Coming along

It's funny.  I had this idea in my head about what i wanted my house to be.  In my mind it was very clear....i even played in this blog party about posting a pic that totally captured my style.  This was it.

I even had this same color in my master bath at my old house.  LOVE this color btw - my version was SW Ancient Marble and i think i'm putting it in my master bath again.

But i was finding it so hard to make so much of what we already had work with this.  Let me re-phrase that.  This room couldn't take all of our junk.  That's closer to the truth.  We have a lot of stuff. This room,...not so much.  And I can't see my son getting his markers and paper out in here and settling in.  I wouldn't be able to settle in and relax watching him do it. 

And this stuff is stuff that we can't part with.  So when we moved it got relegated to the garage because i had that stupid picture up there on the brain.  


And then i decided - out with that idea.  It doesn't work for us.  And i focused on inspiration that used old, or vintage, stuff.  Heather Chadduck.  Sarah Richardson (some times).  The blogosphere's own Holly Mathis. (Sidenote on Holly.  I actually contacted her for a consult and that very same day we found out that we were laying off people where i worked and i had to push away from that idea.  She's not expensive - i'm just trying to be frugal in case of who knows what. BUT I HEART HOLLY.  and this isn't turning into HM post - but i've been  stalking her style for a very long time).

OK - back to this.  

So, Sunday, with an extra hour on our hands -  Vance and i grabbed a cup of coffee and wandered into the jungle of the garage and took inventory of what needed to be brought back into the house. 


This is what found it's way back inside, in addition to 3 rugs.  I had no idea Vance had that telephone - which had to be hung up immediately since we both work in telecom.  Too appropriate NOT to display.  I love those prints on the left - they are so freakin dusty - still. haven't decided what to do with them yet.    The phrenological chart is in a vintage burlewood (sp?)  frame.  I wasn't going to hang it up and then i saw it in Country Living the other day and was like "hey - we have that!".   The pencil sketch is actually of the library at FSU that is name for Vance's dad.  He was published professor there that passed away when Vance was in high school. I think Vance said another faculty member did it - i'm not sure.  The pub mirror also came from Vance's mom and the chippy white frame came from a junk run that sarah and I did over the summer.  Not sure what to do with that.

We also put down those rugs - the blue one here came from Vance's mom's house.  Oh, and see those silver trays - have a great plan for those - they came from a couple of different places.

And we threw the green one that came from my old house in here for now.  Obviously, the cats like them.   I hung the pub mirror for now in the entry and i think i can talk V into making that coat rack ledge this weekend while Sarah's home (big hooray! on that - miss her around here) and we can hang that up under the mirror.  I want it to be big and chunky and allow for some leaning pics overlapping that mirror.

There is one more ginormous rug that we brought into the family room.  but i can't even think about that room until this one is done.  Yes, that's laundry on the couch. What? You don't ignore folding laundry in favor of decorating?

 

Now i need a rug (3x5) and i'm getting overwhelmed. Nothing seems right for the space.  I had a couple of ideas but it has to coordinate with that blue rug up there because you'll see all 3 rugs (entry, DR, LR) from the front door.  So it has to be cohesive, yet eclectic.  I don't know if i can pull it off.

It's hard enough with all these items being brought back in. I feel like i'm walking a fine line between "home" and living in Bennigans.

If you have ANY thoughts about the rugs - i'd love to hear them :)  Send pics please :):)