Our new hardwood flooring and a living room reveal!

Hey y'all! Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful, wonderful comments on the last post about the kitchen makeover. I can't adequately express how much it means that you take the time to read my blog. I was so nervous to share the kitchen, because I had put so much energy into it, and I tend to suffer from lack-of-confidence syndrome. So, thank you for such sweet feedback. If you missed the kitchen reveal, you can go here. 

How We Updated Our 1970's House on a Budget (and the living room REVEAL!)

Hey guys!!!

So, I haven't blogged in nearly 4 months. It's crazy.

I barely even know where to begin! There's so much to say and so much to share, so let's just jump right in and pick up where we left off.

How To Easily Update Thrift Store Art

Hey ya'll! Well, we are still in the throes of laying tile in the basement. It's going along at a decent pace, so I'm hoping to have a few in-progress pics to show you eventually. They may not be pretty pics, but I'll show you anyways. 
Jesse has been doing most of the heavy lifting, so while he's been busy downstairs, I've been working non-stop trying to finish up the rest of the upstairs. 

It's a deal we struck.
He got the short end of the stick.

Our 1970's House Makeover Part 8: The Living Room Updates

Hey ya'll. 
I'm drawing a blank.
So, I'm going to fill up this little space next to the tiny picture with non-important words so that we can quickly get to the meat of the post and talk like normal people.

Because sometimes I have a million things to tell you, but my brain jams up when faced with an introductory paragraph.

New rule: Virginia is occasionally excused from introductory paragraphs and can instead just quote Lionel Richie lyrics or take a picture of her hand. I'll save those options for later.

How To Build a Mantel

The mantel tutorial I've been promising is finally here! Ya'll know I don't do too much wood working on this blog, and the real story is that Jesse built this mantel, while I watched and learned, and then I did what I do best: I painted it. However, I learned so much while watching helping Jesse, that it totally made me want to build stuff. That's the thing about stuff that scares you...once you try it, you realize it isn't that scary after all.

Faux Stacked Log Fireplace Tutorial

Ya'll, it's done. I'm so excited to finally get to share what I've been working on with you guys. I started my faux stacked log fireplace over a month and a half ago, and at times I thought I would never reach the finish line. So, saying I'm excited is a ridiculous understatement. 
Basically, all month long I've felt like a 5 year old waiting for Christmas morning.

How to Decorate a Living Room: 2 Years of Design Flops

Hey ya'll. As mentioned yesterday, today's the day that I embarrass myself. 

We're going to take a walk down memory lane and witness my living room completely challenge my abilities to tastefully decorate a room. 10 different times.

It's actually 12, but we're rounding down to 10. Hold me tight, ya'll. This is gonna get awkward and embarrassing. REAL fast.

Living Room Reveal & DIY Wall Art

 I made a few little changes to the living room over the weekend, and I am absolutely loving them!

Since I've been drenching my house in blue lately (as seen here and here), I decided to bring some blue into the living room. Really, it started when I found some blue curtain panels I had never used. I decided to make pillows from them, and it kinda unraveled from there. 

I think the new pillows bring great color into the room.

After making the pillows, and loving the color, I decided I needed more blue.

If you've been following me on Facebook, you know that I absolutely fell in love with the pattern on a Horchow dresser.

Over the weekend I decided I wanted to use this pattern on a giant painting. I switched the colors around because I wanted the painting to be mostly white so it would 'pop' against the beige accent wall. And then I spent several hours drawing out my design, and then painting, painting, painting!

I just love it! This wall really needed something BOLD and a bit colorful, and I really think this does the trick!

I also think it's great to have a big, bold pattern somewhere in the room since all of the pillows and upholstery are solids.

I also added a big silver mirror opposite the painting. I struggle with decorating this wall, so I'm just not sure about the arrangement. Basically, I'm just waiting until we can mount our TV above the fireplace on the opposite wall, and then move a couple chairs against the current wall. 

I also tinkered with my favorite little mirrored tray that sits on the ottoman.

I painted it with my favorite blue paint.

And I also painted a little blue planter near the fireplace.

 I also took down my giant gallery wall and brought the skeleton key silhouette gallery wall from the guest bedroom in here. I really like it in here and will figure something else out for the bedroom.

I'm sure this room will likely be changed about 100 more times in the next year. I cannot sit still when it comes to this room. Ultimately, I think it needs other colors than blue, but I just have to think on it for a bit. 

This room is still a work in progress (much like myself), and I'm still tinkering with it and trying to get it right. I know I still have a long way to go. But, I think it's a huge improvement from when we moved in.

Here's what it looked like when we first moved in:

You see more about the very beginnings of this room here.

Last month:

Better, but too much beige.

Today:

A bit more colorful! What color do you think I should add? Suggestions?

and now a side-by-side:

You know what else?
While looking for the 'before' picture I came across about 20 different pictures of this room from the past year that I've been hoarding on my computer, and they're all totally different. It's so hilarious and made me realize I've really come a long, long way from when we first moved in 2 years ago. 
I'm definitely a 'novice' designer and the only way I know to learn is through trial and error. And I've made some huge errors along the way! 

I'm going to share with you ALL of those horribly embarrassing 'design flops' tomorrow (you can read that post here). It's going to be a truly amazing, totally giggle-inducing post, so come visit me tomorrow! 

'Til then!

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DIY Wall Art Ideas & Living Room Updates

I spent my weekend doing projects. All of which were done to change the color scheme of my living room. My living room has had about a million different looks, and it never ceases to change. I'm sure it will change again, too, but for now, I'm switching out all the yellow for a light blue. I also added tons of DIY wall art ideas to the room that I'm excited to show you!

It's not finished quite yet, so let's consider this post a mini-reveal with a look at how sweet my husband is...along with a peek at a few projects I've been working on!!

My always-patient husband spent his Sunday morning climbing the ladder to repaint the accent wall. This will be the third time this wall has changed color in a year. Bless his heart.

Sometimes just a small change can make a world of difference in the way a room feels.

I also changed out the wall art a little with a chevron painting and some DIY peacock feather art for my gallery wall.

some closeups:

They're just some simple sketches of some wispy peacock feathers, matted and framed.

I also made some chevron art using some masking tape similar to how I paint stripes.

I also made a few pillows out of an old shower curtain. You can see how I make my no-sew pillows with glue here.

So, the room isn't finished yet. I'm sure there will be tons of updates as time goes on.

Have a great week!

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Our Living Room, Dining Room & Kitchen: A Before/After Tour

One of my favorite parts of our house is the living/dining room area. It's so unique and open, but at the same time has also created some interesting challenges. It's also come a long way since two years ago when we first bought the house. This whole area of our house was an outdated wooden wonderland of shame. This house had been on the market for a really long time, and I'm fairly certain it was because no one else could look past the wooden nightmare that was this house.

This is our lovely living room today, after tons of work.

(For updated versions go here or here.)

and here is how it looked when we first moved in:

You should know that those icky couches are hot pink underneath those saggy slipcovers. 

The biggest improvements were made when I painted all of the outdated wooden trim, and painted the walls. Here is the before and after of the living room.

Here is the view looking the opposite way. I love the stone fireplace that separates the foyer from the living room. It really makes our space so unique.

Here's a view of the gallery wall I created from antique botannical prints I found on eBay and framed myself. I'm a big fan of finding inexpensive ways to create art, and this is one of my faves.

And a closeup:

I also love the little mirrored tray on top. It was orignally black, but I spray painted it gold and now it looks great!

I also found a dresser during one of my thrift store trips and painted it. I also refurbished these little end tables, which were found on Craigslist. 

 Here is a picture from when we first started with the renovation of me tricking my little brother into painting my living room while I sit on the couch and watch my shows. 
That's what big sisters are for, right? 

Those windows are just about the only thing in this house I haven't painted, and I am happy to give credit where credit is due. Thanks brother and husband. I tried...and quickly failed. I don't work too well at skyscraper heights.

Let's move out of the living room. Walking backwards into the dining room, here is what you see:

and now we will turn around a bit and enter the dining room. Down those stairs is the foyer and entrance. 

And a view of the dining room.

Here is a side by side shot:

oh, don't worry....it get's worse...

So much better! 

One last stop on the tour. Let's go past the dining room and into the kitchen.

I already painted the kitchen cabinets white, but I still have so much planned for this little kitchen.  I also love the little 'look through' bar area. Those chairs are also a thrift store find. They were a gross brown color, but had a great shape, so I painted them with the same white we did all the trim in.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

For more on the living room and kitchen visit these posts:

How to paint tile countertops

Budget living room decor ideas

My living room design flops

Kitchen cabinet chalk paint makeover!

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