Living Room Reveal

Who else thought this project took way too long to complete?  I would like to thank the budget and the weather for delaying my finishing and taking any pictures.  It has been one rainy winter in Georgia this year.

Let’s get right to it.  One thing I have to show you that I was so excited to find was a before before before picture of what our living room most likely looked like.  I was browsing Zillow yesterday, snooping around, and I saw a house in our neighborhood on there with pictures from a past listing.  Part of the reason for the snoop is because we all have the exact same floor plan and I like to see what people have done to modernize their houses, especially the kitchen.  Well, I was super excited (and not surprised) our 1986 living room was covered with very dark woods and trim.

Everything is the exact same down to the wall vent placement only now our trim and woodwork are white and new windows and doors.  I just imagine our house had a lot of hunter green and cranberry plaid.  mmm #90shomestyle

Fast forward to us moving into the house and how we lived with the living room:

The first thing we had done in this room when we moved in was added the canned lights in the ceiling.  Game changer.  We hired that out because electrical is way over our heads, especially in this house.

After living with this setup for a year, my husband decided he wanted a change.  His main reason for wanting the change was because of the position of the tv.  There was way too much of a glare coming in from the windows.  Making any sort of change that made sense, of course, became a challenge with our current furniture.  Figures.

I took on the VERY tedious task of listing and selling everything in this room (except the dog, he stays).  While we were selling away, we were also buying and planning.  To refresh, here is the post where I explained our plan for the room.

Here we are today:

The big tv debate: to mount or not to mount over the tv.  I wasn’t as excited about it when it was first suggested to me, but it really only made sense in this room.  The wall on the opposite side of the room from the fireplace has doors or doorways and hardly enough wall to mount.  It is a little high up than what I am used to, but it works (especially when you are laying down, which we usually are).

I am pleased with how it turned out and the coziness factor is way up!  After we got all the furniture set up, it was almost as if the room told us this was the way it was supposed to be.

What do you think?

Sources:

Wall Color – Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray @ 100% (I originally asked for 50% but they messed up and I didn’t want to go back to fix it).
Bookcases: Tara 72″ Bookcases from Joss and Main
Rug: Local Rug Outlet
Coffee Table: hand built by our brother-in-law
Sofa Table: Moi
Couch: Haverty’s Corey Sectional in Mineral
Artwork over couch: handpainted by me
Typewriter Art: handpainted by me

I know there are a lot of little things I am not tagging, but if you want to know the source, just email me!  Or even better, I am ALWAYS on Instagram sharing pictures and answering questions!  I may even consider doing an Instagram Live one night to tour the room with you!  Let me know what you think!

Advertisements

How to Build a Herringbone Table

I am going to start this post by saying I have very little experience building furniture.  I have only built something one other time before (my kitchen banquette) so don’t roll your eyes too hard when you read through this because I did something odd. 

The reason I started this project was mainly that I could not find what I liked out there in the right size, color, or price.  I was browsing Craigslist for a sofa table to place in my back corner and people were pretty high and mighty with their pricing.  So I said “forget that” and started looking for plans to build my own table.

I saw a few plans online that seemed pretty easy to follow, but the plan I followed more closely was the DIY Outdoor Table from Cherished Bliss.  Her table was an actual dining table while my table is much smaller and I did not build the legs, so there were some tweaks I made along the way.

How it went down:

First, I took measurements of the space I wanted to place the table.  For me, a 56″ long x 24″ wide table was going to look best against the wall I have in mind.  Once I had these measurements, I just drew out the plans to figure out how much wood I needed.

My cut list:

For the frame I used 2x4s and actually after I built the frame and started cutting the top pieces, I decided I did not want to use 2x4s for the apron and switched it up to 1x4s.  I liked the thinner look of the 1×4.  So my cut list above is not entirely accurate because of that change.

Other supplies:

3″ wood screws for the frame
Wood Glue
Angle Square – your best friend
Clamps – the longer the better, I say
Kreg Jig
Table Saw
Drill
Tape measure
Chalk Reel
Wood Conditioner – if you stain
Stain or Paint of your choice
Poly – if you stain

Once I collected all of my wood, I started measuring and cutting my 2x4s to build the frame.

Once everything was cut, I needed to start drilling into each piece.  I have used a Kreg jig only once before and I did not have the best luck with it.  I was a little nervous trying this again.  I started with the outer sides first and when I tried to follow the directions KJ came with, it did not work out for me HA!  So, I sort of made up my own rules.  I placed the KJ where I thought would make sense and drilled.  Here I used 3″ wood screws.

When it came time to attach the middle frame, I found the center of my two end pieces, the center of the middle board, and drilled on either side of that line.  I repeated the same process to attach the frame to the other side.

Now that the frame was built and my centers were marked, I used my chalk line tool to make a line down the center so I would have a reference point for my top.

Building the top was a lot of trial and error.  Like I said, I really have no idea what I am doing most of the time.  The easiest way to start this (and I wish I had) is first take your 1×4 and mark it with the angle square to chop that first 45-degree cut.  Then when you have that cut, you can line the angle up with the blue line and measure/mark where you need to cut the end.

So here you can see what I mean.  If this was a fresh piece, I would have cut that first angle off the front, laid it on the frame, and marked where I needed to cut the end off.  To avoid miscuts/measurements (which I experienced), my suggestion is to mark the end of the board on the side and not from the top.  That way you are lining up with the actual edge and not eyeballing it.

Once you get the hang of it, you start to fly through your cuts and it turns out not to be as hard as you thought.

After you have cut all your pieces, it is time to glue them down.  I know some people use a finishing nail but we do not have a nailgun.  Glue and clamps seem to work just as well.

Glue, clamp, and repeat!  I laid all the pieces out where they were going to be placed and picked each one up, threw down some glue, and clamped it down for a few minutes.  I only have two clamps so I would switch the clamps after the next was glued and clamped.

Once the top was secured into place and dried overnight, I started working on the apron.  This is where I decided I really like the look of a 1×4 vs a 2×4.  I started with the shorter ends and cut them to size.  Again, having a nail gun for this would work and probably be helpful, but I only had the help of wood glue.  Since I only have two clamps, this part took a hot minute to complete.  I would (sloppily) glue and attach the short apron to the frame and clamp it.  It is best to do this part with the table upside down.  I would let it basically dry and do the next side.

The longer apron pieces were measured to include the length of the table plus the width of the smaller apron pieces.  That way you won’t see the edges from the front.  I attached those the same way as the other aprons.

After the apron was attached it was time to fill in the gaps.  I had gaps because I did not follow my own advice until later through the process.  And I suck at cutting wood.

I used a wood filler and it filled in perfectly.  My plan was to stain this piece, so once the filler dried and she got a good sanding, I put a layer of wood conditioner on it.

Then it dried (which is pretty fast).  I then put a layer of Minwax Special Walnut and Weathered Oak (my faves) on one at a time, wiped them off, and let it dry overnight.  I ended up doing it one more time with both colors.

I went back through to see what gaps still needed to be filled and schlepped some wood filler in there.  I only had to touch those parts up with a little Special Walnut.

I ended up using two coats of poly and letting it dry for a full 24 hours inside the house before touching it again.

For the legs, I decided to pass on building my own and ordered these Hairpin legs from Amazon.

They were incredibly easy to install and all you have to do is follow the simple instructions.

The legs feel pretty heavy duty and sturdy!

Now I am working on trying to style this space and maybe add some ottomans under the table for more seating options.  (The items you see below are NOT the final product).

THE Rug

Hello, February!!  I promise I had good intentions to post more frequently but life has been so crazy and different around here.  We are all on a different schedule and I am struggling to find a routine for me and peanut. We were so close to really getting into a groove and then I had to travel and peanut got super sick…pink eye!  Blah.

So, the living room.  It is coming along and I am so close to being done.  I wanted to share a post about my experience using a paint sprayer for the first time painting our living room, but I was bad and took zero photos of the process.  Mainly because my phone was always hidden behind something.  To sum it up, there is a huge learning curve when getting started but we repainted all of our trim and wainscotting in minutes.  I am excited to try it out on some furniture.

So to the exciting part of our living room renovation.  SPOILER ALERT:  After weeks and weeks of searching and waiting, I GOT MY RUG!!  After Christmas, I found this great rug online that checked a lot of boxes off.  (AND the new unstyled couch!) (and the dog that would not wake up from his precious nap so I could snap pictures)

Of course, it was a style and color waaaayyy outside of my comfort zone.  I am so used to choosing neutrals/farmhouse style rugs and colors.  This is bright and has big pops of ORANGE!

After waffling over buying it, I decided I was so obsessed with it and the endless colors I could bring into the room with it (and the fact it would HIDE toddler messes better).  I went online and to my disappointment, it was out of stock.  I started looking elsewhere and everywhere I looked, it was out of stock.  And everywhere I looked, it was named something different, so searching was difficult.

As my search continued, I learned it became the #1 best selling rug and the Blogger’s Choice rug.  Dang.  Just dang.  Most websites said it would become available again February 6, so I said if I could not find anything else, we were going to wait.

But a funny thing.  I generally HATE when you search for something online and then all the sudden all the ads on every website show that particular item (making the internet so shady).  This time, it worked in my favor.  I was scrolling through Instagram and an ad/recommended follow account popped up WITH THIS RUG.  It was a local rug outlet store having a huge moving sale.

Of course, it was late and they weren’t open to call, so I messaged on their IG account to see if they had that rug.  They responded saying they did. YES!

Luckily, for me, I don’t trust all that is seen on the internet.  Before I took the time to drive all the way over to this store, I called the next morning to confirm they actually had the rug.  He said they didn’t (in a way that I should have known it was their best seller).  He suggested I call their second location to see if they have it.  Hmph.

I called and to my surprise, THEY HAD THE RUG!  I asked for pictures and after he texted them I told him I was on the way to pick it up.

YOU GUYS.

When we arrived, he told me after I texted him, he sold the rug…even though I texted him I was on the way and where I was coming from.  He said someone would be there in 30 minutes from the other location to drop off the rug they had (wait, what? I thought they didn’t have the rug).

So, we shopped around while we waited.

This rug was so worth it to me.  I spent about $15 more than I would have online, but who knows if that rug would have been stocked when it said.  It added a whole new level of yum to our living room.  I cannot wait to accent with some of these colors!!

Isn’t she beautiful?  I won’t lie, I am very intimidated on how to accessorize, especially pillows and the empty frames above the couch.

Update on my to-do list:

1. Sell the couch and loveseat.  Both listed.  Both had bites but people can be so flakey. WHY AM I STILL TRYING TO SELL?!  UGH!
2. Repaint the ceilings. 
3. Repaint the walls.  
4. Freshen up all of the trim with paint
5. Clean and polish the floors.
6. Touch up paint
7. Mount the tv over the fireplace.
8. Build new bookcases.
9. Build sofa table <- YEP!  I have plans, I need time.
10. Organize Toys
11. Add pictures to the Gallery wall
12. Decorate the soon-to-be sofa table corner
13. Add an extra lamp?
14. Share the final reveal with you all!

Living Room Inspiration

I don’t know what it was about last week, but we had some bad luck at home!

As we began prepping for our living room project, my husband was up in the attic looking for something, when he tripped and his leg went through the floor/ceiling.  He is ok, thankfully, but he did scratch his leg up pretty bad.  I am just thankful he did not go all the way through.  Since that happened, he was able to patch up the hole, but it created SO MUCH dust in the house from sanding the spackle.  SO MUCH DUST!  He still has a little more sanding left and then I can really get down to clean these floors.

While all of this was going on, our just over a year old microwave decided to die.  There was no coming back and of course, there was no warranty.  And if I have to be honest, it sucked.  We had to drop another unexpected $$$ to buy a new one.

Then throw in our living room.  Guys, last week was exhausting!  And our house looks like we are doing work.  Oh, and then add a toddler into the mix.  Mama is tired.

Last week, I mentioned our first project of the year being the living room and how we were going to totally transform it.  We actually started working on it this past weekend and just the few things we did has made a difference.

Inspiration Board

Details

We took advantage of the new year’s sales going on and bought this couch from Haverty’s.  The color is called Mineral and is mainly gray with slight hints of green.  Very slight.

I also bought two of these bookcases from Joss & Main to sit on either side of the fireplace.  I went back and forth on the height of our bookcases because I did not want to take away from the fireplace.  After looking at so many options, we both liked that amount of storage (and hidden storage) this bookcase offered.

We decided to get rid of our current rug and buy something new, something a little more toddler proof.  I am so in love with all the neutral looking rugs and how they ground a room, but we needed more.  And I was apparently feeling spicy.  I am 100% going out of my comfort zone with the rug I chose.  I am going to buy this rug from Joss & Main (or whoever gets it in stock first).  This rug is so out of my comfort zone, I waffled TOO long and it was out of stock when I went to order.  I AM SO DISAPPOINTED!  I have been stalking it and I hope it is restocked when they say it will be.

The paint color that you see in the picture of the fireplace above is Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray at 50%.  We love the color so much, we decided to paint the living room the same color.  The main reason we have to repaint this room (and eventually the whole house) is that the flipper painted the whole house in flat.  If you want my advice, do not paint your walls in flat.  It sucks and it looks like we use the walls as hand towels.  We did paint this weekend and if you follow along on Instagram, you know the slight drama we dealt with getting this on the wall.  I will share in another post.

As far as accessories and other pieces in the room, I am going to keep everything budget friendly.  Our brother-in-law built a coffee table for us and I am so excited to see it in person.  I hope we can see it soon.

The main color scheme I am feeling for this space is Black, White, Green, and Gray as my base colors.  That rug is going to help add pops of color throughout, but I really am really feeling green these days.  And mainly I am feeling green in plants.  Maybe it is the post-Christmas life that makes me crave greenery, but I want to add more plant life to this space.  I have always run from it because I don’t have the best green thumb and I have yet to find any faux plants that don’t look terribly fake.

Update on my to-do list:

1. Sell the couch and loveseat.  Both listed.  Both had bites but people can be so flakey.
2. Repaint the ceilings. 
3. Repaint the walls.  
4. Freshen up all of the trim with paint
5. Clean and polish the floors.  We may have had some accidents this weekend with paint.  More on that next post.
6. Probably should add touch up paint to this list.
7. Mount the tv over the fireplace.  <- This is happening this weekend!
8. Build new bookcases.  These are being delivered today and with an upcoming work day trip, the goal is to have them built by Sunday.
9. Furnish and decorate!

 

The Budget Dining Room Project

Summer is quickly coming to an end and I can’t say I am disappointed this year.  Don’t get me wrong, summer is my jam and will forever hold my heart tight, but this summer was overly hot and oppressive.  Nothing other than the bare minimum was done outside.  Even the pool felt my neglect!

Now that our office is pretty much complete and I have been picking up small projects around here, the dining room is my next big focus.  We have been handed the torch to host the holidays and the only room that has been untouched downstairs is our dining room.  Sadly, it spent the first eight months of our living here as a dumping ground for things that did not have a home.

What helped the clutter problem was actually adding storage to our office and switching out our tv entertainment stand.  After that, it was a domino effect for our things to find their place.  

Right now, I am playing around with light fixture ideas because as close as we are to the holidays and with some of the other project goals we have, I do not really have much of a budget for this room. 

This room is tricky to shoot and it is on me to get the right lighting equipment.  There is a green tint on our windows to help with UV rays and it comes through in all of my pictures!

But it is a pretty bright space in the early afternoon until dusk.

What I want to do in there:

This room has the wonderful (and real) wainscoting all around the room so that is 100% staying.  The furniture is not changing either.  I want to keep the “theme” modern farmhouse.  Since I have that wainscoting, shiplap makes no sense in here and I don’t want to be too “farmy.”  Our house doesn’t hold that look well, sadly.

My punch list:

1. Update the light fixture
2. Paint the walls – I am shooting for Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
3. Organize the buffet
4. Buy a rug
5. Decorate with as much on hand items
6. Add my own floral paintings to the room.  Or buy them, we will see how my creations turn out
7. Switch out all the outlets and outlet covers from beige to white
8. POSSIBLY add shelves….possibly!

Not an overwhelming list by any means!  Honestly, this is a weekend’s work!