Serene Coastal Bedroom or Nautical Nightmare?

Last week I finally decided to tackle the master bedroom. We painted it over two years ago and had not put anything on the walls since. I just could not make up my mind on what to do. So I decided to go coastal and if that did not work, I would just start over. I found a frame at Goodwill last week and brought it home, painted it and hung it over my bedside table/chest. I added the starfish and the plaster footprints of the children that we created at the beach several years ago. I also placed the naked lampshade on my table as well with a few knickknacks (?). The bench that I bought in Bowling Green was sanded, painted and sanded again and placed in the bedroom. I still need to add cushions to the bench but I thought it best not to wait till that is complete before I posted. Who knows when that will happen? For now I have the down comforter from our bed piled on the bench. The wooden piece hanging over the bench with the shells was an idea that I had seen in a magazine a while back and really wanted to incorporate that somewhere. This is where it ended up. The shells are all from a collection of my grandmother's. The white shelves on each side were originally in daughter's bedroom many moons ago and I thought that they may be just right to fill this space. I added more beach stuff on the shelves. The painted beach quote over the tall chest was a purchase from one of my favorite beach stores, Pickets, in Sea Grove from several years ago. Lastly, I took the down comforter off the bed and decided to use the pale blue coverlet as a bedspread, added coral sheets and two shams from TJ Maxx to add a little color. I will have to let this look grow on me a little bit more. At first, it seemed as if I had closed myself in too much with the addition of so many things at once. I will just have to wait and see if this stays as is. What do you think?

CopyCat

I mentioned earlier that my bench needed some pillows to soften it up a bit. Well, yesterday, I remembered the sweet vintage pillowcase that I had in my linen closet. This sweet little embroidered flower pillowcase has been with me since my marriage to my wonderful hubby.

The Enjoy Life pillow is a knock off. I have been eyeing a similar pillow at HomeGoods and decided that I could surely make one just as cute. Not sure I care for the seersucker pillow against the seersucker seat cushion. May have to deconstruct it and do another layer for the base that is the muslin repeated. The stitching was pretty easy. I just printed the words on my computer in a simple font and used it as a stencil for my stitching. It does ned a bit more stuffing around the edges to fill it in.

I really like the pillow itself, just not sure about it on the cushion. Any thoughts?

I made a seat cushion!

Remember the cute bench I picked up Goodwill last Spring. The bench was great, but the fabric on the seat cushion did not go with my decor. I bought fabric this summer to recover the cushion and just had it wrapped around the existing fabric. That was until today. I decided it was high time I began to complete some of the many projects around here.

I began by dissecting the original cover to use as my pattern.

I hit a few bumps along the road and it definitely isn't perfect, but it is complete. I love the freshness of the seersucker and have some great ideas for some pillows to add some more softness. I even used a zipper! I guess I should have straightened the baskets underneath. Oops.

Missing Rooms!

Now that you have had a tour of the house...yes I know. Some rooms are missing. DS room was a MESS and I wasn't going to clean it just to take a photo of it. I will add it when I get him to pick it up!
DD....more my fault than hers. I took her makeup table out to repaint it and 3 days later...still trying to get all the paint off to even put more on! So all her 'stuff' is sitting in the floor. So as soon as I get this done...I will post there rooms.

We still are trying to find someone to give us ideas for the deck in the back we want to do and a porch on the front. Now that the weather has cooled we hope to get a few things done out there and I will start posting the outside.

It is coming along but I will say this has been more "redo" than we really wanted. We have enjoyed it but don't think I want to do this much again. I hope to stay here for longer than a few years. While we miss things there we do enjoy where we are. It is a slower pace here. I love and miss at the same time having very few stores here. I miss it because when you want something....you have to drive to Lexington. But....it does keep me home more and the kids don't ask as much to 'run' out and get things. We are spending allot more time home. I love being close to family. And meeting back up with old friends. BUT miss my other friends. It is weird that I don't feel "new" in the area. We settled in pretty fast.

But, I am having some cravings that only Louisville and my chicks can fix! We need to plan a lunch date there......and then here. I don't have as many cool places for lunch like....Wild Eggs, Havana Rumba, Etc....but we can find something good to eat!

Master Bed/Bath......

We LOVE our room. DH said he feels like he is coming home to a retreat everyday. I still need to hang my old door headboard but we still aren't sure how...we have held it up and it looks great! All I had to do was clean it. I am adding a few "red" items to the room for color and when I change the sheets I have red ones. My makeup table needs alittle TLC but that is a later project too. We love the Queen bed! Not sure how we did 15 years in a Full. WOW!
Here is a project I completed yesterday. It is a silver tray that I stole the idea from Chick #3. Spray painted it with the red and added the name.

Here is the bath....The light came from Resale and was a pretty gold...It is now black. Along with the mirror. This was left in the house...good thing. We would be like the kids if not! I sprayed it with the hammered black too. The sink came from Resale too. This was one thing the DH got when they had a sale. I painted it the dark brown to match the bed room. For a small bath it is pretty nice. I would still like to figure out how to add a tub but just a shower....but that is WAY down the "idea" list!

Kids Bath......

The kids love their bath but it still needs so much work! I didn't post as many photos because there are still places that need paint! I love the floor in here. They need a mirror but good thing the DD has one in her room. DS....what would he need a mirror for? haha. Still need some items on the walls too. I am happy with the colors and style. DS is even letting us put a few purple things in there too. ;-) The cabnit knobs need painting. And two drawers had to be cut to make room for the double sink. My wonderful dad cut them....but now I need to glue them on.

Kitchen

Here are some of my fun finds.

I really like the kitchen. We have allot of space to cook and not be in the way. I still am not sure about the color of the cabnits. I want to do something to darken them but I don't think I am going to paint them black. We still have some projects in this room. The kitchen sink still needs to go in. And we think we are going to redo the counter tops but want to wait and see what happens with the color of the cabnits. I am also still looking for two stools for the bar. Keep your eyes open in the trash!!!

Keeping Room......

Thank you Chick #2 for helping me find the "Keeping Room" sign. It works perfect in this room. We still want to paint the fireplace (not sure what color, any suggestions?) and we need to add the trim.

This has turned out to be one of my favorite spots in the house. I can't wait to have a fire and curl up in the chair to read a good book. I need to redo the table but until we do the fireplace I don't know what colors. I also am still looking for two comfy chairs. If Chick #2 ever wants to sell hers....they already have a good spot! But for now this works well.

We left the table big and I am glad the room will hold it without being to much. We haven't had mom and dad over as much as we want but hope to change that and it will be nice to not have to always add the leaf.

Living Room and Entry......

Here is what you see when you walk in the house. I really wanted to put one of the "doors" or headboard there but really didn't have the room. And we would not use the hooks. We come in the garage. But I am please with how it turned out. I am glad I got to use the basket there. The door is almost all glass and couldn't hang it there.

The bookcase in the middle of the windows is going to get a major overhaul soon. I am wanting to try and add trim to it and paint it. But this will be a winter project.

This wall still needs some major work. I haven't found the right 'thing' to put there. But I am sure it is one of those things that when I see it....I will know. I really need a good shopping day with the girls to help me out!

I was worried that the couches would not fit and we wouldn't be able to see the tv good. But they worked better in this house than the last one. We use this room alot now that we have cable!!!

Office.....

Here is Greg's (but I use it more than him) office. I love the red but HATE how it turns out in the photos! The red and white go very well with all this stuff. The room has alot of UofL or Kroger things. And they both have red in them.

I am not sure why the room shows so much yellow on the wall. It is not yellow...it is the white that is all thru the house. I do hope he will get to use this room more. But it is nice when someone wants to get on the computer you can still visit with anyone in the living room....which is up next!

One Room at a time!

This is the cabnit that came out of the keeping room. Look at the space I have! I love it. Just wish I had room for more!! Just kidding. I still plan to redo the finish on this. Just not sure what I will do. Maybe sand it down some and wipe on some thinned out brown? Any thoughts?

Here is my desk. I love the little nook it is in. The couch will be getting a new cover. Just trying to find someone to do it. This will also make a nice "room" for any guest....hint hint.

The shelve you see will be painted....blue. I am also wanting to paint all the baskets brown. I came home with a few (6) cans of spray paint and guess what the DH asked? Are you trying to be like Chick #2. Why yes....that is a compliment!

The empty wall will get two big cork boards. But this is one thing I can't hang. Not messing with the brick wall...DH will get this job. I love the floors! They turned out nice I think. Do you happen to see all the space? All it needs.....chick #2 and chick #3 to come scrapbook one weekend! I am ready.

I really do enjoy this room already. Can't wait to get to working on some projects in this room. I have all kinds of "hidden" things to work on now that I have the space. I also love the door in the above photo....it goes into the garage where I can spray paint all I want! Rain or shine!!!!

I love "trash"!

We were driving home from from my mom's house last night and there next to someone's garbage cans was this beauty!!! We circled back to get it and noticed they were in the front yard working in their flower garden. The hubby wasn't too sure about stopping, but I just rolled down the window and politely asked if it was out for the trash. The gentleman said yes and that I could have it. He seemed genuinely happy that someone was taking it home.

The structure is pretty solid. A few places need a little wood glue, but once they are fixed it will be like new. Well, except for the chippy paint. However, I love that chippy paint. How can I preserve that? Do I put a coat of poly over it. Have you read on other blogs what they do? Everyone talks about keeping the chippy paint, but I don't know if they ever say how they "treat" it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Now, where to put it?

Miles and Miles of Yard Sales!

So the family and I loaded up in the van and went to the 127 yard sales this weekend. It is a site in itself to see all the yard sales. But I must say.....I only bought one thing. Not sure if I wasn't motivated to buy being that I just unpacked millions of boxes and still not sure where to put some of the things I already have, or the amount of "projects" waiting to be done, or the lack of my boodling chicks! I will go with the last one! So girls.....next year.....we need to plan it. The family were troopers....but not very inspiring! I didn't even take a photo! I must be slipping. The one item I bought was an old RC cola bottle. The only reason I got it was my great-grandfather worked there for years. Most of them you find do not have the location on them but this one did list the Danville plant....which is why I thought it was cool. I only paid 2 bucks for it. Not bad.

Oh another note. The house is getting there and I know you both have been wanting to see photos....I am going to take them tomorrow after the kids are gone and the house is picked up. Then I will post them for you guys!

Hope everyone has a great week and the kids all enjoy their first days of school.