Thursday, June 30, 2016

BEFORE AND AFTER SERIES: The Farmhouse Living Room Part II: THE REVEAL



PLAIN AND SIMPLE FARMHOUSE STYLE. . .What does that really mean? . .Would you believe that the day I came up with that theme, I had no idea what plain and simple style meant. . .What I did know was that I was ready for a new start and it had to be toward a simpler life. . .I was telling you the truth when I said this has been a journey for me. . .The thing that I will ever be grateful for is that through blogging I little by little  began to embrace a decorating style that truly reflected us. . .Along the way, I figured out how to do more with less. . .and how to use neutrals with pops of color for huge impact. . .I learned this not with a specific plan. . .I just followed along as things evolved.
 


A couple of days ago, I ran across a book and was astonished at what I read. . ."Start with black and white and you'll develop a scheme that's as versatile as it is tasteful and ever stylish. Strong in it's own right, the neutral noncolor scheme gracefully accepts a vivid third element. . . " from Express Yourself With Color. . .That's exactly what I had learned these past four years. . .It would have been much simpler if I'd read the book first. . .but maybe not as much fun. . .


When it came time to add those pops of color I thought that I would go with the usual choices for a farmhouse style. . .play it safe . . .But I soon found I wasn't happy unless there was a bit of whimsy to make me smile. . .and raise the eyebrows of others every now and then. . .I giggle every time someone asks, "Why do you have cows in your living room?". . I tell them that even though we live on a cotton farm, it wasn't always that way. . .When Granddaddy bought the farmstead, a few acres could be cultivated, but much of it had been cut-over by the logging companies. . .There were still stumps everywhere that had to be removed. . .That meant time and money. . .So Granddaddy put cattle on the stumpy, land. . .and he built huge barns to shelter them. . .Simply put, there were a lot more cows on this farm than cotton for many years. . .


But I'll tell you the real truth about putting cows in the living room. . .I love their sweet faces. . .and the pops of color that brighten the neutral pallet. . .You can't help but smile at them, can you? . .It's all in fun. . .They also blend in well with the soft denim blues elsewhere in the room.





 



Black and White. . .Soft Denim Blues. . .Pops of Color. . .Plain and Simple
Surprising choices. . .even to me. . .but I couldn't be happier with the outcome. . .I think John gave me the best compliment of all when he saw what I had done. . . "Now it feels like HOME, doesn't it?". .He likes the cows, too. . .(grin)




If you missed Part I, here's the link to it:
















 






Monday, June 27, 2016

BEFORE AND AFTER SERIES: The Farmhouse Living Room Part I

 
Do you remember my post THE FUN IS IN THE LIVING ROOM PLANNING? At the time I knew I wanted certain elements in the LIVING ROOM but had no idea how it would evolve.
Taking my cue from our COTTON FARM, I also knew I wanted NEUTRALS, including the black touches I had in the kitchen. . .Our home has very few rooms, so COLORS and TEXTURES needed to flow from one room to the other. . .For the ACCENT COLOR, it was a 'no-brainer'. . .DENIM BLUES were my pick.
 
 
In the beginning I had no idea my journey would take me to PLAIN AND SIMPLE FARMHOUSE STYLE. . .That came later. . .Although I had grown tired of clutter, it didn't dawn on me until I began blogging in 2011 that I desired a simpler life, as well as a simpler style. . .It's hard to part with familiar items. . .and at that time, I didn't know I was ready for it. . .
But. . .FIRST THINGS FIRST. . .
The actual LIVING ROOM RENOVATION started a year or so before we moved into the house. . .I probably have less photos of that time than any of the other rooms. . .It was before a digital camera. . .How quickly I forgot what it was like in those days of an automatic 35mm camera. . .Indoor photos were hard to achieve. . .Nothing like today with the digital photographic capabilities.
Everyone knows it's a lot easier to PLASTER and PAINT without much furniture underfoot. . .so that was our first task. . .I chose a CREAMY WHITE for the ceiling and a SOFT WHITE for the walls. . .just the opposite of the kitchen, which you'll see later. . .I took those colors from the beautiful STAINED GLASS LIGHT FIXTURES. . .We found those fixtures by chance but once I saw them, I knew they had to go in the living room. . .The house is in a CRAFTSMAN STYLE and the fixtures were reminiscent of TIFFANY GLASS that was so popular in the 1930s. . .There was no doubt they were coming home with us. . .
 
 
Once the painting was done, our next project was CROWN MOLDING and CHAIR RAIL that fit into the Craftsman style. . .We had to use chair rail to cover up the flaws in the sheetrock where the old seams joined. . .It was one very COLD winter's weekend that John and my cousin added those details. . .In fact, there is snow on the ground outside the window. . .and no heat to speak of in the entire house. . .It took a couple of brave hearts to tackle this one. . .
 
 
That done. . .John began to replace the WINDOW and DOOR FACINGS with a few subtle changes. . .the addition of GROOVED LUMBER to make the look a little more formal. . . I believe this was about the time that I began my quest for PLAIN AND SIMPLE. . .
 
 
Next. . .the FLOOR was sanded and refinished. . .We had discovered the 1930's tongue and groove flooring under the shag carpet that was down when we first took over the house. . .The PATINA was so nice that we wanted to preserve it. . .a decision we would change in years to come. . .

 
John did a fantastic job of sanding out the stains and wear. . .
 
 
 
Finally the BIG DAY came. . . We could move into the house. . .The kitchen and keeping room was still in it's beginning stages but I could make quick meals. . .and we had a living room and bath that was functional if not finished.
We had little furniture brought from Virginia. . .Making-do began as we moved a COUCH AND CHAIR from my parents home. . .as well as other ACCESSORIES. . .They weren't to be anything but TEMPORARY.
I look back at these photos and think, "Did we really need all this stuff?". . .(grin). . .Wow. . .Be sure and note the TV we owned at that time, too. . .Like I said, we moved 'bare bones' from Virginia. . .
 
 
That poor couch was so old that the springs and cushions were soft. . .yet it served our purpose until we could replace it. . .
The brown painted 1930s CABINET was purchased in Tennessee a long time before we started the living room. . .The panes are BLOWN GLASS. . .LOVE at first site. . .but it did look much better once painted. . .
 
 
 
 
The heavy DRAPES had to go eventually. . .I have never liked drapes and prefer the windows to be open to light. . .In our rural setting, we didn't need a lot of window coverings for privacy. . .I did find some beautiful EMBROIDERED SHEERS at the family home in Dell. . .It wasn't long until the vintage drapes were replaced. . .


Much better, don't you think? . .They were a little long at the front window, so I decided to let them POOL on the floor. . .something I'd never done before but found it a very pleasing affect. . .especially once the black floor went down a few years later. . .
 
 
We lived pretty much the same for several years. . .replacing the couch with two mismatched ones. . .That's when I discovered THROWS. . .So easy to pull off and wash frequently. . .Dust and dirt are a reality on a FARM. . . .plus, they helped cover up the fact that the couches were different. . .I considered making slipcovers more than once but knew that one day I'd find that  PERFECT set of couches. . .I did order one slipcover but it didn't fit as well as I wanted. . .Throws would be fine. . .and still are. . .as you'll see. . .
 
 
 After spending several very COLD WINTERS in the living room, it became apparent that we needed another floor on top of the existing one. . .We shopped and shopped for WOOD FLOORING that would not make the house look like a patchwork of floors. . .Matching the other floors was not possible. . .Should we go lighter? Darker? Wide boards? Skinny boards? . .Nothing pleased us. . .At least nothing that warranted the investment. . .We didn't want a floor that cost several thousand dollars to be one we weren't happy with. . .Then one day we stopped in at a discount flooring store in Missouri. . .We looked and looked. . .had decided on a floor 'that would work' . .Still nothing that got my HEART POUNDING. . .But we needed a floor. . .I could live with it. . .I thought. . .While figuring the number of boxes needed, the owner said he had BLACK flooring he'd sell me cheap, cheap. . .He wanted rid of it. . .He was half-way kidding but something within me got excited. . .We came back home with enough BLACK FLOORING to not only cover the living room floor, but also the bedroom floor. . .John started putting it down the next day. . .
 
 
I couldn't have been more pleased. . .The boards were as narrow as the old floor, so it appears that we simply PAINTED it. . .I can't help but smile now when I see black flooring as a common choice for many decorators nowadays. . .I sometimes wonder if the gentleman regrets selling us all of the black he had? . .We had been at the right place at the right time for sure.
Now the living room was ready for some serious STYLING. . .finally. . .I never dreamed the final outcome would take the path it did. . .not in the beginning. . .I do feel I've been on a JOURNEY. . .trying certain looks. . .keeping what I liked. . .changing what I didn't.  . .There's been a definite evolution. . .
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Coming up in PART II, I'll have many, many more AFTER images. . .In fact, the entire post will be dedicated to the PRESENT. . .Knowing this background will make that story all the better. . .As I've shown in this post, RENOVATION AND DECORATING doesn't just happen. . .and maybe not quickly. . .but once finished, the time and work are worth it. . .Sometimes, though, that's hard to remember. . .Anyone who has lived in a house in perpetual renovation knows that only PATIENCE and hanging onto a VISION will keep you sane. . .
 
 
 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

BEFORE AND AFTER SERIES: Setting the Farmhouse Living Room Stage

 
I'm gearing up for a very long, multiple photo POST of our BEFORE, AFTER AND DURING the LIVING ROOM RENOVATION. . .hoping toward the end of this week. . .It's been in the making for a couple of weeks, but honestly there is so much I want to share that it's taking a little longer than I thought. . .maybe because I'm having so much fun with it. . .Both John and I look at the  photos and say to ourselves, "Did it REALLY LOOK THAT WAY?" Amazing. . .
 
 
 
 
In the meantime, I wanted to tease you a bit more with just a little of my SETTING THE STAGE for the photo shoot. . .It takes so much time and effort and a lot of materials before I can be pleased with the outcome. . .Sometimes it takes as much for PLAIN AND SIMPLE as it does any other decorating style. . .What you see above is only a few of the many items I pulled from the closets, drawers, and trunks. . .Thank Goodness I incorporate the 'make-do' attitude. . .To go out and shop for everything does not sound fun to me at all. . .I try to have plenty of stashes to choose from. . .
 
 
For the most part, I REPURPOSED every item. . .
but there were a few NEW additions that I did buy specifically off the net or at specialty stores. . .
 
One item was the BLACK AND WHITE CHECKED AREA RUG. . .
 
 
 
My problem. . .if there is one. . .is that I have these ideas in my head but finding what I need for those ideas can be challenging. . .I can't tell you how many months and numerous searches on the net I spent looking for a rug like this one. . .I could find cheaply made ones. . .and they looked it. . .but I wanted  QUALITY. . .I was about to give up and settle for something else when I ran across this one on sale at Wayfair. . .It's wool and woven and I absolutely LOVE it. . .makes the room for me. . .and it fits right in with our CHECKED KEEPING ROOM FLOOR.
 
I have also been thrilled to see bloggers begin to decorate with COTTON. . .Since we own a COTTON FARM, I've decorated with it for years--as many of you know. . .and I will continue to use cotton stalks as my flowers in many of the settings. . .They are a NATURAL here. . .In one of my past posts I explained that it was COTTON that gave me my inspiration for the colors I picked in the kitchen/keeping room. . .and it overflowed into the LIVING ROOM. . .
 
 
 
 
 
 
Probably my favorite piece that's make-do in the living room is this cabinet made
from PALLETS and a $10 SCREEN DOOR. . .
It serves as a place to store some of my linens stash. . .and to hide our DVDs in WICKER BASKETS and VINTAGE SUITCASES. . .
Of course. . .I had to fluff and arrange there. . .
 
 
 
 
I didn't realize it until John pointed out that our FARMHOUSE is now full of CRITTERS. . .
CATS, CHICKENS, COWS. . .the kind you don't have to feed. . .
You'll see them scattered around as we tour through the rooms. . .
There's no 'overkill' with the animals. . .They simply make one aware that this is a REAL FARMHOUSE. . .
on a REAL FARM. . .
 
 
 
This CRITTER isn't real. . .
 
but this ONE IS. . .
 
an earlier photo of BOO. . .
 
 
Our MIRACLE CAT. . .BOO. . .does receive passes every now and then to be home for a few days. . .but the ADDISON'S DISEASE keeps him with Dr. Cato most of the time now. . .He is still a walking MIRACLE and Pfiser Research continues to use him for their studies of the disease in people and animals. . .He has far outlived their expectations--by YEARS. . .
 
Our FARMHOUSE RENOVATION has always been subject to BOO's approval. . .He has helped (?) with most of our projects. . .He has definite opinions about how he wants HIS HOUSE to look. . .I had to take that into consideration, too. . .and part of the reason for our PLAIN AND SIMPLE STYLE. . .
 
 
 
 
So. . .whether it's OLD OR NEW. . .REAL OR NOT. . .Are you ready now for the first REVEAL? . . If we have no major upheavals, dust storms, or floods. . .it's coming up NEXT. . .
 
 
 
 
 
This Post has my
SEAL OF APPROVAL. . .
 
 
 

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