Redoing my home

I should preface this blog post with the disclaimer that I rent my duplex, thus, while I could probably convince my landlords to let me paint, I don't care enough to add color to my home with paint, so I'm doing it with accessories and various other pieces.




This segment on the Nate Berkus Show inspired my design for my dining room. I have a table that we bought from a moving neighbor. I knew I wanted to redo some of it, but I was never really sure what I wanted to do with the room. This segment gave me the perfect idea. I'm a very yellow person. I love the color yellow and the sunshiney feel it brings me when I see it. So my kitchen/dining area is going to be very similar to the dining room Nate put together with the yellow seat cushions. I'm still looking for the perfect fabric for curtains for my dining room area. That same fabric will be used on some lampshades for my sidetable I'm putting in the room.

As far as the side table goes, it's currently a dresser in my bedroom, but I never use it except to throw crap on it, so I want it out of my room. No need for it. This is the dresser that I have been talking about redoing since October. Maybe by next October, I'll actually finish it.

While formulating the plan for this room, I began formulating the plan for every room of my house. We have been looking for new living room furniture but just weren't sure what we wanted in that room. Now, I know I want dark brown furniture with turquoise accents. Our current tv stand, which we plan to replace, will be repainted turquoise and become a home for Alex's various living room items, like books and crayons and even the legos. There's a corner ready and waiting for it now!

I intend to use this tutorial to turn our two small side tables into ottomans, so I will likely re-stain them with a dark stain and use a turquoise and brown fabric for the tops.

I'm not totally sold on this piece of fabric and have been thinking about something like a damask or other turquoise and brown fabric. For now, this is a prototype and this room will evolve over the next few months, I'm sure. I also haven't shared some of these plans with the hubby, who does have a say in how our home looks, so you know, I have that to consider!

As far as art in the living room, I have a plan. I am going to buy three nice sized canvases and paint them the same turquoise I paint the shelving unit. Then, I'm going to buy this wall decal to put across the canvases. Then I'll paint the canvas over again in brown, so the Birds and tree branch will be a pop of turquoise. If anyone has any better techniques on this project, I am open ears!

My bedroom is already black and red and white, and it's staying that way. I will do some wall art, or purchase some wall art for the room, but I haven't figured out what yet. I am also going to be doing some bookshelves in the room that will hold wall sconces  which will plug into the two outlets on the wall where my bed is. We are looking for a new bed (mattress set and frame) and are likely going to make our own headboard. All projects which will take considerable amount of time considering the schedule I currently keep. I need some time off from life to get all this done.

Those are the plans so far. I am excited for the projects and taking things one room at a time. I tend to look at the big picture like it's an elephant and I can't get through anything, so I am looking at one project at a time and hoping to get some weekend time to finish things up.

So, do you have any yellow and grey fabrics you love? Any turquoise and brown? Help. That's the first thing I have to do so I can match paint colors and other items!