2009 update #1

so, we were making so much progress over the summer... & then we just kind of puttered out. we lost the enthusiasm & motivation of the early renovation days - oh, & we spent all of our $ too. but we've been saving our cash, recently found our mojo & are now working on our biggest house project to date! but before we share anything new... i need to post a few new (er... much belated) progress updates on the projects we completed in 2009. so here's the 1st!

update #1: wood floors + new wall colors = still makes me swoon...even after 6 months

i think our wood floors turned out fantastic - & look especially lovely with the new wall colors. once we put the floors in we realized the chocolate walls in the living room had to go - the color just didn't look right. good choice too, because the pale grey really brightens things up & makes the room look twice as big. the lavender in the dining room is also pretty subdued. i don't usually gravitate towards light wall colors, but now, well.. i think i'm in love :D

oh.... also new in the living room:

• rug (anthropologie) - so colorful, pretty & a great deal @ 50% off online. i wish our anthropology carried rugs & curtains in the store.
• petrie sofa (crate & barrel) - the most beautiful blue grey color, durable fabric & such a gorgeous shape... but a word of warning: it took 4 months to make & we now know to never buy a sofa with buttons on the seat cushions - umm... because they pop off. ugh
• stow leather ottomans (also crate & barrel) - awesome bc they're movable & the lids flip over & become trays. super handy when you don't have a dining room table.

as you can see, we're still working on accessorizing, so please ignore the towels nailed above the windows. if you're wondering why we need towels & blinds, it's because our blinds don't provide adequate shade for playing video games

note: both room colors are martha stewart: rock oyster & party dress. i'll let you figure out which one is which ;) i had the paper swatches matched at sherwin williams (bc i really like the duration paint & they do a fantastic job matching colors).

things to keep

i don't know if you can tell in previous pics, but we've really procrastinated in pulling together a nice living room (& any dining area whatsoever).  the excuse is that "we should start from the bottom up" - meaning we need to get the wood floors down before we can really think about doing anything else.  well... since we've made quite a bit of progress with the wood floors, i guess the time to pull it together is fast approaching - eek!

it's not that we err i haven't been thinking about it... in fact, i have all kinds of ideas jotted down, pictures saved & websites bookmarked - hello designsponge.  it's just... making a final decision on what approach to take it so difficult!   i definitely have commitment issues ;D

so yesterday i made a list of 'things to keep' - which are things we already have (that will go in either the living or dining room) & 'thing's i'd love to own' - which are things that i'd like to incorporate or use as inspiration.  

on the list of 'things to keep':

yellow chair.  i reupholstered this chair last year & - as dj constantly reminds me - it still needs a cushion

fancy chair.  another reupholstery project from last year that is a couple hours shy of being finished...

the credenza we built (project courtesy of the fantastic ReadyMade magazine)

ah... sophia - so beautiful.  she will always be my favorite.  the breakfast sign i found in the scary basement of a diner i worked at in college.  

this beauty may be introduced to a can of spray paint in the near future.  we bought it at Grandview Mercantile for a steal.  it surprisingly gives off a lot of light & is just lovely to look at overall.  

next up... 'things i'd love to own' ;)