My China Hutch...

Still thinking of ideas for the china hutch I purchased on Crags....Ever heard of Somerset Bay? I love this site. I come back to it all the time for inspiration. I love the style, the colors and the way they accessorize!! I enjoy blog land too of course, but I've noticed most sites paint furniture blue or white. Granted, I personally feel just about anything looks amazing either blue or white. However, every once in a great while, I feel like I need something besides blue. This site inspires me to think outside my box. I would love to be brave enough to do one of these muted tones of green or yellow. I can't even express how much I love the photos on this site!

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I don't know why, but I'm a little afraid of soft yellow. As I look at my new craigs find and decide what color to paint it, I am drawn to this yellow cabinet.

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Ahhhhh...doesn't it just make you feel like vacation!? It wouldn't go in my home unfortunately. I could maybe FORCE it to work, but I fear, its just not practical for me. Some more faves from Somerset Bay...

Soon I will post pictures of my new hutch for you (before and afters), but it is not painted yet. Here it is in it's current condition...

As we brought it into the house we noticed that this $50 find is a Thomasville hutch in almost perfect condition. The people who sold it probably should have sold it for $300-500. I am shocked at how nice this piece is, I could never go out and purchase something like this. What a blessing! I have wanted one for so long and prayed that just the right one would come. It even has a pull out for silverware! Why am I surprised when God answers prayer? It is so nice that He cares about the little things.

Now that I have the perfect piece... what to do with it? The wood finish is great. It's a little outdated, but not bad. Actually, I've noticed this finish becoming more prominate again. Paint would really make it look amazing, but for how long? Once we loose that wood finish, it's hard to get it back. Mmmmm, do I paint something this nice!!!??? What to do!?!

I'm leaning toward painting it white and sanding it down. I found this over at a linky party (she has a great tutorial)....

Photo from Twice Lovely

I would LOVE to do something like this on the front. Maybe, down at the bottom, coming across just the one side... but I do have artistic limitations and, it looks HARD! I think I want to paint the inside with a blue-grey and white graphic pattern, so my white dishes pop. Something maybe like this....

(photo from Waverly.com)

I would love to hear any comments, suggestions, criticisms...well within reason ;0)

Curtains II

So after much anticipation of getting my curtain fabric, I received an e-mail that my order was cancelled. My heart sank. I looked so hard for that blasted fabric! Then I thought maybe God is saving me from a huge mistake!!! Most of my room is window and therefore would be stripe! So after spending a few more hours looking online, I still have not found anything that I like. Since my windows are so big, I REALLY have to like the fabric! Well, someday....soon I hope...I'll find the perfect curtains. As for now, I'll just have to go and paint my new china hutch I got for a STEAL on Craigs List! It was EXACTLY what I was looking for! I don't want to go and buy paint since we just painted the main rooms and spent more than we expected. I'm going to try and mix a few leftovers and come up with a "magic" color. I have some new found inspiration that I'm planning to work with, but I'll save that for another post...if it turns out!

CURTAINS!

So, I have admired Nesters blog for quite some time and I know that many other blogs LOVE her curtains and try to replicate them. Well, I can't seem to get them out of my mind either! I LOVE these curtains.

I have VERY large windows and it is so hard to buy curtains because I would need six panels just for the living room windows. So, I decided to venture out in search of large striped fabric and get on the Nester curtain bandwagon. Finding fabric was harder than I thought it would be. Last week I found some I liked and I ordered 13 yards!!! I nearly hyperventilated after. I buy fabric alot but I never pay that kind of cash at once let alone on one fabric, that I have not seen in person !!! I did get a great deal though! It would have cost me alot more to buy panels!

I'm so excited/nervous to see how they turn out. We have a formal leather sofa and I think striped curtains would add a little fun into the mix.

Now for some more color...

PROJECTS!!!!!!

Apparently, I go through blogging spurts. After which I go through project spurts. We decided to paint the main rooms of the house. They kind of all connect so it was more of a requirement than a desire. That must be why it is taking so long ;0) What a huge improvement though!!! We have been painting trim too. I have a few teaser pics to share.

Here is the before color, kind of a gold color.
The entry way before (we never painted it).

Here are the afters... well almost afters...still alot of work to do ;0)

Like the shirtless, baby and the basket of Laundry ;0)

Well that's where I have been lately, painting. We've had alot going on so we have been taking the project very slow. I mean REALLY slow, we lived like this for almost a month....

Sad. As, much as I love projects, decorating and blogs. Real life happens and real life comes first ;0)