After the Hiatus

I have been on hiatus for some time. Enjoying time spent with family and rebooting. Dabbling in small business ownership (which sank), starting a NEW & BETTER small business venture that is slowly failing, and becoming a total Pinterest addict.

I also started other blogs to coincide with my businesses, so I have officially cheated on you Blog and I am sorry.

But on the bright side I will be importing all the great little decorating and household things from Azzurro Cancello (Blue Gate) blog here within the next few days. I am excited about that. I can close my accounts with Etsy (both of them, long story about how much I dislike Etsy).

I can now concentrate on making this blog better and I really do have A LOT to say, spill, gossip and bitch about.

But for now enjoy that I am back and I really have a lot of great things coming up in the next few weeks.

What have you been doing while I was away? What new blogs have you been reading?

I am out of the loop and would like some new stuff to read!!!

Make sure to check out the posts below. They have some of the great stuff I have been working on this last month...and it is about my decorating challenge!!!

It has been fun so far and I have so much more to post on decorating and renovating on a budget.

Mind Changing

I have changed my mind. I knew I was going to. I have to give myself a few days before I make any major decisions or I will regret them, if I act on impulse.
I have decided to not buy the JENNYLUND chair from IKEA. Instead I am saving some money and buying a chair and a half or loveseat.

source Amazon

I was just thinking on rainy days, when the kids are home, we all might just want to cuddle up and read a good book together and a small white chair made for one will not accomplish that.

I also have changed the color of the shelves to white and we have almost decided on the couch. So maybe in  another month we will have the bulk of the furniture purchased and some painting done.

In 6 months, the major construction will begin.

I have not forgot about my challenge. I have a list for IKEA. And if I purchase the basics a bed, some shelves, a couple lamps, a plant (cause I really love indoor plants and I can't live with out a flowering plant that smells nice in the house) and I have to have a nice pot to put it in, and a couch, and the dining room chairs. I will be over budget by $200. Husband said he will go in halves on the couch. That will knock it down to I will be under budget by $200. Enough to spend on more accessories.

And I plan on having a yard sale soon. That money will be added to my budget and I might just buy a new mattress set. Or more decorations for the home.

What are you thoughts or ideas on what I should do for the master bedroom reading nook?

Until next time!

Simply Heaven

That is the name of the paint color we chose for our room. With white trim, ceiling, and crown molding, I think it will look beautiful. I can accessorize the room for the beachy feel or make it feel more modern with some grey thrown in.

I have also decided to purchase  a few things from IKEA.

We need dining room chairs like nobody's business. They were his grandparents chairs back in the 70's. They are olive green, metal, with rips and tears and stuffing falling out. And we only have 4, total. We have to use folding chairs if we have any guests.

I have decided on the STEFAN chair. They match our existing vintage table and they are only $25.00 each. I am getting 6.

from IKEA

I also want the LERBERG ladder shelves for the room only $39.98 for 2.

IKEA

For the bed frame I chose the BRIMNES without the head board since we are using the Chippendale mirror instead. Eventually I will get some underbed storage boxes or baskets to hide my stash of things I just can't part with.

IKEA

And the last thing I want just for myself, kind of a splurge and the only white thing that I will own is the EKTORP JENNYLUND chair. In white. 

That will complete my cozy reading nook in the master bedroom. I am moving out the office and the craft stuff and creating a nice cozy relaxing bedroom. Where I can relax with a good book  and have some alone time.

IKEA

That make a total of around $520.00 if all goes per plan and I don't change my mind on something or I don't find it cheaper on craigslist. That means the master bedroom will be almost complete except for a ceiling fan and new mattress and maybe some  accessories.

We looked at some couches and settled on one, I am chipping in for a portion of the couch so there goes another chunk of money. But that is the only major purchase we have left then the rest is painting and accessorizing.

Until next time!

The Hallway

Ok, so here is the dark hallway. I have a few family pictures to one side as you can see. The other side is the bathroom, an old heater closet that was transformed into a utility closet and the master bedroom door. The end of the hall is daughters future room.

This is the tiniest most useless closet in the house. When the house was first built in 1955 they must have had no idea how to get maximum storage capacity out of a closet. This is on my to do list. And please never mind the mirror the housekeeper must have missed that one ;)

Across from the mirror is a blank wall. What do you put there??? Art work, another mirror? I have an idea for later down the remodel road. Replace the door with a nice new one and hang a mirror on the blank wall. Genius Idea!!!
In the mean time it will stay blank, unless you have an Idea?

My plan for the hallway is to brighten it by painting the entire thing white. I will replace the original light fixture to something more modern and repaint the picture frames black and add more family photos. I might add some other art or photos I have taken in blank spaces. And the carpet is going. Original hardwood throughout.

Until next time!!!

Deep Aubergine

Ok, so the bedroom is quite a mess. The color is dated and the furniture is from a long time past. I think the only things we are keeping in this room are the dresser and the Chippendale mirror. The rest is either going to be sold for extra decorating money, repainted or moved somewhere else in the house. 

 I do work from our room also. At least that is what I tell myself. I am trying to eliminate the work area from there by creating a work space where the dining area is now.

 In the future, when our debts are paid off, we are putting in a master bath. The door to the bath will be where the window is above the desk.

 This is my very favorite piece of furniture we own, aside from the mirror. I love the look and the warm color. It's a keeper.

 Ahhh, the closet doors. dated and a brassy gold color. I am so happy that we can powder coat them to match our color scheme. Since I am going to move the Chippendale and use it as a focal point above the bed I need to come up with a way to either reglaze the existing with 1/4 inch tempered sandblasted glass or create a decal to go over the mirror or have the mirror etched and sandblasted with my design. I am so thankful my husband is a glazier.

 Now the armoire is just a storage spot for all my misc. craft things and sewing machine. I bought it with the intention of painting it shabby but have since lost interest in that style. So there it sits waiting to be refinished. I did pin something about an armoire someone used to hold all of her jewelry and makeup and accessories. I might do that and give it to daughter when she gets her own room.
I have an idea to replace the armoire and desk with a few ladder shelves, a wall sconce and a cozy chair for my reading nook.

There it sits. My Chippendale. Husband and I found it in the water heater closet of his mom's house 12 years ago. The gold leaf was completely gone and the bells were no where to be found. So we painted it black and put in a beveled mirror.
This thing is huge, about as tall as me 5' and heavy. It makes a bold statement and now I want it as a focal point when you walk in the room. We are keeping it black.
Black will be my accent color in this room. A light blue with white trim and black accent pieces. I think I can make that work.
We shall move on the the hallway tomorrow, nothing too exciting just a regular dark 1950's style hallway.
How would you decorate this space? What color scheme would you use?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
Until next time!

Decorating Challenge

Lately I have been bored, REALLY bored. I have accomplished most of my goals and have been feeling blah about what to challenge myself with. I love creating a home for my family and an inviting environment for friends, so I decided I am going to challenge myself to decorate the entire main living area, master bedroom, hallway and bathroom for $1000.

I have to re-purpose, recycle, reuse, repaint, reupholster, refinish existing furniture. All supplies have to be purchased on sale, or from HFH The Re-Store or off craigslist. All extra furnishings and accessories are going to be purchased on sale, from thrift shops, garage sales, flea markets or hand me downs from family. I also have the challenge of purchasing a new sofa that is reasonably priced.

We do have a few items that we will not buy used - like the sofa and the master bedroom mattress and bedding.

These pictures are of the first area to tackle. The living and dining room combined. You see a mixture of furnishings husband and I have received as hand me downs or IKEA furniture from our younger years. Nothing is new except the fireplace insert and the TV. The hardwood is also original to the house.

As far as decorating style, I am still working on that. I have a family of 4 that needs to live comfortably for the next 20 years. And each of us has a different style.

I would love to make it beachy with white and aqua and a splash of yellow.

Hubby would probably leave it as is (most men don not like change).

Daughter would have it pink and black and sparkly with a disco ball on the ceiling.

Son would have cars, toys and books everywhere (he's only 2).

First thing I know is that it needs paint and lots of it. 12 years is too long for that grey blue color of the walls. Oh, but wait till you see the master bedroom.

If you think the living room color needs updating wait till you see the master bedroom! I will give you a hint Deep Aubergine!

Until Next Time!