Showing posts with label Sunroom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunroom. Show all posts

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Thrifty Monday & Transformed Tuesday!

Hey everybody! My little project is just some cheap melamine doors my stepdad found in the dumpster! They look like they were from a kid size cabinet. He thought I might be able to do something with them. I had these cork squares that I got from a yard sale for 25 cents. The doors were already white and I thought I would just stick the cork inside the frame on the front of the door. I used some ribbon to hang them by the doorknobs. Easy peasy!


I just covered the seams with how I put the stuff on the cork board. Now I have a place to put my inspiration photos near where I sit to do my blogging - which is at one end of our sunroom.

Here's some more bargains from my home office area:


I love the framed art from Kirkland's that I got at a yard sale for $2!!! It still had the $69 price tag on the back!!! Birdhouse on a stand and metal bucket are both from yard sales, too! The cloth napkin is another bargain from Pier 1!


I'm joining my favorite Mr. Linky parties:
Met Monday - Between Naps on the Porch
Today's Thrifty Treasures - Southern Hospitality
and Trash to Treasure Tuesday - Reinvented!

I love seeing what everyone has come up with this week! Please head on over and check them all out!




Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Using Cats in Home Decor

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Okay, so I know this blog is supposed to be about home decorating...stay with me here! I think I can tie it all together...

Cats make wonderful accessories for your home! They can add that special something to your cozy chair in the corner of your bedroom - see photo above! That's my daughter's cat, Meg. She's a real beauty queen, isn't she? She's got that super model pose going on, like a real pro!

They also make great basket fillers:

MEG
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PENNY
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They make great last-minute gifts, too...

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MEG



They look great on an end table...

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MR. SHADOW


They look fabulous placed around your sunroom...

MEG
PENNY
PENNY AND MR. SHADOW

PENNY


I must admit they aren't that useful to have around
when you are trying to make your bed...

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PENNY


Thanks for letting me share some of my favorite photos of our fabulous felines! I really love them! They have given us so many hours of entertainment! Pets make a house a feel like a home!



Just a couple more...

This post is dedicated to Lexy! RIP pretty girl! Miss you!
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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

This Humble House

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This is our Humble House! It was built in 1958 and sits in the middle of a beautiful old neighborhood full of tree-lined streets and gorgeous homes. It's just the kind of neighborhood that I always wanted to live in, like something out a TV show. I love to just go on walks and just study the houses. They all have such character! So many details to look at - the gabled roofs, the multi-paned windows, the landscaping! I can't say enough about how truly Blessed we feel to live here! We waited a very long time to buy our first home and it has meant so much to us!

We searched on-line every day, but in the end it was up to us to hit the streets and just drive up and down looking. That's what we did! We drove and drove and drove some more. That is how we really narrowed down where we wanted to live. And, once we had the neighborhood figured out - we just tried to be patient and wait.

We only found our house by accident. Our on-line searches were for 3 bedroom houses, not 2 bedrooms! My hubby found it by driving around the neighborhood.

At that time our house was built, 2 bedroom floor plans were still popular. But, thanks to some remodeling over the years, the front living/formal dining was divided into 2 parts. The old dining room was changed to an office and the door was added. This created an extra room with out a closet. Because of the missing closet, it can't be called a 3 bedroom. (If we ever move, we will probably put a closet in before we sell)

As for what we did about the missing closet in what is now our son's room...
We gave him a section of a large closet located near the hall bathroom. It has worked out just fine so far. If it does become a pain for him, we can always build a closet in his room. He got his bunk beds that he always wanted and he likes the location of his room, near the action. So he's a happy camper right now!

Here's the floor plan we were given by the appraiser:
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It is the classic floor plan, with the formal area across the front and the big picture window. I am so thankful to whomever it was that decided to close up the dining end of the front room! We would never have been able to consider this house if they hadn't!

Here's some photos I took on the day of closing and right before we moved in:

This is the family room. I really love the beams across the ceiling and the tube skylights. The fireplace had been painted, and I really liked how it looked.

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To be honest, I was not a huge fan of tile floors. I would have much preferred hardwood floors. But these are really pretty! I love how they laid them in a diamond pattern. On the right side of the picture you can see the opening to the sunroom.

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The sunroom is what really sold us on the house! We really wanted some kind of extra room or space to have a home office and just another place to hang out in the house. I asked for the furniture as part of the deal and they agreed! They even threw in the rug! This is my favorite part of the house. I really enjoy the views of the backyard and all the windows.


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The dining room also has the beams across the ceiling. Like I said before, this was the formal living area when the house was originally built. It makes for a pretty big dining room! That's a good thing, because I have a large table and hutch. We can keep the leaves in the table now and it fills up the room. It was already painted the perfect green for my country Italian theme. It just needs a new light fixture and maybe a different window treatment that is less formal.

The kitchen was remodeled by the former owners. This was a huge plus for us, all the work was done! The appliances were all new and they really did a nice job. I actually liked the wallpaper, too! I have been able to work with it - I like the colors and the grape theme just fine.


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This is the corner bedroom and guest bath. Both the bedrooms have a pink-toned carpet. Not my first choice! But it is a neutral tone atleast! This bedroom has the lovely multi-paned windows that I always wanted!
The really neat thing about the bathroom counters is that they are the extra tall height. It is really nice to stand in front of to get ready in the morning. The wallpaper has to go and eventually we hope to replace the sinks, toilet, tub and tile. But with a little paint and some accessories we can live with it for a while. It is a nice size for the kids to share and I love that it has 2 sinks. There is also plenty of storage for them to each have a section of drawers.

Another really cool thing about the house is the doors! If you look closely in the photo of the dining room above you can see the hall closet door. All the doors in the house are solid wood multi-paneled doors. They are so beautiful! I think they really add charm to the house.


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Lastly, this is the master bedroom. We really liked the size of it. It also has 2 large windows and nice his and hers closets. The bathroom is a good size for a house from this time period. I don't mind not having a tub, the shower is really nice. Notice the octagonal mauve sinks! There is also a mauve Kohler toilet to go with them! More ugly wallpaper that had to go. But in this bathroom the tile is a nice clean white. I can work with that for now.

Well that's a little "before" tour of our house. I will post the "afters" soon. Thanks for looking!


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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Decorating in a Casual Style



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

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Good Life

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My philosophy is to never pay retail for anything - if I can help it! I get such a thrill over finding a bargain! If I can create a beautiful home by shopping wisely then I have double the satisfaction! Lately I've been spending a lot of Saturdays going to yard sales and thrift shops! This is something that I enjoy doing with my family - my mom is my favorite companion. Occasionally the menfolk join us too, but they have a much shorter attention span! Mom and I understand how to shop!

Everything in the picture above is from a thrift store, clearance price or yard sale! These items have a home in our sunroom keeping in line with my garden theme. I love the bright colors and, of course, the birds!

To me that's truly living "The Good Life" - to not be wasteful by paying too much. Shopping smart and having a blast doing it! Saving money makes me giggle!

- Pam