Weekend projects

[cheapdiva]

so at 5 on Saturday afternoon I decided to rearrange my living room. before we start our remodel in the kitchen/bath/laundry I feel the need to do some sprucing in other areas of the house.

We have a fairly large living room and since we moved here nearly 5 years ago, the furniture arrangement has pretty much stayed the same. we have swapped out various pieces of furniture, but not really moved anything. when we first moved in we separated the living room into two areas - one for conversation and television viewing and one side as the home office. A couple of years ago when I started working from home, we went to wireless internet and moved the office to the sunroom, freeing up space in the living room. The apple green cabinet and my favorite chair then moved into that space.

Most of you have seen (too many) photos of my living room in its' previous state and here is the new living room. I LOVE it!! I picked up paint samples yesterday and will be painting the walls a pink. All the trim will be painted a nice clean white (see the windows are already starting to be stripped).

I cleaned out all of my storage pieces and changed things around - moved one piece into the guest room and rearranged the guest room also!!!

As you can see, I still haven't gotten the slipcovers for the green chair seats done yet, making 2 sets and hope to get to them in the next few weeks. Of course, all this change means we have to paint the entry and possibly the dining room.

I'll post the bedroom later today or tomorrow.

Tell me what you think!!!

[cheapdiva]

Here's the bedroom. Will replace the lamp on the cupboard with 2 swing arm lamps attached to the wall. Still need to come up with something for a headboard - keep kicking around using an old panel door and padding and adding upholstery to the panels.

The secretary used to be in the living room and has my grandmother's collection of Toby mugs that I have inherited. And the bed is dressed for spring/summer (though it is cold and wet today and not very spring-like.)

[annielinz]

Cheapdiva, you are so lucky you have such a large room to work with and be able to rearrange! And all those windows and french doors oh my. It looks great. Don't you love it when a little fluffing and rearranging makes you happy and you haven't spent a cent.
Your idea for a headboard sounds wonderful and that secretary is to d*e for.
Great job and thanks for sharing pics.

[chyna]

Isn't a pink room a pick-me-upper? :) I just walk into my kitchen and instantly feel happier. This leads me to an observation and you all can correct me if I'm way off but wasn't the pink/light green/happy colors phase during or directly after the Great Depression? Do you think the sudden interest in these colors could have something to do with the current financial woes going on right now?

Anyhow the pink will be super and will look great with those chairs. Are you going to leave the secretary that apple green? That will be very sharp and spring-y! Happy happy joy joy abound. :D

[Zuzu's Garden]

CD, I love it! Great colors, furnishings, art... Oooooo, Aaaaah, Wow!!!

I am also kicking around ideas for a headboard. Hubby and I built a platform bed for the tiny house - tons of queen-size storage under the bed, but it needs a headboard. I love your idea!

And, could you please explain "too many photos"! Is there such a thing?
;) :D
Zu

[ChapterTwo]

Cheapdiva, it looks so lovely - elegant, and yet so comfy!

And you make your own slipcovers? Kudos to you...

Not now, but eventually, I need to figure out how to cover square cushions (sunparlor rockers and living room vintage furniture). I don't even want to get into zippers (I am not much of a sewer!) I figure that maybe I can velcro them closed (you're probably laughing!)

I'm looking forward to seeing your pink walls when they're completed. That's exactly what I was thinking IF I get my aunt's house...I'd like to make the living room kinda girly and flowery.

Anyway, thanks for letting us take a peek - great job!

[cheapdiva]

Well, Zu - here are 3 more! We have these divider book cases that define the entry way into the living room. All of our cd's have sat in the exposed bookcase (the other one is out of view behind the floral chair), and my decorating/art/garden books were in various places. I hated looking at the cd's sitting in there and thought it would be perfect for my books - which I look at often and use for reference and loan out. Even my husband who could care less about these things remarked about how nice the books look there! When I paint the walls, the inside of the case will be painted the same pale pink and all the woodwork needs a fresh coat of clean white paint.

The wire basket, tea towel and tablecloth were a gift from the curator at my museums. She commutes 200 miles round trip every day to come to work so we usually have her spend a night with us during the week to give her a break from all that driving. She owned a shop that specialized in mid-20th century decorative arts and furniture and these were a gift for letting her use our guest room. The basket has ended up on top of the apple green secretary (chyna, it was pale yellow when I got it, painted it that color last fall and yes, it is staying that color!). The cloth goes nicely with my pumpkin colored kitchen - which will probably be a shade of pale green after the remodel) and the tea towel is being tucked away until I decide what to do with it - I am thinking of incorporating it into a baby blanket for future grandkids.

Okay, now I want to see all of your photos;)

[shabbychick]

Cheapdiva, your rooms are just gorgeous! I'm salivating over your french doors. What a great house. Your plans for it sound perfect. Moving things around from room to room and rearranging furniture always makes me feel like I've been on a shopping spree and have gotten something new. Your idea for the headboard is perfect. I've seen that in a few magazines, and it always looks fabulous when it's done. Can't wait to see your "after" photos!

[chyna]

I forgot to mention an idea that I saw in some magazine (who knows which one, I read alot of magazines:o) for a headboard. You take an old window, remove the glass and then replace with foamboard covered with fabric. I'm putting a twist on the idea and leaving the glass in the panes and going to put old photos and probably baby photos of dd in them. Maybe I will replace the glass in the lower panes with fabric so dh isn't knocking and breaking the glass. Maybe vintage fabrics or handkerchiefs. You would need a window that is wide enough for the bed if not more and they should be multi-paned.

[annielinz]

Speaking of pink walls, heres my DD's pink room. She is off at college and has carried her love of pink into her apartment bedroom. She insists I can't paint her room at home. So the glowing pink room must stay.

The first pic is her room at home. The second is her college apartment.

[shabbychick]

Both the pink bedroom and the pink college apartment are gorgeous. I love the lights strung up over the window in the bedroom. The apartment looks very feminine without being childish. Beautiful!

[Gigi]

Cheapdiva~ WOW! I love your rooms and the way you have used your furniture. I never thought to use a high stand next to a bed- I'm re-thinking my furniture-yeah! I love this forum.....

Annie- How very very sweet- the love of your daughter's room rolls over to her college dorm. I just LOvE this.

[cheapdiva]

Gigi -

the small table in the living room under the "little" window used to be in the bedroom next to the bed and that "high" piece was where the secretary is now. One of my favorite things to do is put pieces where they aren't expected. there is plenty of storage in that high piece - perfect for things you don't want out in public; hair devices, boxes of checks, nic-nacs that I don't want to part with.

And you are right, this is one reason I love this site - it is a creative soup!

[Suz]

Cheap Diva

Your place is so cheery and bright--which is nice since you have long, dreary winters. Basket under the able-love it! The wing chairs-love it! The folded table against the wall- I've always wanted one of those-love it!! Nicely done :)

[Breezy]

CD ~ love the pics you posted! What a great color for that green cabinet ~ it will look so nice against the pink walls. Love all the windows ~ they make it so light and airy.

Annie ~ I love pink! Your daughter's bedrm is so charming and her college room is sweet.
Years ago we painted the living rm & dining rm ( different house) a very soft pink color and it was so pretty ~ I remember the carpet guy going on about how much he liked it ~ just goes to show some guys do like pink!;)