We closed on our house a year ago July. This is what the living room looked like when we bought the house. Once we moved all the furniture out, we tore out the carpet and went to work on transforming the entire room.
Our first move, remove the vintage curtains and vertical blinds. Once those were down we then removed the popcorn effect from the ceiling and then planked it with the tongue and groove wood that I white washed.
There was too much turquoise in the living room so I started a mural on the wall. An abstract underwater look would be just the ticket! While the wall made for a great background for still photography, I was losing my focus with it.
After getting all of our furniture out of storage, we picked the pieces we definitely wanted to keep. We chose the ones that were comfortable and would go with our laid back style. Wowser, what a lot of color. Not only that but I still didn't like the direction I was going with the mural.
This was my favorite part of the mural. It reminded me of when Mi Miguel and I go underwater shell seeking. I took a photo of it to maybe frame later. With no regrets about covering the mural, I got busy painting the whole wall with a neutral color.
Now to get busy toning down the rest of the room. I found this side table and a matching coffee table online.
I got them all painted with the same color as the ceiling.
I went through and made slipcovers and tailored the ones I bought. If you don't fit them to your furniture, you have a big wad of fabric each time someone sits down which leads too constant smoothing and hand tucking. That's not fun to do every day.
Here is a photo of the same chair that is in the photo above. What a difference it makes.
Here is an after photo of the living room with all the furniture toned down and the wall with mural painted a neutral color. The brown wood side table was just purchased last week. I'll be painting it to flow with the room. I also changed the poppies to sea creatures. Can you see them on the wall?
What a difference, huh? Those wall units are now in the master bedroom walk-in closet that Mi Miguel built. Photos of that will come later as we finish the master bedroom.
Here is a different angle, this is the view as you come through the front entry door.
A deeper view of part of the "foyer" as you enter the house. While taking all the photos this morning, Banjo was so distracted by something outside. She usually could care less about what's going on in our neighborhood. Here's the culprit for her agitated behavior...
the neighbor cat that used to love relaxing in our little garden in front of our dining room window. Remember, I posted this photo many months ago? Can you see him? We've had Banjo for five months now. The cat doesn't come in our yard at all anymore. Instead, he sits along the curb in front of our house like a statue and taunts Banjo. Which she could care less about the cat sitting out there.But this morning he came back to his old favorite spot.
The cat is difficult to see with all the foliage. Can you see him now? Banjo sure can.
Banjo's tongue speaks volumes in this photo. I think we all know what she's thinking.
Agitated or not, I want her to be friendly towards the cat even though he does taunt her. Being gentle with Banjo so as not to make an even bigger deal about the cat, I simply closed the shade and drew her attention elsewhere. I think she gets it. I think she knows that she's bigger than the whole "dog chase cat" behavior. She now knows that when a cat taunts you, it's best to just walk away.
We
finally got our new soffit, guttering and downspouts. Sometimes you just have to suck it up
and deal with the expense in order to achieve curb appeal. Here is our before photo. This was taken right after we signed the contract.
This is right after the new soffit, guttering and downspouts. We are moving right along with our sweet little fixer upper now. We still have to do shutters and landscaping.
We're also planning to put in a U-shaped driveway in our front yard. Parking is tight on our street. This way we can accommodate more vehicles when we start having our bed and breakfast guests.
But, Mi Miguel said, "First I'm going to build you the pergola because I think we will enjoy it way more than a driveway." I love this man. As soon as it cools down we can start this project.
You can find all my blog entries on Facebook: Florida Warmth and Water.
We are on the letter V with our alphabetical restaurant journey. All the restaurants we've been to so far are on Facebook: Florida Restaurants A-Z.
Two days ago, I posted on social media that I'm looking for a specific dresser or sideboard to convert into a vanity for the master bathroom. In fact, I've been casually looking for one ever since we bought the house a year ago. Without even being aware of it, yesterday was the day to look for it.
I knew what to look for and exactly what I wanted. It had to be unique but not to antique. I wanted it to be fun but not over the top in color and design. If I could find one at a great price that didn't need to be painted, that would even be a better option.
Painting doesn't appeal to me much these days. Painting walls and furniture in the same house nearly every day for a year kind of made me grow tired of what once fascinated me.
The next day after posting that I'm looking for a piece to convert to a vanity, my friend, Miss Becky suggested Habitat for Humanity. It was there that I stumbled across the perfect one.
We wanted something no longer than 67 inches and a depth of no more than 18 inches. This piece met that criteria.
When I got up yesterday, I had plans to stop by a new friend's house to check out her kitchen design and then the grocery. After that I needed to get home to prepare for my get together later in the evening. On the way to the grocery store to pick up good things to eat there stood the Habitat for Humanity right in my path. It was a sign, right?
I've driven by the Habitat for Humanity several times but haven't stopped in since they had to shut down. This particular one tends to be high on their prices, which a business can do in this tourist type area.
Somehow on the way to Publix yesterday, my vehicle just kind of turned right into the parking lot of Habitat For Humanity. Even though I was pressed for time and needed to get groceries there I sat not realizing what was waiting inside for me.
The minute I stepped in the door I saw what I thought could work for a bubble light, for our coastal home. I sent a photo to Mi Miguel and he said, "It's kind of weird looking." We really don't need a light fixture. We have temporary ones up that work fine for right now. He was right.
There was however a light next to it that was very unique. It wasn't at all weird. It was unique. I took photos of it, but thought not to send them to Mi Miguel. The incredible deal the manager gave me would make anyone love this light fixture. I think Mi Miguel is going to love it too.
It will be perfect in the dining room. Mi Miguel has already installed our "forever" light for that room.
I didn't feel the need to broadcast this purchase right away because you see, before he installed the "forever" light, there was this light fixture that you see in the photo above. I'm pretty sure I let him know that it was just a temporary light when we bought it.
We had to hurriedly choose something because the original owner of the house wanted to keep her Murano chandelier.
But,
once he sees this light he will understand. It's solid brass, heavy and
has the most wonderful glass flower shaped shades you've ever seen. Isn't it "PERFECT?"
Setting the much needed light fixture at the register, I felt an urge to go peek at the furniture. I thought I should quickly peruse the whole store in fact. Our "Simplify Your Life" mantra was in the back of my mind. But, being pressed for time and zipping through the aisles not expecting to see much, a quick perusing shouldn't be a problem.
Right then, Waaaahhhh, there it stood...THE DRESSER. THE ONE!
I sent a picture of it to Mi Miguel. He liked it as well. But he had no idea where we should put it until we were ready for it in the master bathroom.
We obviously think very differently. A treasure this grand, can sit smack dab in the middle of the living room if need be. You see, wondering where I'll put an incredibly special buy like this has never been a problem for me.
Mi Miguel on the other hand thinks about things like, how in the world does she expect me to load it up and unload it. He thinks about how it will block the thoroughfare from one room to the next.
All I can see is, "THE ONE." We'll climb over it for a month if need be. After convincing him that we will never find another dresser like this. He agreed that it was truly an amazing dresser.
I paid for it and put a "Sold" post it note on all three pieces. Yes, there was a night stand and mirror to match. Why wouldn't you buy all three pieces. They closed at five so Mi Miguel would have to pick it up the next morning.
On the way to the grocery store, I called him again since we always talk on his lunch break anyway. I shared my concern with leaving the set at the store with just a piece of paper stuck to it as my only evidence of purchase. The receipt had no description just a price. The vagueness of purchase concerned me. Mi Miguel agreed that it should be picked up on his lunch break. We met up at the Habitat For Humanity and got the set all loaded up. It was at this point that I informed him that I found the "PERFECT" light for the dining room. A blank look fell over his face.
The dresser set is delivered. There it sits in the middle of the master bedroom, blocking the thoroughfare, just like Mi Miguel said it would. It's one of those things where I feel prouder than a peacock and no one else seems to understand.
The matching nightstand is in my living room being used as a side table for now. It matches the dresser and mirror, we may need it as we finish up renovating the bathroom. For what, we don't know that yet either. But we do have it if we need it. The
mirror is gingerly propped up against the dresser. I have no clue what
I'll do with the one mirror but I'm sure when the time comes we'll be
glad we have it.
When Mi Miguel sees this terrific set,I'm sure this is what he sees.
When I lay my eyes upon this "once in a lifetime treasure," this is what I see.
But I ask you, isn't this dresser perfect for a double sink vanity in a coastal cottage style bathroom?
Can't you see my treasure of a dresser being a double sink vanity in a bathroom like this?
Or this? Yes, I can too. Let's do this Mi Miguel. How hard can it be?
