Monday, February 28, 2011

Dining Room Reveal - Before & After

BEFORE:
Christmas 2010

I have been wanting Grasscloth for ages. If I could grasscloth cover my whole house I probably would. Heck, I would drape myself in it if I could. However, I settled on the dining room. It was like Christmas morning waiting for my wallpaper man to arrive that Saturday morning a few weeks ago. He did a fabulous job and even though I wasn't certain at first if I had made the right choice on the color, my fears were quickly put to rest as soon as that beautiful first piece was applied to the wall.

After applying 4 coats of primer


A quick swap out from my hideous functionable chandelier to a more sleek lantern style one and then up went my old guest room drapes that I think fit the room perfectly.


Close up of the finished product

I didn't want to use my hutch and buffet but I knew I didn't really have a choice due to storage issue. I needed something, so I decided to only use the buffet. While I was staring endlessly at it one night trying to decide how I could jazz it up, I had an idea to flip the hutch upside down and see if it was painted underneath. Imagine my surprise that it was! It was like the heavens opened up and started singing Hallelujah! I flipped that baby to the other side of the room and loaded it with my booze that always had a cramped home on my tiny wine rack.





So all in all, this whole room transformation only set me back around $750. Using what you already have is the key to decorating on a budget!
The Reveal
yes, I realize the drapes are too short, I am waiting on coordinating fabric & trim to be added to the bottom!

Friday, January 14, 2011

HGTV Bragging Rights

Yesterday on facebook I submitted a photo to HGTV's page for a contest they were holding called "Snow day". They wanted to see your best snow day photos. I uploaded this photo of my nephew during a snowstorm in Connecticut recently, keeping his eye on his Mr. Frosty that his Gramps built him.

Imagine my surprise when HGTV picked
my photo as the winner!

My photo was picked out of hundreds of submissions and I was thrilled! There is no official "prize" but HGTV Bragging Rights is all I need! Now if I could just have them come knocking on my door that I won the HGTV Dream Home in Stowe, Vermont........




Thursday, January 13, 2011

Oh..the silent majesty of a winter's morn.......

I couldn't resist posting a picture of my husband in his favorite Christmas gift. Nevermind the expensive Hugo Boss winter coat I got him - he was secretly more thrilled with his new Griswold Blackhawks jersey! We couldn't resist snapping the obligatory photo of him staring out the window at my parents house. Christmas Vacation will always be a classic in our house!

















Winter Wonderland

Last weekend Connecticut got hit by a snowstorm (one of many!) and I was up visiting for the night. I convinced my sister to have my nephew sleep over for a little snowy slumber.....

Cooper staring at "Mr. Frosty" that his Gramps built for him...




Finally going outside to visit him!




Beautiful sky the next morning after the snow had finished....
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