanted to fill up the wall, but keep some frames open for future adventures. 

So I printed out maps or artwork from destinations we hope to visit someday

and I added "Adventure Awaits" to the bottom.

I have two more small frames to add here, but my 5 foot 3 self couldn't quite reach.

I'll con my husband into doing it someday soon.

The frames came without mats.  I simply turned over the cover sheets 

to show the sheets and taped the art on top.

Someday I'll have mats cut for them.

I would love to eventually fill up the wall over the window and the wall to the left of the window.

I love that you can see them from the foyer.

I never could find the Pottery Barn frames on their website. 

But I found these 12x12 frames at Ikea.

Of course, I had to add some rub n buff to them.

Ten of them, in fact.

Now, instead of cringing, I get excited every time I walk up and down these stairs.

Each time I pass by, I think back on all the fun adventures we have taken over the years

or I dream about the adventures that await us.

I finally got my camera back.  It was in the repair shop for almost six weeks 

and it ended up costing more than a week's worth of groceries to have it repaired. 

I sure wasn't happy about that, but I am thrilled that I can stop using my Iphone as my camera. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

AROUND HERE

I have been busy shuffling kids back and forth, hosting sleepovers, getting caught in the middle of water gun fights, doing crazy amounts of laundry and trying to squeeze in a little work.  

This working from home gig, while school is out, is proving to be more difficult than I imagined.

I plan to do the best I can while focusing on soaking up this time with my children.

I have managed to get a few things done around here.

I switched out the lamp in "The Nook" for this new vintage thrift store lamp I found last week.

I actually got a pair of these.  You know I love a good pair!

I finished up a new gallery wall going up the stairs.  

My phone is still in the shop and my I-phone just doesn't do this project justice.  

As soon as I get my camera back, I'll show you the whole thing.

I also added this rug to our house. 

I am in love with it.  Even my six year old said "This  rug is beautiful!.

He then proceeded to do cartwheels on it with his dirty feet.

We like to break things in right away around here. 

I'll show you where the rug ended up soon.  

I thought I could manage 4-6 weeks without my camera, but it sure makes blogging difficult. 

Hurry up Canon!