BEFORE AND AFTER: ALANTON LIVING ROOM

THIS SUPER CUTE YOUNG BEACH FAMILY OF 5 WAS TRANSITIONING THEIR OLD FURNISHINGS FROM THEIR FORMER HOME INTO THEIR BEAUTIFUL NEW HOUSE. SO OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!!
 WE WORKED AROUND THE EXISTING SOFA, END TABLES, AND LAMPS BUT EVERYTHING ELSE COULD GO.
THE HOMEOWNER NEEDED FAMILY FRIENDLY FABRICS AND WANTED A SOOTHING PALETTE. THIS IS AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN SO I HAD TO MAKE SURE OUR COLORS WOULD WORK WELL INTO THE NEIGHBORING KITCHEN AND DINING AREAS.  HERE ARE SOME BEFORES.....


 



AND THE AFTERS!!!!!





WE BORROWED THIS OTTOMAN FROM ANOTHER ROOM AND REUPHOLSTED IT IN A WASHABLE PLEATHER.

ALTHOUGH THE SOFA IS A REDISH COLOR, WE CHOSE TO
 THINK OF IT AS A NEUTRAL AND NOT WORK THE COLOR SCHEME
AROUND IT. WE FIGURED WE COULD GET WAY MORE BANG FOR
THE BUCK DOING OTHER STUFF IN THE ROOM RATHER THAN SPENDING A LARGE
 PORTION OF THE BUDGET TO REUPHOLSTER THE SOFA.

WE STOLE THESE CHAIRS FROM ANOTHER ROOM AND REUPHOLSTERED AND ADDED A SKIRT. THE EXISTING ART WAS A GREAT OPTION TO HELP ANCHOR THE WALL AND CREATED GOOD BALANCE.

 

SUCH A CUTIE!!

WHEN IN DOUBT, ADD A MIRROR! THE BACKSPLASH ENDED RIGHT BEFORE THE DESK SPACE AND THE HOMEOWNER THOUGHT IT LOOKED UNFINISHED. SO WE DECIDED A CUSTOM CUT BUILT IN MIRROR WAS THE BEST OPTION-I SO LOVE HOW IT LOOKS-LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER SPACE BEHIND IT-PICTURE DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE!!

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HOMESTEAD BOUND!!

WHEN MY HUSBAND ASKED IF I WANTED A PARTY FOR MY 40TH, OR A WEEKEND AT THE HOMESTEAD, THE DECISION WAS EASY. SERIOUSLY, IF I DON'T GET AT LEAST ONE WEEKEND A YEAR AT THIS PLACE, I MIGHT HAVE WITHDRAWAL !! HANDS DOWN THE HOMESTEAD IN HOT SPRINGS, VIRGINIA IS MY LITTLE HEAVEN ON EARTH.

MY ITINERARY AT THE HOMESTEAD?

1. EAT BREAKFAST (KILLER BUFFET IN THE MAIN DINING ROOM!)
2. SIT IN THE LOBBY
3. BUMP INTO SOMEONE YOU HAVENT SEEN IN YEARS
4. GET A MASSAGE
5. LUNCH WITH A BLOODY MARY (I LOVE THE FLATBREAD PIZZA AT THE CASINO RESTAURANT!)
6. SPEED WALK ON THE GOLF COURSE
7. SIT IN THE LOBBY
8. PLAY GIN IN THE LOBBY
9. DRINK TEA IN THE LOBBY
10. PLAY BACKGAMMON IN THE LOBBY
11. TAKE A NAP
12.  COCKTAIL HOUR AT THE LOBBY BAR
13. DINNER IN THE MAIN DINING ROOM
14. NIGHT CAP IN THE LOBBY BAR
15. SLEEP
16. START ALL OVER AGAIN!!!

LIFE AINT BAD AT THE HOMESTEAD......

 MY FAVORITE NEW ADDITION TO THE HOMESTEAD IS THE NEW BAR OFF THE HEART OF THE LOBBY! FUN LITTLE PLACE TO GET A COCKTAIL AFTER DINNER IN THE MAIN DINING ROOM......

THE LOBBY BAR

WHEN YOU WANT TO GET AWAY AND DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, THESE LOBBY SEATS ARE VERY APPEALING! WE BROUGHT BACKGAMMON AND PLAYED GIN FOR HOURS...LOVE DOING NOTHING!!

 AND IF YOU DONT WANT TO SIT IN THE MAIN LOBBY, GO TO ALL THE OTHER AREAS....YOU CAN GET LOST IN THIS PLACE.

 THE MURALS IN THE PLACE ARE OUTSTANDING. MOST OF THEM WERE PAINTED BY VIRGINIA ARTIST LEE BASKERVILLE....CHECK HIM OUT!
http://leebaskerville.com/about.html

OKAY, JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE NEW POOL. YOU GOTTA COME HERE.....I LOVE THIS PLACE! CHECK IT OUT.......
http://www.thehomestead.com/

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FABULOUS 40!

I LOVE 40!!! I NOW FEEL LIKE MY AGE AUTOMATICALLY MAKES ME "MATURE"....ALTHOUGH I KNOW I'M THE TOTAL OPPOSITE!! AND THANKS TO MY 2 BOYS, THEY HELPED REMIND ME OF MY NEW NUMBER AT BREAKFAST YESTERDAY MORNING..........

"I LOVE YOU MOM. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
YOUR HAIR LOOKS GOOD"-R, AGE 6

-H, AGE 9


and then i got THE BEST GIFT EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! one of my oldest best friends
whom i met my freshman year at university of georgia (the girl in the middle!) sent me an
 email with the link to her blog.......this her gift.....ps-PLEASE cover your eyes for
picture #3-she made me pose like that!!!!!


http://www.jcwebbstudios.com/

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THE LUXURY OF A COFFEE TABLE!

I TOTALLY FORGOT HOW NICE IT IS TO HAVE A COFFEE TABLE UNTIL I FINALLY GOT ONE. I HAVE NO CLUE WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING OUT MY OWN FURNISHINGS.....BUT HERE WERE MY REQUIREMENTS:

1. DISTRESSED (SO MY KIDS COULDN'T RUIN :)
2. SHELF FOR THE HIDDEN CLUTTER
3. CASUAL
4. COOL FINISH

AND I GOT IT. REALLY HAPPY AND IT WAS SUPER CHEAP FROM DOVETAIL!!

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what NOT to buy for your house!!

occasionally i stumble across crazy pics that leave me thinking "you've got to be kidding me!!!" of course i have to add the finds to my "you gotta be kidding me" board on pinterest....
 and since today is overcast, freezing, and i'm getting over a horrible cold (tis the season!)..........and since i found this great bathtub for my "you gotta be kidding me" board, i figured i'd share some of the insanity.
so here's what i recommend NOT buying for your house.......are these people serious?
(this blogs for you, case!)

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