Wow It Has Been A While!

The possibility of me going down in history as the worst blogger in ever is really quite possible. I have been extremely negligent in my blogging. However, I have a lot of small projects underway that I am really excited about and I thought I should share! Also, my friend Andrea (who is an amazing designer) is really helping me a lot in pulling my home together in a cohesive way! I cannot wait to post her work when it is done! Here are some pictures of what the living room of the house looked like before. I am going to gradually do this room by room and catch up on the past two years of home ownership and decorating. Anyways....back to the living room.

This project began in January of 2011. We picked a stone company (whome we thought would be amazing because of their affiliation with UGA), and got started. The proecess was rocky...no pun intended. There were language barriers, damaged floors, yack, yack, yack...but eventually the job was done. Our painter, Tom Adams, did a beautiful job with the blue. He also painted the railing black. We felt the blue would tie in the granite in the kitchen with the stone. It would also break up all the warmth that was going on before (light wood floors, chesnuts cabinets, and yellow walls) was like walking into a tanning salon! The project was completed in May of 2011, and we have really enjoyed this room. It is still lacking wall art...more to come on that later! Needs another chair, and some other things, but overall the room is functional. Hooray! Here is a picture of the room IP (In Progress):

 

Oh Ceiling fan...How I hate thee! The ceiling fan was a major problem for me in this room. A.) I really hated the way it looked B.) It did very little to circulate air rendering it completely uselss. What to do, what to replace it with, where to buy??? When in doubt go to the dining room! The dining room piece was too big for the room. However, it coordinated with the kitchen light fixtures and front entryway, tying the room in with the rest of the openess of the house. Some chain and spray paint later the room had a new fixture.

Before:

After!

 

I think it made a BIG difference in the look of our home. The next few pictures I want to explain because they bring in the "antiquated" element of this post, First, this is a piano from the house my great grandfather built off Houston Ave in Macon, GA in 1920. The Piano at one time was a player, but now it has to be played manually. It still works, and has a great richness to its tone. Black was the look of elegance at this time. However, to find that deep rich, dark, wood cost money, so many saavy Southerners painted their pieces to give them a look of higher sophistication. Such is the case with this 1913 piano. The piece is heavy as sin (as some might say) and literally impossible to move. I absolutely love it and more so because of the memories I have of my Aunt Louise playing it up until 2002 when she had to move out of her beloved home. At some point I will add pictures of the piano in its first home on Houston Ave.

 

Next is a China Cabinet, that coordinates with the buffet and table in the kitchen. It is also a very dark wood, and from the same home as the piano. I am using it for books, decanters, and other things. I think it is great in this nook, and once again provides sentimental value. The friendly Antelope above it is our beloved Andy. He was shot by my father in Wyoming, and had no place to go. I love the tans and ivory of his fur against the blue wall. I always love some antlers...or horns!

 

 

Finally, these steeple chase prints were my favorite purchase of our honeymoon trip to Ireland. There should be four, but I could only find these three. I think I paid $70 US dollars for all three, and they really capture Ireland and my love of horses. They are also the only things, besides the couch and coffee table in this room that I paid anything for.

 

I am excited to be back in the bloggasphere and cannot wait to share more of my decorating adventures!

 

Oh...back to the ceiling fans...I have about six horrid awful ones that I need to replace. Any ideas on where some might be???