Home, Sweet Home

I'm finally posting photos of our "rebooted" living and dining room. The good camera's LCD screen is on the fritz (which, I suppose, means it technically isn't the good camera anymore), and I lost the telescoping thingy that attaches to the other camera and reduces the glare from the flash. (No, I'm not a professional photographer; I just play one on TV.) Thus, these are not ideal, and the Mink (dark brown) paint throws a certain glare, courtesy of the oh-so-overpowering flash, but I guess that they give you the general idea. The shots of pale blue walls (three-quarter strength Palladian Blue) mixed in with the Mink are shots of the dining room; the tan walls (Greenbrier Beige) are the attached living room. Rug under the dining room table is new, as is the dark-stained sideboard on the Mink "feature wall." My very creative hubby had the idea of mounting an existing tramp art mirror over the sideboard. It looks like one unified piece, in part because of the medallion details on the mirror that match details on the sideboard. (Of course, I managed to take a picture of the sideboard and the mirror, but not the two together!)

Since I couldn't find a suitable (oversized) plate rack on which to display framed photos, I used various items to create a similar effect. The carved picture rail shelving in both rooms I distressed myself, while the white architectural feature on the blue wall came suitably "shabby chic." We removed the legs from an antique wooden tray to house another photo, and the box above it is an old pipe rack. I'd like to tell you that the wooden chair shelf on the dining room wall was my creation, but I bought it as-is at Chiffoniers in Fort Worth. The flaming tin heart was my addition, though . . . .

I bought the peg shelving that is on the feature wall primarily for the color (sort of beige, but with a little purple showing through, to coordinate with the Mink, which has a dark purple cast to it in some light). After we mounted photos over it, it occurred to me that I could hang some smaller photos from the pegs. One thing led to another, and I have begun festooning the pegs seasonally. (Unsurprising - stand still long enough, and I may decorate you.) "Seasonal" is a flexible concept with me these days. I am SO past Halloween/Christmas/Easter! Currently, we are decorated for "summer," with swim team ribbons and grosgrain nautical flags hung from the pegs, along with a sailor-striped tee with skull and crossbones applique that I stole from PJ's closet. Since Connor has been to (approximately) six thousand, seven hundred ninety four camps this summer (at last count - he has two more weeks before school starts, so the total can and will increase), I have had a steady supply of God's eyes and other camp crafts to work into the summer theme.

I found some great vintage-looking felt "Back to School" mini pennants that will be going up at the end of next week. Come October 1st, the Halloween decorations will come down from the attic, and I am most anxious to experiment with various display schemes for my collection of papier mache candy containers and other vintage and folk art items. With two new display shelves at my disposal, I may even be able to justify some new purchases. (That groan you just heard came from my husband.)