Changes and Updates

If you follow me on instagram you probably saw this picture from the weekend. A sneak peek at the the changes that have happened in the living room. This has been a long time coming, and I know that for those of you who enjoy reading all about my interior challenges, fails, and triumphs, this little photo is probably not enough to whet the appetite. But the photos of this new space require a story. They require explanation. And I've not gotten that pulled together. Nor have I bothered taking my camera out of the closet to take good pictures of the space.

This end of the room is finished. Certainly, if money were no object and I wasn't saving for a house, it'd all look different. Entirely different. But this is an exercise in budgetary restraint, and acceptance of both form and function, and not simply form. Pretty rooms are easy. Putting together a room with money is easy. But putting together a room that has to be functional, pretty, and inexpensive - that's not easy.

This end of the room is pretty well pulled together. It's pretty enough for pictures and feels "good enough."

The armoire was a SMOKIN' FIND! Secondhand. You'll never even guess what I paid for the thing. The real struggle was getting it home. I had to rent a van, enlist a friend to help Tyler and me get it in through the window! It won't make the curve of the staircase in the hallway, so both top and bottom sash of the window have to come out and it got hoisted in (no small endeavor) that way. But isn't it a beauty? Totally worth it!

The seagrass is 10x13. I've had this since I moved into the apartment. I don't really count it as part of the budget for the redo.

The dhurrie is from Safavieh, and sadly, I really can't recommend this to you. I mean, it's pretty, but it's not a great weave. It's going to have the be replaced soon, and the reality is that it's just too expensive to get just a few months out of. I've done everything I can to try and keep the weave from coming loose, and have even gone to sweeping the rug instead of vacuuming, but let's get real. That's not my life. I am not going to whisk a rug. I have bigger fish to fry. If I find a deal on a really great one that I feel like you should invest in, I'll definitely let you know.

The green velvet chairs are inexpensive, pretty, and while you have to put them together, I've found that they are very sturdy. I didn't intend for them to go here, but they made their way over and I didn't hate them, so they stayed.

The art is part of a set of 4 original paintings done for me by the very talented Dianne D. Ballard. I blogged about them here, right after I had them framed. Modern and abstract art is a HUGE deal these days, and I'm so grateful to have these pieces as part of my collection. If you're interested in modern or abstract paintings you should definitely talk to Dianne! You can commission a painting from her or contact her about available work by emailing her at diannedballard@gmail.com.

The English brass wall sconces were found on eBay. I got a great deal on them because they didn't come with the glass hurricane shades. Those I found on a separate listing, and I swear to you when I put them together angels sang. Ok, maybe not that. But I love them.

The coffee table is HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY! Bronze and glass. I've been researching this piece since I bought it this summer, and I've not come across anything like it. Hollywood Regency for sure, it isn't Maison Bagues, but it has that sort of feeling about it. Either way, another SMOKIN' FIND! Secondhand.

The blue and white chinoiserie lotus bowl is from Richard Stone's instagram store: Topiary Home. He finds the best things.

The brass pharmacy lamp is by Jensen. Pretty good deal on them here:

I apologize for the photo quality, these were taken with my iPhone. The REAL money in this space went into fabrics. I figured that all of those could be reused in a future space, so I spent the bulk of my budget there.

The wicker chairs were a secondhand deal. A pair of them with no cushions set me back a little over $100. Of course, once I bought foam, and fabric - well, they weren't exactly a smokin' deal anymore. The floral is by Kim Hoegger Home, and you can purchase from her website directly.

This configuration was one that I fought for a while. Mostly because of the ugly radiator under the window. But I have a solution for that which is forthcoming - don't worry, but also because the sofa is huge! But the more that I realized that this living room was essentially just a hallway into the bedroom where the television was, and the more depressed that I became that I was spending all of my time in the bedroom, the more I realized that I needed to do something about the function of the living room. When you live in a 4,000 square foot house, you can afford to have beautiful formal rooms that are essentially used once or twice a year, and stay camera ready at a moments notice. But when you live in 800 square feet, you HAVE to maximize and use every square inch. So, this is where we are. Comfortable sofa facing a beautiful armoire which hides a massive tv that we watch often, particularly with winter here and fewer and fewer options sounding worth the hassle of going outside and dealing with the snow.

The sofa is a story in and of itself. That'll get a post eventually. It's manufactured by a company in North Carolina called Klaussner. They sell directly to furniture stores and designers. It can be purchased at retail through Birch Lane, with a variety of slipcovers. I actually got mine from a local warehouse that receives pieces ordered from the Wayfair company that were either not accepted or returned. When I bought it, it had a blue slipcover. It had never been used, and was in excellent shape. But the blue wouldn't work for me. So, I had my workroom make a slipcover in white, which I think looks better than the one that they offer, but I am biased.

The matchstick shades are from Lowes. The curtains are custom, euro pleated double width linen, and the rod is from Target. Yep! Target.

Here's the other wicker chair, with the Kim Hoegger Home Modena Floral in Summer cushions. Another pharmacy lamp and garden stool. The little bamboo leg footstool is in need of a makeover, and it will get one soon. It's one of those "deep winter projects" we all love to hate. And yes, those are extension cords! I've got a work order in for them the fix that outlet today.

The bookcase was the perfect solution for this entry wall. I love books. LOVE THEM! And I have so many, even after getting rid of what I thought was nearly all of them. I found this bookcase for a steal, solid wood, ugly but what are you gonna do? It's a bookcase! I painted it (still need to do touch ups) and loaded it up with books. I'm not finished because I still needed to paint the bottom portion of the bookcase - so right now those books are on the floor in the dining room. One thing at a time.

The large blue and white chinoiserie lamps are so pretty, aren't they? Those and the temple jars on the floor are pieces I was able to score for a pretty great deal. The basket tucked under the table is from Pottery Barn. I got it ages ago, and they no longer carry it.

The table was another SMOKIN' FIND! Got that on Facebook Marketplace for $40! Couldn't believe it. Of course if you add up the lamps, the table, the jars, the basket ... it's all about the high and the low, right?

The green Alpaca blanket on the chair if from my summer trip to Peru.

And from behind the sofa looking toward that armoire. That beautiful brass bowl that the tangelos are in is from my dear friend Joan, who you can find via her blog or her instagram, for the love of a house. I'm still waiting for a shade and finial for the other lamp, they forgot to pack them. I've draped one lamp with the jungle beads and woven belts that I found in Cusco.

There's still stuff to do. I would like to build a sort of crown for the bookcase, something to raise the height and make it look a little more built in. I need to hang more art, and tackle the dining room. But it's a piece by piece thing around here. I promised Tyler that I would finish this before I do the bedroom, sort of a difficult promise to keep - but I'm trying.

Hope you enjoyed the updates! Keep your eye on instagram for more - and I'll be back later in the week with a few more book reviews!