Disclaimer: crappy phone pictures ahead. I have got to get out my real camera again... once I find the box I stored it in...
Part of the problem of moving to a bigger house is that we did not have enough furniture. We had downsized so much and sold so many things between Atlanta and Savannah, upon moving to SC we didn't have much! And we still have a budget. I didn't want to "fill it up" just for the sake of filling it up. This is most likely a house we'll be in 5-10 years (and probably even longer), and so we are trying to take our time finding the right pieces.
A friend of the family gave my girls her childhood desk. I'm in love with it. It's Evans's new favorite place to color, do "her work" as she calls it, and play games on the iPad. So cute. It fits perfectly in our kitchen, which is nice because it's a place she can stay occupied while I am in the kitchen preparing a meal or doing the dishes.
We also found bar stools sort of on accident. I was at HomeGoods looking for a present for a friend's housewarming, and saw these. I immediately thought they were funky, but kept looking at them. I thought my hubby would either love them or hate them, I wasn't sure which.
I took Hubs to see them, and I kind of felt like he was going to be indifferent (since that's how he is about almost every decor related thing- ha). He loved them! It took me by surprise, but anyway we bought them that day.
I also found chairs for the living room. These were for sale on Facebook Marketplace (my favorite!). Randomly, they were for sale from a friend of my mom's. They are like-new (sat in a traditional sitting room). The shape is really cool and the size was right for this room. I love the green (of course I do), but we are going to have them reupholstered. Most likely a handsome tweed or a velvet. TBD. Both chairs were $70. I call that a win!
And this week I also found a TV stand. We had to shuffle the room around some when we decided that we needed a TV downstairs. We usually always watch TV upstairs in the loft area, but we figured if we have people over or there's a late game on, it's going to be hard to gather upstairs just outside the girls' bedroom. So, TV in this room meant we needed some sort of media furniture. I wanted something low and somewhat midcentury ish to tie in the bar stools and chairs.
If you are wondering, yes I stalk places like HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and Marshalls for quality furniture. They get in new shipments every week, so you just have to keep looking and be patient. Something will come along.
And something DID come along! Woohoo. This piece was the right size- I was looking for something no longer than 60" (it's 58"), no taller than 30" (it's 28") and no deeper than 18" (it's 15"). Boom. The shape is right- simple rectangle with the angled legs- I thought it could read as midcentury (for hubby). The color and glaze finish work with my personal style- which is more coastal rustic (and a touch traditional). Hubby signed off on it, so home it came yesterday! Yay! It was about HALF the price at HG that I've see it for online. Solid wood, antique silver pulls. Score.
The large area to the left of the TV, I want to hang the house paintings I had done by my friend Kloo (IG: @kch_artful). I'm on the hunt for the right frames though. Something oversized with big mats. The paintings are each 5x7.
And then this area, if I'm honest the bench doesn't work here. It is a little too "movie theater" with a sofa and a bench behind it, both facing the same way. I'd love to eventually do some sort of tall chest/wardrobe/bookshelf on this wall. It needs something with height.
Eventually, we get an upholstered ottoman and probably small ottomans for the chairs. Something like these from Ballard:
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| http://www.ballarddesigns.com/nala-stool/400806 |
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| http://www.ballarddesigns.com/hayes-ottoman/408463 |
And I'd like to also replace the blinds with something bamboo to add in more texture. Texture is EVERYTHING if you have a neutral color palette. If your room is falling flat- it probably doesn't have enough texture- mix your elements. Metal, wood, fabrics, baskets, rugs, etc. Every room can use something chippy and old in my opinion.
The other thing to do in here is to eventually get some curtains up. I've been eyeing these at Ballard:
I'll probably just wait until I'm in Atlanta again and check out the Ballard outlet. They always have amazing deals! The curtains have to be 108", so it's not cheap.
It's fun to see how this room has evolved!
Before moving in:
Now:
On a random note, I've been listening to a ton of podcasts lately while I work, do chores, etc. (I know, I know, NERD ALERT). One I listen to is Young House Love Has a Podcast. They had Melissa from Clean My Space on the show. She was giving her tips on cleaning hardwood floors. You guys, I'll never clean my floors another way again. It's so easy and won't harm your wood! Woo! Basically a combination of vinegar, dish soap, and a microfiber mop and cloth. Look her up on her YouTube channel. I've been using many of her house cleaning tips and they really work.
Some other great podcasts ~~ Stuff You Should Know, Stuff You Missed in History Class, Saw Bones, My Brother My Brother & Me... I also just finished S Town, which came from the makers of Serial and This American Life (both I've listened to, both I liked). It was so highly talked about and reviewed that I gave it a shot. I'll be honest, it is one of those you can just binge listen to. But I found it to be extremely depressing. It left me feeling pretty icky.
Another one I just heard about is Stuff Mom Never Told You, which sounds interesting.
Any good podcasts you've been on lately?
