Spring Fresh II



I wanted to share a few more photos of things about my home.  I used money earned from the blog to purchase new rugs for our bathroom and the kitchen.   I really like the kitchen rug.  I bought a matching rug to go under the desk and chair.  This room has taken on a feminine air of late.  I think it's because of the toile covered desk chair and plants. 





I was especially happy to return the ivory swivel rocker to the corner in this room.  I missed that seating for Bible study and quiet retreat.  I tried to enjoy it in our bedroom but it just felt too dark in the mornings on that side of the house.  I couldn't ever get comfortable in the living room for the same reason.  Being on the east side of the house once more makes me happy. I have used my map table here instead of the old wooden piano stool I was using before.  That map table isn't really working with my chair and it's full of plants sheltering from the cold at the moment.  Not quite the way I plan for this spot to look.


I sewed pompoms to the kitchen curtains.  Don't look too closely...I didn't have quite enough!  I'll be purchasing another couple of lengths to finish those off next week.  In the meantime, I prefer to have curtains at the window so they went up not quite finished.


In place of the swivel rocker, I put the little chair I bought at Peaches to Beaches yard sale.  I'd just that morning, while making our bed, thought to myself I'd like to add a touch of green to the room.  I love when little things work to give me just what I want. 


Love my new fern...and aren't I getting quite the collection of old wooden chocolate boxes?  I found another one at Peaches to Beaches this past week.

You might note the new charcoal colored curtains behind the chair.  Honestly the amount of light that appears to be coming in the window is such a joke because it was morning and it was so overcast and cloudy outdoors, but there's that sheer shining like sun was pouring into the room.  It wasn't!

The curtains are room darkening ones.  The sheer is also a charcoal gray.  I got the curtains and the sheers at clearance prices.  I think I paid $4 for the two sheers and I was kind of surprised when I opened the package.  I'd taken note of the length when purchasing but disregarded  the width.  They are just 28 inches wide!  That was not what I expected, but  this works well for me because they hang nicely between the two curtains without bunching up and blocking out a lot of the light in the morning hours. It also means one curtain rod works fine and there's no need for two.  Since the sheer panel is so narrow, I can easily pull the drapes together and block out the light in the afternoon when the weather is much warmer.

Isn't the chair pretty?  Feminine...I seem to be really getting in touch with my girly side these days.  The fern I bought with my flower money for this pay period.  I was right in thinking plants were my answer for bringing in a fresh air to the house.  I need to find a pretty container for it.

I painted the picture frames here in a sort of dry brush silver finish over the tarnished gold look.  I love the pictures and really appreciate them in the bedroom (formerly used in guest bath), but can't make up my mind if I should use them both or just one.  What do you think?




The dresser got polished and then I added my yard sale purchases to it.  How nice they look on my old dresser!  I keep trying to make the top of this dresser look more modern but it just refuses to accommodate me.  It likes pretty old things on top of it and so I shall just let it have it's way.



This  photo is of the little framed print I picked up at another vendor.  I love that little frame, it's beautiful burl wood.

And a closer view of the brushes I bought at Peaches to Beaches.


Here's the guest bath with the 'new' shower curtain I made from the sheers I'd been using in my bedroom.  

This is a small bath.  It's barely 5 feet in width at it's widest point.  We have few regrets where our home is concerned but not really paying attention to the size of this bath is one of our regrets.  It is meant to be the main bathroom and should really have been bigger.  Our master bath is HUGE, even more so when compared to this one. 

There is no window, but it looks three times as bright now that I've removed the light gray shower curtain.  You wouldn't think it would make that much difference, but it did!  As part of my Spring freshening I mean to paint the inside of the door.  I'll stick with the white because the door end of the bath can seem a little dark due to the very small area it's in.

This whole business with the sheers working in this bathroom was a complete surprise to me.  I just hung them on the curtain rod to dry on Sunday when it was raining and I'd decided to start cleaning.  I stepped back and saw the way it looked with the room and the rug that I already had in here and said "Wow!"   I'd been looking for a new shower curtain simply because I'd had the other for nearly 5 years and I was ready for something new.  I had no clue it was already hanging in my home. 

I cut the grommet edge from the sheer curtain and noted that it had a heavy interfacing in the fabric at that edge to give it weight and body.  I dug around in my stuff and found a light interfacing and added a strip of that to the top, then hemmed and put in button holes.  It wasn't a fast project but it wasn't difficult either.

Well that it's for phase two of Spring Fresh in my home.  I hadn't planned to do this much in addition to cleaning, but I have.  I am not finished yet, so who knows what else is subject to change? 

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the new look! So fresh looking!
I've been on Spring Break from school this week ( it was in the 80s last week, will be back in the 80s next week--BUT this week not so much here in North Florida--it was 25 here this morning and it's still pretty chilly outside) Go figure! Lol
Since I've been somewhat cooped up inside, I have done some cleaning out, rearranging, crafting and planning as well. I have some things ready to spray paint just as soon as this cold weather moves on out. I am trying to repurpose and redo things I already have without having to touch my bank account really.
I love the color of the rugs. So pretty! I love that you have a nice spot to sit and study or read right there in your kitchen. What a cozy little spot it is. I can't wait to see what you do next!

Sparkiedoll said...

What a lovely home you have. Thank you for letting me peek inside. Re your pictures. I like that you have hung them a little on the low side. I like the height of the one near the door. I'd put it just a teeny tad higher and centre it over the bookcase. If you keep to the pair, I think they would look better kept at the same height and hung centred over/across the bookcase.
I'm getting very close to my cash purchase home move down to the west country. I signed the final contract today so no going back! My new cottage is tiny with an open fire and low, beamed ceilings. I will have to focus on maximising any natural light which will be a challenge. Can't wait to make it my home and I've been inspired by yours. Rose (UK)

Rhonda said...

Terri, your home looks truly lovely❤
I think the aqua rug and toile chair cover are fresh, just like you wanted.

I've done a little spring-Ing things up here too, I switched out the heavy winter curtains on 5 windows for pink toile valances on 3 and muslin trimmed with pompoms on the other 2. We even decorate alike 😍

Lana said...

Ball fringe is my favorite! I trimmed all the new curtains with it when we renovated the kitchen last year. The shower curtain is so pretty and what luck to have it match the rug so that you do not have to go in search of one! I love the new chair. What a find! I think a master bedroom needs a chair or two even if they never get used. The chairs in our master are such that the sun is full glare with the curtains open in the morning and not pleasant. The time I want to sit there is when it is all cozy looking at night but by then I just want to sleep and not relax on a chair. :)

My two cents on the pictures is to use one and hang it higher so that the lamp, fern and picture make a visual triangle OR use both and hang one above other over the chair and centered between the corner and the left edge of the bookshelf.


We thought we would move some paintings around last weekend to refresh the look a bit in our living room until we realized that if we did not like it we were going to have fits rehanging the huge painting behind the grand piano. That put an end to that as I did not want to have to beg some tall thin person to come and help hubby put it back up. I was told to never ever ever try to roll the piano even an inch because of it's age. The legs could break off. YIKES. Maybe next time one of our boys is home for a weekend we can give it a try.

Lana said...

Rose, how I would love to see your delightful new home! I know you will have such fun making it your own.

Angela said...

I am happy for you that you have been able to earn enough to get a few pretties for your home! That is exciting! I adore your chair- oh my that tufted back- so pretty.I would go with the 2 pictures- perhaps move the left one more to the left and the right one up and to the left a bit. I have been doing a bit of spring cleaning and promptly forgot your advise. Was near to tears at the thought of cooking dinner last night. A hurting back is not helping- ugh. Looking good and fresh!

Allegra said...

Your home looks so calm and serene. Love it!

As for pictures, I'd just have the one, but in the higher up and more central position - like the second one in the shot of both of them up. It ties the corner together, having it up there.

Kathy said...

Your home is beautiful! Love the new rugs and curtains. You have such a pretty seating area too. I like both pictures.

I finished removing the wallpaper in the kitchen, now to patch and paint.

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

Your home looks beautiful. I love the kitchen with the beautiful white cabinets, and that rug is gorgeous..

Fantastic that the shower curtain worked out.. It is so pretty with the rug.. Just perfect... Shop at home first....a good motto..

I like the photos you hung above the table.. Either way, 2 or one.. But, really think ,you could just hang one.. and then use the other one, else where?

Love your new fern.. pretty. Love the map table too.

Have a great week.

Anonymous said...

The smaller bathroom is not used as much unless you have company a lot. the master is used more being off your bedroom and so for you to enjoy all the time. Our biggest bathroom is the size of your little one. Your little bath by the way is very very pretty.
Your home seems to have a nice layout. Not many homes could have a setting area in the bedroom and kitchen like you do. An extra bonus! :) Your home looks so pretty and inviting. ! :)) Sarah

Sparkiedoll said...

Lana, once I've moved in and have it looking like home, I will upload some pictures to my Facebook and share! Rose x

Camp Mac said...

Beautiful pictures Terri! I do admire how your simple, thoughtful tweaks create such a lovely, fresh look!
I have to tell you, I have the same runner in our kitchen! (Ours is just more gray than blue) I chose indoor / outdoor rugs from Overstock when they were having a sale last year and shipping was free if you spent over $49 (which was just about right as we bought three rugs for a little more than that amount...two for the kitchen and one for the entry). I love love love that they can be hosed off outside after spills! (I can get messy when I'm cooking haha!). We use the matching runner in front of the fridge on the other side of the kitchen...that one has really been a salvation to our floor on several occasions when eggs and syrup have been dropped when taking them out of the fridge! Mike just carefully carries the whole thing outside for me and hoses all the sticky stuff off! Good as new! Your fern is sooo pretty! I love that you used the flower budget to buy it! You are such a good steward of your resources!
I'm off now to spend some time with my son and his sweet girlfriend who are visiting from up north!
Love,
Tracey
XoX

P.S. Love the shower new curtain...you did a great job of it! As for the pictures, these days my taste has changed to a less-is-more philosophy in home decor...but it hasn't always been that way haha! I was trying to set up a gallery wall in our dining room for all of our favorite art, but decided that I just enjoyed seeing my one favorite piece instead! Of course...that too may change, haha!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure what happened to the first comment I left a few days ago, but I'm sure it isn't going to show up now--it's been too long. So, here goes another try!

I love, love, love the freshened up look of your house. It looks so spring-like and fresh. I like all the white and aqua colors, and the other things you did. Thank you for sharing with us!

Anonymous said...

Very nice. You must feel like you have a brand new house. Very pretty. Love the little nooks you have created. I would be very comfortable moving in and not changing a thing. I have a box that looks about the size of yours. Inside is a small label with seed prices on it. I keep thinking i want to start doing my "messing up the house thing" as Gramps calls Spring cleaning.Then we get more snow and back to my book I go. LOL. Gramma 6

Carolyn @ Our Gilded Abode said...

Such a bright and cheerful home! Fresh and welcoming! The sweet personal touches you've added reflect such a calm inviting peacefulness. And your kitchen desk looks like a wonderful space to take a break as you go about your day. Just lovely!