Affordable Art for the Family Room

I'm joining Transformation Thursday over at The Shabby Chic Cottage!

The first decorating blog I ever saw was The Nesting Place! I was just blown away by her style, her ideas and her philosophy! I felt like I had found a friend! My favorite idea was when she used doors on the wall as art! Brilliant!

We had lived in our house for over a year and I had yet to put anything above the sofa in the family room. I wanted something with a big impact. And I wanted to create it myself.
I knew this was the right idea for me because lo and behold - I had a set of doors just sitting out in the shed! They were left here by the previous owner! Perfect!



I used some exterior green paint I found out in the shed, too! They were in pretty good shape, just needed a good cleaning. Sorry I don't have any before photos - this was before I had ever thought about doing a blog! But, I just painted them green and then roughed them up a bit.


I found the metal art at Hobby Lobby - 50% off of course! Everything just kind of came together and worked! I can always change out what I put on and around them, but the doors are not going anywhere! It took hubby and I forever to hang them! The big obstacle was the fact that there are 2 of them and I wanted them hung tightly together! It was a chore, but we got through it!


I showed the fireplace in this room for Thrifty Monday. And some other parts of the room here.

I'm going to head on over to The Inspired Room and see what everyone is posting for her Fall Nesting 2009!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Thrifty Monday

Well, I didn't make it to the yard sales this week! My partner in crime is under the weather! (Hi Mom - Love You!) So, I thought I would show my fireplace. It's chocked full of thrifty treasures!



I have kind of a nature/bird theme going in my family room. The tile, brick and paneling were all recently re-done when we moved in. They were well thought out and look really good together. Unfortunately, they have a bit of a pinkish tone. That's not exactly what I would have chosen for my Autumn color scheme. I decided to go for it anyway and I think it still works.

Here's the rundown of what I have on my fireplace starting on the mantel going from left to right:


Oops...left a couple of candles on the mantel, didn't mean to do that! The topiary has a match on the other end. I got one of them at Michael's with a coupon and the other I found at a yard sale shortly after! Bird house art from Hobby Lobby - when they had one of their framed art 50% off sales! The green pineapple candle holder was from a yard sale. I love the yellow bird candle holder! I got that at a thrift store for $6. I thought it looked good with the pineapple 'cuz they are the same kind of metal.


Okay, so confession time...see the little metal sign that says FAMILY? Well, it's hanging on a big fat nail that I can not take out! I didn't want to do a traditional centered piece of art, so I just had to find something to hang there. That's what I came up with for now. Got the FAMILY metal sign at Hobby Lobby when metal stuff was half off. I love the mini topiary and white iron bird! Those are from the thrift store, paid a couple of bucks for each of them. The LIVE-LAUGH-LOVE is from Kirkland's. I bought it with a gift certificate I got as a house-warming gift. They still sell a similar sign with those words, but they changed the design a bit right after that. I like this one best.


So I really like things made of wire, like little chairs, birdcages, baskets...I've had these a long time and I don't remember where I got them or how much I paid. The lamp was a gift from my mother-in-law, she couldn't use it anymore. The metal square art is from Hobby Lobby (50% off) and the "C" was a gift.

That is a one-of-a-kind original watercolor painted by my Mom! It's one of my favorite things and it is in a place of honor so I can look at it every day! Thanks Mom!
More little chairs, bucket was a gift. I just stuck some fake Hobby Lobby grass and berries in it. Those are extra pillows from our sofas.


So, that's a peak at my family room! I wanted to do it now, because I've started decorating for fall. It's all different now!

I'm joining Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch and Today's Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality! Let's head on over and check out all the treasures and transformations!

Art from Reclaimed Wood

Love this! It's from Pottery Barn - of course! They just do everything right! I think a person could duplicate this design if they had a pile of scraps, a saw, some paint and a lot of free time! Or they could just buy it here.



Another great piece of art from Pottery Barn!

Pottery Barn

Who doesn't love stars?

Pottery Barn

I may just have to buy myself a circular saw...



...and some wood...I guess buying new wood would kind of defeat the purpose, huh?



I have the paint and the nails though... :-)

Hooked on White Kitchens

Country Living

White kitchens! I am hooked on them! I know that they may not be the current trendy choice, but I think their classic qualities make them timeless! There is just something about the clean, fresh feeling of white cabinets and bright colors!

Country Living

Of course, kitchens with a little whimsy in them are the best! Casual style - open shelves, rustic sign, using above the cabinets as storage..

Country Living

White and rustic! Perfect combination! Love the old farmhouse sink and antique table turned island. The wood floors painted white and chandelier for a kitchen light keep it casual.

Country Living

Painted white floors, mis-matched stools, open shelving & fishy accents make this kitchen so warm and inviting!

...and a few more Country Living

Country Living

Country Living

I joining Hooked On Friday over at Hooked on Houses! Click here to see what others are hooked on!

Decorating in a Casual Style

BHG

This is a great example of a room decorated with a wonderful mix of styles. Here's what I love about this room: I love the overall feeling of it. It feels like a relaxing comfortable retreat! The mixture of wicker and upholstered pieces keeps it more casual. This room has a beachy feel with the color scheme, sailboats, sea shells and beach-themed art. And the color on the side table is just enough to add a bit of whimsy! This is my kind of decorating!

Country Living

The photo above shows a mix of traditional with rustic for a perfectly casual look! I love the contrast of textures in this room - the rug, the blanket, the old wooden benches! They also balanced the strong elements by the way they placed the checkerboards and sailboat art. This room is so inviting, you just want to grab a cup of coffee and a great magazine and have a seat! I also like the element of whimsy with the large apple on the table in the corner!

Enjoy a few more examples of casual decorating with a touch of whimsy!

Southern Living



Southern Living



House Beautiful