crowned!

It pains me to admit, but this project was one of the first we put on the list for beautifying the living room: crown moulding. We finally had it installed, and now we're leaving. Lesson learned - next time we'll DO those things on the To Do List.





It still needs patching and painting, and then we're having the walls painted, so it will look even better. For someone else to enjoy. (No, I'm not bitter. Not at all.)

sofa update

I would really love to buy a new sofa now, but I'm not sure that's a good idea with a climbing, drooling, sticky-fingered toddler in the house.

So I found a decent slipcover on Overstock.com and roped Mom into sewing new pillowcases.

Before:


During:


After:



It will do. Thanks Mom!!

painting!

The living room was painted a little over three years ago and it looked fine, but the super-white walls were a bit much, especially since Chachi won't let me hang anything on the poor, long, blank, bare wall. So, we decided to find a subtle color and tone down the white.


I originally thought we'd find a really pale blue, to complement the dark blue wall, but more than a dozen paint chips and at least six sample pots of paint later, and we finally chose Sea Pearl, which is basically white.



Mom and Dad were a big help reason the project was completed at all, and on their anniversary too!



It's a little more subtle than I was aiming for but it looks great.





Next step: crown moulding.

wrestling match

Joni and Chachi versus The Couch.

The Couch wins, hands down.

brick by brick

I've wanted to paint the fireplace since we moved in, and Chachi finally agreed.

Before:


During:


After:


Now I'm considering painting the inside too, but we'll get used to it first and then decide. I also want to add quarter round moulding.

mirror, mirror, on the wall

Ikea had a nice simple mirror, but it was painted gold, and everything else in the house is brushed nickel. Nothing a little metallic spray paint can't fix!

more curtains

File this one in the "Finally!" category.

At Ikea a few weeks ago we picked up some sheer curtains for the living room and got around to hanging them yesterday. Nothing all that exciting, but at least it's something to check off the to-do list.

new and improved

With the arrival of our new chairs, we also welcomed a new floor lamp to the living room. The bookcase has moved to the dining room (at least temporarily) and we rearranged the living room.

thirty-wonderful

Another birthday, another wonderful present for the house - thanks Mom and Dad!

we have curtains

and they match the rug!

It's a little embarrassing to admit how long it took to get these up, so we'll just skip the details.