love my simple home

Separating A Sectional Sofa & Other Changes

May 29, 2014, in Decorating

HELLO

Have you ever thought about separating a large sectional sofa? Well, that's exactly what I did.

I've been thinking about it for a while and I just went with it. I moved the chaise part of the sectional into the sitting area of my open-style kitchen.

separating-a-sectional-sofa-&-other-changes

It always seems to go..... when you move one thing you have to move another. My motivation to redecorate the living room came from the move of the chaise. I moved the mirror to the other side of the window and made a gallery wall where the mirror was. I placed the antique sewing table where the chaise use to be.

Here is a picture of the sectional and room

BEFORE

Molly loves it!
Lots of space to lounge around and look out the window.

Here are some of the other changes I made:

I placed a sofa table behind the sectional and removed the wall lamps. I replaced the wall lamps with two different style standing lamps but with matching shades.

By adding photos to the wall the eye is drawn up away from the sectional.

The blue pillows were already on the sectional. I just added accessories that match the color of the pillows to bring the room and the sectional together. I really went with my heart while moving things around and arranging photos on the wall. I chose things that I love and just had fun!

On the coffee table, I added a clam basket full of fresh-cut lilacs.

Romeo is sitting on the opposite side of the sectional from where Molly was sitting.

I think he likes the new look.

Molly is being such a good girl lying in her bed.
While Romeo has the sectional to himself.

The antique coffee table is handmade. Purchased at a yard sale for $15.00.

This is the corner where the chaise was.
I added a punch of color to this otherwise dark side of the room with playful frames filled with pictures of my daughter and nephew when they were little.
The lampshade & pillow I purchased at Target.

I hung a convex mirror on the opposite side of the room.
Can you spot me?

Looking in from the kitchen:
My ceiling is painted blue and the walls are gold (DaVinci Canvas by Benjamin Moore)
The trim on the curtains is a no-sew project...If you'd like, you can find out how I made them here

I stacked a couple of baskets next to the sectional for a handy side table with storage.

By taking the chaise off the end of the sectional I was motivated to make other changes to my living room.

Think with your heart when decorating your space!

And
if you are thinking of separating your sectional go ahead and take the plunge!
It's just furniture you can always move it back.

Through My Front Door With Lilacs And Cherry Blossoms

May 20, 2014,

Hello, How Are You?

Yes! spring is in the air and all the flowers are blooming everywhere. The cherry blossom tree just outside our front door is in full bloom and the lilac bushes up the road are at peak. I love this time of year when I can go outside and cut fresh flowers and bring them into our home.

I drove up the road and clipped a bunch of lilacs and placed some in a mirror window box in our tiny vestibule. I also clipt a few branches from our cherry blossom tree and placed them in a watering can.

(Guess where he's going)

You can see the reflection of the cherry blossom tree through the window panes in the mirror.

This is definitely aromatherapy. The fragrance is so uplifting! It puts a smile on my face☺

I placed a seashell found on the beach in the birdcage because summer is just around the corner.

The sweet sign was made by someone I used to work with at a flower shop.

I purchased the cabinet and the mirror at the same flower shop. Most of my paycheck was spent there buying so many pretty things. {A girl just can't resist... you know what I mean?}

Yup that's me

And this is my Romeo who never goes outside. He ended up inside the bush and it took me about 20 minutes trying to get him back inside the house.

Surround yourself with what you love and smile cause tomorrow is another day.....

Fresh Spring Changes

May 07, 2014,

Welcome Friends!

Today I am sharing small changes in the dining area

I changed things around in the dining area and the living room.

I took the living room curtains and rug and put them in the dining area.

Then I took the dining curtains and rug and put them in the living room.

Do you do that? Switch things from room to room.

Here is the antique stainless steel cabinet. It sits on the opposite side of the windows.

The wall color is Woodlawn Blue by Benjamin Moore

Here is an easy tip to hide a nail.

Place a seashell on top of it and it instantly becomes part of the frame.

I used two shells from my collection. I just placed them right on top of the nail.

The beautiful girl in the picture is my daughter Chelsea. My favorite subject to photograph.

We live in a coastal community, I took these pictures at the end of our road.

If you like my frames you can read how I made them here

I am open to any suggestions on how to decorate the fireplace mantel.

There is a built-in to the left of the fireplace.

I will share a post about it soon, this way you can see the whole thing.

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts about it I would love to hear them.

Thanks For The Visit

Antique Stainless Steel Cabinet

May 05, 2014, in Shelf Styling, Thrifting

Hi friends

Welcome to a new week.....

Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Let me introduce you to my Free Antique stainless steel medical cabinet!

Here is a little story on how I scored this stainless steel beauty for free

It was sitting by the back door of a dental office for the longest time, missing all of the glass shelves.
One day I got up the nerve to ask about it. I was told the dentist no longer needed the cabinet and whoever wanted it could have it for free.

Acting Quickly

I called on my husband to help me out. He loaded this heavy cabinet on his pick-up truck and drove it to our first home; a tiny two-bedroom cottage. (We had the glass shelves custom cut at a local glass shop).

We placed it in the corner of our living room. It looked really cute there, but I longed for it to be in a kitchen. A few years later we purchased our current home and now it sits proudly in our dining area.

I store a mix of white and blue plates, cups, bowls and other things on the shelves.