Have you ever thought of your house as a metaphor for your life? In your house are all your experiences and your memories. Maybe 6 months ago, I looked around my own home and realized I wasn’t as comfortable and didn’t feel as peaceful as I imagine I should feel in my home. So I set about to change it.
I read a bunch of books and enlisted my sister-in-law’s a designer’s (ahem) help with adding color and pattern. She is awesome and I really appreciated her time and expert eye! After all the work, I feel much more peaceful at home and I definitely think it’s more a reflection of who lives here. It’s upbeat. It’s modern. It’s positive. It’s open to fresh experiences. It’s evolving. It’s comfortable.
I have 4 separate topics/posts to share with you: 1) the dining room 2) the living room 3) the kitchen and 4) windows. I’ll try to share links to each new item so you can locate them yourself. Maybe you will get some fresh ideas to incorporate into your own home to make it more of a reflection of you. 🙂
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THEN, I’d like to embark upon a journey with you. I hope to create a home that is as free of clutter as possible, full of peaceful and natural elements, and a true reflection of me and my family. I’ve been reading a few books with this in mind and I’d like to share them with you. I’m thinking we could work on the transformation together.
Beginning in January, we will focus on one “home”ish theme a month. One month will probably be clutter/visual space; another will be bringing in or rearranging photographs, artwork, and objects that reflect you; perhaps another will have to do with focusing on our senses to enjoy our rooms more. You get the idea. I think if we are conscious about it, we’ll start to relax more into our spaces.
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So the dining room… the first room you see when you enter our home. Step 1 was to find some fun accent chairs for the living room and the dining room. I tried this pair of side chairs in the living room, but they clashed with something I eventually did with that console table (ha! a teaser for you to come back for the living room post!), so I moved them to the dining room as host chairs.
Here’s the “before” photo of the room. While I liked the light fixture, it was too small for the space. I’ll tell you all about the window coverings in a separate post.
Another key project: recovering the “blah” chairs (bought 12 years ago from Crate & Barrel). First I tried this wild fabric but Mr. B was definitely not crazy about it. Too pink.
This fabric is much better! I saw it in a store, liked the texture, and just bought it because I was tired of having all of our chair seats unscrewed! It took maybe an hour to staple the fabric on and screw the seats back into the chairs. 
I like how the host chairs look with the other chairs.
Our handyman installed the light fixture. I’ll tell you all about the shutters and drapes in an upcoming window coverings post.
Ta Da! It’s still not as peaceful as I’d like, but we’re getting there. 🙂
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I love sorting, purging, rearranging and considering how to make my home more peaceful and work for us as we are right now. Looking forward to doing that again when we move next summer too.
Missus Wookie recently posted…OLW November Blog Hop (October projects)
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I love the coordinating blues and diamond patterns in the chairs! I have been cleaning out the clutter in my home lately & I am surprised how good it feels.
The chairs look really lovely in the dining room…what a good idea to have host chairs…I’ll remember that for the future…you really are so clever with your crafts…I wouldn’t know where to begin with fabric..
Can’t wait to see what you do next.
Cheryl recently posted…When Color Comes To Town
I am loving this post as I was a decorator in a past life and I love changing things about and creating new spaces….I agree that one’s home should reflect the people living there and I applaud you for your creative efforts…You are off to a great start….
Nancy recently posted…Harmony
Thank you, Nancy! I hope to live up to a decorator’s standards in my future posts. 🙂
WOW! That’s a lot to bite off! I’m impressed. Although I won’t be joining in the project, I’ll be following along hoping to pick up a tip here and there! Good luck!
janet forrest recently posted…Running the Goodie Gauntlet
Certainly you know by now (my sweet alter-ego, you) that I’m very good at finding larger than life projects!
Yeah, but you generally actually finish yours unlike someone who shall remain nameless! Who, me?????
janet forrest recently posted…Running the Goodie Gauntlet
Love the changes! Can’t wait to see it all in person!
I’m going to enjoy this series of blog posts for sure! Creating a comfortable and colorful home is something I enjoy and have neglected for a long time. I love the fabrics on your chairs…great choice!
Deborah recently posted…Monday In October – take four
Thanks, Deb! Your picture of the little bird in his nest adds a breath of freshness for me. That’s exactly what I want more of. 🙂
I love the mix of the two different patterns on the chairs! When can I come for dinner? 🙂
How’s next Thursday? lol. Don’t I wish!