Pink Living Room #1

Again, some of you wanted me to post on my living room after we did the pink paint on the walls and, while you can see it on my right hand sidebar by clicking, I'll do it for you.

The walls are Behr paint called Cupid's Arrow and is definitely pink. I am loving it. It feels like I live in a pink cake box with white frosting (the trim) or in a confectionery store. I tried several different kinds of curtains but these plaid ones look the best with the pink walls. The pink pillows are another TJMaxx find for $13.00 each this time but still feather pillows. The other pillows on the right I made from a gorgeous roses barkcloth fabric and the one of the left is from my friend, Rhea, who made it. My lamps are ones I got about 6 years ago and added the silk roses to the shade.

I stack boxes under my coffee table. Paper covered boxes and fabric covered boxes bought mostly in Calif. when we lived there. I only bring beautiful things into this house. (Well, okay, mostly beautiful things!)They contain storage for things not pertaining to my sewing or craft room or for my office. See what you can do with a bit of creativity. I have numerous hat boxes in most rooms to hold other storage also. I'm very limited in this 1800 sq. ft. house but it's easy to keep clean...that is when Love Bunny remembers to take off his mud trackers at the laundry room door. ;-)

I have numerous plates I try to hang on walls where appropriate without looking too crowded. I'm finding since the walls are pink and not beige I'm less likely to fill them with so much froufrou and fluff since I'm loving the color so much. I'm also not a fan of cathedral ceilings but they came with the house and not much I can do about it. But I do love my ceiling fan and am just trying to figure out how I can hook up a chandelier to it. Not sure it can be done, but I love chandeliers. If there's a way I'll figure it out, but in this Idaho desert we need ceiling fans way more than we need chandeliers.

I had to give one plant shelf to hubs for his limited edition prints of trains. But I also put up some vintage train cases. Most of them I've either covered in roses fabric or decaled. One in front of that vintage fence gate is still in its original form, but when I can find the time I'll be doing it in fabric also. I have one or two in my craft room waiting for me to finish it also.

My tribute to my favorite artist, Susan Rios. I absolutely adore this woman and her paintings. Most on the wall are hers—either paintings or limited edition prints. The one of the woman in the black hat with roses reminds me of Susan's self-portrait she did many years ago. I've emailed her to let her know this. I picked that picture up in Goodwill for $2.00!

The lampshade is another one I decorated with paper roses and lace. I bought that antique chair on the left of the sofa table at a store in California last year. I've piled books on it and put one of my vases from a collection I have and stuck some realistic roses in it. The trunk under the table is my hubby's old USMC trunk he had. I painted it white and use it for storage now since I doubt he'll be shipped out to foreign lands again. :-)

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Foofing Up the Curtains......Again

If you knew how many curtains and bed coverings I had in this house you would NOT believe me. Just let me say there are many different ones. I've tried to cut down by joining "Foofy Curtain Anonymous" but even they have given up on me and thrown me out. Love Bunny was very sad at this, hoping that they could cure me. *Sigh*......... However, it makes me happy. If it makes me happy and doesn't hurt anyone then why in the world would I WANT to fix it? Hmmmm????

Okay, okay, with that being said, let me show you what the living room looked like a few days ago and what it looks like now.

I bought these dark red panels in January at Home Fabrics in Boise at a great price and hung them up. They seemed a bit dark and I thought I'd get used to them and truly do love the color, but I'm striving for more light in this north facing dark living room. I didn't get used to them!

Living room up until a few days ago.

Soooo while perusing through WM the other day I came upon these little pink and green jewels. One of my favorite color combinations. Now, how in the world could I have missed these panels as I'm a frequent WM shopper? So I bought these two pairs to see which one went better. I liked the plaid better. I love stripes and plaids and medium checks but plaids overrule the stripes and checks. Hence, I kept the 2 plaid panels, took back the 2 stipes and bought the very last 2 plaid panels. Whew, just in time!

Living room today. I do like the less formal lighter color and whimsey of a buffalo pink and green plaid. Much lighter for that room. I tied them with pink satin ribbon bows and put on pink paper roses to jazz them up a bit. Decorating is my most favorite thing to do........especially when Love Bunny says right in the middle of decorating that he wants to go camping the next day. *Sigh*....... He is still alive and kicking and I told him I needed one extra day. You DO NOT tell this chick the night before that you want us to go into the woods for a couple of days. I need at least 2 days notice to get used to the idea of communing with nature: bugs, skunks, bears, flies, other campers(?!), no showers and wood smoke!

Then there's the family room. It's striving for the shabby chic relaxed look with quilts thrown over chairs, a green stripe slipcover for the sofa and white lace sheers topped with ruffled white curtains. I also bought a white curtain rod and lowered it to show off our white woodwork. It's truly very pretty wood work and I don't want to put any holes in it so I lowered the new rod to either side of the window, which is south facing and gets a lot of light. I do love this look in here. It's very feminine, froufrou-y and light. There's only so much I can do to this north/south facing house for lightness, chicks. Maybe later we can get another solar tube in the living room but not at the moment. However, I do need to patch the wallpaper in here and the room will be painted pink next week. Squeeeeeeeeeal!! Can't wait to see this room in pink.

I composed this post and prescheduled it before the family room was painted pink so you'll understand what's going on since it is beige in these photos.
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Random Thought:

Try to follow your heart in everything that is good and beautiful. You'll never be sorry.

Friend's Home Tour #2

This is a better shot of that antique sewing machine and the lovely entry to my friend's home.

Turning right at the dining room takes us into their living room. Those windows are facing south. The little cottage is just visible through the right window. White painted tables and luxurious deep-cushioned sofas and chairs and PINK lamp shades! I just adore how she has taken a sort of Idaho log home and made it so romantic. I would have done exactly the same as she has done. Then she's tied back sheer curtains on the wood trimmed windows. Oooh, did I mention her hubby built this house for them? Well, he did. It is very pretty and large also. Just wait till you see it all.

River rock fireplace. Phyllis has flowers and plants all over this home. Plus she gardens in the spring and summer and usually has a vase of flowers for the pulpit at church. She can really grow beautiful flowers.

The lady of the house also plays piano and I think teaches some of her kids to play also. Luxurious white shag carpet and a vintage rocking chair. Hubby made that clock on the wall also. He cut the wood and then someone in the family painted it. Talent abounds in this family.

Close up of the clock.

Her kitchen. Squeeeeeeeal!! I love the boldness of red. She is not a wimp when it comes to colors, I tell you. She's a woman who knows what she wants and does it regardless. Astounding and fantastic she is. Red microwave, plates, skillet, stools at the countertop, pantry door, hanging pot holder.

Red and white checked curtains at her front window looking out into her entry garden. Red transferware plates on her wall above the sink window.

Yep, hubby made this clock also! I have to tell you this man is the kindest, sweetest, gentlest man I've ever met. He is such a humble man he is most like Christ in any person I've ever met. I guess you have to have patience when you have 11 children!

They've done a faux finish on this wall. Notice another chandelier in this family dining area. A woman after my own heart!! I only have one but she has MANY! But I'm thinking of getting more for my home. *Wink*

They just this past week got their first computer. It is kept in this area and you'll see it on the left side just a wee bit. You'll also notice she has a battenburg lace tablecloth on her table. She's a true stay-at-home wife and mother.

Okay, hold me back here!! Look at this stunning shabby chic white feminine bedroom! Blue and white toile curtains inset into those log windows. And another chandelier. Plus a pink lamp shade with roses on it. Squeeeeeeealing with delight! I know she loves pillows also.

Okay, that's a teaser of the bedroom to come in the next post of their home.

New Architectural Element

I had to update living room!

Not much difference except that I changed the architectural element in my living room over the sofa. I have high ceilings and have wondered for 3 years how to do something to bring them down to size. This is my start.

I'm the kind of person that doesn't care for major changes when I finally find something I like. Oh, it may come but it won't come frequently. Any other ideas??? I'm open, chickadees. Just don't take away my shabby roses pillows or my "fluff"!!