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For any regulars around here, you should understand after this post why it has been so quiet on this here little blog.
I’ve kind of been having too much fun decorating.
When we bought our home 4 months ago, the living room looked liked this.
A little dark and gloomy for my taste.
But full of potential, none the less.  (More before info, here).  Now, 4 months later, we have finally completed {a} room.  It’s going to be slow going at this pace.  But the house is surely livable, and all the painting and plans I have for the rest of it are plenty to look forward too.If ever I get discouraged, I go and sit in my new light and bright living room.

{UPDATE:  The living room has changed a bit since this post.  If you are curious, go here to see the changes,}

Of course, sitting in here myself, the curtains don’t look near as blown out as my camera is making them look.

Just try to look past that. 😉  They really are pretty.


I’ll try to leave some brief details throughout the post of how things came together.  You can expect a few more posts with tutorials on them in the following weeks.

Being on a strict budget, most everything you see is handmade, with some exceptions – like the couches, and rugs.  What wasn’t homemade was most likely found at thrifts stores or garage sales or miraculously free.
There are a few antique store purchases mostly because I can’t seem to avoid those places.

But I would say, the most common pattern for our living room is this.

I think it, he makes it, I paint it.

That seems to be how we roll.  And I have such a good husband who so willingly submits to my every request.

Our bargain is – the yard is his and I can’t say a word about it.

Totally okay with that.

I despise yard work.  And he loves to do woodworking.  We are a match made in heaven – no doubt.



You can see from the cut out window above, the kitchen looks nothing like the living room.  Nor does any of the house now.  But plans are in the works.  You can imagine a lot of white paint.

Any way, lets get to some fun details.


The bucket was left from the previous owners.  Found it in the yard.  Told hubs to drill a hole.  I absolutely love it, but in case you don’t – just know it is a huge improvement from the light fixture that used to be there.
The Butcher Block was free.  But much uglier and stinkier than it is now.  It was once used in a meat cutting place, then given to a furniture company and used as a work table.  The owner to that company was our old neighbor and gave it to my husband.  After a lot of chemicals, and paint and sanding -it is one true beauty.
The old suitcase was my husbands grandfathers trumpet case.  The trumpet is still in there.
The lamp is from Wal-Mart.
The books are from a thrift store.  A dollar a piece.
The big ugly speaker – well, it doesn’t fit anywhere else and there are somethings you just don’t ask your husband to get rid of.
The horse art – I was inspired when I saw it online here.
My husband – Kevin is his name – planked some wood together and I went to town painting them.
They are somewhat symbolic.  We met on a dude ranch.  Best love story ever.But my mother suggested if there is ever a time when I am super angry with him, I should switch the horses around so he would know his standing at the time.  Ha ha.  Any way, the tutorial for this art can be found here.

The “LOVE” sign was inspired from here. (Tutorial coming soon).  And the pumpkins are a little touch of fall in our house for the moment.

The baskets house toys, books, extra blankets and pillows for naps, and trays and linens for entertainment.  Some thrifted, some bought at hobby lobby with a coupon.

The bench side table was inspired from here.  The basket was 1 dollar from a thrift store.

He built it to measurement, and I had fun personalizing it.

The super soft blue throw was found at a discount store – it is originally Pottery Barn.  The white pillow was a pillowcase painted by my great grandmother.  I sewed it to fit a small throw pillow.
My absolute favorite part of the room is my coffee table.  Built by hubs, with wood found in my recently passed grandfathers junk yard, cut from the saw mill he made himself.  Weathered and beautiful.

A timeless treasure.
And makes a great statement in the room which represents much of the reason behind most of our decor.

The tool box – not so sentimental – and weathered by a sander.  But still beautiful.  I found it at a thrift store.
Together, they make me smile.

The little rocker, my husband won at a family reunion raffle, made by his uncle from and old tree. And painted by me.  I know – shameful.  But the blue is so cute.

The X side table was inspired from here.

The Kleenex box was thrifted and painted with the help of my silhouette.
The couch pillows came with the couch and I covered them in fabric I found at Joann’s.The empty wall behind it has big plans for a family gallery.  I just got anxious to post the room.
Vintage chair was from a garage sale – 15 bucks.
Corner piece spoke to me at an antique store.  I used my birthday money.  It was all natural wood then I painted it 2 tones and stained the top.
Basket from hobby lobby – with a coupon.
Throw from Ikea.
Boxes inside hold all sorts of treasures in an organized fashion.
Made that sign and posted about it here.
The window sills were like that when we bought it.  Kind of different.
The curtains I made out of super cheap fashion lining fabric.  It only cost 60 bucks for 8 panels.  I would like to see you try to match that price.Almost done – I promise.The entertainment center was of course – painted.
Hubs made new farmhouse doors for it.

And the insides surprise you with some fun yellow.

(Update:  Turns out, the yellow was making me crazy.  It was throwing the whole room off for me and it took me awhile to figure it out.  Click here, and you can see that I painted it white.  Lesson learned.)

The girls love to pull up there bean bags (made with this tutorial) and plop in front of the T.V.

It also houses all sorts of nick knacks to look at.


The chicken was also a love at first sight buy from an antique store – then spray painted for even more love.
Everything else was from thrift stores or from around the house.
The log basket was a gift from someone to our family when my father passed away when I was 11 years old.
I found it in my mothers burn pile.
Oh the horror.
I will try to not hold it against her.
For it is saved.
I found that leaf print at hobby lobby – for 8 bucks.  Then Kevin made a frame.  I didn’t want to buy glass so I left the plastic wrap on the picture to appear as glare from glass.Shhhhh.  That can be our dirty little secret.But I love it.  It is simple and beautiful.

My big clock was cut by Kevin as well.  I was inspired here to make it look similar to that.  Hobby Lobby had the clock making hands and gears. (Tutorial coming soon).

The mantel was actually blogged about here, but I found inspiration for the wood piece here.
The piece in the center was cut from wood from an old cherry tree that used to stand where my husband grew up.

We are sentimental like that.


And that is a wrap.  A few final things in case you are wondering.  The paint on the walls is Benjamin Moore.
The white is Super white, gloss.
The grey with a subtle hint of blue is Sterling, 1/2 tinted.  I love the color so stinkin’ much.The rugs were purchase online from Garnet Hill.

Is there anything else you want to know.

Thanks for sticking around for all those pictures.

I had fun showing you.

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31 Comments

  1. This is a very beneficial post, It will be very useful for those people who wants to buy perfect furniture. Thank you for sharing this post, Keep giving updates.

  2. HI! I stumbled onto your blog form another one called Life On The Shady Grove!
    I have to say I LOVE your home and style and we are kindred design spirits!
    I can’t wait to read and see all you are doing! I’m right in the middle of redoing our third house and we have been able to do some but are renting it for another year and then the big changes will happen! I LOVE white backdrops and LOVE seeing a home go form cave to heaven with paint!
    GREAT JOB!!
    Sue

  3. i love your living room and dearly wish that my husband was not so attached to the dark woodwork in ours! Oh my! BUT I can do my best to lighten things up in other ways and I am thinking about our couch. Where did you get your two couches and how are they holding up with the family? Thanks for sharing your inspiration!

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  5. Wow! I love the room and I prefer more modern/contemporary design. Your husband is SO handy to have! And your designing and painting skills are truly amazing. I laughed when I read about the plastic wrap on the leaf print bc I have 2 pictures in my bedroom that I did the same thing too! Beautiful and love the sentimental elements.

    1. Flattered that I appealed to your taste too! He is super handy, and so good to put up with all my requests. And the plastic, no one has ever noticed! Score! Thanks so much for your sweet comment and for stopping by!

  6. Hi Cami, I'm new to your blog and I've been looking around a bit. I clicked on your living room tour and I'm sorry to tell you that after lookiing at your before and after pics, THERE IS NO WAY THAT IS THE SAME ROOM!! Someone obviously picked up your old room while you were sleeping and replaced it with this gorgeous living room. Loving your blog, thanks for sharing with all of us

  7. Very very nice!! You have a gift!! I am totally inspired, and love all that you have done, and especially the sentiments in the room! Great job!!

  8. Such a wonderful place to live in… a huge one in terms of decoration and the color itself is very awesome. White is very clean in the eyes, and very refreshing while watching or reading in that living room. Thanks for sharing this.

  9. Landed here via 'Better After', and I just have to say, I ADORE your room…all of it…every last detail!! You've done an amazing job!!!

  10. Speaking of speakers – no, there some things you don't ask your husband to get rid of…. BUT, you can paint them and recover them with a different (lighter) speaker fabric! It's called grille cloth, and it comes in other colors besides black: like gray, ivory, white, anyone? 🙂

  11. That is probably one of the most beautiful rooms I&#39;ve ever seen. I love all the sentimental items and the fact that your husband made so many things. I&#39;m definitely a new follower!<br /><br />Angela

  12. So beautiful! I love all of it, but my favorite pieces are the coffee table, and the log basket, and the piece of wood from the cherry tree—it is all about the history, the memories, the love. All about the story, and you are writing a lovely story with your home!!

  13. What a fabulous transformation from the first picture. Your living room turned out to be a stunning room. Thanks for the tour. Hugs, Marty

  14. great job-it&#39;s beautiful!!! i absolutely love the horse prints and started something similar in my sons room with a dog silhouette. I ran into a problem with drawing it on there. how did you make yours?!

  15. Your Living Room is stunning! So many meaningful items paired up and arranged in such a beautiful way. My husband&#39;s grandfather ran a saw mill and we recently inherited the family cottage that he built with all the wood he cut. We are trying to find ways to incorporate his handiwork and leftover wood into the decor so I love your coffee table.<br /><br />Visiting from your Better After

  16. Such a transformation! Love all the white and the super comfy feel of the room. Especially like your leaf print from Hobby Lobby and wondering how I can make one like it (since the closest Hobby Lobby is about 4,500 miles away).

  17. I love the brightness of the room! It looks like something out of a magazine. I can&#39;t wait to see what you do with the rest of the house–it gives me great inspiration. Or at least I can imagine some of those fun things I would love to try–if I were brave enough. Awesome job!!!

  18. I have long been a lurker of your blog (since the party in the back dress, which I saw before it was the rage in Pinterest. Just giving my creds :O)) Love your living room and have been missing your posts! Can you come freshen up my living room too? I have a credit card…

  19. Oh. My. Goodness. I will move in tomorrow.<br /><br />You are so lucky to have a woodworking man! My husband surprised me the other day saying it was a skill he would love to learn eventually. When we have a garage ;)<br /><br />I love it Cami, you are so good with all the personal touches and accessorizing. <br /><br />WOW again!!