Thursday, July 18, 2013

True or False Living Room Re-Arranging


True or False: The camera never lies. (False. We know it adds 10 lbs., right?) 



I'm having a VERY HARD time trying to get decent photos from my newish bargain camera - the one I found after losing the Nikon Coolpix I loved so much. But still, it shows me some things via the slightly blurry photos that my naked eye doesn't see at first. 



For Instance, this corner of my living room. I had a little vignette going that I thought looked good: It had elements of elegant, industrial, cottage and I'd tossed in some mid-century modern to go with the collection of vases on the mantel on the other side of the room.

In photos...yuck. It was too busy. 

I do that - I'm sort of like nature... I abhor an empty space and rush to fill it. I WANT to like airy, minimal environments, but I can't do them. I like stuff too much. Cheap stuff. Painted cheap stuff. Or free stuff. That's good, too.



So, I deleted a small rustic bench behind the mod chair, and stuck the painted topiary on the little crate. Now I think it needs something above it...that wall just looks so...vacuum-like. It doesn't matter that there are TWO gallery walls in the same room. And a mantel and shelves with lots of stuff on them. Try as I might to give the eye a place to rest, I just can't. But I wouldn't have known I needed more art until I took a photo. 

Instead of more art, I may hang something - maybe a rusty iron candle thingy I found earlier this year at Jack & Greg's. I've been looking for a place for it! Hmmm. 



And the painting above the mod chair really needs to be centered on the wall, moved a few inches to the right. I had placed it there because it fit over the little bench behind the chair. It's not working well where it is, so I will move it.

All the years before blogging, I could have had a MUCH nicer home if I had just photographed it. I wonder how many of you have discovered that? Am I the last to know?

It makes me wonder what else in my life I might need to photograph...

Word for the Day:
Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Possibly Linking With

Sunday

Sunday Show-off Link Party
Sunday Showcase Party
Monday

Masterpiece Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Tuesday

Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Scoop
The Scoop
Inspire Me Tuesday
Inspiration Exchange Linky Party
Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday
Blissfully White Wednesday
What’s it Wednesday
Primp Your Stuff Wed
Cottage Style Party
What We Accomplished Wednesday
Thursday

Thursday Open House Party
Time Travel Thursday
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Friday

Feathered Nest Friday
Frugal Friday
Fabulously Creative Friday
Rustic Restorations Weekend
What’s Shakin’ Link Party
Weekend
Saturday

Saturday Nite Special
Get Schooled Saturday







Sunday, July 14, 2013

$1.50 Sofa Makeover


Maybe you remember this sofa...or maybe you chose to forget it. It used to look like this:



Well, maybe I should back up even farther...


This is what I spied at the thrift store one day. I removed the cushions right then and there, and noticed this pretty detail:



I paid the nice man $60 and called my uncle Robert to help move it to my house. From that point, KyAnne made it her dog bed. I covered it with a plastic drop cloth to deter her, but that didn't last long.

I had plans to cover it with drop cloth - upholstered back and removable cushion covers...after Ky and Mason moved away. Well...that happened a week and a half ago.



We'd been working on two garage sales and clearing out my garage since then, or I would have jumped on this project the very next day!

Meanwhile, I looked up a few blog tutorials about painting furniture. The general consensus was that latex paint, thinned down, worked better than the pricier fabric paint.



I had already tried that, and was not happy with the results. The color choices weren't great and it would have cost a fortune to buy enough little bottles to finish this sofa! It WAS a bit softer than the latex paint, but this sofa does not get a ton of use, and it is not a napping sofa!

Though I plan to do the eventual recover project, I have other projects that are more pressing at this point. (Today I plan to paint my future bedroom!)



But for now, I LOVE it! I no longer have to cringe when I see it, or avoid that side of the room in photographs. 

I did it while watching TV last night, using three little mismatch sample pots of latex paint from Lowe's - .50c each.
It's a nice greige, a little darker than my walls.

Next, I plan to get some cuter pillows to put across the back, or maybe sew some. But for $1.50 and an evening of Netflix, I'm pleased!

I'm officially an empty nester. Mason and Ky are gone, and Hannah left yesterday for job interviews in Houston. I KNOW she will not return to live here. I have a big mess, moving furniture around from all over the house, so Mason's room can be my room, my larger room can be an office/art room/Etsy room, and Hannah's room can be a guest room. (Today, it's full of garage furniture she wants for her apartment!)

I have a TON of work in front of me, but, that's a good thing!
Painting and decorating is fun for me. Organizing and simplifying will make me happy. Making my home totally cohesive and ME will be rewarding. I'll be able to entertain again! It's quiet...sometimes TOO quiet, but once I get things straightened, I'll work on that.

Word for the Day:
Isaiah 32:18
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

Possibly Linking With:

Sunday

Sunday Show-off Link Party
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Sunday Showcase Party
Monday

Metamorphosis Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Revival Monday
Masterpiece Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Tuesday

Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Scoop
The Scoop
Inspire Me Tuesday
Inspiration Exchange Linky Party
Wednesday

Blissfully White Wednesday
Restored it Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Show Me What Ya Got
What’s it Wednesday
Cottage Style Party
What We Accomplished Wednesday
Penny Pinching Party
Thursday

Under $100 Link Party
Transformation Thursday
Inspired Creations
Thursday Open House Party
Time Travel Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Friday

Feathered Nest Friday
Furniture Feature Friday
Friday Redoux Link Party
Frugal Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Rustic Restorations Weekend
Fridays on Remodelaholic
Fabulously Creative Friday
Flaunt it Friday
What’s Shakin’ Link Party
Weekend
Saturday

Saturday Nite Special
Get Schooled Saturday
Show and Tell Saturday