Saturday, June 2, 2012

Welcome to My Living Room.


If you're new to my blog, welcome! This weekend Kelly's Korner is hosting a living room tour. I love it! Things like this provide such great decorating inspiration. We moved into our home in June 2007 (wow, 5 years!), and it's still a work in progress. I'm still a work in progress too, so it only makes sense.

Stepping into our entry way, you have a direct view into the living room.
There's a study to the right, though you can't see it here.

I have been wishy washy about potentially hanging curtains in here. I love the plantation shutters
and don't want to cover them up, but I think some colorful curtains would be perfect. Decisions, decisions.

The mantle is decorated with frames from Goodwill, lanterns from Pottery Barn (here),
and the votives are from LaurieAnna's Vintage Home in Canton. The mercury glass votives
add a little jewelry sparkle, and I love them.

Oh! And I made the monogram over the fireplace several years ago. It cost me about $10.

We bought that cute secretary at Canton a few years ago for Valentine's Day.
My husband was terribly excited about that V-day gift, as you can imagine. He's
a good egg. The apothecary jars are filled with antique matchbooks, buttons,
and a bird's nest. And here's the story about the rocking chair.

My Coralie Bickford-Smith Penguin Classics, some family pictures, and my slow growing white pitcher collection.
My maid of honor/BFF/college roommate gave us the Waterford cross when we married. I hope it'll be a family heirloom.
The drawers below are where we hide our junk. Everyone needs an easy place to stash the random stuff.

Another corner of the room, with one of my favorite pics of our boy. Details here.
(Taken on a different day than the rest of these photos. There are usually more toys in that corner.)

Another corner of the room. That basket (from HomeGoods) houses a small Apple store.
It's where we keep laptops, other gadgets, and their respective chargers.
The barley twist lamp is from Pottery Barn several years ago, and the cross is from Canton.

Our floor plan is open, so it my kitchen looks right into the living room. We love it. So great for entertaining!
That's a sweet little Pottery Barn anywhere chair in the corner for a sweet little boy named Jack.

I know a lot of people like to see a glimpse of the way people "really" live, but I'll be honest with you--our living room looks this way most of the time. Unless it's been a very tiring day, I pick up everything before we go to bed and clear the kitchen counters. Our bedrooms may be a disaster, but the common rooms of the house are usually ready for company with just a quick breeze through to pick up toys or shoes. It's a discipline I've worked hard at to keep the homekeeping part of my life together, even though we're all over the place during the week.

Now, dusting is a different matter entirely.

41 comments:

  1. So so so adorable!! I love all of your little touches. Can't believe the monogram above the fireplace was $10. No way! :)

    And, you had me at Laurie Anne's and Canton. LOVE those places!

    I wish our kitchen was open to the living room. It would make cooking dinner while toddlers play so much easier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my goodness, so much of my house is from Canton. Don't you just love Laurie's shop?!? I could live there!

      Delete
  2. I love the empty frames on the mantle. That is such a great idea!

    And our house is usually in okay order in the common rooms as well. Sometimes it will have a basket or two of laundry but other than that (and dust!) they're mostly presentable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It took me forever to get something on the mantle that I liked! So thank you very much! :)

      I wave the white flag of surrender at the dust. You just can't win them all!

      Delete
  3. Our mantle currently holds stacks of library books because I haven't found anything I like enough to put there (and won't settle!). But I love the monogram--you might have to do a tutorial for us! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My mantle was blank for probably 4 of the 5 years we've lived here. I completely understand!

      Delete
  4. stopped over from kellyskorner. Love your livingroom. LOVE the plantation windows. simply beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had always wanted plantation shutters, so we saved to make my dream come true. Thank you for stopping by and saying hello!

      Delete
  5. I love everything about your living room! So so beautiful!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Found you through Kelly's link up. I'm a fellow DFW gal. I LOVE your monogram! And I'm coveting your tv stand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're practically neighbors then! :) Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  7. Hey there! Your home is beautiful :) I love the brick mantle and the brick on the door entryways..very pretty. I also love the open kitchen to the den. Ours is one big room like that as well and I think I will always aim to have an open floor plan! Anyways, feel free to visit me anytime...www.drewryfamily.blogspot.com :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The open floor plan is so convenient for families and for company. I will definitely be visiting your blog!

      Delete
  8. Replies
    1. Thank you! The brick is one of my favorite things about the house.

      Delete
  9. emily! i love your living room!!! love all the personal touches that make it so meaningful. so fun to see inside your home :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, ma'am! And it sounds like I need to do a monogram tutorial. So easy. If I can do it, anyone can.

      Delete
  10. Thanks for the apple store basket idea! I'm stealing it. Our boys are alway misplacing their iPad, DS game chargers and such so this is a simple solution!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do it! That's what I love about these link ups! I think it was probably originally intended for a magazine basket? It fits my husband's larger size laptop perfectly.

      Delete
  11. ohhh it is lovely and beautiful! i have to laugh because we have clutter to higher degree than you (that is, we HAVE it. haha) but dusting is the one thing i'm always on top of. thank goodness for the swiffer family of products. =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a shame we can't live next door to each other and trade services. I will gladly de-clutter for anyone who will dust my dark, thus making dust very obvious, furniture.

      Also, I have clutter, but it's in the secretary. Once a month I have to go through it and deal with what I may have stashed there. I just put our voter registration cards in there. B is never going to find them.

      Delete
  12. Your living room is beautiful and so cozy looking! I have 2 questions... the monogram is so neat and I am so impressed that you made that! I noticed by looking back that it is a screen, did you back it with something?
    Also, our kitchen and family room connect like yours, and we are searching for a nice neutral paint color ... yours is so nice, would you mind sharing the paint color and brand?
    Thanks so much! Your home decor is so inspiring! Marci in TN
    thepetersfamily3@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I just e-mailed you back but thought I'd answer here too. I don't know the paint color. We picked it out of swatches from the builder, and I didn't think to ask what brand or anything. Lesson learned!

      Delete
  13. thanks for stopping by my blog and your comment. i just LOVE your room. the brick arch is so pretty. love your monogram artwork, LOVE the family picture. everything is so neat, clean and so very welcoming! really like the way you've decorated your mantle. one of my friends finds the most amazing things at laurieanna's--i have GOT to go sometime. thanks for linking up--i am bookmarking you now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, and you are most welcome! You definitely should check out Laurie's shop.

      Delete
  14. Ok, there is SO MUCH that I love about your living room! I love the brick detail on the entry, the monogram, the colors, that GORGEOUS photo of your little boy with just your legs, and love love love the Windsor rocker! I would LOVE antique Windsor chairs for our dining room! Do you remember the name of the furniture maker??? Great job on decorating this room! I need to follow your example of cleaning ours up every evening before bed. And I am dealing with the same dilemma regarding curtains in our family room...I love the wooden blinds, but would also love to bring another pattern into the room :}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I just googled it really quick. It came from here.

      Delete
  15. Your home is beautiful! I love the arched brick entry into the living space. Your shabby chic style is so me too! That monogram is a grat touch! I'm from Houston and still have yet to visit Canton! I'm hoping to this year as a friend's family lives close by.

    ReplyDelete
  16. LOVE IT ALL!!! Always love to meet fellow DFW bloggers....I live in Ft. Worth! And I just went to Canton for the first time ever in May! Your LR is just gorgeous...in fact I just pinned some of the pics!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love your MONOGRAMMED Art over the fireplace. I would love to have one in my living room. Do share how you made it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. I was exactly searching for. Thanks for such post and please keep it up. Great work. corona grey compact furniture

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. we will always appreciate all you have done here because I know you are very concerned with our. padded zero gravity chair

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think that thanks for the valuabe information and insights you have so provided here. learn more

    ReplyDelete
  21. Having a slide in the bunk bed must be awesome for kids. Imagine them getting up in the morning and sliding their way down to greet a brand new day. triple bunk bed

    ReplyDelete
  22. Make the most of mainly premium substances - you will find him or her for: entryway chandeliers

    ReplyDelete
  23. The benefits of buying an oak tables are endless. Firstly, the wood gives you unprecedented durability with the ability to hold decorations and household items like books and coffee mugs. The unmatched stability means that traditional or antique coffee tables can be passed down over generations without sustaining damage in addition to being a perfect gift for someone moving into a new place. akıllı sehpa modelleri

    ReplyDelete
  24. Health Experts have proven that regular exercise coupled with a good diet allow you to live longer and healthier. In this busy day and age, Strength Training Power Cages not everyone has the time to go to the gym - resulting to a lot of overweight people that desperately need to exercise. A healthy alternative is for you to Buy Home Gym Equipments that you can store in your own home or even at your office. Here are some tips when buying home gym equipment.

    First, know your fitness goals and keep these goals in mind when you are buying home gym equipment. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is buying the biggest or trendiest fitness machine simply because they like how it looks. More often than not, these end up gathering dust in your storage rooms or garage because you never end up using them. It is important to take note of what particular type of physical activity you want or enjoy doing before you buy your exercise machine. If you are looking to loose a few pounds and you enjoy walking or hiking, a treadmill is the best option for you. If you are looking to tone your lower body while burning calories a stationary bike is your obvious choice. Similarly, Special Equipments for Core Strength Exercises, Strength Training Weight Vests, Core Strength & Abdominal Trainers, Home Cardio Training, Strength Training Power Cages, Strength Training Racks & More.

    Second, set aside a budget before Buying Home Gym Equipments. Quality exercise machines do not come cheap. They are constantly exposed to wear and tear when they are used properly. So, pick machines that are built to last and have passed quality certifications to get the most out of your money. If you are operating on a tight budget, think about investing in several weights, We can Provide you High Quality Home Gym Equipments at Very Low Prices for your Complete Uses: Core Strength Exercises, Strength Training Weight Vests, Core Strength & Abdominal Trainers, Home Cardio Training, Strength Training Power Cages, Strength Training Racks & More.

    Its the Right Time to Buy Home Gym Equipments for you at Very Low Prices.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Crystal online pharmacy is a trusted online drug store with a wide range of products to suit the needs of our clients. Buy Beta-Alanine online Crystal Pharmacy do strive to offer the best service and ship products world wide. All the products listed on our website are Ava in stock. Expect your order to be processed Immediately when you send us your request. We deal with varieties of drugs for our customers satisfaction. We cross barriers with our products and struggle hard to meet human satisfaction. When shopping with us, Be safe and secured and you will realize how swift we are with our services.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Universal Gun sales is a trusted Firearm company base in Los Angeles California USA. It is one of the top Firearms Company in this part of the country. Buy Daniel defense MK18 online They do offer the best firearms deal in the USA and to over 25 countries in the world. You can always visit their shop in Los Angeles using the address on their website. Place your order and get served by the best Firearm Company in the planet. Have fun.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...