Tag Archives: Living Room

Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Fireplace Screen for the Livingroom

I've been looking for a fireplace screen for our living room for a long, long time.  I got one several years ago.  I ordered it online and when it arrived, I hated it immediately! ha! But it was too heavy to pay shipping and send it back.  

I spotted this one at HomeGoods in Grand Rapids around Christmas. It cost more than I wanted to spend - especially because of my previous fail.
When I went back a month later it was cheaper and when I went back last week, it was a bargain!
It's just what I wanted to soften this fireplace a little.  I like that it's a single panel.  We don't use this fireplace much. It's a gas log and really puts out the heat but we tend to sit in the family room more than in here. I turn it on when we have guests over for dinner- just for the ambiance.

HomeGoods had two of these screens and after I got home, I wondered if I should have gotten the second one for the family room.  I think I'll look for it the next trip to Grand Rapids. Maybe it'll be even cheaper!

love and blessings~
"Behold, I will set your stones in turquoise, and your foundations I will lay in sapphires. I will make your summits of rubies and your gates of crystal, and your entire wall of precious stones."
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Faux Rustic Wood in our Living Room and Dining Room

Hi All!

Sorry to be gone for so long!  I have been writing a lot lately as well as working on our master bedroom.

I've scraped the popcorn off our ceilings in the master bedroom and I have the walls painted.  I'll give you all the details of that when the bedroom is done.  I still have several things to do and was held up waiting for a tool I needed.

So while I waited, I worked on a few small projects. I repainted the shutters in our living room and dining room.  If you remember, they were a French blue.
I also painted the trim above the windows and this support beam that goes across this room, making them look like old rustic wood.  I used two color of brown paint - a tan and a chocolate - and a nifty roller I got from Amazon that creates a wood grain.
I hadn't planned on taking pictures today but the sun came out for the first time in weeks and so I ran around quickly and got a few shots.  I didn't notice until I was done that I have some boards sitting in the window.  I'm planning on cutting some pieces and covering up the wide, white moulding between the windows.  They can't be painted. 


Here's a close-up of the paint treatment on the board over the dining room patio door.  It had been a white semi-gloss.

I first gave it a coat of tan with a brush, then brushed a chocolate brown over that going all in one direction giving it the look of wood grain.  I adjusted the amount of dark brown to get the color I wanted.  When it was dry, I rolled the wood grain paint roller in the dark brown and rolled it down the length of the board. You can see where the roller lifted the paint off in place and exposed the white underneath.  That actually caused it to look more realistic - like the board was salvage.

I did the same process with the overhead "beam."  This support beam is covered in dry wall.

I did the same two tones of paint on the shutters, leaving the blue to show in some areas.
I have always wanted rustic beams in our family room and living room.  For now, we have just one!
I'm in love with all my blue and white again and picked up a few new pieces at HomeGoods.  My daughter has decided she likes turquoise better than the blue and white so we've been trading some pieces.

I love the little bit of rustic feel this gives to our living room now.
That's my favorite thing about French Country - the mix between the elegant and the rustic.



Well, the wind and snow are howling outside.  I'm going to go work on my bedroom ceiling some more.  I hope you're having a wonderful day!

love and blessings~


"He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers." Psalm 104:4

I'm joining these linky parties:frenchcountrycottage
thoughts-of-home-on-thursday
.dwellings
thededicatedhouse
.oursouthernhomesc
coastalcharm
betweennapsontheporch
stonegableblog
astrollthrulife
myuncommonsliceofsuburbia
.oursouthernhomesc
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Faux Rustic Wood in our Living Room and Dining Room

Hi All!

Sorry to be gone for so long!  I have been writing a lot lately as well as working on our master bedroom.

I've scraped the popcorn off our ceilings in the master bedroom and I have the walls painted.  I'll give you all the details of that when the bedroom is done.  I still have several things to do and was held up waiting for a tool I needed.

So while I waited, I worked on a few small projects. I repainted the shutters in our living room and dining room.  If you remember, they were a French blue.
I also painted the trim above the windows and this support beam that goes across this room, making them look like old rustic wood.  I used two color of brown paint - a tan and a chocolate - and a nifty roller I got from Amazon that creates a wood grain.
I hadn't planned on taking pictures today but the sun came out for the first time in weeks and so I ran around quickly and got a few shots.  I didn't notice until I was done that I have some boards sitting in the window.  I'm planning on cutting some pieces and covering up the wide, white moulding between the windows.  They can't be painted. 


Here's a close-up of the paint treatment on the board over the dining room patio door.  It had been a white semi-gloss.

I first gave it a coat of tan with a brush, then brushed a chocolate brown over that going all in one direction giving it the look of wood grain.  I adjusted the amount of dark brown to get the color I wanted.  When it was dry, I rolled the wood grain paint roller in the dark brown and rolled it down the length of the board. You can see where the roller lifted the paint off in place and exposed the white underneath.  That actually caused it to look more realistic - like the board was salvage.

I did the same process with the overhead "beam."  This support beam is covered in dry wall.

I did the same two tones of paint on the shutters, leaving the blue to show in some areas.
I have always wanted rustic beams in our family room and living room.  For now, we have just one!
I'm in love with all my blue and white again and picked up a few new pieces at HomeGoods.  My daughter has decided she likes turquoise better than the blue and white so we've been trading some pieces.

I love the little bit of rustic feel this gives to our living room now.
That's my favorite thing about French Country - the mix between the elegant and the rustic.



Well, the wind and snow are howling outside.  I'm going to go work on my bedroom ceiling some more.  I hope you're having a wonderful day!

love and blessings~


"He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers." Psalm 104:4

I'm joining these linky parties:frenchcountrycottage
thoughts-of-home-on-thursday
.dwellings
thededicatedhouse
.oursouthernhomesc
coastalcharm
betweennapsontheporch
stonegableblog
astrollthrulife
myuncommonsliceofsuburbia
.oursouthernhomesc
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Holiday Nights

I think my favorite thing about Christmas decorating is all the lights.  There's nothing cozier than relaxing in the evening by the fire and the lights from the tree.

Ours light up the whole room and I really miss them when the holidays are over.
I have my decorations all done but the forecast is clouds, clouds and more clouds for the next several days so I thought I would share our evening view in the meantime.
I put a small tree in our dining room - perfect for romantic evening dinners.  I filled the trough my husband made with faux evergreen, poinsettias, glittery fruit, ornaments and candles.

And I put (almost) every other candle we own on our living room mantle.  A faux garland and a string of lights add sparkle in the evenings.  I filled the hearth and ottoman tray with more cream poinsettias.

A large wreath hangs in the picture window.
I got this throw at HomeGoods.  It's the softest!  I think I'm going to have to take it up to our bedroom and use it more because I don't sit in here often.

I hope to catch a sunny day soon to take some pictures of the living room and dining room and post them. And I hope to show you my husband's contribution to the decorating!  lol and a forehead slap! He was so happy with his idea that I had to leave it.

Be back soon!
love and blessings~
"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house."  Matthew 5:15

betweennapsontheporch.
.karensuponthehill.
coastalcharm
thriftydecorchick
.stonegableblog.
.savvysouthernstyle
Rattlebridge Farms
thededicatedhouse
homeremediesrx
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Holiday Nights

I think my favorite thing about Christmas decorating is all the lights.  There's nothing cozier than relaxing in the evening by the fire and the lights from the tree.

Ours light up the whole room and I really miss them when the holidays are over.
I have my decorations all done but the forecast is clouds, clouds and more clouds for the next several days so I thought I would share our evening view in the meantime.
I put a small tree in our dining room - perfect for romantic evening dinners.  I filled the trough my husband made with faux evergreen, poinsettias, glittery fruit, ornaments and candles.

And I put (almost) every other candle we own on our living room mantle.  A faux garland and a string of lights add sparkle in the evenings.  I filled the hearth and ottoman tray with more cream poinsettias.

A large wreath hangs in the picture window.
I got this throw at HomeGoods.  It's the softest!  I think I'm going to have to take it up to our bedroom and use it more because I don't sit in here often.

I hope to catch a sunny day soon to take some pictures of the living room and dining room and post them. And I hope to show you my husband's contribution to the decorating!  lol and a forehead slap! He was so happy with his idea that I had to leave it.

Be back soon!
love and blessings~
"Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house."  Matthew 5:15

betweennapsontheporch.
.karensuponthehill.
coastalcharm
thriftydecorchick
.stonegableblog.
.savvysouthernstyle
Rattlebridge Farms
thededicatedhouse
homeremediesrx
Standard
Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Lots of Changes in the Living Room

I love fabric and will typically use a fabric as my starting off point for decorating any room. And I did that this time again - only my fabric was just a solid drop cloth.

I'd been feeling like our living room had gotten a little neutral for my liking and when I spotted this faux silk blue plaid at warehousefabricsinc.com, I thought it was perfect!  When the fabric arrived it even matched my robin's egg blue linen perfectly!

I knew that I wasn't satisfied with the slipcover I had made for the round ottoman in this room and thought this faux silk plaid would be perfect to reupholster it with and add some pattern.
I also ordered a beautiful fringe that had all the colors in it to match.
This new plaid also has all the same shades that's in the toile in this room!
With a little bit of furniture rearranging, I feel like I have a whole new room!
I replaced my floral door picture with some French Country cows for Fall.  They've been living in the basement for a while and were ready to come back out.  I didn't like my Blue and White with this new fabric so I gave my secretary a library feel, which I also like for Fall.
I made an overstuffed pillow for the couch out of the same fabric and added the matching fringe.
I put a mix of glass pumpkins and a beautiful teal glass vase filled with dried hydrangeas on a rustic basket tray.
 I've also moved another end table into the room and the mercury glass lamps that were in the family room. I'll probably paint the base of this table the same color as I've painted the others.  I just want to make sure that these changes are gonna stick! ;)
I reupholstered this ottoman with very little sewing.  I'll post later this week how I did it and how you can get perfectly spaced pleats without doing any math! :)

Hope your Summer had a great ending!

love and blessings~
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" Galatians 1:27,28

I'm joining these parties:
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
stonegableblog
betweennapsontheporch
thededicatedhouse
homeremediesrx
savvysouthernstyle
thriftydecorchick
commonground
frommyfrontporchtoyours
impartinggrace
andersonandgrant
frenchcountrycottage
lifeonlakeshoredrive.
oursouthernhomesc
karensuponthehill

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Lots of Changes in the Living Room

I love fabric and will typically use a fabric as my starting off point for decorating any room. And I did that this time again - only my fabric was just a solid drop cloth.

I'd been feeling like our living room had gotten a little neutral for my liking and when I spotted this faux silk blue plaid at warehousefabricsinc.com, I thought it was perfect!  When the fabric arrived it even matched my robin's egg blue linen perfectly!

I knew that I wasn't satisfied with the slipcover I had made for the round ottoman in this room and thought this faux silk plaid would be perfect to reupholster it with and add some pattern.
I also ordered a beautiful fringe that had all the colors in it to match.
This new plaid also has all the same shades that's in the toile in this room!
With a little bit of furniture rearranging, I feel like I have a whole new room!
I replaced my floral door picture with some French Country cows for Fall.  They've been living in the basement for a while and were ready to come back out.  I didn't like my Blue and White with this new fabric so I gave my secretary a library feel, which I also like for Fall.
I made an overstuffed pillow for the couch out of the same fabric and added the matching fringe.
I put a mix of glass pumpkins and a beautiful teal glass vase filled with dried hydrangeas on a rustic basket tray.
 I've also moved another end table into the room and the mercury glass lamps that were in the family room. I'll probably paint the base of this table the same color as I've painted the others.  I just want to make sure that these changes are gonna stick! ;)
I reupholstered this ottoman with very little sewing.  I'll post later this week how I did it and how you can get perfectly spaced pleats without doing any math! :)

Hope your Summer had a great ending!

love and blessings~
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" Galatians 1:27,28

I'm joining these parties:
dwellings-theheartofyourhome
stonegableblog
betweennapsontheporch
thededicatedhouse
homeremediesrx
savvysouthernstyle
thriftydecorchick
commonground
frommyfrontporchtoyours
impartinggrace
andersonandgrant
frenchcountrycottage
lifeonlakeshoredrive.
oursouthernhomesc
karensuponthehill

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

End of Summer French Blue Shutters

The weather has really been cool here in Michigan the last week.  I think fall is so beautiful, especially here,  but the summers here are short and mild and autumn is followed by a long, cold, snowy winter.  And I honestly get a little sad when I realize summer is ending.  So I cheered myself up with a little paint!

Recently I changed my rug in my living room.  I'm really happy with this rug in here but the jute rug that was here before was medium brown and added a little more contrasting color to this room.  The wool rug is the same color as the furniture and has washed things out a bit.

The thought that 'I can re-paint my shutters' has always been in back of my mind and this seemed like a good time to see if changing them would add a little more color drama to the room.

I painted all the shutters in this area.
I am really liking the contrast now.  The shutters were originally painted SW Interesting Aqua and SW Rain and darkened a little with SW Seal.



The new color I mixed here at home but is more of a French Blue.  I left some of the old, lighter and darker colors showing - giving them a worn look.
 My Endless Summer hydrangeas were starting to fade so I filled this copper pot and put them on the dining room table to dry.  I love the beautiful mix of colors!
My Strawberry Shortcake hydrangeas are all still beautiful and slowly turning pink at the bottom of each bloom.
I think the darker color is perfect and gives a new dimension to these rooms.  


The shutters in the family room are still the lighter color.  I always want these rooms to coordinate, because they're open to each other, but I like that there's also a difference now.

Have a wonderful weekend!

love and blessings~

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

Joining these linky parties:
/thecharmofhome
frenchcountrycottage
too-much-time
tatertotsandjello
cedarhillfarmhouse
stonegableblog
cupcakesandcrinoline
thededicatedhouse
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

End of Summer French Blue Shutters

The weather has really been cool here in Michigan the last week.  I think fall is so beautiful, especially here,  but the summers here are short and mild and autumn is followed by a long, cold, snowy winter.  And I honestly get a little sad when I realize summer is ending.  So I cheered myself up with a little paint!

Recently I changed my rug in my living room.  I'm really happy with this rug in here but the jute rug that was here before was medium brown and added a little more contrasting color to this room.  The wool rug is the same color as the furniture and has washed things out a bit.

The thought that 'I can re-paint my shutters' has always been in back of my mind and this seemed like a good time to see if changing them would add a little more color drama to the room.

I painted all the shutters in this area.
I am really liking the contrast now.  The shutters were originally painted SW Interesting Aqua and SW Rain and darkened a little with SW Seal.



The new color I mixed here at home but is more of a French Blue.  I left some of the old, lighter and darker colors showing - giving them a worn look.
 My Endless Summer hydrangeas were starting to fade so I filled this copper pot and put them on the dining room table to dry.  I love the beautiful mix of colors!
My Strawberry Shortcake hydrangeas are all still beautiful and slowly turning pink at the bottom of each bloom.
I think the darker color is perfect and gives a new dimension to these rooms.  


The shutters in the family room are still the lighter color.  I always want these rooms to coordinate, because they're open to each other, but I like that there's also a difference now.

Have a wonderful weekend!

love and blessings~

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

Joining these linky parties:
/thecharmofhome
frenchcountrycottage
too-much-time
tatertotsandjello
cedarhillfarmhouse
stonegableblog
cupcakesandcrinoline
thededicatedhouse
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