Friday, September 24, 2010

Time for an Update

Not a blog update, one of the home variety. I know that we are going to live in our current residence for a few more years, so I've decided that it's time to make some changes. There are things around our house that I'm not in love with, never have been, but I've lived with. We bought our house four years ago and at the time we were simply adjusting to home ownership and being newly weds. Home decor was not a top priority. Then we had Emma and things shifted again. Suddenly, I am in the mood to make some changes.

First to go were the kitchen curtains. We had some homemade Tulip valances over three windows and the door, along with under the kitchen sink in place of cupboard doors. Before Emma started crawling we had a local handy man make cupboard doors for under our sink and we replaced the valances with some fun bright striped ones I found at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Next on my list was our window seats. The dog had all but obliterated the center cushion. Plus, I was never in love with the flower print that adorned them. Yet I couldn't find something I liked to replace it. I was trying to find something that fit in with our old farmhouse without stripes (I found lots of cute patters with stripes, but I felt like we already had lots of stripes and I was afraid it would be hard to get the stripes straight). I also didn't want to have to paint the wall or buy new table linens.

Of course I didn't take a before picture, but I did find this one of Harley taken not long after we moved in.

I finally found some fabric I liked, only to go back two days later and find out it was gone. I picked another one out and took it home to my hubby to find out he thought it was "old ladyish". I settled with this print, even though the cream background makes me a bit nervous. I also had to buy foam for the center cushion- the old one was disintegrating. It took me a few days to complete, mostly because once I would finish one cushion I would need a break before taking on another one. I struggle a bit with projects like this since I can be a perfectionist at times!


Here's the completed project. Don't mind my Halloween decor :) I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The middle cushion is a bit stiff, but I'm hoping that it will get better with time and use. Overall it cost a little under $70 which I didn't think was too bad (foam is expensive!). Next on my list is painting the stairwell and upstairs hallway. That has been on my list since we've moved in, but I haven't been able to decide on a color. I think this project has given me the motivation I need!

2 comments:

Kate @ When Hello Means Goodbye said...

that looks gret Jess! I love home decor projects, keep us posted ;)

Lyndsey said...

love it jessica! you are quite a decorator and so resourceful to do it yourself. i am way impressed over here. someday you will have to assist me with my home decor. i am still relying on however brad's fam decorated it for us while we were honeymooning! thanks for the pics!