Living Room Re-Do!

Last week was my birthday, and one of my gifts was a book from The Hubs that I have been pouring over for the last few days. Anyone recognize this? 

I'm totally loving it! 

The Nester is inspiring me right now. I thought I was the only one in the world who moved (basically) every year. We've been married 6 years, have moved 6 times, lived in 6 different houses. It is stressful, this always being (or feeling) transient. Part of why I'm loving this book is because Nester can relate. Having been married 18 years and moved 13 times, I feel like she gets it. She understands what its like living in a rental that you'll only be in for 12 months...or living in a rental and you have no idea when you are leaving (could be another 3 months could be another year...that's where we are now). 

Her mantra, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful", has always spoken to me but hearing her story and being challenged by her words have spurred me on in my desires for making this house (though temporary) a home for my family. 

The living room has been the last room to get any attention in this apartment. Not for lack of wanting to give it attention though! Its been driving me crazy for the last few months. In the last few months though, I have redone the coffee table, gotten a new-to-us couch, picked up a chair off the curb on trash day, and grabbed a chair at Target that was on clearance along with a rug from Gabriel Brothers. So, it was time for an overhaul! 

We started with a new paint color ("Milk Toast" to be exact). 

I've been wanting a map to hang on the wall for decorative purposes but also practical purposes of teaching my young children where different places are in the world (especially our family in Uganda). 

The chair from Target has some beautiful blue and green hues that I reminded me of a map. So that was my reference point. The greens also matched the chair we picked up off the curb, so that was amazing! 

Here it is! The (almost) finished product!

The blue canvas? Yeah...I got it at a yard sale for 50 cents and it was hideous! I used my daughter's Crayola paints to paint over the ugly mess of yellow and red that were on it. Now, I love it! 

Some pretty flowers give a kind of "pop" to the room!

Here's our garbage day find! Its a really comfy chair in a fun color. 

That lamp? Yeah it  used to look like this...

I had gotten it for The Hubs a while back and it just doesn't really go with our stuff. So I sprayed it white and covered the shade with a light gray fabric that was left over from another project. Basically a new lamp for less than $3! Talk about shopping the house for something "new".

There's still a few things that I want to do, but overall, I am very happy with our newly decorated space. It definitely feels a little more "homey". 

So, thanks Nester, for the inspiration to make my temporary dwelling a home.