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Friday, October 9, 2015

Six Small Changes That Make a Big Impact

Happy Fall ya'll!  

I hope you are enjoying the changing seasons and feeling inspired by all things pumpkin.  


I made this amazing pumpkin chocolate chip bread this week.  Not clean or green or gluten-free, just delish and oh, so festive.  And soooo yummy with a cup of coffee for breakfast:)  


picture courtesy of tasteofhome.com

Let's dive in to some attainable home updates that you can totally do, I promise.  I've been having a lot of fun lately and you can, too.  


1.  Give Your Fireplace A Facelift

So, a while back I mentioned redoing my fireplace.  It's been on my to-do list for a long time.  I had plans to paint it white, but as it turns out we decided to leave the brick the way it is.  We still might paint it someday, but not today.


All we did (and by we, I mean my wonderful husband) was yank off the brass fireplace cover.  Oh, my goodness what a difference!



Fireplace--BEFORE

I scrubbed the brick and and the interior of the fireplace and vacuumed up all the dirt and ash from years of fires (we love fires).  I actually really like the rustic look and being able to see straight through to the grate and logs.  Easy peasy!



AFTER

2.  Experiment With Chalk Paint


Ya'll, I've been on a chalk painting frenzy ever since my awesome mama invited me to a chalk paint workshop a few weeks ago.  If you are wanting a change in your space without a big price tag, one of the best ways to do that is with paint.  To find out more about the Louisville-native brand I used, click here


This little table picked up off the side of the road is what I painted at the workshop.


Table (on right)--BEFORE
AFTER

My coffee table was up next.



BEFORE
AFTER

After that I did my TV cabinet.



BEFORE
AFTER

My kitchen table is next!  Man, have our kiddos done a number on ours.  I'm still deciding on color.  I'll post pics once I'm finished and let you know how it holds up in the months and years to come:)



3.  Try A New Angle 


You'll remember that we moved the blue couch from the living room to the office to complete that room and make the living room feel less cramped.  This is what the room was like before we did that.



BEFORE

Who knows what ever gets into me, but one night at 11:30 I found myself moving furniture in our living room.  Ever since we had moved the smaller blue couch to the office, the room was just feeling sort of blah.  I decided to angle the rug and then I angled the couch ever so slightly to line up with the edge of the rug. 


AFTER

I also switched the end table with lamp to the other end of the couch creating the perfect place for my new accent table.  Pushing the couch away from the fireplace helped with the balance of the room and opened things up quite a bit near the bookshelves.  Easy change, big impact.  


4.  Incorporate Quality Pieces You Already Own


So, as you know I am pregnant.  18 weeks to be exact.  Apparently, nesting has kicked in early this time around.  For the past few weeks I have been a crazy woman on a mission to scale back and declutter.  The place I started working first was the storage side of the basement where our laundry "room" is.  (One day we'll get to that space.) 


The massive amount of kid items and paraphernalia had seriously taken on a life of its own.  I could barely even walk to the washer and dryer.  Somehow, I had started to think that since it was out of sight, it had been dealt with.  No, not true!  Not true with the issues of life we try to shove under the rug and not true of kid crap I try to hide in my basement. ;)


During the excavation I came across a buffet piece that had previously been used in our dining room before we turned that space into our school room.  My husband and mother-in-law had purchased the piece at an estate sale long before we met.




We had been leaning towards selling the piece when it dawned on me, Why would we get rid of the most beautiful piece of furniture we own?


Right then and there I decided I would use it in the living room.  I was pretty sure it would fit perfectly and it did!  The great part is that it will also double as a first floor changing station when the baby gets here.  The extra bonus is that it is nice and high and will be great for my back.


Before, the space was very busy feeling and visually chaotic.



BEFORE

After adding the buffet, the space is so much more visually appealing and calming.  My 3-year old stores his activities and crafts inside the buffet and the top drawer will soon be filled with diapers and baby gear. My older son now works at the kitchen table, his school books stored in the school room.

AFTER (spray painted lamps mentioned below)

Do you have any stellar pieces hiding in storage that could enhance your home?



5.  Spruce Up With Spray Paint


I've been a spray painting phene lately.  As a mom of lots of little people I have little time or patience for major overhauls and outings to shop for that "perfect" piece.  Spray paint has become my best friend!


This Rust-oleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover is my absolute favorite.  It goes on super fast with twice as much coverage as regular spray paint.  I believe its between $4 and $5.



For our living room I spray painted a pair of lamps and a large frame for over the fireplace.  I picked up each of these items over the summer at yard sales.

When shopping yard sales and thrift stores try to look beyond an item's existing style to the "bones" of the piece.  If it is the size or shape that you are looking for you may just be able to make it work for your space with a few minor adjustments.


Here's what I did with my lamps and framed art...


I painted this pair of brass lamps to attain a ceramic look.  


BEFORE
I went with a creamy ivory spray paint.  I decided on large drum lamp shades to achieve a more modern look.  

AFTER

For the art, I spray painted the frame below navy and the stark white matte the same creamy ivory I used on my lamps. I taped off the interior gold trim on the matte because I wanted that accent to stay.  
 Unfortunately, I only snapped a picture of the frame before I painted.  Here it is:

BEFORE

To get inside the custom framed art I used a butter knife to cut back the finishing paper on the back.  This exposed the cardboard backing that was kept in place by large staples.  I used my butter knife to pry back the staples.

I never could pry back the staples enough to completely remove the glass, but I was able to pull out the art and the matte, which was all I needed to do.  

From there, I removed the existing art (a very dated abstract scene of floating geometric shapes in lovely maroon, turquoise, and hunter green). 

I created my own seasonal art for the frame.  My idea is to replace the art seasonally. 

Here's my autumn art:



And here is the final project completed:



AFTER 


6.  Look For Budget-Friendly Fall Decor  


Check out dollar stores in your area when the holidays are approaching because they often have great finds like these adorable pumpkins and fall berry florals and cattails.  I used the berries on my mantle to bulk up an existing arrangement and placed the neutral pumpkins with small store-bought pumpkins from the grocery.











Don't forget to utilize God's very best.  Nothing beats the real thing.  If you have blooming plants in your yard like hydrangeas, now is the perfect time to cut some blooms for a fall arrangement.  Just let them dry out right in the vase after the water is gone and enjoy them all winter long.





I hope one or all of these small changes can help to make a big impact in your home.  Don't be afraid.  Just go for it!


See that ugly kitchen table in the lower left corner?  I've got its number;)

May you dwell inspired as Christ dwells in you.

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