Where I Live: The Living Room

This is the Second Installment of Kelly's Where I Live Carnival. We're in the living room this week. See?


This is the view upon entering our home. There are doors on either side of the fireplace leading out to our back porch/yard.

This room single-handedly (well, almost) sealed the deal for me when deciding to purchase this house. In here it's all about the ceilings (they're high)...

...and the moulding (it's magnificent).

Notice the wretched countertop tile is here again--around the fireplace. "Tile guy" strikes again.

One thing's certain about this house. We did NOT purchase this house thinking what a lovely paint job the interior has. There was most definitely a "paint guy" on the job here. You won't be able to see the painting mishaps from these photos (mostly 'cause I'm not going to show them to you), but take it from me. They're there. For one thing, the E-N-T-I-R-E house was painted the same color and in a MATTE finish!!! I know matte is often used on interior walls to disguise imperfections in the wall, etc. but can you imagine painting all the walls in your house with a MATTE finish???!! (I'm talking even in the bathrooms!!!!) Instead of disguising imperfections HERE, it actually shows MORE issues, because there are water spots, fingerprints, and dents and dings that can now only be covered by painting over them, and it's been my experience that it never looks very good to touch-up walls that way.

What.

Was the Home Depot paint-shaking guy unavailable for you ("paint guy") to ask what might be the best finish to do throughout a house? Come on. All REAL paint guys know that a WIPEABLE surface is an absolute necessity in rooms like the bathroom and kitchen. (Actually, I'm pretty sure EVerybody knows that.) And--really--I'm thinking any room in which PEOPLE will be living needs a wipeable surface, especially rooms in which children frequent.

IN-EE-WAY...we've managed to repaint the kids' bedrooms, but THIS room will require scaffolding and/or a professional (i.e. money), and so we wait. and pretend. and ignore. I mean, it's something one can live with (or without, depending on how you look at it). So, it's fine. But I do miss color, which is sort of necessary--in the absence of actual decorating and all.

This little corner usually has the Little Tikes junior-size picnic table for snack time AND a quilt my great-grandmother made that all my babies have played on. (I'll have to show you that sometime.) But all YOU can see is my basket of knitting and a little rocking chair that used to be mine as a child. The seat needs to be refinished, but I don't have time for that right now. Imagine that!

This piece of art and the one above the Bombe chest behind my couch were purchased at Hobby Lobby when framed art was on sale for 50% off. That same trip we also got the candelabra and candles you see in my fireplace for half off.

I'm laughing at how many pieces of baby equipment are now in my kitchen for the purposes of these pictures. For some reason, I just couldn't let them be shown, even though I KNOW you KNOW I have babies, and equipment, and toys. Well, at least this way I'll have usable pictures for when we get ready to sell this joint. Ha!

'K. Moving on. This couch...

...and the matching chair-and-a-half and ottoman came from my parents' furniture store. Got it all wholesale. Well, really, ALL the furniture in this room came from there.

Except the buffet by the piano. It's sort of on loan to me from my mom. I LOVE it, because it fits in this room so well, AND it holds all my piano music plus table linens (the two items I own), some Christmas decorations that don't need to be in the extremely hot attic, and a few other knick-knacks. Ah, storage!!


Also, notice this tapestry? Isn't it beautiful?? It was a gift from my parents, as was the other tapestry by the front door, and all the lamps, and the two pieces of artwork over the ottoman (the one we turned into seating by shoving it against the wall), although not on the same occasion.

Last, but not least, this is the piano. It's a Baldwin baby grand. I got it for my 14th birthday. I don't play it nearly as much as I used to (boo hoo), but it definitely gets plenty of action with so many eager fingers around here (some of which are pictured here). It's sort of been through it, what with three moves (counting when my parents first purchased it) and all, so I'd really like to have it cleaned well, get some repairs done on it, and have it tuned.

The windows are gorgeous in this house. The problem is that there are no (absolutely NO) window coverings. There aren't even any screens!! Yeah, we've got our work cut out for us. This is one window, though beautiful, that we simply must do something about because I'm sure you can imagine what it's like when the hot, summer [afternoon] sun is shining right ON that window. Let's just say it makes for a toasty living room. We're working on it...

But for now...over and out, ta-ta, and word to your mutha.

Click here to see last week's room: the kitchen.