If You Can't Buy It... Paint It!

Okay that doesn't always work but in this case it did.... After we decided on wood floors for the living room we knew we'd need to get a rug to put down. After a brief search I stumbled upon this beauty at West Elm.

via

I was in love. the colors the shape everything was perfect, well almost everything. After realizing the price was a bit out of our budget we settled on a rug from Home Depot that was half the price. I was a bit heart broken as I was sure that rug was meant to be in our room. So.... I got creative (as I often do) and ran to the store to pick up a few supplies and after some tedious moments with a blank canvas and some pattern tape I came up with this...

I printed off a picture of the rug and laid down the tape lines accordingly. I then went on to mix and match paint to match the colors of the rug, though you could use any colors really. After the fact I realized it would have been easier to paint the whole canvas the neutral color between the color blocks since I didn't want to leave it white and it was a pain to go back in and cut the lines, but lesson learned I guess. 

The finished product now resides in the living room on the shelves above the couch. Styled with a few trinkets that were in my old apartment and a few new additions. I feel pretty good about it. It is a good substitute for the rug and the kaleidoscope pattern makes for interesting custom artwork and the cost of supplies (about $10 for the canvas and the pattern tape) was a steal in comparison to a $400 rug that my cat would have probably puked on anyway :) I guess the moral of this post is that if you like something that is out of reach like an expensive rug or painting or print... don't be afraid at trying your hand at reproducing it. You don't have to be an artist to make art and in the end I think it will mean more to you then dropping the money on the original item.  

Craft Time!!

As I continue to get things situated in the living room it occurred to me there were not many actually crafty touches. I'm a semi crafty girl but I'm not in to super cutesie over the top craft things I was aching to do something that would fit our style just right. So I made these...

Following this post at a favorite blog of mine. I followed the steps, and as you can see are actually super easy,I didn't make my leaves as big and I wish I'd used a heavier wire but all in all I think they turned out really pretty. I arranged them in my most favorite Anthropologie vase, that was a house warming gift from my sister and viola! they are now sitting on top a bookcase from my old apartment that houses our media collection.

I think it adds just the right touch. I've styled it with some candlesticks, an Ikea mirror, my deer plate from Park City that I picked up here, a picture from the first night me and the F-hub first really talked (Happy New Year indeed) and a picture of a historical church  (though not really sure which one) from our trip to Boston.

On the wall above it is a print I picked up on a trip to Seattle at the University of Washington Bookstore of Mt. Rainier. I try to surround myself with the things that make me happy, in life and when decorating. I think this little snippet of the living room is a good example of that. It's about the only part of the living room finishing touches I feel is finished and it def makes me happy happy every time I look at it. 

I've got more planned for the living room and can't wait to update on my latest project!

The Living Room....

So prior to me making the big move, the F-Hub (Future Husband) and I decided that because I'm coming with baggage in the form of four legged friends, one of which had already taken a liken to digging in the carpet in the living room and the other an allergy issue for family, that we would replace the carpet in the living room with wood floors (of the pergo variety). The carpet was new when the F-Hub moved in a few months ago but we thought replacing it would be a better alternative to what I was bringing to the table (oh I brought the table too) so we started with this...

Brown, not bad but...

We went to Home depot and checked out our options. We both decided on a Walnut Stain and we ended up with this...



soo much better...

I love the look of wood but it can come across cold and uninviting so of course we needed to add some sort of floor covering. We found this...once again at our local Home Depot. It was a great price for the size (8x10 ft) it wasn't my first choice but at half the price of the one I lusted over it's a close second.

and though it looks like if covers the whole floor it does not. the pattern gives it dimension and some class without being too much in the space.

 after shuffling the couches around to get the rug in we finally moved them back in, thank goodness it's a sectional otherwise it wouldn't have happened.

and I realize these are not the best pics but my phone is always

 handy, with out it I fear I wouldn't have pictures of anything.  

Pay no attention to the curtains as those are on their way out. Soon to be replaced with a set I got at my favorite Swedish store. I'm sticking with  blue/grey/neutral tones in this room. Re-using a few things from my old place with out just recreating the same space. Stay tuned for more as it all comes together, including DIY art, and furniture styling and my favorite NEW PILLOWS :).