Living Room Decor - Part 2

OK, I survived Living Room Decor - Part 1, so here goes Part 2.

I apologize in advance for this photo. We have bright sunlight coming in the living room at all times and it makes it hard to take photos at this angle. So I took the best photo I could and adjusted it on Picasa.

Anywho, this is the view from the entryway into the Living Room.


Starting in the far right hand corner and going counter-clockwise, this is my television armoire vignette. I change it up with the seasons. Lately I've been trying to incorporate some of the white ironstone pieces that I have found at garage sales into my decor.

This is the area to the left of the french doors.

If the return air vent from Part 1 was the albatross around my neck, then this is the thorn in my side (that also makes me giggle).

I love the stone look on the walls and the top of the wood stove is a good place to put some seasonal decor, but

what's with the decoration on the wood stove's door?

Scalloped edges and that orange-sunburst-swirly-ceramic-thing. It's not that I absolutely hate it, because I don't, but I would have thought they would have put in a stove with less of a "distinct" style to it. Is it Norwegian? Pennsylvania Dutch?

Continuing around the room this is the entrance to the dining area and kitchen.

The oak table is from my Mom's house and is in the arts and crafts style. It is where we ate many family dinners.

The chairs are from Penney's. I looked high and low for chairs to match the table and when I decided to not be matchy-matchy is when I found these great quirky black chairs.


These bar stools are probably my favorite buy ever from Big Lots. And that is saying a lot because I love a good deal at Big Lots.

I bought these when they were on clearance plus I had a 10% discount coupon. They are ridiculously sturdy, have real leather seats and a tapestry fabric back. I don't know what they were doing at Big lots in the first place, but I was happy to stumble across them.

This stairway leads down to the lower level also known as the basement/family room. Or more precisely, cat bathroom. I had always wanted a finished basement, but we never, ever, ever use it. I can't tell you the last time I was down there that didn't involve cat litter.

And in case you noticed, yes I have a deer head in my living room.

No, it's not a decorating decision on my part.

When we were clearing out my Mom's house prior to it being sold, my husband only wanted dibs on one item. And it was this old deer head. He kept talking about how cool it would look in his man cave of a garage, so I finally gave in and told him to throw it in his car. Who cares if he just sticks it in the garage?


Well, he drove home one day earlier than I did from my Mom's house and when I got home the next day he had taken down my nice huge wall clock (seen here in its new location)


and replaced with Bambi's Dad.

But since it's hanging above the stairwell I cannot reach it to move it! And hubby is fully and completely aware that I cannot reach it. So this is his contribution to our living room decor. It's been there a few years, so it's probably permanent now.

So back to the living room tour - this is a shot from the french doors looking toward the front door. The bright holes in the wall are the two dormer windows that go through the ceiling and up to the 2nd floor.

Except there really isn't a second floor, it's just a window placed on the roof line to make it appear like there is a second floor.


Maybe it makes more sense to see it from outside.


This is the artwork hanging on that wall (again, sorry for the quality of the photos - the light and glass were wreaking havoc on the camera)

It is an architectural drawing of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Which then ties into the New York Subway art project on this wall from Part 1.


Hubby is from New York. Which you would realize within two minutes of talking to him. He's lived in Ohio for almost 30 years and he still has a thick New York accent. Get him, his brother and friends from Rhode Island and Jersey together and I feel like I'm in an episode of The Sopranos minus the whole mob, drugs, prostitution and killing people thing.


Hope you enjoyed the tour.

I'll post a tutorial on how I made the subway sign later this week in case you are interested in making your own.

Living Room Decor - Part 1

There are many, many, many things I love about our house, but the albatross around my neck has been this living room wall. Now, the wall is really a nice wall since the peak of the cathedral ceiling meets there and it is the main focal wall that can be seen from the kitchen and dining areas. But, what could have been a really nice asset to the house has been hindered by the builders choice to put the return air duct smack dab in the middle of the wall and then while we're at it let's throw the thermostat on that wall also! Then there is also the doorbell ringer thing to top it off.

So in short, decorating this wall has always been a challenge for me. It intimidated me. I did not want to draw attention to the vent, so I just chose to not do anything to it.

Until now.....


This gives you a better idea of the height of the wall. You can also see the dormer windows on the right.


My whole theory of this wall was to just totally go for broke and ignore the ugly vent and maybe it would not be so noticeable.


I bought these shelves at Hobby Lobby at one of their 1/2 price sales.


I stacked these picture frames for a little architectural interest, copying a look I saw in a French Country decorating book.


This bronze dog is a bookend that was from my MIL's house. I have a couple items that I have been playing with in that spot and the dog is the chatzky of the day.


I wanted something tall on this shelf to bring the eye up toward the ceiling so I chose this subway sign art.


These signs are very expensive if they are original vintage ones, but I made this one myself. It shows a train schedule for the Long Island Railroad. Train, subway, same difference right? They both run on tracks.


I put this crock that I bought at a garage sale a few weeks ago beside it. I painted the number 3 on it with acrylic craft paint in case I get tired of it and want to wash it off later. The font is called Engravers MT if anyone is interested in font styles. And while I'm at it, the font for the subway sign was Helvetica.


OK, here is my dilemma. These are the pillows that I bought with the couch. They match an armchair that is in the room.


I've always been fond of paisley.


I found these pillows at Kohl's and thought they would be a nice change. I sort of like the geometric pattern and thought even though they are modern, they look vintage also.


Sort of modern/industrial/vintage?


Or do I use both at the same time?


Too much pattern confusion?


So paisley, circles, both? You decide because my brain is fried from the wall.




Now, I have to admit that I hyperventilate when thinking of the blog world looking at my living room. It seems so personal, you know. But I enjoy so much looking at other people's houses that I thought I would show you this little area. Tomorrow I will show you the rest of the room so you can get a better idea of my decorating style (if I have one) . . .

I'm linking with Between Naps On The Porch's Metamorphosis Monday.

An Accountant's Dream Find

I stopped by a new-to-me antique store in Burbank, Ohio called Rose & Thistle Antiques this week. It is in a great old building and was packed full of really neat stuff. Silverware, jewelry, furniture, crocks you name it. And the prices were very reasonable.

It is only about 1/4 mile off of 71 so if you're on your way to Cleveland or Columbus it's a quick stop (it's at the same exit as the Lodi Outlet Mall, just in the opposite direction).

OK, enough about my new favorite (but not remotely close to my house) antique store, let me show you what I bought there.

This is my dream find. Being an accountant in real life I was so excited when I found this vintage cash box. And the fact that is was only $1.00 was a plus.


It is roughly 12x8x5 inches and has the greatest crackly/crumbly paint on it.


I'm on a quest to organize my office/craft area, so this will be the perfect place to store something. Maybe camera and cell phone accessories, maybe painting supplies.


No key came with it, but at least I won't lock myself out of it then.


I also found these zinc Ball jar lids and a box of 2 3/8" wide Ball lids (the flat kind) all for 50 cents each there.


I have no idea what these were used for because they are much smaller than the regular mouth Ball jars (although the box days say something about pickle, mayonnaise and peanut butter jars), but I bought these for the decorative box itself.


And the last of my purchases at the antique store was this muslin tablecloth for $5.00.


I love the slightly yellowed fabric and may use it to cover an ottoman.


I bought this heavy silver tray for $1.91 at the local Volunteers of America. I like the patina on it, so I probably won't be polishing it up.


At another VOA store I picked up this very vintage looking rooster for 90 cents. The colors are so very 1940's. He stands about 7" tall.

It is marked USA on the bottom, but since USA was a common mark that companies used after WWI and prior to WW2 just to signify that it was made in the USA, it is hard to tell who the manufacturer actually was. It reminds me of a McCoy piece though.


On to my garage sale finds.


This cute Morris and Bendien lithograph was only 10 cents at a local church rummage sale. When was the last time you bought anything for 10 cents!


It's not in perfect shape, but I thought it was cool looking.


I also found this 25 cent rose covered bowl there.


It is two pieces - the green bowl and the white flowered part.


I don't know if this is celluloid or melmac or just plain old plastic? My first thought was celluloid, but the green of the bowl is throwing me - it's almost a 70's avocado green, but then the flowered bowl doesn't look 70's. I'll have to research that one a little more.


Hope you all had a good week of shopping. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've all found.