A Pop of Color

I got a quart of Behr Cloudburst several months ago to use on little girl's dresser - and then I sort of changed the color scheme...that never happens around here. So in true me style, I painted half the dresser, and decided I didn't want to use that color...and put the quart away under the boy's bathroom sink. Isn't that where everyone stores their "I have big hopes for you, I just don't know what yet" paint? No? Weird. Anyway, I was walking up the stairs yesterday and this is what I see. Terrible lighting, I know. But you get the jist.

Do you get where I'm going with this? I kept thinking the upstairs hallway was missing something...and I was really hoping that feeling wasn't leading me to hurry up and paint the ceiling white already (it's still builder beige - but come onnnnn...ceilings are the W.O.R.S.T...especially when there is a 2 story section...I digress).

I could hear that little quart calling me...it was ready to be used. And here we are today.

I also switched out the lampshade. That little cutie is from Walmart - it's burlap with a grosgrain ribbon. So cute. Did you know they also have those cute script lampshades now too? Like this one in my laundry room.

I guess I should go get some real chores done. Have a great Friday! Thanks for stopping by...

xo-Chris

Linking up to:
Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday
Savvy City Farmer Thriftin Thursday
Between Naps on The Porch: Metamorphosis Mondays
 Be Colorful: Motivated Monday
The Gunny Sack: What's In The Gunny Sack
Making the World Cuter
The Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday

Family Room - Before & After

I love before and after's. I really, REALLLY love them. I like to see style change (let's face it, no one likes going into a house stuck in 1994 hunter green and rose chintz) and I like to change the space around me (a lot).  I was sprucing up the family room yesterday and was thinking about how many changes it's gone through in the few short years we've lived here. So, I started digging through the photo archives to see what I could find.

Before - sort of:
So-the best before I could find was after I painted the builder pinky beige walls (seriously a week after we moved in) Restrained Gold by SW.  This room gets the morning sun, so it was really bright and cheerful. I loved it and never thought I would paint over the gold. Everyone who came in the house complimented the color.  I could never get the pictures to do any justice to this color - it always looked limey yellow.

This room was also a challenge for me to decorate at the time - I had enough furniture for an itsy bitsy cape cod with 1000sq ft. This house has 3500sq ft. It drove me nuts for about 2 years until I had pack ratted acquired enough furniture.

Originally we had the single Ikea Ektorp sofa and chair - but we were finally able to get the Ektorp sectional (which, by the way, will fit inside a Honda Odyssey with back seats taken out, with room to spare!). I love it and it holds up to our rowdy family.

I was pretty happy with it all...sort of. But then one night, the Mister took a walk around the neighborhood at night and commented on how many yellow/red rooms he could see through the windows (don't you love peeking in glowing windows at night?). And the wheels started turning. I was over the yellow and red trend - which was difficult because it carried me through my last two houses.

After (or more like Today): (because let's face it, this whole re-decorating decorating thing really doesn't end, does it?)

You know how after a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you either take a deep sigh of relief and smile to yourself every time you walk into the room ... or you shudder and think ohhhemmmgeee, I have to paint this all over? Well, I was the first one. It's feels calmer and like a beach house...I'm still thinking of a few things that need some attention. Isn't it funny how some paint can transform everything?

Now. I realized after shooting these pictures that my windows are filthy. I hope you liked the transformation!

xo-Chris

Linking up to:

The 36th AVENUE

Between Naps on The Porch: Metamorphosis Mondays

Be Colorful: Motivated Monday
Making The World Cuter Monday
The Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday

Blame it on the ... Paint

We went out of town for the long weekend and for about 2 weeks before hand, I couldn't contain my excitement...why? Because I was going to get my first can of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I. Was. GIDDY. I could hardly wait to get home to start painting a gazillion things. I got Pure White (because, boring as it is, it seemed like I would get the most use for my own home out of that one) and a sample pot of grey and egg blue. I don't remember their real names, but that's close enough. 

I have had this antique full sized bed sitting in the garage waiting for a new home for awhile. It had a shiny finish and the idea of prepping gave me hives. So, there it sat. It is so cute, with art deco details, and would be so sweet in a little girls room. Hives.  It has 2 coats of ASCP on it and I'm contemplating on distress with dark wax, or just clear wax. Hmm. Either way, it should be up for sale by the end of the week. Finally.

 These are pre- Annie Sloan. Don't stare too long at the mess I've got going on. It may cause permanent damage.

Then - yesterday I was able to pick up a wood chair with fabric seat and back - I have been looking MONTHS for one of these. I have so many ideas swirling around in my head. I have visions of these swirling around in my head and keeping me up at night.

Source: missmustardseed.blogspot.com via Stitch a Wish on Pinterest

Source: beyondthescreendoordesigns.blogspot.com via Jodi on Pinterest

Source: laylagrayce.com via Melinda on Pinterest

Source: paintmewhite.com via Cyndi on Pinterest

I don't know if I should paint her frame a mix of ASCP Pure White, or white mixed with blue, or gray. What I do know is I have some linen look fabric that will be covering the seat and back after I get the gazillions of staples out. Seriously. I counted them.

So naturally, while deciding on that, I walked around the house for other things to paint. After all - it's Spring (almost) and in my house...that means TIME TO PAINT! (actually. It's always time to paint in my house. This just gives me an excuse). 

This dresser was next up. Unfortunately, I don't have a before picture. But believe me. She wasn't cute. Birds eye maple aka ORANGE. Ew. But the lines. Swoon. I had attempted a Restoration Hardware driftwood layered type of treatment but it wasn't sticking to the finish. So I put another coat of Annie's Pure White over it with a dry brush technique - it looks SO great. This came with the bed above on Craigslist. She stays with me. Until I find something else. 

 
Do you see her curvy legs and little key holes. AND - caster feet. She had me at hello. It looks a little splotchy in the picture - but it looks so great and worn.

It's true - this paint is so much fun. I can't wait to get more. More. MORE. Mwuahhhh hahhh hahhh. Ahem.

I've been working on Spring-ing up the Family Room. Come back tomorrow to see some before and after pictures. My how my style has changed.

Thanks for dropping by!

xo-Chris

Linking up to:
Domestically Speaking: Power of Paint Party
Savvy Southern Style: Wow us Wednesdays
Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday

Decorating with Legos

If you live in a house with little boys - then you probably decorate with lego's too. Not necessarily on purpose, but you can only win so many battles, and my rule is, if they are out of reach for the baby, then I won't step on them complain. While cleaning up today, I realized there are some unfinished battles near the Moravian star Death Star.

Lego Potpourri anyone?

xo-Chris

Spring Dreaming

It's usually about this time of year that we get a few  sunny, warmish days and we get excited and start planning our garden. It's just creeping into the low 50's and around here, Spring is on it's way in March. I have been looking around our yard trying to decide what to do - mostly our side yards. I love decorating (and re-decorating) inside my home, but I just don't have the vision for outside. To make matters worse, when we bought our home, we were given a nice plot of sand, with not a stitch of grass or anything else. Gardening from scratch??? Not my thing. Now I know. We threw it together quickly for kids and dogs. And now, we pay the price (not to mention that I've changed my mind on the layout of the whole landscape plan about 145 trillion times. No joke.) This is the year that the side yards will get tackled and un-junkified. And to get myself ready...I've been day dreaming. 

I can't wait to get the side yards under control. Hurry up Spring!! I don't do well with waiting. 

xo-Chris

The Boys Room-getting there

I've been working on the boys room here and there. I moved them into the same room last April, and am mostly so glad I did. Every now and then, (when someone little cries because his bedtime is earlier than the older one, and they should just be able to go to bed together) it get's a little tricky. 

The plan was to do a vintage aviation type of thing - mostly because that's the stuff I've had around since the oldest little moved into his first big boy room - and I still really like that it can grow with them (unlike dino's, or cheetah's - which someone has mentioned wanting his room to be like more than once)... 

I made the duvet's - featured here. 

And the red cross pillows - featured  here.

 Here is what it looked like before moving both boys into the same room (yes - those are dinosaurs...I've seen the error in my ways.). I was a saturated color kind of girl. I still like it :) 

And now... {warning: loads of pics ahead}

I'm pretty happy with it - but it still feels like it's missing something...my heart says stripes. My brain says nope. I am thinking about doing something funky to their dresser's - maybe a big giant flag or something. Who knows. Teething baby and deciding that I needed to completely reorganize the kitchen keeps me from starting any more insanity right now. Maybe.

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo-Chris

Linking up to:
Keeping it Simple: Motivate me Mondays
Skip To My Lou; Made by you Monday
Between Naps on the Porch: Metamorphosis Monday
Be Colorful: Motivated Monday
The Gunny Sack. What's in the Gunny Sack?
Making the World Cuter Monday