I'm so excited to take up Shortmama on her new challenge! She is putting together a home-redo challenge, one room at a time!
The idea is to post some before pictures of the monthly room (this month is the living room), and explain what you'd like to have done with the room by the end of the month. You link up on her site so everyone can see each other's "before" pictures, and see the goals for that room. Then at the end of the month, you link up again to show what you've accomplished!
This is sooo good for me, because I see so many beautiful homes of my fellow bloggers, and great decorating ideas and I think "I want to do that!" But I never seem to get around to implementing all the inspiration I get! So I am beyond excited for this challenge! I'm asking for a lot of input, so sorry...it's kinda long!
So, I'm being brave here posting my before pictures (no room primping allowed)...I always crop very carefully because everyone in blogland seems to have such beautifully decorated (and clean!) homes. To be honest, I have done very little to my home since we bought it almost 9 years ago. When we bought the home, I was pregnant with my 2nd child. Shortly after her birth we started our own business. This, and a new baby consumed all of our time and attention, and as the business grew, so did the demands on our time! Now I'm not complaining at all...but 2 more children later, I think it's time to start beautifying...don't you? So here goes:
This is my west wall, imediately when you come in my front door. The chair and table were stuck there after our last boutique, and I haven't taken them downstairs yet. The pile of stuff on the end table is boutique product that we haven't taken into the store where we have a booth full time. My goal here is to obviously put the stuff away that doesn't go here! And I want to replace the end table with a different one from my room that I'm going to paint black and mod-podge the top to match the chest I did here. Do you think it will be too matchy-matchy if I do that?
This is the picture hanging above my piano. It's one of my favorite pictures, and IS my favorite picture of George Washington. Santa brought it to me 2 Christmases ago.
This is the wall to the right of the picture. I would love to get some framed duplicates of our founding documents and do a grouping of them here.
This is something I REALLY need some advice on. We only have one T.V. It is in our living room. You all know that I often walk on the treadmill to a show I enjoy watching. There's really no other place I can have my treadmill. When it's folded up it fits nicely in the corner between my couch and my fireplace, but it's still not very classy looking! What should I do about this?
This is the North wall to the left of the door when you walk in. I keep my laptop the same place as you, Shortmama! I'd like to paint the c.d./movie rack black. I also will replace this end table, the same as the one by the piano. I also want to change the valence out for a different window treatment. I've already replaced the picture grouping with something else. I'll share that later.
This is the south wall. I'm going to paint the entertainment center black. I've already replaced the picture to the right with one of my projects from earlier this year. That's the dog bed beneath it. I'm going to sell the rocker, and replace it with an old rocker from my parent's cabin that I'm going to paint chocolate brown.
This is the corner of the east and south wall. It is where all my Ribbon Blossoms materials are. I plan on moving this downstairs, I just brought it all in here when I was working on stuff for our last boutique (I have to have the TV for this too!) I think that's a blanket on the fireplace, it's already been moved! I need some cool ideas on how to accessorize the fireplace.
I'm going to put another project on the wall to the right...I just need to get it finished!
There's nothing I can do about the pink carpet...GAH! But I'd like to do some different accessorizing on the surfaces once I get my furniture how I want it. Whew! that's a lot to do in just 30 days! I guess I better get busy!
I welcome all input and advice! Thanks Shortmama for this awesome challenge to help get me motivated! If you'd like to take up the one room at a time challenge go visit Family of Shorts and link up!
The idea is to post some before pictures of the monthly room (this month is the living room), and explain what you'd like to have done with the room by the end of the month. You link up on her site so everyone can see each other's "before" pictures, and see the goals for that room. Then at the end of the month, you link up again to show what you've accomplished!
This is sooo good for me, because I see so many beautiful homes of my fellow bloggers, and great decorating ideas and I think "I want to do that!" But I never seem to get around to implementing all the inspiration I get! So I am beyond excited for this challenge! I'm asking for a lot of input, so sorry...it's kinda long!
So, I'm being brave here posting my before pictures (no room primping allowed)...I always crop very carefully because everyone in blogland seems to have such beautifully decorated (and clean!) homes. To be honest, I have done very little to my home since we bought it almost 9 years ago. When we bought the home, I was pregnant with my 2nd child. Shortly after her birth we started our own business. This, and a new baby consumed all of our time and attention, and as the business grew, so did the demands on our time! Now I'm not complaining at all...but 2 more children later, I think it's time to start beautifying...don't you? So here goes:
This is my west wall, imediately when you come in my front door. The chair and table were stuck there after our last boutique, and I haven't taken them downstairs yet. The pile of stuff on the end table is boutique product that we haven't taken into the store where we have a booth full time. My goal here is to obviously put the stuff away that doesn't go here! And I want to replace the end table with a different one from my room that I'm going to paint black and mod-podge the top to match the chest I did here. Do you think it will be too matchy-matchy if I do that?
This is the picture hanging above my piano. It's one of my favorite pictures, and IS my favorite picture of George Washington. Santa brought it to me 2 Christmases ago.
This is the wall to the right of the picture. I would love to get some framed duplicates of our founding documents and do a grouping of them here.
This is something I REALLY need some advice on. We only have one T.V. It is in our living room. You all know that I often walk on the treadmill to a show I enjoy watching. There's really no other place I can have my treadmill. When it's folded up it fits nicely in the corner between my couch and my fireplace, but it's still not very classy looking! What should I do about this?
This is the North wall to the left of the door when you walk in. I keep my laptop the same place as you, Shortmama! I'd like to paint the c.d./movie rack black. I also will replace this end table, the same as the one by the piano. I also want to change the valence out for a different window treatment. I've already replaced the picture grouping with something else. I'll share that later.
This is the south wall. I'm going to paint the entertainment center black. I've already replaced the picture to the right with one of my projects from earlier this year. That's the dog bed beneath it. I'm going to sell the rocker, and replace it with an old rocker from my parent's cabin that I'm going to paint chocolate brown.
This is the corner of the east and south wall. It is where all my Ribbon Blossoms materials are. I plan on moving this downstairs, I just brought it all in here when I was working on stuff for our last boutique (I have to have the TV for this too!) I think that's a blanket on the fireplace, it's already been moved! I need some cool ideas on how to accessorize the fireplace.I'm going to put another project on the wall to the right...I just need to get it finished!
There's nothing I can do about the pink carpet...GAH! But I'd like to do some different accessorizing on the surfaces once I get my furniture how I want it. Whew! that's a lot to do in just 30 days! I guess I better get busy!
I welcome all input and advice! Thanks Shortmama for this awesome challenge to help get me motivated! If you'd like to take up the one room at a time challenge go visit Family of Shorts and link up!
Comments
I can't wait to see what you do!
XOXO
jen
And puh-lease. You think that's messy. I'd love for you to stop by my house any given day around 4 pm. It looks like Toys 'R Us and a laundromat threw up on my first floor. Seriously.
I definately think you should do the end table in black and do the same treament that you did on the trunk (cause I love that!!!)
I agree with Amanda, definately paint the entertainment center black and try using some pretty scrapbook paper on the back of it.
I crop my pictures a lot of times, too. I don't even have little ones (they are 15, 12, and hubby) in my house yet they all seem to have a very hard time cleaning up after themselves!!!
I can't wait to see what you do with your room. I know it will be fabulous!!!
I am in the same boat as you. When we moved in we didn't do much because we were never really sure how long we'd be here. We are on 20 acres and would really like to build a new house, but don't know when that dream will come true. Sooooo, that means we haven't done much with our current house. After all, we don't want to pour too much money into it if it's not a place we'll be for much longer. Of course, on the flip side, if we'll be here even a few years more, we (I) want to make it a nice space to be. Ahh, the challenges (and limited funds, lol!)
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Good luck!
Your fireplace and mantle is a great focal point in the room --- add a few natural elements such as some twigs in the pots you have there, or some fresh cut flowers. The picture and candles look great, maybe add a few hardbound books with the dustcovers taken off.
I have a post all about books and how you can use them to decorate.
Also, you will notice I have so many pictures of Christ in my blog before and afters --- I live in Utah and many of the homes I do are LDS families. Me too!
I teach free classes on Room Makeovers for RS Enrichments if you live on the Wasatch Front.
Any way fun stuff I am excited to see your after pictures.
Angela