A new addition to the office...

Gotta love the rotating 50% off sales at Hobby Lobby.   We're getting there.... slowly.  :) 

-Courtney

Board and Batten treatment

I've known for months now that I ultimately wanted a board and batten look in our front room. 

However, I mentioned it to my husband those many months ago and he was really less than enthusiastic about it.  So, the compromising lady that I am, decided that I could make do without the lovely architectural addition and just get away with painting one wall blue.   The husband was on board with that idea, so I ran with it, and you can read about the results of that in THIS POST

And here is a little photo of how that turned out... 

Well.  I liked the results, I really did, but something was bothering me about it.  I guess since one blue wall wasn't really my initial vision, I was having a hard time with it flowing with the rest of my plans.  Our neutral walls were now looking really yellow and it was beginning to look very kindergarten classroom-ish, with our one blue wall, yellow-y looking other walls, and our bright red filing console on the other end of the room. 

So, I pulled up some images of board and batten, done well, on Decorpad.com and showed them to Brandon.   He was totally on board this time; I'm guessing the room was looking just as odd to him as it was to me.

We measured out the room and determined that we would need 20 ten foot boards to do the whole room minus the one blue wall.  I still wanted it left the same.

So, off to Home Depot we went.  Our ten foot boards were about $5 and some change each, so we loaded them up, and also put in our cart a gallon of white paint.  Cheapo that I am was a little disappointed that our total was going to be around $150 for this wall treatment.   $100 + for lumber, almost $30 for paint, and a few paint brushes thrown in there added to the total.  I was also I little bummed because the wood that existed in my mind, didn't seem to exist in real life.  Ultra thin (to not stick out over the baseboards), and ultra cheap.   Oh well.  I really wanted it done.   So, we were standing in line at the contractor checkout, since our local Home Depot has EVERY other register as self-check out now.  Ugh.. how annoying is that?  I like self checkout stations, but I like at least one other normal register open.. especially for lumber and whatnot.

Anyhoo, we were standing there with our cart full of lumber and I notice this display of bender board, 3 3/4 inch wide, 1/4 inch thick, by 96 inch long strips of MDF, used by concrete contractors to shape curvy sidewalks or driveways. 

In hindsight, had we not been in the contractor line, I'd have never seen these strips!  I thought to myself that these would be perfect... and wandered over to the display to see how much they were.   $1.60 something each.  Say what!  Needless to say, we put all of our other lumber back and loaded up on 30 strips of the MDF.  We ended up picking up more since the lengths were shorter and we didn't want any weird seams.  Actually we over estimated and we have about 10 strips leftover! ha!  I have another project in mind for them though, so I'm happy we over bought.  Anyway, at this point our $150 project was now around $80.  How great is that??  I have no idea if others have done the board and batten look with these bender boards, but I highly recommend it.  Cheap, thin, PERFECT!  You definitely need to prime first, since the MDF is absorbent, but if you're planning on doing that anyway, then it is really no big deal.

So, after all that jibber jabber, time for more photos!

We are no where near being finished with this space, but we've seen quite the progress so far!

Here is a reminder before (actually more like a during):

And a few during the wall treatment addition:

Ahhh.  This room is finally starting to feel like it is a part of our home.  Love it.

Thanks for reading!

Linking to :  Between Naps on the Porch

:)  Courtney

More Home Office updates.

So, as you can see here we decided to go with the Ethan office chair, a modern white chair, from World Market.  Before buying, I was still really undecided on what I wanted, so we decided to stop by the store to see it in person.  The minute I sat down, I knew it was the chair for us.  SO comfortable.  Seriously.  My visions of having something cushy to sink in to, just melted away.  I assumed the chair I wanted look wise, would not be the chair I wanted hiney wise.  Not true.  

They also had a banker's type chair that my husband was favoring, but after he tried out the Ethan chair, he was sold too. 

How come every gosh darn thing we buy is assemble it yourself?  LOL!

At least this item only took about 5 minutes.

I could go ON and ON about the frustrations we had with getting this desk.  Reminder to self: check reviews of local furniture stores before proceeding with purchase!  Apparently the specific store we dealt with is known for not delivering on time and just feeding you lies.  Of course, we didn't realize this until after we'd paid and placed our order, and waited over two weeks when we were told it would be 3 days.   BUT.. it finally came.

While we did have to attach the legs, it was pretty much in one piece.  Thank goodness.  ha!  Ignore our cords.  We need to replace this desktop with a laptop, but until then, I guess our cords will just show.  But hopefully not quite this badly.. sheesh!  I really need to do something about that!

:)  Courtney



Our new filing console.

So, a few weeks ago I posted THIS, sharing with you which filing console we ordered, along with the desk we picked out.

Well, the filing console arrived a few days after posting those photos, in two VERY large boxes.  (Too bad I can't say the same thing for the desk!  It did finally arrive, but two weeks late!)  Anyhoo...

As you can tell from the bottom, right of the above photo, the boxes were pretty badly damaged, but no fear.  Each and every item in the boxes were encased in about 2inch thick pieces of Styrofoam.  These boxes could have fallen off the truck, gotten ran over a few times, and I'm pretty sure the contents would still be in tip top shape.

After about 5 hours, (NO, I am NOT kidding... not a single part was assembled, not even the drawer handles), I finally had that sucker together.  Believe it or not, the hardest, most time consuming part was getting the darn drawers in!  Oh. My. Word.  I actually plan on writing a pretty detailed review of this item on their website, to help out future buyers, because after about an hour I finally figured out a trick to get them to go in.

Talk about a labor of love.

Look at these bums... I should have been down on the floor with them after all that!

Oh, and I have a secret...  that I guess I'm going to go ahead and tell you.. ha!   Those walls in the above photo don't look a thing like that anymore.  We've been busy the past few days! 

I'll probably post about that in a day or two. 

Oh, and here's another baby on the boxes photo, just because he is so darn cute.  :)

-Courtney

Picking a color for the Dining Room

Choices, Choices.   Looks like we're going with blue, doesn't it?  :)

I actually laid all of my swatches out on the floor, and put one of my blue and white pieces near them and automatically ruled out any that clashed with the china.  I have so much, and intend on collecting more, and it just doesn't make any sense to pick a color that won't go with my already established blue and white.

I narrowed it down to a handful and taped them to the wall, observing them in the yellow-y light from the ceiling fan, and also in the morning with natural sunlight from the window. 

I finally decided on Nautical Navy, a Valspar color from Lowe's.

To me, it isn't really a true Navy, but has more of a Peacock Blue quality to it.

Here is a Before picture of the wall and the space.  Like I've said before, it's been sort of a mish-mash of furniture, and basically a storage space.  You can see we've been using a dining buffet as a desk, our printer and router are on the floor, along with filing boxes; it's been one big ol' mess.

....and... Painted!

If you're having the same reaction I did, then you're probably thinking, "Whoa, now that is a lot of blue."  Actually, it has taken me quite a few days to get used to it, and quite a few reminders to myself that this is the wall with nothing on it.  My vision for the space includes several things hanging ON the wall, hopefully making the color become more of a pretty background.

Here is a wider angle.

I'm actually liking that it does seem to make the space feel like its own little room.  To me, it is much cozier and more intimate feeling.

We still have to get our Internet cable relocated, and change out the light to a dining fixture.. and ... and ...and.  But, we'll get there eventually.  Small steps.

On another note, our desk, which should have shipped in on Friday is in a store on the other side of Houston.  To drive and get it, or to wait another week for it to be delivered?   I have a feeling we'll be driving to Katy (wayyyy on the West side of Houston) today. 

:)  Courtney

Damask meets the 1970s.

If the 1970s and Damask were to meet and have a rug love child, it would be this.

Um.  Yeah.  That's not going to work for us.

At first I couldn't find the rug in the store, and then I finally saw what SORT of looked like it, but NO.... surely not.  Then I saw that a runner was available to spread out on the floor.

Yep.

What looked brown in the online photo, was actually gold in real life.  What looked like a compact weave, was actually a shag.

Yeah, baby, yeah.  ha!

Do you know how annoying it is to load three children into a car, and then into a racecar cart..

 only to leave empty handed?  Hate that.

After my husband got off of work that evening, we went to 4 different stores, with no rug luck, finally making a full circle back to Lowes. 

I showed him some of the rugs that peeked my interest earlier in the day...

but we ended up going with a tannish, yellowish rug with a very simple Berber like weave.  I didn't even notice it on my earlier trip, but we both liked it and a great bonus was that it was ultra cheap.  We scored TWO 8x10 rugs for under $200.

When we got home and unfurled them to see all of their glory, we both stood back and wondered if we measured the room correctly, ha! 

(Ignore the crazy looking, disorganized room... exactly WHY this room is getting work done.)

Despite the size fitting scare, they do both fit, and I'm thinking we made a very good choice going with something so neutral.

Meanwhile, I've painted a wall in here, and our new console arrived today...  in two big boxes, and in one million tinnnny little pieces.  :)

-Courtney

Home Office.. Coming together.

Maybe I shouldn't say coming together, lol.   In all honestly nothing is actually in the space, but things have been ordered, which is major progress in this ol' book!

Yesterday we bit the bullet and bought THIS filing console:

and this desk:

..which, the desk isn't as red looking in person, it is more of a walnut color.  If you've been around for my previous ponderings on the office, you'll remember that my husband wanted this style of desk.  Honestly, it is growing on me and I'm excited about seeing it in the room. 

We REALLY debated on the console since it is such a strong piece color wise, and part of me is regretting not getting it in black instead,

but it is on its way (in RED!)... so we shall see if it works!  lol.

I'll be headed to a Lowes in our area to check out this rug today..  LINK HERE.

The price is great for an 8x10, but I'm a little concerned the curvy ornate desk, with the Chinoiserie-style console, and then such a boldly patterned rug might be a little overkill.  Plus since this room is joined with the dining area, I want matching rugs for both.  Pattern Pattern Pattern.   I'm sure it will all come together, it's just making me nervous while we wait for everything to come in.

We're stuck on a chair though.  Modern desk chair, or more traditional cushy chair?  I love both, and I like the white in THIS chair,

but I want something I can really sink into also.  Maybe something like THIS..

Too executive looking?   We're also debating just finding a white slipped wingback and attaching casters the the bottom.   Decisions, Decisions.  What kind of chair would YOU go with?

-Courtney

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Room.

The house we currently live in is much larger than our first home.  So, when we moved in, we were lacking the right amount of furniture to fill it (or even make it look decent).

When you first walk into our home, you enter a space that was originally meant to be a sitting room combo dining room. -Except, I'm thinking it was never really meant to be USED because it's really too small to serve that purpose.

Since we only had one living space in our last house, we used our old livingroom furniture to fill the family room near the kitchen in this house.

So, since March, we've used the front room as a land all for JUNK.  Oh nice, right?  The first thing you see when you enter our house, is our entry wall to one side, and to the other... a dresser, a buffet, a dining table being used as a desk (which I'm currently typing at), chairs (to the table) lined up against the wall, and a tent.. fully pitched that the boys play in.  There is also an abundant amount of stuff that I have no where else to store.  -Stuff that I'm not willing to part with because it was passed down by family. 

Imagine all of these mismatched items just placed in the room, looking very horrible and mismatchy.  I'm all for mismatchy.. in a good way, but when a stranger (like an AC repair man) comes to your home and asks if you JUST moved in, it's not really a good sign.  :/

My mother, the wonderful woman that she is, gifted us Christmas early this year and while the money (she never knows what to buy) would be better served elsewhere, I'm REALLY tempted to get this room looking the way I'd like.

This is my inspiration.

And this.

Unfortunately I do not have sources for either of these photos because I saved them several months ago without taking note.

Aren't they lovely?

They're quite different - one is more clean lined- solid rug, less ornate furniture, while the other is much more busy, yet still casual due to the eclectic style.

The do have several things in common.   White sofas.  That's do-able.  Multi-purpose, both have desks.  Light colored window panels- already have those.  Storage- one via a large bookcase, and one via a large hutch.

I plan on selling our dining room table and turning this space into a sitting/office combo, just as the photos above.  Hopefully I'll be able to score a few Craigslists finds and make this happen in the next few weeks!   If you know of any photos that fit this style, I'd love to see them.  :)

- Courtney