The other morning I went down in the basement to start the big project of painting the new patio door that was installed in March!
This is a big project….
We love the door and it needs to be done “just right”…with white enamel paint….
which is why we have been putting it off!
On my way to get the masking tape and start masking….
The bench along the wall caught my eye!
I thought to myself…”Self…do you realize that bench has been in the same spot for more that a year?”
Then I thought to myself….”Self….do you realize you still have about 4 yards of that blue and white fabric sitting in the closet?”
And so it began….
the “restaging” of the lower level family room for the summer!!
Read on to see how I AVOIDED painting the patio door and accomplished another Use What I’ve Got Challenge 2012!
The couch in the main floor family room already got this treatment!
Last summer I made small couch cushions out of the blue and white fabric.
But remember….I had LOTS more of that fabric…
So….I made gigantic pillow shams for the big couch cushions on the back of the couch!
But….NOW the little red pillows looked really out of place….and not at all summery!
They got covered with a little remnant of white fabric with a rope design that was in the “fabric stash”!
I was ON A ROLL…..remember it was all about moving the bench with the box cushions!!!
Bummer….I needed to wait until Mr. S. was around to help move that heavy sucker!!!
Now….Mr. S. is not a big fan of furniture moving!!!! In fact he gets this “LOOK” on his face whenever I ask…Maybe it is because when he asks…”Where is this going?” My answer is “I won’t know til we try it!!!!”
But….he was game….and only grunted and complained a couple of times….
Mr. S: “Are you sure this is gonna fit under here?”
Me: “Yeah it has been here before, don’t you remember?”
Mr. S: “No…but we are going to have to move the bookshelf so I can get the chest in! “
Me: “I know…just go to work and I will do it!”
Mr. S.: “Are you sure? It is pretty heavy!”
Me: “Yeah but not as heavy as the sighing you are doing!!!”
Me: “Yeah but not as heavy as the sighing you are doing!!!”
Mr. S: “FINE! I am leaving then!”
So all the stuff on the bookcase needed removing and I huffed and puffed and got the chest in!!!!
TOLD YA it would fit!!!
It almost looks like a built in window seat with the cushions and a couple of pillows…
You can’t see out the window….but the view isn’t too bad either!
The rest of the room was a gigantic mess…..the way it always is when you rearrange….
I won’t bore you with the details…..but after about 2 more hours….the room looked like this!
This post is getting awfully long…but I will bore you with some “Use what I’ve Got” details.
The red ottoman was totally out of place in the new room….but we really like to put our feet up on this, so I didn’t want to move it out of the room!
I found a blue and beige patterned tablecloth in the closet….
I like the tablecloth and didn’t want to cut it up….and I think I might want to actually recover the ottoman if I ever find the perfect fabric….
So I just used that masking tape I was supposed to be using to get the patio door prepped for painting…..and taped the tablecloth around the ottoman….
It’ll do for now!!!!
I wanted a “beachy” look for the mantel…
We had a rope hammock in the closet that we weren’t using to lay around in….
“Who has time to “lay around”?
I think it kind of looks like fisherman’s netting….
So….to make a long story even longer….I hope this gives you the inspiration to take a look around your house and find a way to freshen things up without spending any money…
OR
At least it will give you an idea of how YOU TOO can find a way to avoid a job you don’t want to do!!!
Oh….and I DID start the painting job…..and it IS as big a pain as I thought it was going to be!
Wow….I was selected as the featured blog on Mikki’s Flock Together Tuesday Blog Hop!
Hope you can take a minute and check it out!
Flock Together TUesday |
Link Parties
Oh my word, that looks amazing. It really does look built in. Beautiful room. Hugs, Marty
It looks really nice, Mary! That bench surely does look like a built in. Great job and I know it was a BIG job, too- xo Diana
Oh that turned out so cute…I Love it…
Blog Hopping through
Renee
http://iamonewearethree.wordpress.com/
&
Jacob
http://apilgrimsjourney2015.wordpress.com/
Great blog! Stopping by from Flock Together Tuesday
oh, i LOVE how it looks now! that bench as a window seat is perfect, and definitely lends itself to a nice conversation set up that way, with the other chair and the sofa. fabulous job!
Love the new looks! Stopping by from the Flock Together Hop! New follower!
Emily
http://birthofamom.blogspot.com
Hi, coming via the Flock together bloghop! Just love what you have done to the room!! Do stop by my place when you have the time!
I love the bench with the pillows under the window. What a perfect reading nook! 😀
I'm visiting from the Hop and I'm now following you via Twitter, FB, Linky, and Pinterest. Hope you get a chance to visit us too! Cheers, Renee
http://motherdaugtherbookreviews.com
It turned out amazing!
This is such a cool blog! I love DIY projects. I found you from the Welcome Wednesday blog hop 🙂 following! Hopefully you can help me make my college dorm wonderful.
Elise
@ jerseyflowerse.blogspot.com
Love how the window seat and couch match, brings the whole room together. Great job.
Hey – visiting via the Welcome Wednesday Hop 🙂
This looks great and I love the whole use what you've got idea!
Sarah
http://acatlikecuriosity.blogspot.co.uk
Great job!!!! I am visiting from the Welcome Wednesday. I am a new follower! Hope your will stop by http://www.garagesalesrus.blogspot.com/ and do the same. I also have a giveaway going on right now you might be interested in entering! Hope you have a good day!
Robin
These kind of room make overs that cost nothing are the BEST kind! 🙂 It really gets you motivated to be creative. It turned out great! Please come share this at our link party – "Home is Where the Heart is" Homesteading and Homemaking http://www.homesteadsimple.com/home-is-where-the-heart-is-link-it-up-wednesdays-2/ Please feel free to link any other posts you'd like to share!
Great work. Seen you on yesterday on tuesday's crafty soiree
Maria Crafty Chic
What a great redo with so many good ideas! Thanks 🙂
This comment has been removed by the author.
Great job!
The room looks so COZY and beautiful!
xoxo
Shar
I am so impressed with your creative ideas. LOve the window seat and everything.
what great ideas, thanks so much for all of them. Now I can't wait to play around in my own house!!!
Wow! that looks so great! I would love to do that in my living room some day 🙂
New follower from the Blog Hop
-Buffi
My Wonderfully Dysfunctional Blog
Looks fantastic! I love how you made those larger pillows. Megan
What a great transformation!! Perfect! Thank you for sharing. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-6.html Wishing you a grand rest of the week. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Love it! I had to laugh at how you covered the ottoman – sounds like something I would do. 🙂 What a great update. 🙂
Stopping by from Live Laugh Linky. 🙂
Good job –but I noticed you didn't get the door done! LOL Isn't that always the way it happens – Great idea for the ottoman – wonder if that will work for chairs…hmmmm.
Following from the Friday Blog Hop!
http://allthoseartsygirls.blogspot.com/
What a perfect little spot for that bench. I love windowseats. And I love that blue fabric. Visiting from Delightful order 🙂
Mary, I totally ENJOYED reading your post from A to Z!!! LOVE how one thing lead to a totally different thing and then back to the original hehe The outcome is GREAT!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality 🙂
Love your room. Looks so very warm and ready to hit the fall season. 🙂
Thanks for linking up at Friday Fun Party and have a nice weekend!
The room is beautiful! Love the idea of the hammock on the mantle! You've got me looking around my dining room to see what I can get into today. LOL.
Hopping over from the Weekend Walk!
http://www.momontherunx2.com
Your room looks great, and I also like the hammock on the mantle. Don't worry about painting the doors, they'll be there waiting for you! Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration with Sunday's Best – you help to make it a great par.tay!
Thank you for sharing this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Isn't it amazing how much one can accomplish when avoiding a bigger project?! The transformation looks great. Thanks for sharing on Busy Monday.
lol, sounds a lot like me…BTW have you ever heard of Super Sliders? They go under the feet of furniture and it makes them easy to slide into place – by yourself!! I just love them ( and so does my husband!). You can find them at Wal-Mart and home improvement stores. Be sure to get the large ones!
Your room looks great! Love how you used what you had.