Little Changes to our Great Room

I added a few little additions to our Great Room recently, to lighten things up a bit and to bring in the change of seasons. You see, when we stumbed onto these pillows a few years ago...



it seemed as if they suddenly became the building block of the design of this room. We suddenly clung to all the rustic, fall colors which matched the color palette of our home. Both my husband and I love the rustic, warm colors... they are just so warm and inviting. However, going on almost 2 years now, we need change. Because these pillows are geometrical, we kept the theme going.... from the runner you see above, to this piece of artwork:


We also have the rustic, burnt orange window panels that tie everything together. But, since we moved into our new home 8 months ago, we've been undecided if we are going to keep this theme going. We all agree that we love the colors, but we're over the big picture, we're over the geometrical thing we have going on. Just last night, D & I were enjoying dinner out on the deck and he told me how he hates that big picture, and it's completley over the geometrical theme. Ah, if he only knew. I've been searching high and low for a new design concept for this room. To the right picture, to the right pillows, to the right rug. I wish it were that easy.... but, it's not from lack of trying. We'll get there, but right now... subtle changes to mix things up a bit.

When we moved into this house, there was still about 75% of work that needed to be done to complete the home. We've gotten about 90% of it done, but still have some projects remaining. One being the fireplace mantel in the great room. Since we are a family who rarely watches TV, the thought of plasturing a flat screen in this room would be the concept of a lot of families, but..not us. We love the quiteness of this room, and since this is the room the family comes together.... we prefer talking verses starring at a TV screen. So, we knew we needed artwork for this space.

Here it was before, in all it's bare glory...







We both loved this peice of artwork. From the finishing of the frame, the colors (sea green??? Yes, please!!!), the pattern....all of it.





My dear husband went to go hang the sucker up, had the picture in one hand.. the level in the other and....BAM-O! Yep, you guessed it.. the picture shattered. Glass was everywhere, the frame compleltey destroyed, the print itself all scuffed. We just rolled with the punches though, because what's done.. is done! Not a biggie. I looked for weeks for the same picture. I scored that one from TJ Maxx, my go-to-store for everything, and we all know that once something is gone in that place... it's gone. So, about 3wks went by and I finally found one that I thought might work. The husband isn't a big fan, but after sending up a ka-jillion different options, I think he was just over it, so.. he embraced it and then shared, "This one will be fine until we find something better".

So, now here's the after:





Then, I found some mustardy yellow pillows to brighten things up, pulling colors from the photo. I wasn't too sure about the mixing of the patterns, but... sometimes you just gotta smile & ask yourself, "Why, not?"






I added a couple of new little decor pieces to the built-ins, the little green and mustard yellow guys up on the top shelf-- pulls out the green and yellows from the picture. Hobby Lobby clearance, you gotta love it!


So, there ya go! Nothing too thrilling to say to the least, but change is change, and that's always a good thing!

So now... the hunt is on for a whole new design of this room, ah man... help me, now! The husband told me he's okay with this through fall, but then he's done. :) So.. wish me luck. I have 2 walls in this room that need some serious attention as well. I'm thinking floating shelving, which I already have, with B&W photos.. but then I think it would be over-kill with all the picture frames on the built-ins. So, this one will be a challenge. :) Moving into a new home is fun because you can then start over and mix things up a bit, but man.... it's finding the right design to make it all work.

Chelcey moves out in August, and then we'll be playing "musical rooms" with everyone changing rooms. Plus, the "purple" room, as we like to call it... aka: "the girls playroom or media room", is my next focus. It's a huge room and I absoutely love it, and I have big plans for this room, it's just making it all come together. So, we'll get there.... slowly, but we'll get there. :)

Hope you enjoyed the little "Great Room" tour and it wasn't too boring. :)

Ta-Ta!