Decoration Dilemma

Sorry for my absence. Apparently I can not multitask very well so blogging gets put on the back burner. My energies have been getting used up in other areas of my life.

So what have I been doing? you might ask.

I have been completely and totally obsessed with redecorating my front room. It all started with joining Pinterest. Have any of your lives changed because of Pinterest? Sheesh, mine has. Not only does it give me another reason to be on the computer but it gives me great ideas for cooking, sewing, things to wear, things to do with the kids, and of course decorating ideas. Lots things to keep me distracted from my blog.

So, after hearing that my sister in law found a very affordable interior decorator to help her get that put together look to her own house, I couldn’t resist checking her out for some of my own decoration dilemmas.

My front room has always been place for yard sell furniture and dusty old things that I don’t care to much about. The problem with that is that it’s the first room you see when you walk into my house. I don’t mean to be vain but I want people to have a good first impression when they walk into my house. I want it to be fun, inviting and well put together. I felt like it was time to spruce things up.

My house is very earth toned. I love earth tones. I am naturally drawn to browns. But I really want to add some fun color in the mix. I’m dreadfully tired of burgundy. On the internet I see lots of fun turquoise and oranges, bright yellow and greens. I can’t help but want that. Ahh.

This whole thing actually started in July when I was wanting a bright, fun painted old piano for my front room.

I was a bit stumped, though, on how to do that in my very warm, earth tones house. If I had one room all bright and colorful how would that look or flow with the other rooms. I didn’t know. I thought I’d have to pull down everything off the walls and start all over with a clean slate.

That’s why I enlisted the help of Erin.

She came over, checked out my room, talked about what I was wanting and created a vision board for me. Now before you look to closely at it, I think the hot pink art work is very distracting. It is not going to be like that in my room. You have to try really had to imagine those green. I told her I was happy to do things myself to save money and so she found some art work I could easily make my self. We’ve also picked out a different rung that I think is cuter and the modern chairs are going to be Grandma’s wingback chairs reupholstered for a little more classy look.

Things I’ve done so far:

1. bought a cheep beat up round mirror and painted the frame silver.

2. bought a new lamp, which I’m not loving and might return (unless I decide to do this to the lampshade)

3. I have also stressed and stressed over the pillows. I like her suggestions but was not in love. I have looked and looked all over the place. You can’t imagine what a big ordeal I’ve made out of it. Maybe I’ll write up a whole post about my pillow drama, but in the end I made a pillow inspired by this one and now am ready to get on with some of the other details and coordinating pillows.

The things I’m really excited about getting going on:

1. the board and batten wall against the couch wall.

2. painting the walls a warm gray color.

3. If I ever acquire a piano, painting it a cheery yellow.

4. I might attempt making my own curtains. Maybe something like this but in white.

So that’s it for now. It’s crazy how consumed I’ve been with it all. I’d love to have it all done in a month or so. Perhaps I’m nesting. Ya, let’s blame it on that. I always enjoy seeing before and afters so I’ll keep you posted about it if you’re interested. And maybe a anthro-inspired pillow tutorial. How about that?

Ta ta for now.