September New Year's Resolution Project

Harken back to my August entry titled "Livin' Large", and you will see where I started with my September project. It is an entry that is an ode to my living room, or what it was a few weeks back. Today is the Debut of our newly freshened Living Room! TA DA.......

Morning fog and sunrise in the newly fresh Living Room

Table in foreground meant to save couch corner from dirty dog fly-bys turning the edge into mud! You make concessions. Since I spoke in the earlier entry about many things in this room, I'll fill you in a bit. In this photo you can see the "Chicken Chair", the $5 yard sale challenge from friend, Shelley. The Jotul woodstove in the fireplace and the green chest from Gram's crumbling garage- big favorites.  Also the heavy gold framed garage sale mirror- which happens to be a pretty great antique- score! But there are a few new items as well. I actually purchased furniture. Unprecedented. The white couch and chair are new, and slipcovered, with a pair of slipcovers in reserve for easier washing. We live on a farm. We have 3 kids. There will need to be washing. The basketweave jute rug is new.  Also not new, but different is the chandelier, which used to be brass. As my excellent, saintly patient realtor and friend, Brian Kuyper (my baby children had permanent car seats in his car and called him "Kyper") once pointed out : "Cate, you'll paint just about anything but the carpet." How true. In this case, The mantle, original and 181 years old, was un-painted. I stripped it down to my favorite texture, "grotty". It has all the many layers and years visible. Makes me happy. The print over the fireplace is a gift from my parents, hand carried home from Italy. The little blue children's chair is a purchase from a yard sale when I was in college. I sit in it much of the winter, right in front of the woodstove. Maybe this year, I'll choose a comfy big armchair instead?

From the front door

This picture shows the antique secretary, built by my furniture building Pennsylvania ancestor. I'm sure it's value is sentimental, but then, so am I. The desk was also used by my Great Great Uncle Bill. He was one of the first radio operators, and was a communications expert in WW1. He cut the interior part of the desk out to fit his Ham radio.( Why the Ham? Probably should learn a bit more about that).  Until his death in 1984 at the age of 97 he was a radioman. He also started some sort of eye bank, for transplanting eye parts? Probably need to learn a bit more about that too. Anyway, he was a neat guy, and I have his desk. It was old when he got it, from the time when Kings were Kings. Incidently, I also took part of his name for my youngest's middle name. Park. Uncle Bill was called Park for part of his life, and Humes for part of his life, he had 4 names...maybe he wasn't just a communications expert afterall.
Also in the picture is the green sideboard from the projects, and a free coffee table (auction item thrown on the stack of other things no one but me wanted). I sawed off the legs to make it short. Perfect for feet and coasterless glassware.
I painted the ceiling soft blue, and the walls are white, the trim is whiter- slavish devotion to light continues. And I have a very pretty living room this September.