RUG ADDITIONS

Thank you so much for all the kind words on my post last week.  

Not sure how this week slipped by me, but here it is Friday and we have a jam packed, fun filled weekend ahead of us.  My parents are coming in town to visit and to watch the school talent show, several basketball games and a baseball game.  They don't know it yet, but they might even get to babysit while we sneak away for a neighborhood derby party. 

I delivered one last load of items to a home today 

that I've been working on for the past couple of months.  

I'll share some before and afters very soon. 

Since I don't have any work to share this week, 

I thought I'd show you a couple of new rugs I picked up at Bargains and Buyouts last Fall.  

First up, this navy and cream dhurrie rug.  

I was shopping with a friend and we picked up this one, 

which was originally for her daughter's room.

When she got it home, her daughter wasn't a fan, so I bought it from her.  

It works perfectly in the boys' room. 

Technically, it's just one boy's room now.  My older son moved to the bedroom on the third floor so he could have his own space.  However, he waffles back and forth between sleeping with his little brother and sleeping all alone in his own room.  It's kind of sweet.

There was quite a bit of wide open floor space in this room, so the rug helps break it up a bit. 

My memory fails me, but I think I picked this orangey/rust colored dhurrie up the same day.  

It works great in the hallway leading from our bedroom to our bathroom.

The best part, each rug was under $50.  

You can check out some of my other Bargains and Buyouts finds here and here. 

I hope you all have a joyous weekend. 

It's going to be sunny and in the 70s here this weekend and I get to spend it with family and friends.  

Doesn't get much better than that!

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. 

HAVE A SEAT

No really, just pick a seat.  

There are plenty to choose from. 

I mentioned in this post that I counted the chairs in our home and came up with 37.  

Now, just to clarify, that does included dining chairs and two child size chairs. 

Here is a look at the "chair situation" in our home. 

We have owned this chair for a long time. 

It was originally dark brown wicker and I painted it with BM Kingsport Gray.

I ordred these two swivel/gliders a couple of years ago. 

They are a bit hit with the kids, since they are similar to a merry-go-round.

Still loving these bentwoods that I recovered recently. 

Here is a shot which includes quite a few chairs. 

I picked up the two floral chairs at a consignment shop. 

They work perfectly in "The Nook".

I have four of these vintage school chairs sprinkled around the house. 

One now resides in the foyer. 

My ghost chair was a steal from Craigslist. 

There is a whole lot of chairs going on in here. 

We have the yard sale wingbacks I had reupholstered, 

the wicker and chrome chairs I found on Craiglist 

and the rattan and chrome chairs I got from an estate sale. 

Mixed together, they make one big happy chair family.

The black Eames chair I found at an outdoor antique show is still residing in the office.

These two beauties, which also came from an estate sale are currently living in the basement. 

I love these chairs, but I still don't have a place for them.  Might have to get rid of them soon.

Moving upstairs, the boys have two red tolix-like chairs in their room. 

They came from Kroger, of all places. 

Another vintage school chair fits right in at my daughter's desk.

This chair was another thrift store find that I painted and had reupholstered. 

Lastly, this thrift store find makeover in our master bedroom.

Full disclosure, there are a few more chairs living in chair/lamp purgatory the basement 

and four more on the third floor. 

I also have quite a few barstools, lamps, frames and art that I need to let go of. 

I'm thinking of having a tag sale soon. 

Not to be confused with a yard/garage sale.  

I've done that before and the last time, I vowed never to do it again. 

If you are local and would be interested in coming to the tag sale, send me an email here.

Date and time TBD. 

Thank you so much for being loyal readers and I hope you have a fabulous weekend.

For some reason, my husband has decided he really wants to take the kids to the circus this weekend. 

I volunteered to stay home and get our taxes together.  The lesser of two evils, in my opinion.

MASTER BEDROOM DESIGN

A good friend of mine recently bought a new house. 

She asked for some help choosing paint colors and bedding.

I visited her new home earlier this week.   

The painters were there stripping wallpaper 

and they were chomping at the bit to get started on painting. 

We were under the gun to choose paint colors. 

We picked BM Nocturnal Gray for the master suite. 

There is a sitting area just off the master that has lovely blue/gray/khaki grasscloth that will be staying. 

This color works well with the existing grasscloth.

After we chose a color, I went home and put together a design for the master bedroom.

She had already purchased a similar headboard, mirrored nightstands and pine dresser.

She also already has a similar leopard chair. 

Based on those pieces, this is what I came up with.....

She wanted something elegant, but a little funky.

That describes her pretty well too!

The pillows to the left can be added to the sitting area to help the two rooms flow.

The duvet cover will go at the end of the bed, with a simple cream blanket covering the bed.

The pillows help add some more color to the bed. 

I am loving the touches of black in this room.  It really ramp up the elegance. 

I am looking forward to seeing this house become a home for my friend and her family.

It sits on eleven acres of land and has gorgeous views from the back. 

I can't wait to show you more. 

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.

FOUR YEARS LATER - THE MASTER BEDROOM

It has been almost four years since we moved into "The Money Pit".  

I thought it would be fun to take a look back over the next few weeks 

of how far this home of ours has come.

I have no rhyme or reason behind this, but thought I would start with the master bedroom.

Oh wait, I do have a reason....

My mom made some new window treatments for the master bedroom and

I'm dying to show them to you.

Here's a peek before I show you the ugly before pictures.

Before we bought the house, it looked something like this....

Once the renovation started, it looked like this for a short while....

Shortly after we moved in, it looked like this.....

Last year, I made a few small changes and it looked like this for a short while....

And these were the drapes, which were also used in the master bedroom at our old house.

I found a huge bolt of indoor/outdoor fabric on clearance at the Frontgate Outlet.

I never did measure the total yardage, but the tag said 50 yards.  It was $100!

I had no idea what I would use it for, but I just couldn't pass it up.

As soon as I got it home, it hit me, master bedroom drapes.

My talented mother came to the rescue and made them for me.  

The woman has mad sewing skills!

She delivered them when she came to visit this weekend.

We wasted no time getting them hung.

You know I love stripes, right? 

This is even better than stripes, it's stripes with a pattern.

Here's a closer look.

Initially, I wasn't sure how I would like them up against the Sherwin Williams Sea Salt wall color. 

As soon as they were hung and I took a step back to take it all in, I fell in love.

 I'm still working out a few kinks with the pleats.

Don't worry, I'll have these beauties trained in no time.  

Oh, and as luck would have it, I still have about 25 yards of this gorgeous fabric left.  

I'm pretty certain it will be making an appearance on the back porch.

 Believe it not, I went back to the Frontgate Outlet the next day

 and bought my mom 60 yards of a different fabric - for $100. 

I just can't pass up a deal like that.

Would you?

Sharing with:
A Stroll Thru Life

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE VIEWS

There are several spots in my house that make me really happy. 

I walk by them many times a day, and I always think, I should take a picture of this view.

Today, I did just that.

First up, the view from my kitchen windows.....

Deer are abundant in our little town and they love to hang out in the back yard.

Willee isn't quite sure what to do about this yet.

I certainly wouldn't call myself a couch potato, 

but when I am lounging on the couch, this is one of my views.  

I love seeing the two consignment store chairs, the butterfly art, the glass bottles,

and the family photos when I glance this way.

Here's another view from the couch.  

I think it's all the textures in this corner that always catches my eye -

like the fireplace stone, the metal scones, the woven blinds, the wicker baskets and the fabrics.

This is the view into the dining room from the foyer.  

We don't come in and out of our front door, but neighborhood kids are forever ringing our doorbell.

Therefore, I see this spot often.

It's definitely the color that draws me in here.

I love a neutral backdrop, but I have to have color in my decor. 

It just makes me happy.

(Notice my Jade plant is still alive)

This spot makes me smile for many reasons.  

For starters, the baby doll, which my daughter has had since she was three. 

Also, the chair is so darn comfortable and I love the bright raspberry fabric on it.

The thrifted lamp and rusty stool round out this corner nicely.

You will often find me hiding out in my daughter's room, reading in this chair.

This is what's happening in the boys' room now.

Who doesn't like a good dinosaur fight? 

I've got my money on the T-Rex.

This is the view from our bed, into the master bathroom.

I think it's the painted ceiling that makes this view so pleasant for me.

I am such a sucker for a ceiling painted with color!

This has to be one of my all time favorite views - my little guy playing the piano.

I posted here, about how happy it makes me to hear him play, but lately,

I have found myself on the verge of tearing up every time he plays a song.

I think it's because he is normally a pretty rough and tumble little boy.

 To see the softer side of him literally melts my heart. 

Best $75 I ever spent!

On the flip side, there are other spots in my house that I'm not so fond of right now. 

I'll share those in another post....