Our Brilliant Idea for TV Storage!

Good morning!

I'm taking a break from "before and after" to show you our new TV armoire, because I think this is a brilliant idea!  We had a rather shallow/narrow space in our family room to put a TV, and I didn't really want to mount it on the wall (mostly because I didn't have the mental energy to decorate around a TV on the wall...it seemed easier to stick it in something...but what?).  A typical entertainment unit or armoire would have been way too deep for the space, and it would have cut into the primary walkway through the room (refer to the photos below to see what I mean).  

So we scoured Craig's List and found an old china cabinet for $50.  You can see it below in all it's glory.  I think the people we bought it from were...um...surprised that anyone wanted it!

My husband removed the glass doors and reworked some of the wood trim, and I painted the whole thing (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Chateau Grey with dark wax on top, in case you're curious!).  We added some new hardware too.  It ended up being only 18 inches deep, perfect for a flat screen TV, and gives us extra storage in the bargain! 

I don't know why I never thought of it before!  With TVs being so skinny these days, why buy a big old piece of furniture to hold them?  For us, this was the perfect solution!

Next up is our master bedroom renovation...see you soon!  :)

My Family Room & Kitchen

Hi everyone!  I'm back to share some photos of our family room renovation, with a little kitchen thrown in too.  These areas are connected, and definitely contain the majority of our "living" in this house.  When we're awake anyway.  :)

The feel of the house when we bought it last summer was cozy, but I knew I wanted to make some changes to reflect our taste.  Here is a "before" of the family room:

And here is the "after," from basically the same angle.  I stepped backward a few more paces but you get the idea!

I actually painted this room a warm green/beige at first, but within 24 hours I knew it was the wrong color!  The room doesn't get a ton of direct sunlight and the color felt cold.  My husband, who is ridiculously patient with me, agreed to add this board and batten wall treatment to give the room some interest.  Then I painted the upper portion of the wall "Echelon Ecru" by Sherwin Williams.

Here's a "before" of the fireplace, which is wood burning and was one of the main things I loved about the house.  I think I cried the first time we used this...on a chilly day...in September.  A little eager?  :)

The "after."  We painted the whole fireplace white ("Roman Column" by Sherwin Williams) and it updated the look instantly.

This next photo gives you an idea of the kitchen, which is adjacent to the family room.  I am standing near the fireplace to take the photo, if that makes any sense!

I'm not showing you too much of the kitchen, because, other than paint over the plum color on the walls, we haven't done a lot.  We know that in the long-term, we hope to give the kitchen a major overhaul but that takes lots of cash, as we all know!  We'd rather save up and do it right in a few years. In the meantime, it's functional, and I can dream!

 This last photo is my favorite, because it gives you a sense of how the room "feels" when you walk in now.  I love the textures and colors together.  The seagrass rug was a $50 Craig's List find and the antique Persian rug on top was something I found at an antique shop in Ohio's Amish country...all balled up and forlorn, filthy, just waiting for me to come and rescue it!  (And on a related note, I now know how to hand-wash antique rugs in my driveway, in case you ever need to know.)

We're almost done with our home renovation tour...I'll be back soon with some more details!