Sunday, January 27, 2013

~Cadillac Style On'a Chevrolet Budget: Living/Dining Room Transformation~

Hey, Hey, Hey! I hope everyone had a {fantabulous} weekend. Okay, so I wanted to share with y'all my living/dining room before and after's. I haven't changed anything drastic like the floor, paint, moldings, etc. Just added a decorative flare to give it that cozy look. Now, keep in mind that I'm all about yard sales, estate sales, revamping, DIY projects, etc. This space may seem fancy schmancy but it was all purchased within a reasonable budget. With that said, always BRAKE for yard sales. You never know what you may find. My goal for the next upcoming months will be to add more rustic, distressed pieces to this large area.

                              {BEFORE}



 
{AFTER}















 

         
  Number one on the to-do list for the living room is changing the fireplace decor. I'm not a fan of it. At. all. Still deciphering painting & distressing the mantle. I love the wall color but I am not a fan of the granite they chose (madura gold) for this particular setting. It's not the color granite I dislike, it's the color combo's. It all blends in way too much. I would have gone with either a darker stained mantle or a darker granite. It lacks in the "wow" factor. It needs to POP in color.

                          {SMOOCHES}
                             ~Amber~

Linking up with...

DIY Show Off
C.R.A.F.T.
Funky Junk Interiors
Say Not Sweet Anne
Alderberry Hill
Cowgirl Up
Savvy Southern Style- Wow Us Wednesdays

8 comments:

  1. Great makeover and you have made it quite cozy.

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  2. You did a great job making your large rooms feel warm and inviting! Thanks for introducing yourself. I'm following you back, Mary Alice

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    1. Thank You! You truly have a wonderful little space as well! I love it! Thanks for following. :)

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  3. Thanks for your comment at Quirky Vistas, Amber. I'm so glad you stopped by.

    I love your blog name, by the way. I grew up on a street called Honeysuckle Avenue and we had actually had a bus stop on our street at one time as well. Wonderful memories!

    What a lot of love and care you've put into your home. It's beautiful!
    Liz @ Quirky Vistas

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    1. Thanks, Liz! We shared so many memories at that bus stop. That's fun that you had a bus stop on Honeysuckle Avenue! I'm sure you have some lovely memories there as well. Looking forward to your upcoming posts!

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  4. Hi, visiting from Savvy Southern Style. Not having a wide-open space to decorate like yours, I am sure I cannot fully appreciate the issues involved. You have a beautiful space and it flows very well from dining to living room. I like what you've done, and I appreciate what it is like to work on a (very) limited budget. My taste tends toward the very (as in old-fashioned) traditional design mode. If this were my fireplace, I would consider potentially removing the corbels underneath the fireplace mantel if that could be done without damaging anything or leaving any tell-tale marks. Regardless, I would hang, centered above the mantle, a mirror -- either a large (at least 24" diameter) circular framed mirror or a rectangular tall (from mantle top to ceiling length) traditionally framed mirror - antiqued gold would look fantastic with your decor, I think. And I would then decorate aorund the mirror using the traditional balanced motif on both sides of whatever shape mirror you choose. In your photos, your mantel appears tall relative to the height of your ceiling. I'm not sure that's the case, of course, that is just how it looks in the photos, so proportions will be key to achieving a well-balanced comfy look. When in doubt, remember the "pyamid" -- you know, tallest point in the center, and build out lower and lower "layers" from the top. Guess all I'm trying to say is that, personally, before I went to painting anything that would be very hard to reverse later on if it turns out I did not like it so much after all (often the case with what "seemed like a good idea at the time...") I would try a decorating resolution first using some old-fashioned but tried and true principles before resorting to what I consider more "drastic" measures, LOL! Good luck! I'm sure you will come up with just the right solution for your own particular space. I'm book-marking your website so I will visit again to follow along your unfolding decorating process.

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  5. Thanks for your suggestions, Jan! Feel free to follow me with GFC. Have a lovely weekend :)

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