Rugs, Rugs and more Rugs!

Overstock.com was having a crazy sale on rugs. So, after a few hours online looking, debating, thinking, I bit the bullet and ordered a new living room rug, new hall runner and a new door mat for the front door. To my utter surprise, the living room rug arrived this morning! This of course meant that things had to be re-arranged!

I had always wanted to put an older carpet in our kitchen. The floor space is just big enough to really put something lovely down. So now that I have my black carpet back in motion (it had been in the living room) I tried it.

It's a little too long for the space and I'm not keen on how it sticks out into the hallway since there will be a runner.....

Yeah. Not working. It's just a bit too long and not wide enough. So onto my next idea.

Dining room with no rug. It works fine. I think there's a lot of wood tones going on but its not bad.

Dining room with rug. I think I like it. It adds a little something. So it will be staying for now!

Last week before our last big BBQ of the Summer, I got 2 new pillows for the couch to lighten up all the dark blue.

Before is above, after is below! The yellow and green down cushions add a punch of color!

Now add the new rug! (You can see the edge of the black rug above for contrast. I felt like the living room was a dark pit against the bright yellow walls and white curtains!)

Much better balance already! Now I'm even more excited about a new couch, armchair and possible ottoman...... in a few years.

Pardon my flip flops and the cords! This shot is straight down the hallway standing by the kitchen. I will put up more photos once the new runner and front door mat arrive!

Catching a Breath

We are now in the last week of August. sigh. The summer went to happy wedding events, BBQ's, time with family and friends and some house projects. I would be lying if I said I didn't have a good time - I certainly know I did!

But now, we are catching our breath a bit. September brings some travel (APH's play!), a birthday or two, planting in the yard (I want to get some good 'bones' in before the winter so we have a bit of a headstart on spring), and maybe, if I'm lucky, a few painting projects (2 1/2 baths, upstairs hall, dowstairs hall and stairs!).

I can look farther than Sept, but I currently don't want to because then we get into holidays and 1, possibly 2, more weddings. And this year my love of the holiday season I'm afraid might be on over-drive since we have the house! So I'm putting that off as long as possible so I won't get carried away!

So in the meantime, in this breath, I have been doing a bit of cleaning out but mostly re-organization in the upstairs guestroom, a bit in the kitchen and when I get up the courage, it will be time for the study. I'm slightly afraid of that room because I know I'm going to unpack boxes and want to keep the 'stuff' but not know where to put it or how to store it. AND, if I've been living without it for the 3 or 4 months since we moved in, do I really neeeed to keep it?

That is the current debate in my brain. What do you think? keep? store? donate?

PS - I cut my hair! Shorter than its been in a while. So my pic that shows on the blog is much more accurate now than it has been!!

Friday Night Celebration

Happy 27th Birthday, Jenny!!!! Can't wait to see the new house and celebrate!

Since the phone is a bit blurry, it was taken in the living room - hence the pale yellow walls and dark espresso of the entertainment center.

The painted white wicker basket has 3 mini glass candles in flavors of: tahitian vanilla, tropical mango and jasmine bouquet. The two brown bags are seed kits that can be grown in the bags - a perfect housewarming present for those that may not have gardens yet. The card is from one of my favorite card stores, Papyrus!

Latest Craigslist Finds

We have a big couch. Like really BIG: 8ft long by almost 4ft wide. YA. BIG. Since the arms are the same height as the back, we've always had trouble with side tables since they sit soooo low compared to the couch arm. A good friend of mine - who recently got married and is now on her honeymoon in PARIS! - her parents have always used an old table in leiu of a sidetable. So, I thought I would keep an eye out for some small 'antique' tables for our living room.

This set of 3 nesting tables was a great find for the living room! As you can see, their height makes them able to work next to the big couch arms and they are small enough to not take up too much room. (The woven basket sitting on them is filled with 4 lava coasters from Hawaii).

And the same woman selling the nesting tables was also selling this pair of stools. They go well with our hardwood floors and tuck nicely under the eat-in bar.

We have had no regret in either purchase and all told we spent $30 for everything!!!!

Inspiration Pics

These four pictures are courtesy of Restoration Hardware. One of my go to mags for inspiration!

Outdoor furniture. Clean lines, bright colors, comfy cushions, what's not to love?

An old high school friend is pregnant with her first and a few others have started seriously talking about having children. So when I saw this cute room-to-grow I couldn't resist! The crib expands to a toddler bed and then a full size! And, since most of the colors here are basic, white, chocolate brown and blue, you can add bolder colors and trade things out, or slip-cover the chair and away you go!

My parents have a library. I grew up with lots of books all over the house, so needless to say I found someone else (my husband) who also loves books! We have 1 awesome bookcase that is already double stacked so I'm on the lookout for another one ....... or two!

I have long been a fan of Candice Olsen on HGTV and one thing she always does in dining rooms is upholstered chairs like these. Now, I love our antique hardwood chairs and they will forever stay with the oak table in the eat in kitchen. But wouldn't the holidays in the formal dining room be comfier in the above chairs? mmmmmmmmm!

Long Awaited Pics Part 2

Our current dining room, which as you can see, needs new light fixtures and a sideboard or storage.

Random picture of Oliver helping out in the yard. I love the light in this picture which makes the grass look ALL green and ALL grass rather than just green stuff. sigh.

Current living room setup. Eventually it will be updated but for now, this is it!

Kitchen and my beloved fridge. I looooooove my fridge! I hope to put up under cabinet lighting and a finished backsplash.

I am hoping to shortly be painting the hallways (up and down) and possibly the 3 baths as well.

Let me know your thoughts!

Long Awaited Pics Part 1

For those of you who are still reading my blog - you have the patience of Saints!

As a GIANT thank you.... here are at long last, pictures of our new house. Enjoy!

Top of the stairs - this is Matt's dresser and my first amazing NH Craigslist find! It will eventually get new handles and a possible part paint job (still under discussion!) The black curtains are current leftovers from a prev apt. They are not permanent but we've been getting so much sun I had to do something to try and keep the upstairs hallway cool!

Also part of the upstairs hallway - my dresser - still needs new handles, but its been refinished by my MIL and is back in use! It may end up moving into the master though, I haven't decided.


Our stairs are split with a small landing - this is looking down to the front door on the right. The door straight ahead is our front hall coat closet.


This is from the top of the stairs down to the landing. You can see how very very WHITE this house is - yet another reason for me to get out the paint and get this hallway done!

Finished master. I love it. Simple, elegant, comfy and most of all - easy to maintain!!

Guestroom still under reno from my brother moving out. I have gotten it cleaned with the start of some pictures hung up, moved some furniture in, etc.

This is Matt's Grandfather's rocker along with some moulding ledges for pictures that have yet to be put up. As I said, this room is a work in progress. It's also missing a bed!

While I love the curtains, I think I will be adding some sheers eventually and also honeycombe shades for light blocking for our younger set of guests who aren't morning people like me!