Living Room ~ Before & After

The living room has been one of my favorite transformations other than the kitchen.  When we first looked at this house I can remember thinking "That is the first thing I'm changing!"  This room needed some gorgeous built ins!  One of the things that sold us on this house was all of the woodwork.  The crown molding, the windows framed out and the thick base boards.  So, when the walls on either side of the fireplace were finished out with dry wall shelving, I was a little confused.  To me it screamed Fred Flinstone or adobe style.  So, away to Pinterest I flew for inspiration.  I found it at a blog called Forever Cottage.  Her built ins inspired me so much.  We tweaked it here and there and couldn't be prouder of them!

 

 

~ Before ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

We ended up taking the mantle down.  That was a hard decision for me.  I love mantels!!  I mean, how are we going to hang our stockings at Christmas?  In the end, the husband "needed" the flat screen over the fireplace.  I do love it there.  But, in order for us to watch it from the couch we had to lower it, which meant loose the mantel.  So, away it went. 

 

 

 

I started to collect globes.  I had a rule that  I wouldn't spend more than $25 for a one.  Pricing on globes are so random to me.  You can go to a garage sale and find a vintage globe for $5.  Then, go to an antique mall and find the very same globe for $125!!  That's just crazy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My hutch from my old dining room fits just perfectly in this spot. 

 

 

 

Most everything in the built ins I had.  My goal was to get some very old cool looking books.  I wouldn't spend more than $5 on a book when I went to antique places.  On average I would spend $2.50  There were some I drooled over but I just couldn't justify $35 on a book.  No way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the tour!  Here is a list of some of the things in the room.

 

Rug ~ Tuesday Morning

Pillows on couch ~ Pottery Barn

Pillows on chairs ~ Home Goods

Hutch ~ Estate Sale

Lamp in Built in ~ Home Goods

 

I'm linking up at these Parties :

 

Evolution of Style
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Somewhat Simple
DIY by Design
Mustard Seed Creations
Savvy Southern Style
Dixie Delights
Coastal Charm

 

 





Kitchen Reveal....Finally!!

 

Isn't it about time I started showing you my new home?  You've waited so patiently.  It's only taken me 8 months to do this!  There are no big excuses.  Except for the same one, time.  Well, lets just get to it, shall we?

 

~Before~

 



The cabinets were very dark with dark granite and a brown travertine back splash.  Nothing wrong with that, right?  Now, we all know I'm a painted cabinet kinda girl.  My father in law nearly dies every time I mention paint over wood.  I can't help myself. 

 





To me, the painted cabinets just open up and brighten up the entire space.  I painted the cabinets around the refrigerator a lovely green.  The color was inspired by Life in Grace blog.  The color is Great Barrington Green.  It really makes it feel like its not part of the other cabinets.  Some people, couldn't believe I was painting it different color, but its just paint.  

 

 

~Before~





The detail on the mantel area really comes alive now. 

 

The subway tile came about 6 months after we painted the cabinets.  I found a white beveled subway tile at Lowe's for .32 a tile!  I couldn't believe how cheap that was.  I absolutely adore the herringbone pattern over stove top.  If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and need a good tile guy, email me and I'll send his information.  He was awesome!









The coffee station.  Everything right at my fingertips.

 

 

~Before~

 















Ignore the mail.





I have the lamp set up on a silver round tray.  Just to lift it up a little in case water were to get on it.

 





Here is my precious bread bin that I am so proud of!  I found it at Canton Trade Days and had to have it!  I've wanted one for years now.  

Here is a list of the things in the new kitchen:

 

Kitchen cabinets ~ White Dove

Refrigerator cabinet ~ Great Barrington Green

Light pendant ~ Lowe's

Flour and sugar canisters ~ Home Goods

White beveled subway tile ~ Lowe's

 



I'm linking up here:

 

Miss Mustard Seed
Savvy Southern Style
Southern Lovely
Sugar and Dots
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Somewhat Simple
diy by design
Jennifer Rizzo

From My Front Porch to Yours 

Mod Vintage Life
The Farmhouse Porch

Making the World Cuter

Creating Really Awesome Free Things

 

Suburbs Mama

diy showoff

Coastal Charm

The Blackberry Vine
Primp
My Uncommon slice of Suburbia

Christmas is in the Air

Oh, I just love getting down the boxes from the attic and getting the house ready for the holidays!   I take pictures every year of the house decorated, because I can never seem to remember how everything went from the year before.  I mean come on, I can't remember if I shaved my legs last night, let alone where a snowman went.  Now yes, I set certain items in the same exact spot year after year.  But, sometimes I like to change it up and put items in different rooms.

The candy cane metal sign was purchased years ago at Target. I have a love affair with Target!  Sometime it is a shameful thing.  I can walk in that store strictly for, let's say, a birthday present, and come out with $150 bill!  I shake my fist in the air and scream "WWhhyy!!!"  Then the whole process starts over again!  Vicious!



Do you like my little book with the Christmas chapel on the front?  The old Presbyterian church was moving and they had a huge sale.  They had tons of old books and for $1 you could take as many as you wanted!  Score!

I love my new jadeite cake stand.  It was a booger to get though!  I bought it off eBay months ago, and when I opened the box is was broken in two pieces right at the base.  I was crushed!  Thank goodness for insurance. So the seller said he would send me another.  Guess what?  Yep, next one arrived broken in the same spot!!  Can you believe it!  So he refunded me my money and said to just keep them both.  So I couldn't let these gorgeous pieces of jadeite go to waste, so I researched.  We used epoxy and you can't even tell where it was broken!!!  I feel kinda guilty, because now I have two!  Hehehehe!!!



Do you remember my brown coffee filter wreath?  I thought white would be so wintry and festive!  I got the JOY ornament from Wal Mart and hot glued the tips down and used the same ribbon.  I love, love, love it!!



Both Santa's came from Marshall's.  I just couldn't pass up fat Santa! 



My sweet Aunt LaTrelle made me the gingham apron for Thanksgiving!  I adore it!

Candy canes are so easy and fun to decorate with.

Don't you just love Santa peeking out from around the pillar?  He is sparkly too, so that makes him even better.





Here is the kitchen lit up at night.  Last year I had a real tree in this spot and loved it!  We've always done fake trees, so that was a new experience.  I did not like the clean up and watering.  Just to get it in the stand you have to saw off the end.  What a mess!  To my surprise, I completely forgot I had an extra fake tree in the attic!  You're thinking "how in the heck can you forget that you have another tree!!?'  Remember, I can't remember about my shaved legs!  Anyway, I 'm glad I did remember, because it looks so pretty lit at night in that corner!

Hope you saw something you liked and if you did leave me a comment!  I truly love to hear what you have to say!  Have a blessed Thursday!

I am linking up here
Somewhat Simple
Hooked on Houses
Faded Charm
Between Naps on the Porch
The Thrifty Decor Chick
Savvy Southern Style
The Shabby Chic Cottage
A Little Knick Knack
The Shabby Nest
Fingerprints on the Fridge
The Nester
First a Dream
French Country Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors