Tuesday, August 31, 2010

J


ust a couple more things and you're (we're) almost there!

Okay now technically, you can live without a side table or a coffee table. But having one makes a room looks so much more put together, it's surprising what it adds to a room.

I've never in my life paid a bunch of money for a coffee table. Current coffee table in front room:
It's an old chest. It actually opens and everything - though there's nothing in it at the moment, you could use it for storage. Cost? Free. For this one I have to give credit to my friend Shando who saw a lady putting them out for pick-up by goodwill and asked if she could have them instead. The lady said "sure...just giving them away" - they were kind of gross and really needed to be cleaned up but be each got one exactly the same. Now I have left mine rustic and busted looking but you could technically paint this in a high gloss and I also think that would look cool.



How much do you love THIS? I adore it.

This is an old library card cataloge a woman bought at a yard sale. GENIUS idea.

Another yard sale find - this is the kind of thing you might walk away from because well - maybe too frou frou on the lines...it was originally a pinkish color apparently maybe in a little girls room or something. But re-painted and then with the fern stencil? It looks awesome. Don't walk by things too quickly. Imagine not what they are, but what they could be.

I don't have a table in my back room anymore - I have a big ottoman instead, you can do something like this if it makes more practical sense and people are putting their feet up all the time anyways.

Okay this room more or less does exactly what we're talking about. Neutral couch but CUTE pillows, and what cool chests?! No idea where they found them but something like this can look awesome. You might think it wouldn't work...the red with all the other colors? But it so DOES.

Another ottoman idea, these are easily found everywhere and they are usually around $100 bucks new. The top flips off and you can store magazines or whatever inside.


Boring? Kinda...but this is exactly the same kind of thing I'm talking about - sorta semi-bordering on ugly couches but they can totally be fixed with pillows an that table is so clean and simple you can go a million ways with it - high gloss black, high gloss red, high gloss yellow, White! Orange! Think of it! there are so many possibilities here and this is exactly the kind of table you can find ALL OVER the place at second hand shops and yard sales.



Ignore how polished and perfect this room looks. Tables like this are also something you'll run across not only at a garage sale or a 2nd hand place but those mexican import shops and usually for quite cheap. I have something similar outside under my shelter made of teak and it was around $100 brand new. It would go with ANY decor because rustic wood like this usually works in with anything.

Whew...I think we might only have one more post and then we'll be done exploring how to turn your room into a happy place that you love.

Oh yeah and currently side table in my front room: (btw, this is a really old photo, it's not in this spot anymore and I think it looks a lot better where I have it now - in fact, my whole house has had a few changes and there are more to come so I'll have to share an entirely new house tour with you in a bit...give me a few more weeks though...not quite there yet) But anyway see this table? Also free!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

And now for Part 5 - Lights, Camera, Action...

A


nd now for part 5...

And yes, there's probably at least a part 6 and maybe even a 7 - mainly because I'm trying to break this down into the most simple and basic steps that I possibly can.

Okay so if you missed the other parts see Here, Here, Here & Here...

And basically what we're trying to accomplish is we are trying to break down into the most simplistic means imaginable a way to turn your basically blah decor into something a little more exciting. Something that makes you feel good when you walk in the room. Something that makes you proud to have people over. Something that just elevates your mood just if only just a smidge when it's been a tough day.

So part 5

LIGHTING

Now, I'll admit this is something that I have yet learned to completely incorporate in the way that I would like to. I have big plans, but they've not been fully implemented yet - but I can see that lighting in a room, whether a table lamp, floor lamp, or hanging lamp can make a huge difference. I have these kind of nautical lamps hanging in my kitchen that I really like and I think they make the space much more interesting. When I finally get that new bedroom finished I'm working on (more updates on that slowly moving project later), I'd like to at least work some cool lighting in there in a few spots to really add something special to the room.

So consider it. If you don't want to completely change the over-head lighting, add an interesting table lamp or floor lamp. If you can change the over-head lighting but you don't want to spend a ton of money can I just say that again ETSY is a great place to find cool stuff. And Ikea has some great knock-off expensive looking danish and modern lighting for cheaps. But here are some inspiring photos to get you started, and if you're super handy, some of these are even DIY projects (and don't let the super polished rooms discourage you, JUST look at the lighting):



















Friday, August 27, 2010

My latest efforts...

M


y latest efforts to capture some beauty...I may never quit this 365 project because most of the time, I take more than one photo a day, and most of the time, I like more than one of them and can't pick. It's like choosing your favorite child. It seems unfair sometimes. And it's good for me, it's healthy to look at the world always searching for a visual moment that conveys something beyond what it seems to be.































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