5.19.2010

{ lightening up }

With spring here and summer on it's way,


I have been feeling an extreme need to lighten and brighten my home.


I'm wanting to change out the darker colors of fall and winter,


for the light and airy ones of spring and summer.


Put away cozy throws, and roll up the heavy rugs,


and trade them out for light wood floors and throw pillows.


While I would love to do some major changes,


like painting, or recovering furniture...


these things just aren't in the budget right now.


Soooooooo.


Today while I was doing my weekly cleaning,


I started playing around with some things just to try them out.


It first began with taking up some rugs to be cleaned,


Then I moved on to my slip covered sofa in my keeping room.


I removed the slip covers to find a lovely canvas body on my sofa.


While I had removed the cushion covers before,


I had never really seen the sofa completely without it's cover.


I was pleasantly surprised by the color and look of the fabric.


So much so that I thought I would just leave the covers off,


and add an old chenille bedspread to the cushions.


VoilĂ  , a lighter brighter sofa.


Now, be honest with me... 


should I leave it like this,


or should I cover it back up?





What do you think?


Does it work?


I pulled the straw colored textured pillows from my living room sofa


to help add in some of the colors from the curtains, lampshades and floor.


The little ivory pillow was borrowed from my bedroom.


I know the coffee table is really dark, and it really needs a new paint job,


but for now it will have to do { until I get around to that }


Now, here's the other side of the keeping room.






To balance out the room and the new light color of the sofa,


I added a couple of creamy throw pillows to my comfy café au lait chairs,


a sweet little vintage linen table cloth and milk glass compote to the table between.


To help lighten up the coffee table  { that needs to be painted very soon },


I added a whicker tray, some light colored books, and a little plant in a milkglass planter.


So, what do you think?


Should I keep it?


Oh yes, 


and what color if any do you think I should paint the coffee table?


White?


Gray?


Distressed of course.


Oh, and what about the lamp?


Do you think I should paint it or leave it?


I know, I know, that's a lot of questions,


but I really would like to know what you think.


I love new ideas,  and I really value others opinions of my spaces.


Alright, with all of that said and all of my decorating questions out of the way,


here is my keeping room before the mini makeover.






Oh yeah, see that sleeping dog there... remember her ?




That's my Lucy, she's 15 years old,


and that spot she lays in right there,  it looks like it's 15 years old.


She has absolutely ruined my super soft and comfy cream rug...


hence the beginning of this mini makeover.


Removal of the rugs.... 


oooh and did I mention she also sheds something awful ?


I love her to pieces though, 


and if I have to sacrifice a rug here and there,


so be it!


{ she's worth more than any stinky ol' rug anyways}



* peace & love *

Carrie




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11 comments:

  1. I love it!!! I like white so I say paint the table...but I tend to paint everything in site. {haha} I can't wait to see how it all turns out! xoxo

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  2. I think you should keep it for summer. I don't know what colors are in your window treatments, but maybe pull a color from them and spray paint your lamp and then get some colored pillows that will show up on the chenille. Go as bold as you are comfortable with, what the heck.

    xo
    LeAnn

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  3. I do like the look of the lighter sofa- especially against the color of the walls. I do have a concern though.I was told by my upholsterer/seamstress that the cushions need to stay covered in a cover that fits the cushion snuggly or it could cause a "break down" in the cushion and they could lose their shape/be ruined. If the cushions are covered in the canvas like the couch they would be okay but if they are just covered in the lightweight white stuff (don't know what it's called) it could ruin your couch. Just a thought.
    Your house is absolutely beautiful! You defintely have a talent for decorating!

    Blessings,
    Heather:)

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  4. Carrie, I like it fine with the covers. Your room is so good looking. Love the color and your drapes!

    As to painting, I'm not sure so I will let the others have a say. I'm not much on painting wood... yes, I know that everyone does it. I'm just from the generation who didn't. LOL! We were busy stripping paint off of wood. ;-) No, seriously, I do like painted wood on some pieces. I have an antique trunk that is painted grey, and I love it. I also have one painted a dark green, almost black. I'm just not sure what color to do with this, though. I'm liking it like it is.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  5. I say keep it! And white for the coffee table, of course. But what's this about painting wood?

    Kacey

    P.S. Weren't you just saying you prefer wood? ;-) I'm teasing, of course. I get wanting to keep the wood - if the buffet we just picked up were in good shape (it's not - it REALLY needs a nice paint job and some repairs) I wouldn't be able to paint it.

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  6. I love the look.Perfect for the Spring and Summer. It does look airy, crisper and a lighter look that carries throughout the room. Now you got me thinking of doing the same with mine..lol.

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  7. Thanks for all of your opinions. I'm really liking it too, and it even got Papa's approval...so for now I think I'll leave it. Goodness knows that I may change my mind next week though.

    Heather...thanks so much for that advice. The cushions are covered in the lightweight material, so I may have to invest in some actual covers for the summer months. Makes sense though, and I love my sofa and wouldn't want to ruin it.

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  8. I like it that way it is..the coffe table offsets it just fine, and with the wicker basket pulling the other colors in, I think it works!! Yipee for summer!

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  9. I like it light. How about if you put pillows on the sofa that have the wall color? Maybe floral or geometric? Love your home.

    Donna

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  10. I love what you did with the couch and bedspread...light and airy, beautiful! I think it would be fun to add a little color here or there with some of the colors pulled from your gorgeous curtains. I say paint the wood! I paint wood all the time and never regret it. If you want to change it later...a little stripper and some stain. Paint doesn't keep it that way forever. I also say paint the wrought iron lamp maybe between a cream and white. You could add a ribbon around the middle to add some contrast or some beads around the bottom. I am sure whatever you decide it will be beautiful. Can't wait to see!

    Hugs,
    Victoria

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  11. Beautiful. Love the lighter look. I say go for painting the table. It's difficult to go wrong with distressed white! :)

    Your dog Lucy is just gorgeous. We had 2 (liver spotted) dalmatians who have both gone on to that big field up in heaven to nap and run around to their hearts content.

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I love seeing your lovely faces & reading your sweet comments. Thanks for taking the time to visit me : ) * I do my best to respond by e-mail, if I miss you please forgive me. peace & love * Carrie

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