Shopping . . . in Your Own Home

Back in May, I rearranged my living room. This is something I do. Every few months a different room cries out to me for some attention. After my bout in May, I was happy with this . . .  for the most part.

All the furniture in my living room and dining room were on a diagonal. Having furniture displayed at angles always provides a bit more interest in a room.

So, it has been like this for a few months now, just waiting for the rearranging bug to strike again.

A few days ago I told y’all about Miss Mustard Seed‘s book “Inspired You.” Apart from what I already told you that I like about the book, one thing really stuck in the back of my mind. If you are working on a tight budget,  she recommends going  shopping . . . in your own house.

Armed with that suggestion and my recent interior decorating class at Trident Technical College, a plan popped into my mind last Thursday for my living room. I wanted to rush into it that day. I practiced some restraint though and drew my thoughts out on graph paper to make sure I had enough room for what I was envisioning.

This is the finished product.

From a different angle.

Now to tell you about my shopping trip.

The beautiful arm chairs were in my grandmother’s house as were the two coffee tables that match them. I realized though that I had been trying too hard to decorate using all four pieces. I needed to use what I really loved and relocate what didn’t work. So, the chairs stayed.

Though I don’t love the fabric they are upholstered with, for now it remains until I learn to reupholster. Plus, I am fortunate enough that the coloring in the fabric at least blends with the rug I got earlier this year at an antique store outside of Charleston.

The trunk and organ (in the background) came from my uncle. After David and I got married, my uncle sent one of those Pod crates full of stuff. In addition to some pieces that had been in my grandmother’s house, he included the trunk and organ.

I have always loved trunks and wanted to utilize this one a bit more instead of having it linger in the upstairs bedroom where it is only very infrequently seen. Not to mention the amount of storage space that is inside! As to the organ, that was in the living room before but it was the first thing you saw when you walked into the house and was a bit imposing in its prior location.

The black chair is actually part of my dining room set. I like the black color in the chair as it picks up that same color in the rug, the round table between my grandmother’s chairs and the backgammon game turned magazine holder on top of the trunk. I probably will not keep it there permanently but it is a good extra seat option when guests are visiting.

The game set was free.

It came out of the inside of this coffee table, which I also found in the Hood. I am not too sure about this coffee table making a reinvented comeback as its legs on one side are damaged but I did not want the game set to go unused.

Until yesterday, it had been lingering in the garage looking for a purpose. Now, it is a magazine holder on top of my trunk coffee table. Also, I used to love to play backgammon. With this on display, I have no excuse not to relearn the game.

Moving on to the end table(s) on the right side of the couch. The table in the back is an old sewing machine cabinet. The sewing machine is still inside but does not currently work. The piece was in the back bedroom; what is quickly becoming my home office, craft room, paint room, etc. It was merely present in the room and looked out of place. I love it here because it comes up high enough to be able to set a drink on it without having to search over the side of the couch for an end table.

As for the school desk, well do you remember my Saturday Sale-ing?

The Southern Gent was skeptical when I bought it. “What are you going to do with that?” The corner it now resides in is always awkward as the hearth comes out so far that you can’t do too much in that area. I brought the chair/desk combo out and and it popped right into place. The light colored desk top and peach seat brought some needed color to that side of the room. Plus, the peach blends well with the picture over the couch and the large pillows on the couch. A final bonus, it’s a fun place to sit if an extra seating place is needed!

The only thing left for that corner area is a window treatment but that is another project for different day and another post.

On to the items on top of the sewing cabinet. The lamp is one of a pair that came to me in the Pod. It used to be my grandma’s. The item to the left of the lamp is a Scentsy warmer. It is a great wickless candle option that has been filling my house with pleasing scents for the past several months.

My mom made the wood box with the heart handle. It has also been hanging out in my office. Now, it is a remote caddy. The red object with the horse head is actually an old compact. It was free – it came out of the Dresser from the Hood. As I love all things Western related, the horse head brought a touch of my ranch-dwelling, California upbringing into the room and the red added a pop of color to go with the red pieces in the backgammon set and the new (to us) table and chairs that will soon be taking up residence in the adjacent dining room.

The coaster, well, you can’t live in South Carolina and not represent. That palmetto tree and crescent are on our state flag.

On to the left side of the couch, you may recognize the vintage stool from the Saturday Sale-ing adventure. It now serves double duty as end table and extra seat if it is needed. I like having the color there too between the organ and couch. It picks up the similar hues in the picture, pillows and rug.

Also from Saturday Sale-ing is the lamp, albeit with a new shade, that now sits atop the organ.

Finally, coming full circle back to my grandmother’s chairs and the round table that sits between them. That table was serving as a somewhat ineffective nightstand in my bedroom. Out here it’s more modern style is a good contrast between the curvy chairs and it fits well with the clean lines on the Baker in the dining room and new Dresser from the Hood entry table. In addition, I like the black color for reasons earlier noted.

As to the items on top, the glass dish is from a garage sale several years ago. It was in the bookcase that was formerly in this room but it is displayed better here and the clear(ish) glass allows it to be present with out taking up too much space. The roses inside are from a bouquet that the Southern Gent gave to me when we were dating. The coasters bear the letter “W” for my maiden name.

The wooden Velveeta box is from my mom. I love old cheese boxes and the Western playing cards add a bit more of my nostalgia for the West.  The chess pieces fit in well with the subtle game theme present in the room but can be put to quick use with the wood chess board housed in the reinvented Dresser from the Hood that is just steps away.

I hope you have enjoyed the tour through my living room after my in home shopping spree!

Please post your comments or let me know about any reinventing, repurposing or redecorating you have done lately!