Living Room Projects

So since 2013 I've been working as a designer in a furniture store and not home much and not blogging much.

During that time all my projects got put on hold around the house except for HAVE TO

projects. 

Now that I'm once again between full time gigs...it's time to confront all that needs to be done here.

I bought that little chest above two years ago because it was just the right size to go by the front door.

I wanted something not very deep but wide enough to fill that wall.

Oh...I could've bought this in a creamy white finish that would have gone very well with my decor but it was three times the price in that finish. So I bought the version on sale for $130 planning on painting it myself. Here it is still waiting to be painted two years later. 

 

I am thinking of painting it similar in style to this. I don't know where this image came from I've had saved on my phone a long time.

A year ago Kirklands had this version of the same cabinet in a natural wood finish. I would have been happy with this finish but it was around $400 and that's not in the budget and now they don't have it any more. I'd rather an antique piece in this spot but antique pieces are always deeper. This one is only 12 inches deep.

It's just the right size by the door. Oh...that burgundy color looks so bad. When Mom saw it she loved it and said I should not paint it. But I hate it so it's getting painted.

I started to strip and paint the wood work in this room and never got back to it.

That is a priority project that needs to happen. Then I need drapes after that.

Oh and the room desperately needs a bigger rug.

Seems like I should be getting lots done right now but between working on two design projects for clients and searching for a full time job and....I have a part time job I am doing that is keeping me solvent.

There is not much time for decorating in my own house these days.

 I love alabaster lamps. This one I found out shopping with my friend Leslie at a country antique show.

 I am WAY over that lamp. But have not found one that speaks to me yet to replace it. One day I'll run across one I can't live without. I have bought two different ones that I thought would go in this spot but neither looked as good as this one. So they ended up in other places in the house.

 Soon the fall stuff will come out. Won't be long now at all.

I bought chalk paint the other day to paint this.

Aiming for it to look somewhat like this. I am a little worried that it will fight the fireplace a little.

I once had a table in this spot that was given to me. It was painted a pale yellow green.

The color looked actually fine in the room. But I didn't like the color so I painted it periwinkle instead. The table looked great in periwinkle but it looked too bold for the room. 

I ended up moving the table to another spot in the house. It was the wrong size anyway.

I could go the safe route and paint this a creamy white but I have a lot of creamy white in the living room.

Any opinions?

sharing at

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Chippy Painted Furniture

Inspiration

 All these images I've collected in my Pretty Furniture board on Pinterest.

Seems lately, I've been running around a lot outside of the house and not getting 

much accomplished here at the house.

I'm working on painting a piece of furniture but stalled when I ran out of 

sand paper. 

The piece has a very shiny varnish on it and is requiring quite a bit of sanding 

before I paint. 

I know...I know...use Chalk Paint.

But I don't have any and I have some Miss Mustard Seed Milk paint and so I thought I'd use that.

I would be ecstatic if the results turned out like that image above.

Actually, I'll be happy if it turns out like any of these images I've pinned.

I even am toying with the idea of making it slightly blue 

but...this piece of furniture sits on one side of the arch in the living room.

The other side has this...

I have two of these mirrors...one on each side of the arch.

See? One on each side. I now have a larger chest on the left and that is what I am painting.

I think I need white on both sides but want this one to be much more distressed in finish.

This room has changed a lot since this photo.
The room is now white and I have an upholstered ottoman instead of the coffee table.
I have not shown the room at this angle yet because

the dining room is still yellow.

I did buy new paint last week so that it will match but then every day off since then has been filled 

with other things outside the house and I have not gotten to paint it yet.

I'm hoping...maybe this Sunday...if nothing comes up.

But today....I'm focusing on painting the chest in the living room.

This is the barely blue I was considering.

 Really love this finish.

 I'd be happy with this one too.

 This might be a little too barely there...

but I do like it and definitely want to do it on something one day.

 I really love this barely blue...or rather aqua.

 If it turns out like this...I'll be happy.

 And I really like this. 

Again, blue...it's so pretty, isn't it?

Afraid it would fight my fireplace too much though.

It's the star in the room. 

I did up a new floral display for spring in the basket there. 

Thought I'd show today but it's cloudy here.

Maybe tomorrow if the sun comes out.

Well, these are my rambling thoughts for today....

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White Rooms

Love em!

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I've loved that above photo for a very long time.

Remember when I said by the end of the weekend my living room would be all painted?

Well, it didn't happen. I tried...but I had to do other things that I didn't plan on.

So though I painted on Sunday for a few hours...it wasn't enough to get it done.

But today....today...I'm off and I just need a good four or five hours to finish it up.

So surely, surely...my room will be done by tonight.

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I resisted going white walls cause I'd lived with white walls so much of my life as a renter.

But you know...I never minded them and they were always just plain white.

The white I chose for my walls is just the perfect shade.

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The white I chose is Shoji White by Sherwin Williams.

It can look bright white in the sunlight but as the sun changes in the room...it greatly changes.

It can look very greige in dimmer light.

I think it was the perfect choice.

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So today I thought I'd just share some of my favorite white rooms from my Pinterest boards.

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This room really speaks to me...all that pink but those white walls are what make the pink and the dark wood so good.

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I should have photos of my room to share this week.

That is if nothing comes up today.

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Mod Mix Monday #126

Dueling Sofas

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Well, here, finally is Mod Mix Monday...late but here.

What do you think of about two sofas in a living room? 

I like it.

I love that whole room. 

The very limited palette of white, gold, yellow and brown is quite nice. 

Let's get on with my favorites from last week, shall we?

 Love this bedroom created by Vickie at Ranger 911.

It's all creamy white and then she painted her bed mint green.

What makes this room for me is the little doll house above the bed.

The whole thing is sweet and pretty in just the right way.

 Suzanne of Simply Suzannes made this Halloween banner.

I love the mix of patterns and faded oranges and blacks she used.

 Look at this light created by Melissa of Shabby Love. 
She made this light fixture out of an old funnel.

I guess that is stating the obvious. It's very cool.

 Debra of Common Ground showed off her sideboard. She does this up for every holiday.

I'm always amazed by Debra's vignettes. 

Tiffany of Avocados and Geraniums showed off her fun Autumn mantel.

Danielle of Finding Silver Pennies is back with another great painted piece.

This one a wine cart. It was ho hum before and after it's cheers worthy.

Give me what you've got for this week!

Share your new mixes below.

Remember anything old made over to be new...anything new changed up to look old.

New and old together...

Please include the Mod Mix Monday logo and back link to me.

Use a permalink to your individual post not to your entire blog.

If you link up...I'd appreciate it, if you'd follow me.

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Blue Walls

Happy Walls...Happy Room...Happy Life?

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Isn't this the happiest of rooms? I adore it...

It even makes the cat happy.

See him smiling there?

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I still keep going back and forth on whether I should paint my living room blue or white.

I am positive I want it white and then I see rooms like these and I'm positive I want it blue.

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I have Sunday off...I already have blue paint...maybe I should just do it.

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I can always change it later. 

Only problem is...my ceiling is blue so if I paint the walls blue...the ceiling is going to have to go white.

That will be a pain to change back if I wish. 

But still....

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What Do You Think?

Moody Blue?

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Isn't this a cozy spot?

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I adore this room even if it is full of boots.

Back to the Question at hand...

Moody Blue

or

Cloud White?

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Oh...you can't beat this marshmallow of a room with it's candy colored furniture.

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Love the different shades of blue/turquoise in this white room.

I've been wanting to paint my living room and dining room for quite some time.

I keep going back and forth between sea foam green walls or white walls.

I've pinned favorite rooms over and over trying to decide.

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When I pinned this room...I thought .."Oh that's it for sure!"

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Another room that made me sure sea foam was the way to go.

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So pretty with all the white.

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So fresh with the brown furniture and walls.

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But I've always loved this look.

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And just last week I pinned this room and it made me change my mind about having blue walls.

This is the color of my living room now.

Ivory lily is the color....or pale pale butter yellow.

I have come to hate it.

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This used to be my most favorite room in the world saved long, long ago from either Country Living 

or Country Home. But now...I would not like the yellow striped walls.

Because my art tile fireplace is sea foam green, 

I've thought having a similar yet lighter color on the 

walls would ground the space and make the fireplace more at home.

I did a quickie mock up in photoshop of how a light sea foam paint would look.

Here a little darker.

And here white. 

What is your opinion? 

I am ready to start painting. 

I already have the sea foam paint but it occurs to me that I should probably paint with 

primer first which would be white and that would tell me if I liked white in the room or not.

Tell me what you think.

Sea Foam or White?

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