Sunday, February 28, 2016

FAMILY ROOM MAKEOVER

Dear Olive,

Whelp, I pulled the trigger and painted the back room molding.


It all started with our vintage side chair, which didn't jive with the 80s edition molding.  


I planned to paint the trim over the summer, but then I found this gem of a granny sofa at a local vintage shop.  It is actually the exact sofa my grandma had when I was growing up.  I removed the skirt to unearth some keen mid-century legs.  After that, I knew that I had to start painting to keep my ugly couch ironic instead of just ugly in the space.


Unfortunately, while I was taking down our very heavy wooden blinds, I crashed into my beloved blown glass lamp.  A few days later, I found this one at Goodwill for $6 and paired it with a black linen shade.


I finally assembled the Ikea cart that had been waiting in my attic and organized our picture book collection.


Recommended by Joni of Lay Baby Lay, I have loved this union rug from Pattern Society for some time and am pleased by how it works in the space.  


The builder-grade windows actually didn't have any panes in them.  I purchased this product to outfit the windows above the couch and used L brackets to overhang a century old sidelight window over the picture window.


The kids had painted these canvases as a Christmas gift and I love looking at them everyday.


Now I look forward to starting our day in the family room.  


Instead of an afterthought, it has become a favorite space!

Sunday, February 21, 2016

PAINTING HISTORIC MOLDING: DO OR DON'T?

Dear Olive,

I have been contemplating painting our dark molding for ages now.  It seems such a historic house sin, but how can that be so when you could go from this:


To this:


I can't get over how Jordan of Oh Happy Day has transformed her turn of the century space into modern vintage with a mere coat of paint.  Maybe it is for us?


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

PUPPY LOVE FOR VALENTINES DAY

Dear Olive,

This year for Valentines, both of the kids wanted to make boxes in the shape of dogs.  Puppies are a major thing around these parts.

Our dogs thought so too.  Hamilton and Burr may or may not have eaten the loot out of their boxes at the end of the night.  Dogmatic irony.