The Great Debate: Laminate or hard wood?

<div align="center">We used to have carpet in the family room. Then this sweet little thang came into our lives:<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321662842694736450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHO-92WPVKjsn0cdO3FJ98aYhh5vbsY3o-ln6qXgV674TjT5b-l1TDY02xffU4rMH-CCT113XL9aUACXhmuKdqxDAKBe3I0KwHrrQjRnQ3AOUePWdogQ8FgOwUh1NhealNrDC5-aVhXO2/s400/DSC08979.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />See her? <em>Pee cat</em>. We "rescued" her and she came to us hairless, a little beat up, with a tendency to PEE. There was a particular spot in the family room she visited a few times. When our son was born I told hubby I was DONE. We looked into getting hard floors installed. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I looked at hardwood and laminate. Touched the hardwoods lovingly...all the while looking at the price tag, thinking about friends who had real wood floors...imagining the dents, dings and scratches...</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />And how I would seriously CRY with each one of them at that price. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />I couldn't do it. I couldn't spend that much money knowing they would get banged up. And knowing I would CRY. So we went with the laminate and luuuuurve it! (See above.) It's been two years and they have held up incredibly well. <em>Shockingly</em> well.</div><div align="center"><br />If I had a million dollars, or even an extra couple grand, I'd <em>probably</em> go for the real thing. But now they make laminate so real looking -- you'll be fooled. At the design firm I work for, the owner had to use both laminate and real wood floors -- can you tell the difference?:<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYBeNg1aXiypocTK87Rrlv5RallCnvWW0pVw3miFRbrXO2djC7BUYxu3XdUvcotXFF8ipMwrTgZFbLCk-lSYFE9Mh3zU19_o0jKfZwktgAAb_XmGN2cWKRwn8-bzMz3NI4Dg4RYtQTDXw/s1600-h/DSC08974.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321662839079898546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYBeNg1aXiypocTK87Rrlv5RallCnvWW0pVw3miFRbrXO2djC7BUYxu3XdUvcotXFF8ipMwrTgZFbLCk-lSYFE9Mh3zU19_o0jKfZwktgAAb_XmGN2cWKRwn8-bzMz3NI4Dg4RYtQTDXw/s400/DSC08974.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> Ohhhh, pretty lamp! <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321662834464380946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VTBZ_cMcycH3kGImgKoJffZ0jYo16E5qADnm4t9WadBJg7ZF0ma5GOT1YjRthohsSu6njbRD4FLyKMEzu9c-v2zdPwVtXO4ZF5-jdQWzxkFFXvGMGHmo7dIy2mFHNvWedIqVqfRBXiPP/s400/DSC08972.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Sorry...here you go: <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321662829978661442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObCtFFruX3cKI0fN4Z0EHCjlK6JGFZoVdubsegPOK-PRBhHukxRMZMHkHPN_D-fNHFVExAdbBk1S_wjiVAvoZFng3Gst-wE9XEUDU3x9UsTGZ9G0p2aV95E5qgtP-KOHJ2aoz2WD8Mprn/s400/DSC08968.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> Can you tell which is which? What do you think -- do you have real or "faux?" If you want it to install hard floors -- which one do you plan on installing? Or do you even care?<br /><br />OH!! Check out the coffee table I got for $25 at Goodwill today!:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321663030859439106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje26WDrhZhyphenhyphenDOZmeuQ8uGVcUZWoe-zJm2yUQcCAToNq8czXa4AA55ArYEvSNwwle98Yc1-hVCcbt34DN5Jf2o0CLr2Pe6KzhQ2KCijFx9PlsNtIiJ2yxgmUO96P9DIR2jO99MnVV_Fnnaa/s400/DSC08976.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />I was looking for something to do <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2009/03/make-ottoman-from-coffee-table.html">this</a> with. But I'm trying not to spend money...(I'm <em>so </em>going to tell hubby I found it on the side of the road). And the foam, fabric, etc. is not in the budget right now. At the very least, it's getting a black paint job.<br /><br />It's a little country looking but I love the detail on the sides:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321663036551328802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHfme26eL0XwMIzlUGQkd1jFy41amwk0cF9SUrtCK63TcErhixK6YX_NLMB_P4jCp92FZ_f_Yls95zvkwm0Oyt3Pu0tEdt7PZ3KY7Kf9qoSnZ9d4CCtbkDfS8jgwbWxR5tfc_enPtbj2z/s400/DSC08978.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> I'm off to sand this baby! Whoo hoo!

The Great Debate: Laminate or hard wood?

We used to have carpet in the family room. Then this sweet little thang came into our lives: See her? Pee cat . We "rescued" her a...

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Easy drapery tricks

I've learned a few drapery tricks in the "biz" that I thought I would share with you. The "biz" is veeeeery slow right now, by the way. I mean WAY. SLOW. Darn it -- more time to blog!! Drats.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div>So here we go! If you love the look of the look of pleated drapes -- something like this:<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320664178986114146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EK6791-1waxXgi17nVek0DJY5Hyl_1T_EskSPyGv295CI9wbI5-IvaSNaptsvy3ilptZ1I_nR8llHlj2APUpErGqBu99mU40WdxtkhOQhKrw1Edn0zuDiO_KzfkdFJg5xyRydmIY6B04/s400/img28m.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 344px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div></div><div>You can "train" your drapes to do the same thing! Now this depends on the fabric, and it helps if they are lined and a little heavier, but it works on most. Just take a piece of fabric, a ribbon, etc. and loosely tie it around around the drapes, after you have the pleats the way you want them:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320662329586389458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8xthmVFi2Y8YvCUJG2LH2-QSzQN72mFBBsILwLSILqFGt7IAEb3h1KScM0ZNjRXwrltmn40CKkPwH3jGW61850HNhaBOpCAAmUbfvTGZoXaL7WMGk707fk-cQfQ0YxzuUNQTMqmzF6vu/s400/DSC08940.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 342px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Make sure it's loose enough it doesn't leave a dent. It's best to leave them as long as possible -- a couple weeks even. When you take it off, the pleats should hold. (This is ruling out dogs/cats/two-year-olds messing with them of course.)<br /></div><br /><div>It even looks pretty cute, eh? (Hmmmm. Mental note...) I just redid these drapes for the toy room so I'll show you the final project next week.<br /></div><br /><div>Next is an oldie but goodie. <em>Hang 'em high!!</em> You may remember when I retreated the bathroom drapes <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/10/window-retreatment-tutorial.html">here</a>:</div><div></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320663450018315458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqQuvQD1oqn21O4bCFqpZlvsxrLXbWgf4rCMFHqG1Xyp7XX3FHor6vs58xj0r0uTO0SqKNGMGe73nXkcXSoPClM2ixOqaEhu8LsBnLW5nenSWPDjW6yvN6Lpooj3UoGvXo_NSBO3N0vHs/s400/DSC05486.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> I've had these hanging at this height for five years. For some reason, they seem <em>way</em> too low to me lately. I wanted more light to shine in the bathroom, so I just raised them six inches:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlQYqSWcbjOOrF-VzduP25lEE_FdQLygfHrW9AOKYzwJO7SZnaD_F9qXnfHGGixQpTLyVg5Z4btOs-glV2wucTsymOYzuFLPYorYE4X9w3Pqj0cTDi6KatzJVgDALe0hr_o3rTfKdDQbC/s1600-h/DSC08951.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320662596004902546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlQYqSWcbjOOrF-VzduP25lEE_FdQLygfHrW9AOKYzwJO7SZnaD_F9qXnfHGGixQpTLyVg5Z4btOs-glV2wucTsymOYzuFLPYorYE4X9w3Pqj0cTDi6KatzJVgDALe0hr_o3rTfKdDQbC/s400/DSC08951.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> ALWAYS hang your drapes higher than the window. Even in our rooms with soaring ceilings, I hang them at least four inches from the top of the window. This is especially helpful in rooms with eight foot ceilings -- it draws the eyes up and gives the illusion of taller windows and walls. </div><div><br />My final and <strong>favorite</strong> (oooh I love it!!) trick for you is one that will make your drapes look like custom, pleated drapes, even if they are <em>not</em>.</div><div><div><br />Instead of hanging your drapes from the clips and letting them hang down -- grab the fabric and pinch about two to four inches down from the top, and clip the fabric from the <em>back</em>:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320662591398448978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oo50i32t3cxJv-QW2h0G5rp3ZnIP2bQeBxe-Qplo5XI4rc87_I8wpsgi3LkvINV2_Em52LU-vUcpvuI9faSUB61i7RM4T1dd5FHpsYaDpx1wpQDkcU2ld2n5kKiDHs9ae2GJk2jr5etZ/s400/DSC08946.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div>Your drapes have to be long enough, obviously, for you to raise them up a few inches. In our bedroom, the drapes are super long, and I wanted a really luxurious look, so I clipped them about four inches from the top:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320662578254005362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25tvDxiZH6CBlmp0FA8bSbL_8S-miWx3_0GX9hFABvlBdkX8sSWIHWoyO1eaCsyEmiPvPsoWzxSfeKW9OGJnqgxyrrLmJipvOco8OhgWylEaLDLv3LibQHQn874XbtPfzwl3OBCUYoia5/s400/DSC08943.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div>Same for the living room. I love that you can't even see the rings. (That I spent a lot of money on. Huh...)<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320676840890495794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2SSJAVqXNrSpVff2wlvDiSfwk2DmM7MGrPoNOlvQiqxVzhU2200qLSW5kq6xjiMTR-D17uJj_3xY_lGhP5wUN3vMgUFimfYZDSUmpjNPSA-hZKJlxFmdeyWUdcko_lBltWWiTMziEvVf/s400/DSC08935.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div>In our family room, I didn't make the drapes quite as long because of the pee cat. She used to like to pee on drapes. ARGH!! I about kicked her. to. the. curb. She's cured now though, so I will be adding some length to these soon. For now, I only clipped them about an inch or so from the top:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320677427989749266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBn4frXRPwpEhjCvl4h5dYJpoGo1b-Mz_UQsj45DBcTcQFea9sDGtH-gKXDXP4ZF8EXzxYubloaAIe7b6_GONDZ-2dy9DOj9bS1Yv3q7yTJEP-N_QEtO6nFuxf8OtJvlSmSCLSz3czEXu/s400/DSC08931.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> The dining room drapes I just made too short. (Dang. Fist shaking in the air!) So I did the same here:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320662323980156594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAqGfHRlmLbLNj4I24-ci2AV_bE3mUcag0P84mwx5eTn1b_Kut3VGjMoEMWepD0KqEUpeGknSLJ5Nk2znVi3pqJpsvHbzhW03P3XgBRYnXgQ35RTptQZExSn7PNoZCy9LBpzghmrd1kf2/s400/DSC08932.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Here's another view from the back to show you how to do it:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWtAcot5fukK9fML5aQFKQFMa7EyK_iTAjzKZGE4PrEfUblz9F8gi-tFnt-Z5R8z1oRaZAMKcEYfFh_VyVVbL2-2m_gm0WMs-lilHZu_jC1CbO4_I-K1LxStvrFPgXon1zFPSrvVw-aw-/s1600-h/DSC08941.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320662330367672322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWtAcot5fukK9fML5aQFKQFMa7EyK_iTAjzKZGE4PrEfUblz9F8gi-tFnt-Z5R8z1oRaZAMKcEYfFh_VyVVbL2-2m_gm0WMs-lilHZu_jC1CbO4_I-K1LxStvrFPgXon1zFPSrvVw-aw-/s400/DSC08941.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a>After you get them clipped, poof them from the front to get them the way you want them. This trick also works best with thicker fabric, or drapes with lining. If you have silky drapes or lightweight drapes, it may not work. If you have the length, try this one out for sure. You will LOVE it!!<br /><br />A few shout outs I need to take care of -- Shelley at <a href="http://theshabbybelle.blogspot.com/2009/02/introducing-thrifty-decor-chick.html">The Shabby Belle </a>featured me last month. Check out her adorable baby girl clothes she sells. Caaute!!<br /><br />Heldy at <a href="http://tothemoonandback143.blogspot.com/">To the Moon and Back</a> found some of my <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/02/twenty-minutes-and-ten-bucks.html">office fabric</a>. GOD BLESS YOU WOMAN!! Many of you offered to find it, thank you so much. I'm so happy to have two more yards of my fabric safe and sound.<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320671812044907346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUHYQxzgrrl7X6A828u_OfaUs_l-Pwh5QdVT_FpmIAGtQe2Cmm6VVgW4Ducdlpc_l2ReSl8R9pce371wkrbN55Z_fZjsApGVas8419zAFTw1vmAuewtuSW847WcF35dLnEwlbDLgTpyDX/s400/DSC08017.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />I won my friend AnNicole's giveaway at <a href="http://oursuburbancottage.blogspot.com/">Our Suburban Cottage</a> -- check her out. Her house is FAB people!! I won these!:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320671537465483122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9yv_GkySs5Nlu89XxiQiAI7h6pW01RcqO1V9qOsjkyTqoGnZ2jcvhHLwdGbeeUwE85rMa0yrFp5R2AqsnrQz5clcPtz670tSTOcgNMbha56JLyjH0VnmBiwi4BGkyuRVRI-pPuWcd-Sg/s400/IMG_1278.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 362px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />I only had ONE birdy in our whole house till now. (Pick up your chins -- and I don't even have ONE nest!! I'm a loser, I know.) These birds are freakin' adorable -- already right at home on the kitchen windowsill. Thanks AnNicole!!<br /><br />Have a great weekend!</div></div></div></div></div></div>

Easy drapery tricks

I've learned a few drapery tricks in the "biz" that I thought I would share with you. The "biz" is veeeeery slow rig...

Read more »

The transformation of a room.

This post could also be titled:<br /><div><div><div align="center">How to work with 25-foot ceilings.<br /><em>OR</em><br />How to work with a paint color on 25-foot ceilings that you now <em>hate</em>. </div><div align="center"><em>OR</em><br /></div><div align="center">How to work with a sofa you bought waaaay too fast you now <em>can't stand</em>. </div><br /><div>OK, so let's move on. Remember when I showed you how to cut and install molding <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/03/all-about-molding.html">here</a>? Well, this is what I was working on: </div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319911550349552770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hgW7FL5Ucpy8QRNOTLli6lnt1Td2piM7_q9X_QKL5H5AAkm4D7E4FW1DWFruZZwhFTgTiQBI3fImbJXES2-mxuMMOlSoNycDTKSaiJeIMtHtAkYJDlxcIxTfa27Sv3AN_GX5vphxR7g7/s400/DSC08872.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div>This wall goes up reeeeeally high, and when we moved in, I knew I had to do something economical to decorate it. I didn't want to spend <em>one meeeeeellion</em> <em>dollars</em> (thanks Jennifer!) on a massive art piece, so I ended up painting a huge rectangle on the wall and hung some vases in it.<br /><br />We loved it at first and then the room was just <em>blah</em>. Big massive sofa that didn't work with the wall color. Big massive wall that didn't work with the sofa color:<br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319918151357799122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS2AP6JnCO6fVzavaIXE2_nK1DRvmJGsl052vEVTU-22riNr0nMZlsybsTKuW8JKGyTs1GkHXETa3yIrNSHNYSD-VwOgiuYbIZCCqQww3nls11va9N9K8uyhQ5tA9kgm56c19HZKyJ6tU/s400/Im000438.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319924836109161106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_toimuV22-JN-QlaQxJndnVBqbJ3vt-lWatVL5QBO5gkflBLMOTgbXoRgjCklDb_gUPUrM2egyZQYVh1sotLrW0UeDzpGOUBW-EbQ3eKzYYH2ygqwqbTbDh2aU_K1Gd6dTHiREM3ti87H/s400/DSC00839.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />So I got a bunch of brilliant ideas and spent just <em>$3o</em> to do a mini-transformation in the room. I added a little bit of molding to the rectangle and moved the vases around. I knew I needed something else to give the furniture more height. So I made a sofa table out of planks of wood. (It was incredibly easy, I'll show you how to do it soon!) It was just what the room needed: </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeJB76I4nhJ2ZyyvahYJX0EwMWblca1t-u-CkXX5oh52iQnXAlCAtaRFEwP0X5dNhSUNoxYW7_s_C5t6aAWRoGwYTUIFMeMqXj_Bc-QtCOirQW1HQnUpaIE_OiQ0YfRyTnt4GCwzm-1F2/s1600-h/DSC04074.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319912423029047170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeJB76I4nhJ2ZyyvahYJX0EwMWblca1t-u-CkXX5oh52iQnXAlCAtaRFEwP0X5dNhSUNoxYW7_s_C5t6aAWRoGwYTUIFMeMqXj_Bc-QtCOirQW1HQnUpaIE_OiQ0YfRyTnt4GCwzm-1F2/s400/DSC04074.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> I covered the "sofa table" in fabric and found accessories from the basement. Later I made new curtains and added the pillows, pulling in some more color. Pulled the ficus tree from the dining room for some more height:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07pkweLskg1FUBRXlcXghIaRQHkbUgkkV1rzHTXTB6M1d_ZrK21QZcOZ8fsbTKLrKbbJpsy5uyToSyE_p-os1q_i7-NdDrtwYZipg4meBHx3VAJn9E7Gtp-ZjBEmBRdZgYrF1_24SsuTf/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319912417733219922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07pkweLskg1FUBRXlcXghIaRQHkbUgkkV1rzHTXTB6M1d_ZrK21QZcOZ8fsbTKLrKbbJpsy5uyToSyE_p-os1q_i7-NdDrtwYZipg4meBHx3VAJn9E7Gtp-ZjBEmBRdZgYrF1_24SsuTf/s400/2.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a>Well, the ficus tree would practically <em>devour</em> anyone who sat near it. I have Christmas party pics of our friends shooing it out of their hair. It had to go. And all the sudden, EVERY TIME I saw those vases and flowers, I wanted to rip them off. the. wall. They were driving me <strong>mad</strong>.<br /></div><div>So what's a girl to do on the cheap?? Add more molding!:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x0cA-2rP_9UZugjPFQXDnJNBBhK8k-kuJFJWxF_cxNKQ7bY2ypYPvY_kvFaktTNlMdLcjD7EfMDIrmPT0MZFTV5s1MLzzRJoDMt8teHmVlftrKnfZVB6WYotQ4Z6Yh3kQXwFghlBbJi_/s1600-h/DSC08888.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319911553009033010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x0cA-2rP_9UZugjPFQXDnJNBBhK8k-kuJFJWxF_cxNKQ7bY2ypYPvY_kvFaktTNlMdLcjD7EfMDIrmPT0MZFTV5s1MLzzRJoDMt8teHmVlftrKnfZVB6WYotQ4Z6Yh3kQXwFghlBbJi_/s400/DSC08888.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> For just a few bucks, it created a whole new look in the room. I also removed the fabric covering the sofa table and just painted the wood instead. Again, I pulled from around the house and the basement to make the accessories work better: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0tQNrQVFpcNtdjUSrrUIcb26H__oriG-qGedrqJLovpVpuDYijO6NmBtZ6IsOefcoDNr0VOEhyphenhyphenP2LVi-LluvZ8M4tJ39-81_0PVUPFohOV-e-37mJWUd9qJZEokKYTr4uhNqwqyeoFdM/s1600-h/DSC08867.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319911544338830322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0tQNrQVFpcNtdjUSrrUIcb26H__oriG-qGedrqJLovpVpuDYijO6NmBtZ6IsOefcoDNr0VOEhyphenhyphenP2LVi-LluvZ8M4tJ39-81_0PVUPFohOV-e-37mJWUd9qJZEokKYTr4uhNqwqyeoFdM/s400/DSC08867.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> Before: <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319927976315995506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlE2ptg-XdE1YTW5jF6aahDs2ccMjp3Q1r46UNCaXIaEihIDF5kI3tdDCkpvNchPUGEWBwJ1vJeMpAGqI3oYJj2zEvIDhBSlS4apx2bank-FiE4FTtELpHi70lZxB2HUWP9iuGY0c_CPz/s400/DSC00839.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />After:<br /><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWwWpZlpcTqYY8ZS0SPrWGXk2M6sQoJ8lSxICpCkqWN8jJuhPOKR_olbtdCHmcHU9lwjTGLJFjItkjOEVMFi7O-tJy4OufPcw25PP6kJJWs9aa8fDSOE_dz51BYP5nNoDr4Whc3lhEO-T/s1600-h/DSC08864.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319911543907059314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWwWpZlpcTqYY8ZS0SPrWGXk2M6sQoJ8lSxICpCkqWN8jJuhPOKR_olbtdCHmcHU9lwjTGLJFjItkjOEVMFi7O-tJy4OufPcw25PP6kJJWs9aa8fDSOE_dz51BYP5nNoDr4Whc3lhEO-T/s400/DSC08864.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a>The wall color is still driving me nutzo and the sofa is OH-so-comfortable but a couch cover is calling my name. But we really, really love this room now.<br /></div><div></div><div><br />This is something I cannot stress enough -- I think making a room you absolutely love can take <em>a lot</em> of time. This transformation has taken five years and I'm sure I'm not done yet. You have to live with it, see what works, what doesn't -- before you find the happy ending. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

The transformation of a room.

This post could also be titled: How to work with 25-foot ceilings. OR How to work with a paint color on 25-foot ceilings that you now hate ....

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