Some day, we'll both win the lottery and we can just go out and point to things we want delivered :)

Perhaps a trip to the thrift store and a can of spray paint? I swear it works. A bunch of stuff painted the same color looks fabulous in a bookcase(or on a table).

OR, I got three glass vases that flowers had been delivered in, (so free) and I did the faux mercury look...

Also there have been some awesome shaped lamps that you can also use spray paint on...when you get tired of them, you've only spent 7-ish dollars...

"Real people decorating."

Thank you! lol I needed that reminder.

I actually started today making an actual photo collage (for lack of better word) of the items I have and want. To keep with me as a visual of my goal. Because I am guilty of going rogue.

If I change my mind on items as I go, then I can update my board. But I think it will be good to have a visual to look at and actually see how items will fit into the look.

Oh, don't get me started on my spray paint collection! I love making faux mercury glass. With other responsibilities, you have to be creative.

An example - My husband loves golf and I wanted curtains and rods for his home office. I bought long silky drapes from BB&B with coupons, made easy tapestry valances and used clip rings to hang them on wood-head driver golf clubs I found at a thrift store. I used burgundy nail polish to touch up the drivers. It looked great!

I'm looking to replace my kitchen table so I was perusing Craigslist and online

Found this smashing table and thought of you...seats up to 12!

i want to see your mercury glass please?

remember, they have great glues out now too. and if you do not bother reading patterns - i can't. you can sew. if you are creative and are used to mixing things up, then you should have an eye for how things go together. just do simply with straight lines. forget things like zippers. the reason i bring this up is boredom. if you are bored sewing, it takes even longer to glue. and you might have to redo. and a used simple sew machine is under $100.

now having said all that, i have to say i once covered a chair with a 2 yard striped rope from decorating, and 2 twin curtains from walmart- cheapest please. i draped top to bottom, from front to back, then i took the cord wrapped around where the seat reaches the back and tied a bow partway up the back. had to redo every few days, both her and i loved it. it was easy clean and looked great, kinda flowed.

at the same time i recovered my old couch with tape, a staple gun, a large piece of decorators fabric. some idea i got from Chris L. I bought some very large pillows - i shoulda spent a little more on those. i wrapped the cushions and pillow and then used, ugh... you know the big gray tape?, to hold together. i went all long the edges of the couch, it was set into a wicker base, dbld over the edge of the fabric and staplegunned it into place. the couch held for 7 years, the pillows were a true pain.

i also covered my windows in walmart cheapest twin sheets. oh yeah, and in my bump out there was bench seating, so i got the thickest strongest styrofoam and covered them in the king pillow covers in walmarts cheapest sheets. these sheets are cool, very easy to clean, a multitude of colors, for years they were under $5, and prehemmed and if you peel the corner of the hem apart, you can use for curtains.

i also want to say that i started out just thinking that i was too poor to do stuff. but i have discovered that it also allows me more variety in how my home is decorated, not fancy or anything. but more likely to find exactly what i want, in the style i want. so we should not mourn what we do not have, but what we have maybe?

I also faced a lot of difficulties while shifting to my new house. Here is the article which I found really helpful. All the DIY are inexpensive and can be made at home easily.

Here is the link- http://brightstuffs.com/diy-country-decor-ideas-for-a-beautiful-home/

Havingfun, I am no stranger to DIY decor. I've made many items for my homes over the years. I do sew and have made cushions, curtains, etc before. I have a list a mile long of projects. But working full time, and 2 girls about to turn 2 & 4, the new house isn't moving along as fast as I'd prefer. I know it's life, but it's still hard. I feel like we spent several years in our previous house just putting things off to make the house nice until we renovated it, then we bought a new house and spent the last year building it. I'm just ready to for it all to be put together!

But I always say you either need more time than money, or more money than time. Right now I'm short on both lol. :) :o :| :(

I remember what that was like...I had four little ones and new house. I felt victorious on those days when I got to go to the bathroom alone :)

I would give anything to have that time back. Hindsight and all...

yep, i read and understand pool. maybe just adjust the eyes so all they see is those little ones. believe me what i said came from hindsight. not that i am an improved model of anything. and there are many things i have not done due to time. i finally have time and i can do little without help. I also admitted on another thread, that i follow no rules when doing my things. can't say projects and art i quit because it was not done now. i am hooked on instant reward.

When you don't have much, whether it's money or time or patience or your health, it makes you appreciate what you come up with, more, in my opinion. I mean, sure it would be great to have a fully staffed house and unlimited funds. But I think that the people that are lucky enough to have it all, don't have the kind of pride in accomplishments that maybe we do. They surely have other things to take pride in, but for me, in my budget-y, diy, slightly difficult world, it's what gives me some joy. Mostly. :)

i agree with that. I don't think you get much feeling of achievement unless you are invested somehow. so lets move on to our next project. whats next?

Well, I want to work in my master bedroom and bath. It's never been nice and put together for like 10 years. So that's my next room.

I have some pics of it but it's pretty messy and I'm ashamed to post those haha. So I'll take some later and post with measurements.

I did hang these framed cigar boxes in my guest bath. It's kind of an odd place for them but the colors went really well. I'm not completely sold on the positioning, but it's good for now.

And I have this gallery I'm hanging today in my hallway. I really wanted wood frames for them all, but I had most of these frames already (only bought a couple new ones), so maybe down the line I can change them out.

This is a weird camera angle, sorry.

yes, in my opinion the belly band? behind them is actingas one giant frame, no?

I think they are on the floor, being arranged, not on a wall.

haha yes, they are on the floor. I told y'all it was a weird angle lol :)

I got all our caricatures hung in the hallway! One is a little crooked bc it needs a new frame.

Since I didn’t want to spend the money on all wooden frames right now, I may take some ORB rub n buff to them so they aren’t so black and maybe blend into our ORB hardware better.

Question: is like to get some runners for the Hallway. It’s a little over 36 feet long. I originally was thinking 2 runners but 12ft is the longest I find. Could I do 3- 10ft or what? Do I need to just go to a carpet store and get some made?

Woah you could bowl... :)

Do you want runners for the look or do you need them?

I would go to a carpet store and have a piece cut and bound in the length you want. I'm sure it would be much less expensive than buying several runners.

Haha PennY! We do roll some balls down it.

I don’t really know for sure What I want lol.

I was just looking at some rugs this morning and started wondering what size I would need. I always thought I’d want runners, but I do also like having it bare floor right now. And my girls do love it too hehe.

I have a couple non-matching 8’ runners I may lay in there just to see.

It’s certainly not a top priority for me. But since I was working in the Hall anyway I got curious.

My thoughts are that it's much easier to swiffer a bare floor. I try to make life easier as often as possible...

So I've been browsing CL again. aarrgghh, I shouldn't haha. But,

What do y'all think of this bed? I've asked if it's a platform or uses a boxspring, so that may make the decision. I use a box spring and like a higher mattress. It's not perfect, but I may like it better than what I have. I like the dark wood color, and the drawers on the foot are a bonus.

They are also selling a PB roll arm sofa, chair & ottoman. It's a tan color, but I like the style and it may be worth getting and buying a cover. It all looks in great condition...if it's still available.

idk why the pic didn't post

Love the bed. Buy it.

wait, wait, love it, but pool needs to swirl it around a while, a bed and suite of furniture are not as easy to get rid of.

Haha so true, having fun! I did resell the rattan table and chakrs today though! Woohoo finally. I took a small loss, but it’s gone and live and learn.

The bed turned out to be a platform bed, and that’s not my style. So I passed.

I am still considering the PB sofa, or another one or two of the same I also found. I’m trying to weigh my options and which one is the cheapest and easiest to change. This would be for my main living room and I reallay want a navy/dark blue sofa In there. So Im pricing some slip covers too.

See? I’m taking my time these days lol. I’m learning!

My long message got lost....here's some beds that I think would go....I have the same look in my bedroom and this is what I would look at...

This one I think I showed you, but it's HICKORY WHITE! For 550 dollars!!!

And this one with a bit of cosmetic damage...also four poster, but fabulous for your style..and only 200 dollars...look at the traditional, carving..

and I like this one, too, if your bedroom is big enough..

Perfect coffee table..

For you family room...this seems to be good..Bamboo..

This one is probably too amazing to comprehend...Will need new cushion covers but you know how....

you know who would be perfect for your projects? there used to be a store in the malls, they sold that line, jacobean or colonial english. lots of monkey candlesticks and chandeliers with palm leaves and i actually own a dog butler we bought from them. and of i say all this cause you just know i knew 2 minutes ago and now it is totally gone-ugh!!! I am going to go look, because i think they still sell to some places.

The Bombay Company?

Yall will be proud of me. I decided that Buying a cheap brown couch to replace my not cheap brown sectional was not getting me any closer to my goal look. So I’m going to find a dark navy blue couch I want and then stalk it until it goes on sale.

I’ll take recommendations.

I almost beat you pool. I was so excited that i found it. pooh. anyway the lady should take you to a list companies they sell through. and the bed looks like a few you had. it takes a pring i think though the price is scarey.

Locations | Bombay Company — Bombay Company · More Info

Amazon.com: Bombay Company Herning Queen 4-Poster Bed - Mahogany: Kitchen & Dini · More Info

yeah, it’s not cheap. I can remember the store being in the mall. I loved it then too!

ill check it out again though. At least back then I think it was good quality.

I’m double posting On the DIY chat thread too so sorry for the duplicate for a few of you.

I found this coffee table and am considering taking a look.

What do y’all think of this coffee/side table? It’s on my local Nextdoor, And is supposedly from Ethan Allen.

Would it be good with my Ming chairs? Or make too much of a theme?

i love it, but i think it is for a different color set or more oriental then your rooms.

Blue and white?

looks more like it.

I Kind of like that sofa. I had not really considered stripes before.

I know the coffee table is black, but I had considered adding some black accents here and there. A fabric I liked for my ming chairs had a little black mi into the blue and white design. Of course after I got a sample, that pattern sold out. So the search continues.

I thought I’d post some updates pics of my living room layout. I’m going to look at that coffee table tomorrow and see how I like it and if they will lower the price.

My dogs bed is the table mock-up haha. It’s roughly same size.

One question, the table is 19” high and my couch is only like 17”. Is that too high? Most are going to be like that I think.

Well I bought that coffee table! I really like it and think it will go, either in my living room (brown sectional room) or my family room.

The lady I bought it from lived in a multi million dollar home and I really liked her style, so I figure if it was good enough for her it will be great for me! lol

Can't wait to get it home.

Penny!

I am just now seeing your previous message from weeks ago with all the bed pics! Wow, I am so sorry, how did I miss that? Love several of those beds, I'm assuming you saw them on CL? I did look into some previously (a couple of those look familiar) but they were sold or whatnot. I'll check it out again.

Oh that's okay....Sometimes I'm looking on CL and I know we have the same vibe going on. I think you're right though----dfw seems to have better stuff. Maybe due to the floods down there?

The sofa I showed above is on my CL.

I like the table and that's the idea on CL...you need to know the area and check out the what the house looks like in the listing pics. It's part luck, part detective work :) Nice houses usually have good stuff.

I had the same trouble with my coffee table...my table is too low (it's from the 70's and they just were that way, I think) and too short. But I like it and there are no decor police. Also, it might be considered a tea table, which have always been higher (closer to end-table height)..

can you change out the legs?

If you can change the legs, prettypegs.com has replacement furniture legs. Beautiful options.

I already changed the legs on our couch several years ago to raise it up. At this point I’d rather live with it bc I w a new couch at some point. The brown leather works good for now with my kids. (And me too I guess since I spilled my coffee on it last weekend haha).

But im waiting on that until I make a firm decision on either a navy or white/light tan color. I change My mind every day haha. It may depend on what fabric I find for the Ming chairs and any accent chairs.

I’m going to hang some art and style my bookcases and then move on to another room. I think my bedroom!

Sofas are difficult....Would this one go in the family room? With your TV?

My family room has a kind of "pub" feel (I was born in England and we have some stuff so that's what it evolved into...I say "evolved" but what I actually mean is that's where the leftovers/overflow go, but I want it to sound like I had a plan it so I'm sticking with "evolved"...)

My next house will be what I want it to be. No formal living room...no formal dining room...massive fireplace and a sofa in the kitchen...Just a lovely cottage that happens to have a giant bathroom with a jacuzzi tub ;) because that's normal in a cottage, right?!?!

yep except i have a giant book shelf on one wall. oh and an in/out door fr the fuzzies.

This hexagon parquet could be a very interesting solution to the floors

www.curonians.com

Penny, this brown leather sectional would go...out the door. But realistically I should keep it another couple years while my girls are little and messy.

I do want to make A design plan though so I can do cushions for my Ming chairs and also maybe find a nice big comfy chair to go.

also my family room (in the kitchen area) is totally my leftover room right now. But it’s fine. Its near food and Outside dirt right now. I want to do the drop cloth slipcover on that gray sofa and then at least it will look a little nicer but still be kid friendly.