Rain on a Tin Roof

Tag: living room

Traditional Casual Living Room Updates

*This post is sponsored by DISH, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may also be contained in this post.

It’s been awhile, but if you took the farmhouse Christmas tour, then you may have noticed that there were a few changes/updates to the living room there. Usually just about the time I declare a room “done”, it turns out that I either add, takeaway or switch something up. #storyofmylife

These little changes though really brought the room together even more.

Here’s what happened…

Rug / Sofa (similar) / Ottoman / TV Stand / Botanical Prints / Tufted Wing Chairs

The art I had gotten for our master bedroom ended up not working at all in there. The colors just did not mesh well with the other colors in the space. Luckily though, it did work well in the living room, so I started a game of musical art.

Sofa (similar) / Wheat Pillow / Navy Patterned Pillow / Art Above Sofa

I moved two of the botanical prints that had been above the sofa to above the television and hung the piece of art that was originally for our master above the sofa. It actually ended up being a much better scale for that area anyways!

And the botanical prints took up the perfect amount of blank space above the television.

TV Stand / Botanical Prints / Rug / Tufted Wing Chairs / Red Pillow

I felt like the television area still needed a little something though. I had held onto the plugin wall sconces from our last home’s living room ever since we moved because I loved them so much. And as it turned out, those fit perfectly on either side of the tv.

There’s one other small addition to this area. Our DISH Hopper and Amazon Alexa. Easily control TV with your voice…

Our DISH Hopper DVR got a new buddy – an Amazon Alexa. Do you have one? Have you heard of them? Let me just go on and tell you that our family considers it the cat’s meow when it’s paired with our DISH Hopper. I didn’t think the DISH Hopper could get much better since it already lets us record up to 16 channels at once, has Netflix built in and lets you easily skip commercials, but pairing it with Amazon Alexa is icing on the cake.

The DISH Hopper + Amazon Alexa union provides you with Hands-Free TV™ viewing. You can tell Alexa to turn to a show or channel you want to watch, to search for certain movies, actors, or actresses and to even pause, fast forward, rewind and more – all with just the sound of your voice.

I’m pretty sure as soon as it hears the Circus say “Alexa…,” it starts searching for Tom and Jerry, the Circus’ newfound current favorite cartoon.

For a limited time and while supplies last, DISH is offering new customers a Free Hopper DVR and Voice Remote. That means you can really maximize your lazy days by simply hitting a button on the remote and telling your Hopper what to show you instead of searching through hundreds of channels.

To get more information on what all DISH has to offer or to go ahead and take advantage of the Free Hopper + Voice Remote offer, call 866-614-3461.

The one last small change I made in here was on the opposite side of the room with this little nook.

Linen Arm Chair / Spindle Table / Horse Head Bookends / Lamp

I forgot I had this pillow that was my great aunt’s until I was going through storage cabinets one day and found it. I’ve always loved the colors on it, but never had a perfect place for it.

I was tickled pink when it fit in so well with that chair and the rest of the living room space.

Don’t you just love it when those little unexpected things make everything mesh so perfectly together?

March 8, 2018
Fall at the Farmhouse

Affiliate links may be included in this post.

Hey, ya’ll! Today, I’m sharing my fall home tour with five other bloggers in this year’s Fall Home Tours hosted by Marty from A Stroll Thru Life. If you’re popping over from 11 Magnolia Lane or another stop on the tour or from anywhere else, welcome!

I’m going to be brutally honest today.

Rug / Sofa (similar) / Ottoman / Botanical Art Prints / TV Stand / Nailhead Wing Chairs / Red Pillows

While I absolutely love this time of the year – it’s my favorite by far, it can often make me feel a little inadequate.

Everywhere I look, everyone has these beautifully decorated and thoughtful homes for fall and I’m just over here like, “How did you ever find time to do that?” Not to mention, “How in the hell did you even come up with that?”

Rug / Ottoman / TV Stand / Botanical Prints / Wall Sconces (I painted mine gold.)

Don’t get me wrong – I think everyone who has those gorgeous fall homes, folks that are a part of this tour included, are just flat amazing. My hat is off to you. I bow down in your presence. I commend you. I am not worthy to be alongside you on this tour. Please tell me your secrets.

Sofa (similar) / Art Above Sofa / Blue Pillow / Mini Radio Flyer Wagon

I think on Pinterest there are approximately 3,263 gorgeous fall wreaths made of all sorts of things, 6,328 ways to decorate a pumpkin and no less than 2,846 beautiful fall mantels out there. I mean, those aren’t actual statistical numbers, just what my overwhelmed mind tells me.

I love most all of those thousands of fall decorating ideas. They are beautiful and those people who made them should get a damn fall decorating award. But as I browse through all that, I usually end up just wanting to find the closet corner to crawl into and cry. And if we’re being honest, probably drink too.

Wall Sconces (I painted mine gold.)

I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately, or maybe for the last few Falls, and it’s like my creativity in that department just hit a wall. I walk the seasonal aisles of all the local craft stores just hoping to get some spark of creativity and there’s nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada. The ship has sailed and I don’t know if it’s ever coming back home. I mean, I was never a brilliant fall decorator, but I’ve been coming up shorter a little more every year.

DIY Ribbon Wrapped Pumpkins

So I finally did the one thing that I know exactly how to do best.

I said screw it.

I didn’t come up with one single new fall craft or decorating idea or anything of the sort. I pulled out the painted pumpkins and fall garland from years past and threw ’em around.

And that was it.

It’s good enough.

DIY Glittery Fall Garland

When I start seeing real pumpkins around here to buy, I’ll get some of those too, and the Circus and I will paint them and carve them and glitter their stems. It won’t be anything groundbreaking, but we’ll have fun doing it and we’ll enjoy them.

And isn’t that all that really matters in the end?

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Next stop on the fall home tours today is Hymns and Verses!

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September 14, 2017
Ya gonna hang weeds on the wall?

Disclosure: I partnered with Hayneedle on this makeover, however all opinions are 100% mine.

My uncle has always tended to tell me like it is. So when he walked into the farmhouse a couple of weeks ago and saw framed botanical prints laying against the wall with a hammer and nails beside them, his remark was, “Ya gonna hang weeds on the wall?”

I didn’t try to explain that it was in fact spring leaves art and not weeds. Instead, I just said. “Yep.” There are some people you just don’t argue with and men in overalls who have worked all day fit into that category.

I must say though.

I right like those framed weeds.

Spring Leaves Artwork / Ottoman / Rug / Beige Pillow / Navy Patterned Pillow / Solid Navy Pillow

Yes folks, the living room at the farmhouse is done. We started with this…

And now we have this…

Spring Leaves Artwork / Ottoman / Rug / Beige Pillow / Navy Patterned Pillow / Solid Navy Pillow / Hampton TV Stand / Arm Chairs / Red Patterned Pillows / Navy Curtains

Yes, it is a total 180˚ from my usual design.

And I love this room just as much as I do our living room at the 70’s Landing Pad.

Arm Chairs / Red Patterned Pillows / Navy Curtains / Pedestal Side Table / Vase

Trying to put my Studio54 style into action at the farmhouse would have been like me trying to fit into the jeans from my senior year of high school.

Similar to putting makeup on a pig, it would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb.

Blue Linen Arm Chair / Cream Pillow / Spindle Table / Cream Lamp / Horse Bookends

Filling the farmhouse with chippy painted furniture and cladding the walls with shiplap wasn’t the ticket either though.

I wanted to make this room, and eventually the whole house, have a classic, timeless, traditional feel while still keeping it comfortable and also being a reflection of us. The walls are beige, but I worked in a few of our favorite colors – navy, red and green into the accents in the room. There is a nod to the farm with the addition of my beloved cowboy blanket that’s managed to stick around in the family for 50 years.

We love how the room turned out and I like to think that my grandparents would too. Here’s hoping anyway. 🙂

You can see the full reveal of the room on Hayneedle’s blog.

July 25, 2017
The Farm: Living Room Design Plans

*This post is sponsored by DISH, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may also be contained in this post.

So I warned you that the design of my grandparent’s house that we’ll be living in part-time was going to be very different than what our 70’s Landing Pad looks like. I wasn’t kidding. Are you ready for the first design plans? Let’s start with the living room…

Before

First off, the wood trim isn’t going anywhere. It does need some cleaning up where paint was splattered on it over the years, but we are keeping it as-is otherwise. I think my Pap would strike me dead from the grave if I painted over it. 😉 He loved a beautiful piece of stained wood.

This is a longer room than it is wide, so there might be some furniture re-positioning going on once we get it all in there, but for the most part, here’s where we’re going with this space.

The Plan

Drapes / Sofa / Chairs / Ottoman / Rug

We’re calling it Traditional Casual. Growing up, the living room at my grandparent’s home was always the more formal room, but it was always warm and welcoming too – it’s where we always arranged ourselves to open gifts at Christmas. I wanted to stay true to that, while also making it work for us.

The walls are going to get a fresh coat of a light beige paint (Beige! Can you believe it?!), but we’re going to add some more traditional colors into the space with the drapes, rug and leather sofa. We’ll also throw in some accent pillows as well.

Wall Color / Dresser / Sconce / Rug

On the wall opposite the sofa, is where the television will reside. Growing up, the den always held the TV and never the living room, but the den is small and I decided it would be better used for us as an office of sorts. In my head, the den is going to be a library as well where I’ll write a book, while looking out the window but we all know how that will probably work out. 😉

We have a hand-me-down dresser very much like the one above, that will hold the television. I’m considering putting sconces on either side of the TV like we did in the living room at our Beloved Foreclosure.

One of the issues we’ve had to figure out about this whole part-time country living was the TV service. In the beginning, I thought maybe we would be able to get by without cable since we would be there just part of the time. And then Grunt reminded me about football season. Duh. TV is a must. In my hometown, there is one cable TV provider in the area and well, they don’t offer all the channels we would like or even a price we would like either. We looked at alternatives and eventually settled on DISH.

Besides having all the premium channels, sports channels and Netflix integrated right into their services at a good price, DISH also has amazing customer service. Seriously, the installer showed up to install our dish, which is free by the way, and I didn’t even have our television out of the box or set-up. He must have realized how much I had on my plate by the looks of my paint covered overalls, no makeup, crazy hair and crazy talk, so bless his heart, he took all of it out, set it all up and then neatly arranged all the instruction manuals and other paperwork that had came with the TV.

We were also able to take advantage of a promotion that DISH is currently offering – a free Polk soundbar – I’ll let you guess about how excited Grunt was at the thought of turning up that soundbar during football games – just like you’re in the stadium, baby. 😉 Besides the free soundbar, if you’re a new DISH customer, you can also take advantage of their free TV mounting or a set of bluetooth headphones, but only thru July 30^th! Use the following offer codes during checkout to make sure you get yours: Polk Soundbar – DISHSOUND967, TV Mount – MOUNT4753 or Bluetooth Headphones BTOFFER852.

DISH also offers a 2 Year Price Guarantee, which is a huge deal for us. We’ve went round and round with cable companies in the past because their rates skyrocket after the first six months, a year or really whenever they decide to change their mind, but DISH isn’t like that. We can budget for that cost for at least two years without it changing. You can find more information about getting DISH at your house by visiting their site or calling 877-625-0157.

So while we are currently rocking a somewhat redneck TV setup in the living room, we’ve got premium TV service. Little blonde hair girls with curls and overall-wearin’ uncles not included with DISH offers. 😉

What do you think about the living room design?

May 25, 2017
How to Rock Black Walls

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by SmithHonig, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

If there is one thing in the 70’s Landing Pad that everyone thought I was crazy for doing, it was painting the walls black.

That move was also one that I’ve never thought twice about – I love how those black walls in our living room and dining room turned out.

I get that black walls aren’t for everyone and that’s totally ok. On the other hand though, besides the golden band, (haha – see what I did there? Please tell me someone around here knows Randy Travis?), people have said “I LOVE your black walls, but I just don’t think I could ever pull it off.”

Well you can. And I’m here to tell you how.

You see, I had no damn clue what I was doing when I painted those living room and dining room walls black. I just knew I wanted black walls. After they were black was when I had to learn how to actually decorate the space with the black walls.

How to Decorate with Black Walls

The key to having a beautiful room with black walls is to make those walls the backdrop, not the focal point. The black walls should accent the rest of the room. Think of them as supporting actors, but not the star of the show. I’m all about metaphors around here. 😉

1. Balance out the black with another neutral.

Black is a neutral. To soften the black, I also brought in white and ivory tones to our living room. The sofa is white, the bar is ivory and the cabinetry is also neutral. I’ve found that making these bigger pieces like the furniture neutral with black walls helps to balance the walls out.

Navy Velvet Pillows with Colorful Trim / Floor Lamp / Coffee Table (similar) / Red Velvet Drapes / Sofa (similar)

2. Pull in something big with pattern.

In my case, it was my snakeskin patterned rug. Now you might not want to go with something so boldly patterned, but definitely try to get something big in there that’s patterned.

3. Pick 2-4 other colors (actual colors, not neutrals) to liven up the space.

For our living room, I went with dark reds, emerald green, mustard and a little navy. I’ve found using these actual colors on textiles works best with black walls. I went with solid dark red velvet drapes on the windows. This added a big dose of color on the walls that broke up the black.

I pulled in emerald green on my two accent chairs and then added more colors in with the accent pillows on those chairs.

Green Chairs / Vintage Gypsum Pillow / Mustard Velvet Pillow with Tassels / Lion Print / Red Velvet Drapes

I loved these chairs when I got them, but I fell in love with them even more when I got those pillows.

Green Chairs / Vintage Gypsum Pillow / Mustard Velvet Pillow with Tassels

My friend Kellie and her friend, Melanie recently started a new company called Boho Luxe Home and these beauties came from there. They have gorgeous, colorful home décor items including pillows, wall art, and more.

For these chairs, I went with solid golden velvet pillows that have a patterned band around them and then smaller patterned pillows, called Vintage Gypsum, in front that are the same pattern from the band on the velvet pillows. These added the perfect amount of extra color to these chairs and the whole space overall. The velvet pillows come in lots of different contrasting piping options.

On the white sofa, I pulled in that same color pattern again, but this time around velvet navy pillows and a touch of leopard print.

This pulled all the accent colors together throughout the whole room. Boho Luxe Home pillows come in many different shapes, sizes and patterns. You can view the whole collection here. Another one of my favorites from their line is this All Love pillow that is in the Circus’ room.

I love the design and colors on this pillow, but I also love the message. 🙂 This one is also available as wall art. Besides pillows, Boho Luxe Home also offers canvas, metal, wood and leather art. Shop their whole collection here.

4. Have big focal points.

Like I said earlier, you want your black walls to be a supporting actor and not the star of the show. One way to do this is by having large focal points against your black walls – like big art. I like big art and I cannot lie.

Lion Print / Red Velvet Drapes

In my living room, one of the focal points is the oversized lion art. The black walls set it off and it’s also nicely framed by my red drapes.

The same is true in my entryway.

Chandelier / Eyes Art

The art is the focal point, but damn those black walls set it off. 😉

5. Sprinkle in a few metallics.

Whether it’s brass, chrome, copper or nickel, just about any metallic looks great with black. I actually spray painted my coffee table gold and love how it looks against the black.

Navy Velvet Pillows with Colorful Trim / Coffee Table (similar) / Sofa (similar) / Eyes Art

You may have also noticed that the side table between my two green chairs is metallic as well. I also added in metallic accessories on top of the bar too.

Green Chairs / Vintage Gypsum Pillow / Mustard Velvet Pillow with Tassels / Gold Table (similar) / DIY Crystal Vase

So, yes, you CAN rock black walls. Just remember to add in a few neutrals, some color, big art and a little metallic.

What do you think of black walls?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by SmithHonig, however all opinions are 100% mine.

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May 2, 2017
20 Upholstered Affordable Accent Chairs for $300 or Less

I have been perusing the land of accent chairs recently to replace the two ghost chairs that are in our living room. From the time we moved in, I knew I wanted something more formal and upholstered in there instead of the ghost chairs. While the ghost chairs are great for occasional chairs to have on hand for extra guests, I would prefer something else to cozy up in.

During the search, I found a ton of great upholstered affordable accent chairs. Of course, not all of these chairs would work for my living room, but seeing as how all of these are $300 or less, I had to share them in case anyone else was in the depths of accent chair shopping and you were slightly starting to lose your mind. Why yes, I am referring to myself there. 😉

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Upholstered Affordable Accent Chairs for $300 or Less

Velvet Chesterfield Chair

Besides black, this beauty is also available in a bold red, purple and gray hue.

Cowhide Barrel Chair

Cowhide will forever hold a special place in my heart. I think I’ll always like it. Think I could fit this chair into the jungle room? 😉

Fuchsia Swivel Barrel Chair

Also available in a light blue and a natural color, this chair looks chic and cozy.

Navy and White Accent Chair

This navy and white chair would work as both a dining chair or as living room seating.

Red Studded Arm Chair

Pack some punch with the red or go more mellow with the blue, gray, natural or teal colors that this chair also comes in.

Tufted Vienna Armchair

This classic beauty will work with most any decor and also comes in gray.

Pacific Blue Wingback Chair

This wingback chair sports a modern flair in both design and color.

Rose Pink Chair

I feel like this chair has a vintage touch with it’s soft pink color. It would totally pop against some black walls.

Leopard Print Accent Chair

Now I could definitely work this chair into the jungle room. 😉

Gray Club Chair

An ultimate cozy chair, this chair was almost the winner for our master bedroom sitting area.

Fuchsia High Back Chair

Get your bright on with this show-stopping fuchsia chair.

Light Blue Club Chair

I am usually more of a “go bold or go home” kind of girl, so I was surprised when I saw this club chair and couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty it was. Seems like a good reading chair to me.

Royal Blue Velvet Arm Chair

The nailhead detailing on this chair really makes the upholstery pop even more.

Waldorf Lounge Chair

I can’t say no to reptile upholstery like what’s on this chair. #heartbestill

Light Blue Velvet Swivel Chair

Another blue hue that I just thought was so pretty – maybe light blue and I are having a moment? This one is also available in a purple hue.

Green Velvet Low Seat-High Back Accent Chair

I’ve been eyeing this chair for quite a while – it has been a huge contender in replacing the ghost chairs in my living room with something more formal and upholstered. It also comes in a dark blue or fuchsia.

Cream Channel Back Chair

I love a good channel back chair. This one feels like it has a touch of old hollywood glam to me – and is another one that could really pop off a black wall.

Grey Club Chair

This chair is also available in an oatmeal color – either are great neutrals that will age well.

Tuxedo Tufted Armchair

I have always loved the look of tuxedo sofas and chairs. This chair is also available in a dark blue and grey color.

So one of these chairs (times two) is on their way to me to replace the ghost chairs in my living room – care to guess which one?!

Looking for affordable pillows to adorn those chairs? You might want to see this then…50+ Pillows & Pillow Covers for $20 or Less

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January 19, 2017
Eclectic Home Tours: The 70’s Landing Pad Home Tour, Part 1

I cannot believe I actually just typed that title, y’all.

We just moved into the 70’s Landing Pad about three weeks ago. By no stretch is the house completed, but the fact that I can actually share a home tour with y’all that doesn’t include a three inch thick layer of dust on the floors is a huge accomplishment for me. There still aren’t curtains in the living room and dining room and things aren’t exactly the way I want them just yet, but that takes time and it is what it is. #reallife #itaintalwayspretty

Today, I’ll share the living room, dining room, hall bathroom and my office as part of the Eclectic Home Tours. Next week, I’ll have the Circus’ bedroom, the master bath and the den for you, so stay tuned. I’ve already revealed the Well Traveled Master Bedroom and if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s here. Don’t miss the rest of the tours in the Eclectic Home Tours either – links are at the end of this post – I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I’m not going to do much talking in this one. Instead, I’ll come back over the next few weeks and share all the details of each space separately and what all we did to each room along with before shots of the rooms when we bought the house. Also there’s the fact that this post is supposed to be published along with everyone else’s on the tour today at 8am EST and I’m just now writing the post at 7:48 AM EST. #storyofmylife

Without further ado, I present to you the semi-finished 70’s Landing Pad.

Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

Living Room

Snakeskin Print Rug / Ghost Chairs / Lion Print / Brass Floor Lamp

*Ignore the hideous chandelier behind the couch – that will be replaced soon!

Leopard Print Pillow / Palm Print Pillow

Gold Sphere / Snakeskin Rug / Acrylic Napkin Holder Coasters

P.S. Notice the leg of my tripod in the photo above. #mybad

Lion Print / Ghost Chairs

Brass Unicorn (similar ones)

Green Velvet Pillow / Ghost Chair / Acrylic Napkin Coasters

To The Night Art Print

Rolling Stone 70’s Book / Elvis Book

Elvis Bust (similar ones)

I know – isn’t that pillow epic?

Dining Room

Rug / Glass Dining Table (similar) / Cantilever Chairs (similar)

Ivy Art Print

Hall Bathroom

Shower Curtain / Yellow Hand Towel

Bonkers Art

Faucet / Cabinet Pulls / Cabinet Knobs

My Office

Curtains

Gemstones Print / Dream Big Hustle Hard Print

DIY Painted Pattern Closet Doors

Curtains

Malachite Credenza / Design Sponge Book / Sarah Richardson Style Book / Modern Mix Book

What do you think? How’s the 70’s Landing Pad coming along so far?

Shop the Home Tour…

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Don’t miss these other stops in the Eclectic Home Tours today…

Pretty Practical Home

58th Water Street

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June 2, 2016
Decorating with Memories and Vintage Finds

If it wasn’t already apparent from round one of my Christmas home tour and my Christmas tree, I’m declaring this year’s Christmas theme as decorating with memories.

And also random items such as an Elvis bust.

Oh, and vintage things too – because vintage Christmas decor makes my heart go pitter patter.

These theme(s) have always been at the heart of my holiday decor, but this year I’m on a mission to get everyone to embrace their own holiday decor rooted in memories and good times – because that’s what Christmas is about.

So here’s part two of my Christmas tour – our living room – in all its (random) glory.

If you are following along on the Christmas Home Tours hosted by Marty from A Stroll Thru Life (isn’t she just a little gem? Love her to pieces!) and just came over from Doreen at Hymns & Verses, hello!! Her vintage holiday decor is always one of my favorites, so hopefully you’ll like my take on holiday decorating as well.

Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

This year, we opted to move the Christmas tree into the corner. Last year, it was right in the middle of the windows, which is pretty to see from the outside at night, but when you sat in the black chair and tried to watch t.v., you had to crane your neck to see.

However, things were tight once we put up the tree and the white console table was still in the middle of the windows, so in a move where we had no idea whether or not it would work, we switched the console table out for the vintage radio cabinet.

Vintage Radio turned Bar / DIY Cowhide Rug / Coral Lamp / Double Old Fashioned Glasses / Green Curtains

And it worked like a charm.

P.S. I’m a little pissed we didn’t do this sooner. It’s like it was made to be in this space.

We don’t have a fireplace here, so our stockings hang in the window. All but one is vintage (of course, Bill had to have a Tennessee Vols stocking) and none of them match, but each of them represents the person it belongs to nicely.

And also they look really pretty from outside at nighttime.

There was even enough room to put my father-in-law’s old sled by the tree and load it down with gifts. I was planning to decorate with it on the front porch, but I’m terrified someone would steal it. I realize being terrified someone will steal a sled and not your television isn’t exactly normal.

#ineverclaimedtobenormal

The Meaningful Decorated Christmas Tree / DIY Vintage Storybook Garland / Unusual but Meaningful Christmas Tree Ornaments

You won’t find any matching ornaments on our tree. Instead, you’ll find things like stuffed animals, old car keys, PEZ dispensers, Barbie and G.I. Joe figurines. There are some “real” ornaments, but they must hold a special meaning to be on our tree.

DIY Vintage Ornament Tree / How to Make Ornaments Clusters

I do have a vintage ball ornament addiction – but instead of putting them on our tree, I make them into clusters that I wrap on lamps and other surfaces.

And just to liven things up, I adorned David with a purple tinsel scarf.

David Bust (similar)

Because why not?

Swing Arm Wall Sconce / Bonkers Print

Or maybe it’s because we’re all bonkers.

Black & White Gallery Wall / Refinished Buffet

And last but not least…

Swing Arm Wall Sconce / Ornament Clusters / Vintage Santa (similar)

I’ve never met a vintage Santa I didn’t like…

Merry Christmas, Y’all! Hope you decorate with lots of memories and randomness this season!

The next stop on the Christmas Tour of Homes is Chelsea from Making Home Base – she NEVER disappoints!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

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December 7, 2015
Fall Home Tour: Cowboys and Elvis

This fall tour is not at all about pumpkins.

Sorry if you were ready for pumpkins.

Instead its about some of my favorite fall-ish things…cowboy hats and boots…red plaid blankets…and Elvis.

Ok, Elvis isn’t really fall-ish, but its my house and I’ll do what I want to.

If you want pumpkins and leaves and all that jazz, check back in a few weeks when I’ve actually had time to remember where I stored all that decor from last year.

#storyofmylife

A huge thanks to Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for organizing this Fall Tour of Homes. She is so on top of her game – don’t miss her tour. If you are new here from A Thoughtful Place or another blog on the tour, welcome! Fair warning that I’m not near as talented as all those other ladies and also don’t speak as eloquently as they do. I’m also just weird. And random. You’ve been warned.

So, let me tell you something.

I love country music.

You may have already figured that out.

But in the fall, I love it a little bit more.

Which I didn’t even know was possible.

I don’t even know why I love it a little more in the fall besides the fact that I drink a bit more Jack in the fall and what pairs better with Jack than country music?

Nothing I tell you. Nothing.

So in the fall, instead of leaving my grandfather’s cowboy hat tucked safely away with the vintage cowboy blanket, I pull them both out.

And decorate with them.

Because what’s better than a kelly green pillow paired with a modern black and white one and cowboy paraphernalia all against a confetti wall?

Random? Yes. But it makes me smile.

And I might play a little bit of musical lamps.

And put the cowgirl lampshade in the living room.

Just because.

And mix in a little red and gray plaid with another green velvet pillow.

Because you can’t have enough comfy green velvet pillows.

And to top it all off…

We’ll put Elvis against a random abstract circle wall beside red watercolor lips.

Because every home needs a little Elvis in their lives – whether its fall-ish or not.

Am I right or am I right?

P.S. That abstract circle wall is the stairwell! I finally figured out what to do with it – it only took me five months – more on it soon!

What are your favorite fall-ish decorating pieces? Besides pumpkins!

The next tour stop is Style Your Senses – I promise Mallory won’t let you down!

September 10, 2015
Summer Home Tour: The Details Make The Space

It doesn’t matter how many times I paint a piece of furniture or upholster a chair – if the accessories around it don’t look good, the furniture or chair won’t shine and the space will fall short.

The details make the space.

It took me a really long time to realize that.

And a lot of backaches and wasted paint.

I get it now though – and even if we are just talking about decorating – the pain was worth the reward.

As dramatic as that sounds.

So this summer home tour is about the details.

The quirky little objects that I love.

That some may find ugly.

Or even tacky.

But for me, they make my space a reflection of my family.

And that’s all that matters.

So if you love it or hate it, either way, I don’t care.

Because we love it.

And its how we fly our freak flag.

Welcome to our freak show.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Entryway / Confetti Accent Wall

The entryway hasn’t changed since the last home tour.

That’s good considering I just made it over in February.

Its still full of fun with the confetti accent wall. Guests feel like they are walking right into a party and turn around to go buy booze.

Or at least that’s the effect I wish it had on them.

Living Room

You just saw the completed living room on Tuesday, so it definitley hasn’t changed since then.

Ain’t nobody got time fo’ that.

Here are my favorite details from the space though…

The Perfect Navy End Table

The perfect navy end table paired with Kate Spade’s Places to Go, People to See Book and a faux snakeskin lamp I scored at Bargain Hunt for $5.

P.S. I’d be lying if I said that book always sat open, perfectly placed like that. You and I both know the circus would have it turned into a sticky apple juice mess in 2.0 seconds flat.

Kelly Green Curtains

The coral lamp against the kelly green curtains and the pop of glam the pillow adds to the gray chair – I just can’t quit you. Oh and the tray, can’t forget the giraffe print tray.

In my opinion, every room should have a little animal print.

Roar.

My new favorite thing in the giraffe tray is the vintage bull planter.

Right beside the metallic angel wing.

Whoever told you that a bull, giraffe, and angel made a bad combination was lying.

I’m also quite smitten with the new pop of coral on the console table.

And the $2 brass duck that was supposed to have went out of style in 1989.

Black & White Gallery Wall / Stripped & Re-Stained Buffet

And then there’s the gallery wall. The gallery wall that is almost a sin because its so damn pretty.

Almost.

Let’s be honest though.

Without the art and the sconces, its just a black wall with a white border.

And that’s just boring.

Let’s not dismiss the bowl of cotton and lilies either.

And then there’s the kitchen.

Kitchen Makeover / Barstools / Island

The navy and white kitchen in all its glory.

Its the stuff dreams are made of.

Hardware

But the hardware is so good, I refer to it as hardware porn.

I’m nothing if not blunt.

Faucet

The faucet is right behind the hardware porn show.

Mohawk Lollipop Holder

And to top the kitchen off, we have open shelving that consists of a mohawk lollipop holder, antlers, the scales of justice and my grandmother’s red glasses among other things.

I’m also nothing if not random.

Criss-Cross Accent Wall / Blue and White Buffet / Entire Dining Room

The dining room hasn’t changed one bit.

Oh wait – I’m lying.

I did move the corner cabinet into the living room and painted it red, but didn’t have time for photos so you’ll have to stick around for that one. 😉

Nothing else has changed. Seriously, I’m not lying this time.

What do you think? Are you a details person?

Either way, keep flying your freak flag.

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June 11, 2015
Black & White Gallery Wall
I have visions.

Not like psychic visions – but that would be really cool.

Room visions, project visions, idea visions.

And in my head – they are fan-freakin-tastic.

In real life, they don’t always turn out so fan-freakin-tastic though.

In my head, this black and white gallery wall was fan-freakin-tastic.

In real life, its better than fan-freakin-tastic.

In fact, I can’t even come up with a word for how awesome it is and how much I love it.

This wall totally took my living room to a whole new level.

To get the full effect of how far this wall has come, here’s what it looked like before:

It wasn’t terrible, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t hold a candle to the new accent wall.

The best thing about this project is that its so easy. All you need is a little paint, FrogTape®, frames and art.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

DIY Black and White Gallery Wall

I used:
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 0.94″ width
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 1.88″ width
- Black & White Paint (or other colors of your choice)
- Paint Roller & Tray
- Paintbrush
- Ruler
- Craft Knife
Steps

Step 1:

Use the FrogTape® 1.88″ width to tape off baseboards, any crown molding, or other trim around the area that you don’t want to get paint on.

Step 2:

Paint all four edges of the wall white (or other color of your choice). I edged with the paint brush and then rolled about 2-3 roller widths wide along the edges.

Step 3:

After the paint is dry, tape off the “frame” for your gallery wall. I waited a week or so before taping off my frame, so I used the FrogTape® Multi-Surface, however if you don’t want to wait long, you can use FrogTape® Delicate Surface.

I came in five inches all around the wall and taped off a rectangle using the wider width FrogTape®. After that, I came in 7 1/2″ all around the wall and taped off the second rectangle within the larger one using the smaller width FrogTape®. Of course, your wall will most likely be a different size than mine, so you can adjust the measurements as needed.

Step 4:

Trim up the edges of the FrogTape®.

I use a ruler and craft knife to do this. After you have trimmed up all the edges, take your fingernail or a credit card and run it firmly along the edges of the FrogTape® to fully adhere it to the wall.

Step 5:

Paint the rest of the wall black (or other color of your choice).

Two coats was all I needed.

Step 6:

Remove the FrogTape® immediately after painting your last coat.

After the wall is good and dry, you can decorate it however you want.

I opted to go with simple white frames that popped off the wall, but showcased the art, along with gold sconces.

I used these 16×20 white frames with artwork in 8×10 sizes. I added these sconces (spray-painted gold) to either side of the television to bring in a touch of metallic and another element besides the frames.

See more of the new living room in my latest home tour and find out how I stripped and re-stained the buffet here.

Need more gallery and accent wall ideas?

Indoor Lattice Walls– it’s not crazy, it’s gorgeous!

9 Accent Walls for $30 or Less – Big Bang for your buck.

Easy Confetti Accent Wall – fun. on a wall. seriously.

Criss-Cross Accent Wall – a classic design that will work with any decor style.

7 Wall Treatments that Aren’t Shiplap – let’s give shiplap a break, y’all.

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April 27, 2015
Spring Home Tour: Design Ideas for Small Budgets

You guys.

You guys.

No really, you guys.

So much has changed since the last time I did a full home tour.

Especially my living room. And my kitchen.

I’m almost pee-my-pants excited to show you.

And now that I think about the things that have changed in the past two months, I realize I have no clue how it all got done and that I must be insane.

Oh wait, we already knew that.

Even though, I know you’ve already seen the entryway, let’s start there since its still new-ish.

Disclosure: Kirkland’s provided me with a gift card to do a little shopping for my home tour. However, all opinions are 100% mine.

Entryway Makeover / DIY Confetti Wall

I still love the entryway so much. Its light, bright, and most importantly – fun.

The living room….

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

Boom.

Such a big difference from last time, right?

There’s a new rug, the red buffet has been stripped, and my most favorite new feature of the living room – the black and white framed gallery wall.

Stripped & Restained Buffet / Black & White Gallery Wall

There is still a lot of gold, green, navy, and red in this space. Those are my favorites.

IKEA Tarva turned Drink Bar / DIY Cowhide Rug

I love all the black and white that anchors it as well.

The gallery wall turned out far better than I ever could have dreamed.

Fo Realz. I never thought I could make anything that pretty.

The gray chair is sporting a new shimmery gold pillow, that’s a new white bust as well, and yes, those sconces are new on the wall. The pouf ottoman is new-to-the-space. I may or may not have stolen it from the man cave…..shhhhhh…..

Same thing with the pink ottoman – except I stole it from my office. Moving pieces around is my favorite way to decorate. I was tickled pink to find the gold sphere for a whopping $13.

Let’s move on to the kitchen…

Kitchen Makeover / DIY Kitchen Island / Green & Navy Barstool Makeover

Spot anything different??

NAVY CABINETS!

I die.

And pretty new brass hardware…

I die again.

Me, overdramatic? Whatever…

I loved my kitchen before.

Now, I love my kitchen. Painting the base cabinets navy and adding that brass hardware made it 100% Jenna…and Grunt Labor too..he really likes it..

Coffee Station & 10+ Kitchen Ideas

The entire kitchen got a makeover in three days. It was a total whirlwind and there’s no way I could have done it alone. Kellie, who makes Velvet Finishes, actually came with her crew to pitch in and filmed it all! All that will be posted soon too.

After the cabinets were done, I did some editing and redecorating on the open shelving.

Knock-Off Jonathan Adler Mohawk Lollipop Holder

The Knock-Off Jonathan Adler Mohawk Lollipop Holder graces the top of the shelving. I added a few more touches of brass with the eagle thing (no clue what its called, but it was $1 at a thrift store) and the brass bowl on the bottom. I also switched up the clear glasses for my Grannie’s red ones. I can’t believe I didn’t have those babies showcased before. I love ’em. The antlers didn’t make it into the new gallery wall in the living room, so I hung them in the kitchen. The touch of rustic they add is perfect for the space.

And the dining room…

Not much is different here. I am plotting to strip the table and stain it to connect the space with the living room more.

That would be an ice bucket holding those roses, ’cause I’m a genius like that. You may have seen that tray when I instagrammed it. Its Jonathan Adler and was $4 at Burlington. Score.

Navy, White, & Gold Buffet

I’m still quite smitten with the buffet makeover. Its perfect for tying in the navy cabinets in the kitchen, since that whole space is open.

Criss-Cross Accent Wall

Everyone who has entered my house for the first time since the Criss-Cross Accent Wall was completed can’t get over the fact that it isn’t wall paper – its paint. And then they totally can’t believe it when I tell them it actually wasn’t that hard.

More on the Dining Room…

Last but not least, the master bedroom…

Very little has changed in here since the master bedroom mini-makeover. I did switch out the white lamps for mid-century modern style lamps like you see above. The shape of those lamps pulled me in and had me buying them in five minutes flat.

I added another of the gold pillows to the reading nook and to make the books look less like clutter and more like decor, I topped them off with faux peonies. I’m usually not a faux flower person, but these were really cute and I adore the black and white striped pot.

More on the Master Bedroom…

I didn’t include the kid’s room, guest bedroom + office, and bathroom in the tour since nothing has really changed there at all. You can tour them here though if you haven’t seen them before.

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

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March 24, 2015
20+ Living Room Ideas

Y’all, I never thought in a million years I would ever show you my living room. Seriously. I don’t know why, but for me, decorating the living room has always been a struggle. I’m not even quite sure what it is. To inspire me in my living room endeavors and to hopefully inspire you, I’ve gathered 20+ living room ideas that will hopefully help us all out. Unless you are a living room decorating genius. In that case, I bow down in your genius presence.

20+ Living Room Decorating Ideas

Create a Gallery Wall Around Your Television

In the living room at our Beloved Foreclosure, I created a black and white gallery wall around our television. It helped to distract the eye away from the not-so-pretty television and also worked in meaningful art pieces to us. It was a pretty simple project and you can see how I did it here.

Don’t paint over the knotty pine – work with it!

We have knotty pine paneling at our farmhouse and I wouldn’t change it for a thing! Instead of working against it and trying to cover it up, I work with it – here’s how!

Mix and Match with a Collected Modern Living Room

You can tour my whole Collected Modern living room that includes the black gallery wall and get easy and affordable ideas for your space as well.

Waterproof Living Room Upholstery

To keep those pretty sofas and chairs looking newer longer, give them a protective coat that will waterproof and repel stains from the material. Find out how here. No plastic covers from the 70’s needed. 🙂

Go Traditional, but Casual

In our farmhouse, we opted for a traditional living room that would stand the test of time, but also a casual one that we could relax in. Tour it here.

Give Black Walls a Chance

In the living room at our 70’s Landing Pad, I really wanted to create a dramatic, 1970’s but updated feel. Black walls and deep jewel tones helped to achieve that look. Tour the space here.

Got that 70’s Paneling? No problem!

If you’ve got some serious 70’s wood paneling going on, don’t fear! Here are five ways to decorate around it and make it look good!

Add Pops of Color with Accent Chairs

Affordable accent chairs are a great way to add pops of color and pattern to a space! Here’s a list of 20 affordable, upholstered accent chairs.

Go for Oversized Art

Create a stop-you-in-your-tracks focal point with big, oversized art. Some of my favorite pieces of oversized art is here, along with the easiest way to hang them.

Duck Tape Those Curtains

If all you can afford are some basic curtains, spice them up by trimming them out with duck tape along the edges. Here’s how I did mine.

Layer Your Rugs

I really wanted to have some pattern mixing in my living room and I really wanted a cowhide rug. I didn’t have the money for a real cowhide rug, so I made my own DIY Cowhide Rug.

Create a Meaningful Gallery Wall

I am a huge fan of decorating with objects that are meaningful or attached to special memories. My Southern Girl’s Gallery Wall does just that.

Neutral is Beautiful

If there is anyone that can show us how beautiful a neutral living room is, its Jamie. Don’t miss these neutral, yet beautiful living room ideas.

Choose Two Colors and Go With It

Charming Zebra’s living room space is just calling my name. I LOVE those chairs. The dark color she has on the wall is balanced perfectly with all the white accents.

Create a Photo Gallery Above Your Sofa

I love photos. I love displaying photos. The problem is that I don’t always know how to display them beautifully. I love how Suburbs Mama created a photo gallery above her couch.

Mix Rustic with Glam

I love this mix of rustic and glam that Jones Design company has going on. The linen couch has a rustic-y feeling while that mirrored side table is 100% glam. Genius combination.

Install Board & Batten to Create a Cozy Cottage Feel

The Wood Grain Cottage installed board and batten in her living room. It creates such a cozy feeling.

Go Bold with Red

I mentioned that I was adding more red to our living room when I showed you the buffet makeover. I love all of Carmel’s red touches in her living room. And that gold trunk as a coffee table – I die.

Add Built-Ins to Anchor Your Space

I have always been a huge fan of built-in bookcases on either side of a fireplace like Making Lemonade has in her home. They are a classic.

Mix Patterns and Textures with Both Fabric and Furniture

I will fully admit that I stalk Dimples and Tangles. She can mix patterns and textures like nobody’s business and we both share a love for green. I would have never thought a rattan chair could be so fabulous, but she made it happen in her space.

Mix and Match Pillow Patterns

House by Hoff shares some great tips for mixing patterns with pillows – something I always struggle with.

Make Your Coffee Table More Functional

Check out AKA Design’s coffee table. Its large, so it can accommodate lots of goodies, but its also a chest. Hello storage!

Go Overboard with Pillows

I have drooled over this photo from Blue Skies and Sunshine numerous times. Seriously – all those pillows are just begging me to jump on them. And the colors and patterns are perfectly mixed.

Formal, but Beautiful Living Room

Some of you may not know, but Sarah Richardson is my absolute favorite designer. I love everything she does. Everything. This living room is very formal, but its just so beautiful. The soft touches of pink are gorgeous.

Light & Bright Colorful Living Room

Hi Sugarplum is another gal who can mix colors and patterns like nobody’s business. I love all the bright colors on her couch.

Go Bold With Your Sofa

Ok, so I know this one isn’t exactly real life for most of us I mean, my circus would have that glass coffee table shattered in 2.1 seconds. However, I just couldn’t resist not showing you this gorgeous blue velvet couch. I’m also a huge fan of how the art is hung on the bookcase. I’ve seen that in many places before, and I want to fit that in somewhere in my home.

My head is swimming with living room decor ideas.

What about you?

Do you have any great real-life living room decorating ideas to share?

Loved these? You’ll want to see these awesome home decorating ideas too then….

How to Coordinate Paint Colors Throughout your Whole House – SO much easier than you think!

10+ Kitchen Ideas for Decorating, Organizing, and Storage – ideas that are functional and beautiful!

14 Real Life Bedroom Ideas Anyone Can Do – seriously great ideas that are doable!

How to Accessorize a Space without Over-Accessorizing – it can be tricky, right?!

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March 10, 2014
Faux Cowhide Rug DIY using Faux Cowhide Fabric for only $15
I love a great cowhide rug, but not the price tag that comes with them. I found a solution though with this faux cowhide rug I made for only $15. All you’ll need is some faux cowhide fabric and a few other things to make your own!

I have been lusting after a cowhide rug for quite some time. The cowhide lampshade I made just wasn’t enough. I needed more.

Honestly, I don’t know why I don’t already have one. As a girl who has spent the better part of her life around cows, how in the world I don’t already have my very own cowhide is beyond me.

I have talked with my uncle about this problem, who is a cattle farmer. He has promised me that the next time a cow goes to the slaughterhouse, he will have them save the hide and we will tan it for a rug.

Now that the whole world knows of his promise, I feel he must carry through on it. Don’t you think so?

Talk about a great DIY post – tanning your own cow hide – that should be interesting.

So, dear uncle, if you are reading this post, you are not off the hook just because I made a DIY version.

For now though, this faux cow rug will have to suffice.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Fake Cowhide Rug Tutorial

The tutorials I have seen for DIY any-type-of-hide rugs have required painting on the pattern of the hide.

People, I can paint a wall, a piece of furniture, or faux moldings like nobody’s business.

Freehand the pattern on a hide? Houston, we have a problem.

So, when I had fabric left over from my cowhide lampshade, I saw the sign….. and it opened up my eyes.

Did you catch that Ace of Base reference?

I didn’t have a large piece of fabric left over, so I opted for a small version of a cowhide rug. However, you can make your rug any size you wish – just buy enough cow print fabric to do so.

Supplies & Materials Needed:
- Faux Cowhide Fabric – I used this one.
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Polycrylic
Steps

Step 1

Lay out your fabric, animal printed side facing down.

For reference, my fabric was 62 inches x 59.5 inches. Again though, you can go as big as the fabric will let you.

Step 2

Pull up a real cowhide rug that you like online (I just did a Google search for one). Use the photo from online to sketch out the shape on your fabric – be sure to do this on the back! I would suggest doing this with a pencil, a real pencil, not a mechanical pencil. I didn’t have a real pencil on hand, only a mechanical pencil and that didn’t work, so I used a black marker.

It’s really not rocket science, folks. This isn’t hard at all and since you’re sketching on the back of the faux cow hide, there’s room for error.

Step 3

Once you’ve got it all sketched out, cut it out with sharp scissors.

Step 4

If you plan on putting this in a low traffic area, you could flip it over and stop right here.

But, if you plan on putting it in a higher traffic area, you want to protect the top of the rug from dirt and easily tearing. To protect mine, I flipped it cow print side up, stuck cardboard gift boxes under it, and rolled on a couple coats of Polycrylic.

I let it dry for a couple of days, then put it in my vintage-modern-rustic living room where it fits in perfectly.

I really like the two different rug patterns working with each other.

Is there a faux cow rug in your future?

I think ours should work until the uncle comes through.

Love a great rug hack?

Be sure to check out these 14 painted rug hacks then!

Here’s a cool way to upgrade an astroturf rug too!

And don’t miss my trick for keeping rugs from sliding here!

Want to come back for the instructions later? Just pin the image below then!

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February 12, 2014
Vintage Modern Rustic Living Room

As I told you a couple weeks ago when I introduced this series, it has taken me a long time to really figure out what style(s) I truly love.

At my old farmhouse, my style was 100% shabby chic. It went with the house, and at that time I loved it.

When Grunt Labor and I moved in together, he was definitely not the shabby chic type and we ended up with more of a modern-casual home. We even went to a big furniture chain and bought an entire new bedroom suit (I cringe thinking of it now) that we both thought we loved.

Less than a year later, we sold it.

Our current home, the beloved rancher, has been the house that has taught me what my style truly is – not to say it won’t change a little over time.

It always does.

My style is a mix of Vintage, Modern, and Rustic that somehow all work well together and allow me to keep those family heirlooms that tell a story.

Here’s my Vintage Modern Rustic Living Room where we spend most of our time. Quite a few things have changed since the last home tour.

(more…)

January 28, 2014
Repose Gray Walls + The Easiest Way to Paint a Room
Gray is the hot new choice for wall color these days and after just giving my kitchen, living room and dining room walls a fresh coat of Repose Gray, I can see why! This color is a true gray color and was the perfect choice for us! And the icing on the cake? I used a cool, new tool for painting my walls and it made the job so much easier!

That’s right.

I went gray.

Not with my hair yet, though.

Thank the Lord.

Because when the kid tries my patience, its like I can just feel the color fading from my hair, as well as my sanity quickly disappearing.

But right now, just my walls are gray, repose gray to be exact.

Things do change quickly around here though, so here’s hoping there are no gray hairs in my near future.

Repose Gray Walls + The Easiest Way to Paint a Room

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Tools & Supplies Used:
- Sherwin Williams Repose Gray Paint – while this is a Sherwin Williams color, we actually had it mixed in Behr paint at Home Depot. They can mix colors of just about any paint brand, just tell ’em the name and brand!
- HomeRight PaintStick EZ-Twist – makes painting a breeze!
- QuickPainter for edging around trim and the ceiling.
Ever since we moved into our rancher and made a mad rush to finish the renovation in two months, I was never really 100% happy with our previous wall color. No doubt, it was my fault – the mad rush took over and I lost all sight of actually taking my time on selecting colors. The same happened in my bathroom, the nursery, the guest room, and our bedroom.

And that’s pretty much every room in our house.

And that’s a lot of re-painting.

Its no big surprise that it took me two years to even begin thinking about re-painting our main living space.

Enter the HomeRight PaintStick EZ-Twist.

Y’all I painted our entire main living area (that includes the kitchen, living room, dining room, entryway, and hallway) in about four hours with this bad boy.

How to Use the EZ-Twist for Painting Walls

It comes with a big paint stick (as if its name didn’t already allude to that), a roller, a roller cover, and a suction tube and cover for your paint can.

Step 1

Attach the roller to the stick.

Step 2

Attach the roller cover to the roller.

Step 3

Place the suction tube and cover over your gallon of paint.

Step 4

Put your PaintStick EZ-Twist onto the suction tube and pull the paint into the handle of the tube by pulling back on the inner tube.

Step 5

Take the EZ Twist to your walls, twist on the end of it to make the paint come up into the roller cover and start rolling your paint on the walls!

There is no running back and forth to your paint tray hundreds of times.

There is no messy tray to trip over and track paint all over your floors.

Yes. That has happened to me before.

When your roller needs more paint, you simply twist the handle and keep rolling.

When you have finally ran out of paint in the handle, just go fill it back up.

To edge around all the trim in the areas we painted, I used the HomeRight Quick Painter.

How to Use the Quick Painter

Step 1

Suction the paint right into the handle of the Quick Painter.

Step 2

Place the paint pad on the handle, squeeze the trigger and paint the town, I mean edges.

Want to see the final product?

The Repose Gray in all its glory?

The Entryway

The Kitchen

I especially love how the gray made the subway tile pop a bit more in the kitchen.

Gray Walls in The Dining Room

Gray Living Room

You can see the boring beige walls of yesterday here. They weren’t terrible, they just weren’t that pretty.

And we all know I like pretty things.

And functional things.

That make my life so much easier.

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January 8, 2014
Emerald Green Decorating Ideas

According to Pantone, the color of 2013 was emerald.

And that was just fine by me. I did not call to complain.

I’m sure they breathed a sigh of relief that I approved.

Not.

Really, I’m not one who changes everything in my home just because a new trend is out or something is hot at the moment.

But, emerald and I – we got along fabulously this year.

And will continue to do so throughout 2014 and probably the better part of my life.

Emerald and I are just destined for each other.

I mean, it is my birthstone.

Here is a 2013 emerald re-cap including some of my own projects and some fabulous emerald green decorating ideas.

Emerald Green Decorating Ideas

DIY Faux Malachite Tray – this was so easy to make! You can’t mess it up!

IKEA Tarva turned Drink Bar

And then there was the Kate Spade lamp. This project was the one that started it all.

And then, there are my barstools. Oh, the barstools. I do still adore them so.

I also discovered that sometimes the simple combination of white and emerald is just perfect. Such was the case with this French country chair makeover.

I want these chairs.

No, I really really really want these chairs from Jen Langston Interiors. Seriously, if I just had one of these in my entire house and no other seating, I would be good.

Jennifer from Dimples and Tangles is a genius. If you don’t know about her or her fabulous hall of green mirrors, you are missing out.

Grunt Labor chose the paint color for the front door this summer. Why did he choose this color? Because of its name.

Precious Emerald. He said he wanted to be able to tell people his front door was a precious emerald.

This dresser is not only emerald, but it also combines one my other favorite things: gold.

A simple, yet fabulous combination from Something is Done.

This entryway is simply amazing.

I am usually not a fan of yellow. However, this combination of yellow and kelly green is beautiful from Honey.

I love all campaign furniture. But, put a coat of green on it and combine with gold. BAM. Gorgeous from Centsational Girl.

And since there was extra precious emerald paint left over, I used it on this restored rocking chair.

I die. Those stairs. Oh. My. Word.

It would be the perfect place for me to give my rendition of Scarlett.

Don’t you think so?

And while showing you how I transformed this Goodwill tray into an emerald gem, I told you about the rules of 1/2 off Goodwill shopping days.

Wasn’t that a fun read?

Or did it make you want to call the asylum on me?

I honestly don’t know that I would get any work done at all sitting at this gorgeous desk from Design in Bloom.

Typically, I loathe ceiling fans. However, this one is awesome. Why is it awesome? Because it has emerald painted blades. See the full tutorial from How Joyful here.

And what is Pantone’s 2014 color of the year?

Radiant Orchid.

I may have to make a call about this one.

Love green (me too!) and want more green decorating ideas?

Here are my favorite green decorating moves and here are the best green color combinations when it comes to decorating!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

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December 27, 2013
DIY Horse Silhouette Pillow and How to Cut Felt on a Silhouette

I’m still learning the ropes of my Silhouette, so no judging how simple or elementary this project is.

But, aren’t fabulous simple projects what you love?

I do.

And I think that my horse silhouette pillow is pretty fabulous. And simple.

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And if you don’t have a Silhouette, I’m pretty sure you could easily make this project without one.

So, first, you are gonna need a pillow. I made my pillow out of leftover fabric I had from the new navy and white striped curtains you may have noticed in my kitchen tour. The fabric came from Ikea and it was a whopping $2 a yard. Needless to say, I came back with more navy and white striped fabric than I can ever use. They will probably cover my coffin in it. You could always use an existing pillow you have or grab a pillow cover from Hobby Lobby. Whatever floats your boat.

I just did a simple small rectangle pillow that was 17 inches x 10 inches before sewing it together.

I purchased the horse shape from the online Silhouette store. Did you really think I could draw that horse myself with my elementary skills? I know there is some trace feature, but I haven’t conquered that one either.

I played with the size of the horses and cut them out on printer paper unil I had the right size.

The right size for the horse turned out to be about 6 x 7.5.

I cut out my horse on felt. Learn from my mistakes, DO NOT buy the felt that already has a sticky back. It will not work. Just buy the plain old $0.50 a piece felt at Hobby Lobby. Once I did have the right felt, I made my settings as follows, which seemed to work ok for me.

This is what the felt looked like when it came out of the Silhouette.

There were places where it didn’t go all the way through. I’m sure if I had a separate fabric blade, it would have cut more, but it was easily fixed with a pair of scissors.

After I cut out the horse, I adhered it to the pillow with hot glue.

It is definitely improving the look of my ugly brown couch.

What do you think? Too simple for you? haha!

Looking for more things to make with your Silhouette?

Check out these vintage-esque holiday gift tags.

These pumpkin place card holders also used my Silhouette.

And I made this fun and colorful party banner with it too!

Like what you see?

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November 11, 2013