My sitting room is almost done

So the study on the main level has become my sitting room.  The hubby decided to use one of the bedrooms upstairs for his office as he said the study was too small.  Now at first I thought about painting all the woodwork white in here to make it bright and cheery.  Then I came to my senses and said why go to all that work.  So I decided to do an old world theme instead.

So here is the study before (with the furniture of the previous owners).  I didn't get a before picture of it empty since it never really was before I painted it.  I had to work around furniture and boxes.

So I like to remove light switch and outlet plates before I paint.  When I removed the light switch plate in this room I got to see what color the study was before the previous owners painted it this pinkish beige color.

I don't think that I could handle this room being teal and brown metallic.  I think that the original owners were into metallic faux painting.  When I took down the cornice board in the dining room and removed the brackets the wall had been faux painted with gold metallic.

I used two colors on my walls.  The one on the right is the base color and then I took some dark brown paint and applied it to create an old world effect.  I don't do anything fancy,  I just use damp paper towels and applied the darker color in a circular motion.  I make it heavier in some areas to make it look like there are more colors.

I am still need to hang some things on the walls and finish decorating the fireplace mantel.

The piece of furniture on the wall by the door is an old sheet music cabinet that I found at Goodwill for $20.  As you can see in the picture below it needs some work.  Yes that is tape on the left side.  The door doesn't stay closed so this is a temporary fix.  I was thinking about painting it but not too sure.

This is the wall that I still need to hang something on.  I was thinking about putting a corner shelf there and I have a metal container that I thought would look nice in between the bookcases that I could fill with greenery or flowers.  I am still working on my desk area on the right so no pictures of that wall yet.

Linking with
Life on Lakeshore Drive, Pink When, Dwellings The Heart of Your Home, Our Home Away From Home, Coastal Charm,Cozy Little House, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, StoneGable, Aspen Jay, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Bajan Texan, Oh My Heartsie Girl, A Delightsome Life, The Happy Housie, Rooted In Thyme, 21 Rosemary Lane, Have A Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, Katherine's Corner, Posed Perfection, Mila's Little Things, Imparting Grace, DIY Vintage Chic, Life With Lorelai, Shoestring Elegance, Pieced Pastimes, Scrapality

Spring has sprung in the kitchen

This morning I decided to decorate my kitchen table for Spring.  I thought I would keep with the theme that I used in the dining room using orange and green.  I would have liked to put more on the table but it isn't that big.

I am so ready for Spring.  The weather has been in the 50's and 60's these past few weeks but the forecast towards the end of next week show possible snow/rain mix.  I would rather have the rain since all the snow has finally melted from my yard.  I have that itch to plant flowers but I know better.  The rule of thumb here in Colorado is to what until the end of May.  One year I planted in the beginning of May since the weather had been so nice and then it snowed and killed just about everything I planted.

I love this jumping bunny that I found at Home Goods the other day.  

Here are a few different angles of the table.

I also found the bunny plates at Home Goods the same day.

So here is what the breakfast nook looks like.  Now I just need to get some Spring decorating done on the kitchen island. 

Linking with
Between Naps on the Porch, Tabler Party of Two, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Pink When, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home, Dwellings The Heart of Your Home, Coastal Charm, Cozy Little House, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, StoneGable, Our Home Away From Home, One Mile Home Style, Savvy Southern Style, The Bajan Texan, DIY by Design, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, 21 Rosemary lane, A Delightsome Life, Katherine's Corner, Posed Perfection, Rooted In Thyme, Decor to Adore, The Charm of Home, Imparting Grace, French Country Cottage, Shoestring Elegance, Life with Lorelai, Craftberry Bush, Shabby Art Boutique, DIY Vintage Chic, Mila's Little Things, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Pieced Pastimes, Scrapality, A Stroll Thru Life, A Stroll Thru Life

Couple more bookcases done in the study

I have four built in bookcases in the study and I have finished decorating three of them so far.  I still need to finish the other one and get the fireplace mantel decorated.  I still would like to add more things to the walls also.

This side of the room has bookcases above the wainscoting.  The bookcases on the opposite side go to the floor.  I still need to hang something on the wall between the bookcases.  I did do a faux finish on the walls to give it an old world look.


Here is the close up pictures of each bookcase.

Here is one of the full bookcases by the fireplace that I finished a few weeks ago.

Here is what I got done so far on the mantel.  I am still trying to figure out what to put on each side of the clock.

How to beef up a wreath

I was wanting a greenery wreath for my front door so I could just add flowers to it for the changing seasons.  I wasn't able to find anything that I liked at the local stores so I was looking in a catalog and found one that looked like it would be perfect.  It looked nice and full in the picture so I ordered it.  Well needless to say that when it arrived and I took it out of the box I was a little disappointed.  It did not look as full as it did in the picture.  Since I didn't want to return it I decided to "beef it up".

The before wreath is on the left and the after on the right.

Here is a full door shot of the before wreath.

Now the after shot.

This looks much better on my door.  It fills up the space much better now.  All I did was add more greenery that I already had.  Of course I know that most people don't have as much as I do.  I used greenery every where in my home plus I have lots of extra in bags and boxes.   My hubby calls me the Queen of Greenery.

So now I just had to add some tulips since it sure has been feeling like Spring here lately.  I even see some bulbs coming out of the ground.

Looks much better with some flowers on it.  Now if I can just get the porch cleaned up so I can try and get it decorated.


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Pink When, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Tabler Party of Two, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home, Dwellings The Heart of Your Home, Between Naps on the Porch, Julies Lifestyle,  Coastal Charm, Cozy Little House,Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, A Stroll Thru Life, StoneGable, Our Home Away From Home, Elizabeth and Co, Aspen Jay, The Bajan Texan, Savvy Southern Style, Beyond the Picket Fence, DIY by Design, Oh My Heartsie Girl, The Happy Housie, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, Rooted In Thyme, Posed Perfection, Katherine's Corner, Poofing the Pillows, 21 Rosemary Lane, Mila's Little Things, Imparting Grace, The Charm of Home, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Life with Lorelai, Chic on a Shoestring, Shoestring Elegance, Craftberry Bush, DIY Vintage Chic, Pieced Pastimes, Scrapality

My newest find for the kitchen

For a couple of months now I have been searching for the right piece to put my cookbooks on.  I didn't want just a plain looking bookcase to put in the kitchen.  I was looking for something more unique.  Just when I was about to give up the search I ventured into Tuesday Morning the other day on my lunch break and this is what I found.

It was the perfect size the space and a bonus is that it have wheels.  I was having a hard time getting a good picture as it is over in the breakfast nook and the table is in the way.

I was thinking about white washing the shelves but I might just leave it alone.

So here it what the space looks like with the shelves.  My kitchen is pretty dark as it is off of the covered deck and doesn't get much light.  I have all the lights on in the kitchen and it still turned out a little dark.  It makes my walls look yellow when they are off white.

Linking with

Between Naps on the Porch, Pink When, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Tabler Party of Two, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings The Heart of Your Home, Karen's Up on the Hill, Coastal Charm, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Confessions of a Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Our Home Away From Home, The Dedicated House, Elizabeth & Co, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, The Bajan Texan, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Happy Housie, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, A Delightsome Life, Aspen Jay, Rooted In Thyme, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherine's Corner, Posed Perfection, Poofing the Pillows, Milas Little Things, Imparting Grace, The Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique,
DIY Vintage Chic, Life with Lorelai, Shoestring Elegance, Craftberry Bush, Pieced Pastimes, Scrapality

Spring tablescape in the dining room

Since I don't have all of my Spring decor unpacked I decided to do a simple Spring/Easter tablescape in the dining room.  I stayed with the theme of carrots, cabbage and bunnies as on the buffet.

My soup tureen is a cabbage although not green like the plates but I thought it would coordinate well enough.

Now if I can find a few more items to decorate my kitchen and living room.   Most of my Spring flowers are still packed away so I will probable be limited to using greenery this year in the kitchen unless I feel like climbing over boxes in the craft room.



Linking with
Between Naps on the Porch, Dwellings The Heart of Your Home, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home, Karen's Up On The Hill, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Worthington Court, The Dedicated House, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Coastal Charm, Our Home Away From Home, Home Remedies, Elizabeth & Co, Savvy Southern Style, Beyond the Picket Fence, DIY by Design, The Happy Housie, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, Katherine's Corner, Posed Perfection, Poofing the Pillows, Milas Little Things, Rooted In Thyme, 21 Rosemary Lane, Imparting Grace, The Charm of Home, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, A Delightsome Life, Craftberry Bush, Shoestring Elegance, Life with Lorelai, DIY Vintage Chic, Chic on a Shoestring, Scrapality, Pieced Pastimes

Little bit of Spring in the dining room

For the past four weekends I have been working on the basement and this weekend I am trying to get my study done.  I decided to take a break from the study and do some Spring decorating in the dining room.  I got the buffet done for now and will work on the table later today.

It is not easy to take pictures in this room since it is small and with the mirror it reflects the opposite wall.  I tried to get two different angles of the buffet.

Now I need to get working on the table and of course my study.  Here is a sneak peek of my study.  I do have one bookcase that is completely done.

Linking with
Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings The Heart of Your Home, Karen's Up on the Hill, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cozy Little House, Our Home Away From Home, StoneGable, A Stroll Thru Life, Elizabeth & Co, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Dedicated House, Home Remedies, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Bajan Texan, The Happy Housie, Oh My Heartsie Girl, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson, Katherine's Corner, Posed Perfection, Milas Little Things, Poofing the Pillows, 21 Rosemary Lane, Rooted in Thyme, Shabby Art Boutique, The Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shoestring Elegance, Life With Lorelai, Craftberry Bush, DIY Vintage Chic, Chic on a Shoestring, Scrapality, Pieced Pastimes, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Tabler Party of Two, Pink When