Our Living Room

Hi there!  How ya doin?  Thought I'd share some pics of our living room before I start changing stuff around.  I am itching for some change.

So Welcome to my living room!

I apologize for the lighting, as I mentioned here, this room is really dark.  As I was taking pictures the rain clouds rolled in and ruined this little photo shoot.

 

No your eyes are not playing tricks on you, the blue-green wall is slanted down towards the window.  

I'm going to change up the mantle soon.

These horses were bought at Home Goods back when my husband and I got our first apartment many years ago.  I had to have them....and they're still my favs!

This chair was a left over from when my sister moved back home to Phoenix.  I didn't like the crazy fabric so I covered it with some fabric.  (Recovering this chair is on my to do list, I've been too scared to tackle it.  Hope to do it this summer.)

I found this little bird on clearance for $2.50 at the end of the Spring season last year.  I regret not picking up two of them.  

Hope you enjoyed your visit!  I certainly enjoyed you coming by!  Come again soon!

Trouble with a Big Decision

Hi!  How are you?  I was going to venture out today to visit my local thrift stores but it's so cold and windy out that I'm thinking I want to stay in and cuddle up under a blanket.  I'm freezing!  Although the thought of missing out on a great find makes me want to run there...hmmm...tough decision.

That's not the big decision I'm having trouble with...ha ha.

My big decision is one that we've been contemplating for several years now.  (Yes, you read correctly.  Years!)  We need a new living room set and we can't really agree as to what we like.  (My hubby would say that I change my mind too often.  I beg to differ.)

This is what he wants...

 
This is what I want....

You see my hubby works for a great furniture store (the picture above is from when I went shopping to visit my husband at work.)  We get a great discount on furniture!  The not so great part is that this means we constantly see all the new styles that come into the store and this can make for lots of options and indecisiveness.  Meaning  I  we can't decide what  I  we want.

We know that leather would work best for our family.

I know that I like white or light neutral colored sofas because you can add color with accessories and it's easier to change those out when you get the urge to change it up.  It looks clean, bright and airy.

My hubby knows that it's not going to be fun shopping for a sofa because of this.  hee hee!

So I was thinking (this can be dangerous), since we know we need Leather and I know I want light, bright and neutral.  What if we get a white leather living room set?!       

Source

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The above picture says it's leather but doesn't really look like it.  If it is then that is exactly the style of sofa that I want.  As is the one below....pitter patter goes my little heart.

I'm going to look into how hard or easy it is to clean and/or keep white leather clean.  Where were these images last night when I was trying to present my case to my hubby?  Seriously.

I've been trying to find images of nicely decorated spaces with a brown leather sofa.  There aren't very many that fit my style.

click on picture for source

click on picture for source

To me they seem so heavy and weigh down a room.  You almost need to have a large room for them to not feel like they over power a room.

I'll check into the care and ease of white leather and keeping it clean.  If it doesn't work out for a house with 3 kids I'll run out to "visit" my hubby at work and check out the different color leathers that they offer.  Maybe the perfect light brown, beige or even a light grey.

Click on picture for source

The Bright Life Blog

All of the options out there make it hard on a girl to pull the trigger.  It's an investment I will have to live with for years since we like to buy quality pieces that will last. 

Now you know why this decision has been on hold for years but we've waited as long as we can.  We really need a new sofa and chairs (don't get me started on the chairs....that will be a separate post.  Although, I already have the fabric picked out for those!  I'll share that soon.)

Decisions, decisions....by the time  I  we decide what we want and agree, plus 6-8 weeks to special order our sofa,  I estimate we'll have our new sofa sometime this summer....if I don't change my mind....again.  (Such a vicious cycle.)

Lamp Makeover

Hello there!  How are you?  Remember when I said I was going to have to go on a diet after my mom returned home.  Well I'm on it and I started to work out, just a little....but I am SOOOO sore.  It hurts to move.

I just barely moved enough to try to figure out how to change up this lamp.  I didn't care much for it.

You see our living room has really high ceilings and very little natural light, a lot of lamps are needed since there are only 2 small pocket lights over the mantel.  There are a total of 6 lamps in this room because it is so large and dark.

Here is a picture the realtor took before we moved in.  I dislike the wall color but have to make it work.  We rent and we're not sure how long we'll be here so we are living with the color.  Plus my husband doesn't want to paint that large wall (and neither do I).  

Those are not my drapes, they came with the house.  Hated them with a passion and they were screwed into the wall with "L" brackets, I took out my drill and removed those things. (Not going to lie, I was a little afraid to take them down, thought the "Renter Police" might catch me for changing something on a rental.  Scaaary.)

Here is the other side of the room...there is a small chandelier over the door.

It's bigger than it looks and darker but we really like this house.  I'm kind of enjoying renting because from each house we learn something new about what we like and dislike in a home so that when it comes time to buy we have a better idea what our "must haves" are.

I "must have" more windows.

Where was I before I went on my rant?  Oh yes....the lamp.

I found this Stiffel lamp shade at an annual October Barn Sale for $1.  I've been going for 2 years and I have found the best stuff there, I usually leave with the back of my Suburban full.

I placed it on top of the lamp...

Better but....

I lived with it for a day but realized that it wasn't very bright and all the light was shining up on the ceiling

So I looked for a solution.

I realized the screw that held the glass down had two "nubs" on each side (yes..."nubs" is my technical word).

I removed the glass "shade".

I had an extra lamp shade harp (I had to Google the technical word for lamp shade "holder"...lol)

 
I put the harp ends into the small "nubs".

You end up with this.  (I don't really like these bulbs but I love that they can save me $ so I have half my lamps with energy efficient bulbs in them and the other half with regular light bulbs.)

Then you put your lamp shade back on.  Much brighter and perfect for that dark corner.   

 

(I found those drapes at GW, 4 panels for $7.99.  SCORE!  Those red ones that came with the house had to GO!  And the "Renter Police" haven't come to get me.....yet.)

One last look...

BEFORE

AFTER

Much better! Work with what you have to make something you're not liking into something a little better.

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