I can't even....
I don't know what....
It's....
Where to start?
Before.
And, Wednesday at three o'clock, we had this.
It's been five weeks in the making. The first three went very slowly and then things ramped up until these last two when with the incredible help from my husband and my Mom, we got most of the work done, some of it literally last minute. Here are the links if you care to go back and read all about it.
Week 1: The Befores, the Vision and the Punch List
Weeks 2 &; 3: Catching Up
Week 4: Barely Hanging On
Week 5: Tickety Boo
I kept a diary each day this last week, here on the blog.
Days 5.1 and 5.2: The Drapery Saga
Day 5.3: More Paint
Day 5.4: What I Did with my Free Hour
Day 5.5: Stylin' Shopping
Day 5.6: Photo Day Eve
Day 5.7: Photo Day
I will also be doing some follow up posts and I will link those too.
I am so grateful to Linda of Calling It Home for hosting this challenge--and especially to the professional participants as well. I read each of their posts every single week and they were so inspiring. Here's a link to their finales.
This project started out as an opportunity for me to finish up a few projects and then decorate. As the weeks progressed, I re-discovered all sorts of things I'd been planning to do or had thought about doing in this room for a long, long time. Finally, they're done.
First, the couch. When we started this, I had thought I wanted a navy slipcover.
Instead, we went with what I had on hand: an old off white one I'd ripped apart to custom fit my couch many years ago and abandoned.
Hooray for Mom finishing the job!
She also sewed up this cute zebra pillow cover for me on photo day eve.
I'd thought I'd recover our ottoman: but I couldn't find any fabric I liked. As well, I started lusting for something light and airy. The ottoman started to feel like a big black, light sucking hole. I saw lots of Vittsjo hacks--and the second my local Ikea got some in stock, I ran down and picked one up that very day. My husband created the wood tops. I stained them.
It comes in two parts. We finished the square bit and put it to use as an end table.
Mom also sewed up a new cover from some fabric I'd purchased some time ago for the Poang chair.
Isn't that great?
We didn't do anything to the old platform rocker on the other side of the faux fireplace: but I did buy a great big Nate Berkus pouf from Target. What a find.
The TV corner started out as one of those "finishing up" projects. I just needed to stain the top shelf.
So much better now.
Not bad match, if I do say so myself.
That duck is named Ping. He's a member of the family.
The window wall also changed.
After:
I took this photo late at night as I'd forgotten during my photo session.
I'll be the first to admit a wall of drapery is rather underwhelming. And it certainly doesn't mirror the effort involved by even a tenth. We completed the moulding and I sewed up a pair of Euro pleated drapes from four old tab top Ritva curtains. Both projects were long outstanding ones--and I am very happy to be done.
Even though the change to the couch was dramatic, I think the faux fireplace wall could take the win for "most improved."
Before:
Now:
It was all very last minute, painting the backs of the bookcases, making the new thicker shelf for the top and painting it. I had a blast styling the shelves with all the pretty things.
left
right
I finished painting inside the fire area black mere hours before I took the photos.
It's a piece of garden statuary and I paid full price and I don't care. Mr. Monk is the perfect tchotchke for us.
And so there we have it.
Why yes, that is a cover on our slipcover. And no, I didn't pay for that model, though I totally would have, she's so coordinated!
Now, please go check on what all the other linking participants have done. I am looking forward to it, myself.
Linking to: Between Naps on the Porch.
23 comments :
Alana,
You really pulled the room together. It looks great. And I think the white slipcovered couch with the navy throws and pillows turned out so well. And that rug is perfect in the room. What a difference from six weeks ago. Enjoy your lovely space!
It looks fantastic! So cozy and comfortable. I wish I had a space like this in my home!
Wow! It's so much lighter. What a lot of work that was, but it must feel great to you now. Not sure how I missed all those updates, but glad I saw the grand finale.
It looks great! You really pulled the whole room together. I wish I had the talent to put together a sofa slipcover.
Someone has some sewing chops in the family. I am sew impressed (sorry, had to write that) as you probably well know. The sofa looks great but I can so appreciate those curtains. I know how long and arduous that can be. This whole room looks so comfortable and appealing and welcoming, you did such a good job with every detail.
Wow, I like this a lot. The living room seem shorter, which is good in my opinion. Before the fireplace seemed to be so far away. Now it's a part of the space.
The slipcovers lighten the room. Very well done Alana and your crew!
What a treat to wake up to these lovely comments.
Anna--you can! It just takes work--a lot of work--and a long time, it seems, too. (Last night I found a "to do" list which had the slip covers and drapes (and tops for the bllys) dated June 2013. Thanks for your kind words.
Rita--thanks! Lighten ad brighten. My new mantra. Glad you caught the finale, too.
Lisa--you know Mom said she actually enjoyed doing that slipcover?
Caitlin--thanks! I appreciate the pun. I am glad you think I got the details right: they're hard!
Onshore--thanks! Good to hear from you. I've missed you.
Alana- your living room turned out great! Your fireplace was beautiful to begin with, but adding that black to the inside adds so much! You also did a great job on the slipcover & curtains & I really like your rug!
It looks great! You did such a good job pulling everything together! I love the blue rug!
Wow~ An absolutely stunning space! I love the colors and rug. As a fellow 6 week participant the six weeks was indeed a challenge and you rose up. Well done!
Your living room looks fabulous! The white couch seems to balance the room and pull in the fireplace.
One small detail I love is that you switched the Billy bookcases next to the fire place. I think it lengthens the wall (or doesn't stop the eye so quickly) by having the wider ones toward the middle and the narrower ones on the ends.)
MMarie--how kind of you to notice I did that! I am glad you think the change is for the better. I thought it might be, but I just wasn't sure, so thanks for telling me.
Everything looks great! I like the white couch/navy pillows combination and the coordinating patterns on the rug and lampshade. It all looks very crisp and open. The dark backs to the white shelves are really nifty.
So the cacti you got are good with low light?
Hope your arm is feeling better!
Thanks Anastasia! Yeah, I didn't enquire too closely about the light levels required for the cacti. Oh well, they can come live on the kitchen table for a while, if they really have too, I guess.
Not sure if everyone appreciates the type of labor involved in all that sewing. Kudos to you! Slip covers and drapes are HARD! Face lift and styling on the bookcases are aces.
Thanks Mrs. V! They are much harder than you expect--I truly understand why custom is so darn expensive. It takes some expertise to get it right!
It really does look amazing! All your hard work paid off!
The slipcover made such a difference...lightening up the room! You did a lot with editing in general....love all of the pillows also! Good job!
Oh, good, you stopped by Carol-Anne. I was hoping you'd like it.
Sherry--it really did! I am glad, actually, we went this way. Editing is a fabulous decorating tool, isn't it?
This looks so good, and what a difference the sofa slipcover made. I would put a cover on it, too. So many helpful moms and dads...mine are useless! Great team effort, and so well done.
Thank you Linda! It is wonderful of you to visit and leave a comment. I am inspired by The Pink Pagoda to tackle my entry way next time. But we'll see. These challenges are fabulous.
Alana you did such a good job. I love how bright and airy the space looks now.
Thanks Delia. It is practically night and day.
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