WAINSCOTING BOARD AND BATTEN IN PROGRESS!!!

I love Wainscoting. I think it gives a home such a cozy feeling. It goes with the Farmhouse style, Cottage, and Coastal. Really, just about any depending on the style you choose. It has such a clean crisp look to it. I lean towards Farmhouse/Cottage style in my home so of course I am in love with the look. And I have fallen for the Board and Batten style (second up -Bead board). So I decided to get started on doing it in my family room. I have wanted to for some time. I'll give ya a quick look at the start of it and then tomorrow or Friday when it's all done I'll post an update. Until then, here's a little look at the progress....

MY LOVE/ HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH LEATHER...

Google image, Source not found

Yes, its true, I have a love/hate relationship with leather. I hate it for its stuffiness, dark and formal feel. I love it for its beauty, comfort and durability. I just purchased a small new leather love seat to replace my fabric couch in the formal living room. And please understand.... that it really isn't a "formal" living room at all but since we have a family room open off the kitchen that is what they call it. But, believe me, there's nothing formal about it. Or any other part of my house for that matter.

IT'S HERE! MY NEW JUTE RUG HAS ARRIVED!!!

100% JUTE RUG

So my new rug has arrived. I bought it online and received it in just 3 days! I love the site and order almost everything from this store. As I mentioned in a previous post I am doing a very small budget friendly "redo" of my living room. I am still working on my family room so I don't want to spend a lot of time or money in this room right now but it definitely needed a minor face lift. I called it a "re set" in my previous post, but I guess that's wrong. In a 'reset' you would normally empty out your room and get a clearer picture of what you have. Take an entirely new look at your space. And then mostly using things you already have in the room or from other rooms, change it up. Mix it up. Rearrange and move things in and out of the room for a new fresh look. 
While I am indeed doing that, I am also buying a few new items and I am going to add an old fireplace I have sitting in the garage collecting dust. And possibly a faux surround for it. So I am doing a bit more than just looking at it differently and moving things around. 
I bought this new rug and a new love seat. As I said the rug was from (?)(edit:I have decided to remove the name of the company so as not to give them a bad rap. They are a wonderful online company and have a great return policy so I want to honor them) and I got a great price on it with a coupon code and shipping was only $2.95! The love seat was also very inexpensive ...(cheap). The room needed it badly. At this point the room, which used to be my favorite spot, has become a room filled with mismatched items, (thrown in until I find a place for them or get rid of them) and an over sized couch. And it needed some love because it has become a "walk though" room. You don't sit and stay, it doesn't draw you in or feel welcoming. So....
I am still waiting on the love seat to be delivered. From a different seller. I wish it had been from the same one because I have had nothing but problems with the delivery from this other dealer. We shall see.
But the rug is here!! It is 100% Jute. And it is extremely thick and comfy under your feet and yet very pliable to bend and pick it up to vacuum under. I just LOVE it and now I am getting very excited to get moving on the rest of the room. 
Don't mind the junk in the room that's all being painted or moved about. The coffee table is my next project. The way this picture is taken the rug looks much smaller than it is. It's really quite large. And its beautiful! I'll keep ya updated!!!!!!!!!!   (See the sad update here)!

The rug is very thick and is light tan, brown and flecked with grey. :)

Transitions....

SO THIS IS WHAT MY FAMILY ROOM LOOKS LIKE NOW.....

When we bought the house back in October 2007 the walls were barren white and the floor was ugly  uh..not very pretty. Sorry just not my cup of tea! And the furniture was just a mish mosh of different things. It's a good size house so I am still working on it. This room has gone through so many transitions and different looks but here is the beginning and then.... 


 AND THEN WE DID THE FLOORS.....

WELL MICHAEL WITH MAD HOME IMPROVEMENTS DID......

 AND THEN WE HAD NEW FLOORS....AND IT LOOKED LIKE THIS!!!

THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS NOW! I LOVE MY NEW DRAPES, NEW FLOORING AND THE COLORS....IT STILL NEEDS LOTS OF TWEEKING BUT IT IS NOW A ROOM THAT FEELS COMFORTABLE AND INVITING...

THE ONE THING I DESPERATELY NEED IN THIS ROOM IS A RUG AND I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND ON WHAT I WANT SO THAT'S IN THE WORKS. DO I GO BLACK? DARK CHARCOAL GREY? LIGHT GREY? YELLOW WOULD BE GREAT BUT I HAVE DOGS SO..........

A CLOSE UP OF MY NEW "IMPRESSIONS" DRAPES (that I spent way to much on- but then I found them on overstock for a good price too) AND THE FIREPLACE THAT WAS IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP. :(

BUT WE FIXED IT!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEE HOW WE DID IT...HERE   STILL HAVE WORK TO DO ON IT. I REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE DECOR FOR THE MANTLE.  THATS IT FOR NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO EVENTUALLY DO SOME CHAIR RAIL AROUND THE ROOM.....

Moving to North Carolina

October 28 2008
Well its been a year since making the big move from Ohio. Time sure flys. I finally got to go home last month and see my family It was great to see them. Its hard though when you have 4 days to shove a year of missing into. Knowing that you probably wont see them for a long time again, so you feel pressure to make the visit count. Of course it falls short. And theres never enough time. And I left feeling like I didn't say and do as much as I would have liked to.