Cozy Additions to the Family Room

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Comfy, cozy additions to the family room.

New homemade furry and knitted pillows with the Ikea Pillow and throw.

Photo Bomber - Max the Morkie

Well, I jumped into the family room(taking a break from finishing the half bath-no judgments please) to do a few things to make the room more inviting during the summer while we lounged inside watching movies and avoiding the heat.

Last week, I posted on Facebook that I found a new rug on Overstock.com for a steal at $148 for an 8x11.  I jumped on it even though I wasn't a huge fan of the chevon pattern.  My goal was to add a bit more color and this did not have brown or beige, so it was actually perfect.

It was to replace the jute rug (below) that my family hated.  If you notice in this picture, the theme of the room was The World of Blah Beige and Brown.

Last night I made two new pillow covers for the sectional.  One furry, one knitted.

I found the furry fabric on ebay and I used a soft baby chenille yarn for the knitted one.

Here is the furry one, which Max the Morkie actually hates.  He barked at it for the first five minutes it was on the couch.  Maybe it reminded him of his father or he thought it was his competition.

Here is the knitted one.  It would be much easier to make with a sweater from Goodwill, but I couldn't find one I liked with soft material.

Here are two thoughts for a new ceiling fan, both from Lowes - Allen Roth.  I think the second one is more casual, which is a better fit for my house.

I swapped out the dark brown curtains with the ones from the front living room.  Free!  And I am loving how light and bright the room looks with the change.  Here are a few before and after with the lighter curtains.  The room actually looks much bigger now.

I need to reupholster the ottoman, but I will be repainting the walls and covering the popcorn ceiling too!  (Last room with popcorn on this level)

I plan to do a bit of work in the half bath to finish it up this weekend.  I just hate the small finishing touches that seem so tedious, don't you?

See you soon!  Karen :)

Linked to:

Liz Marie Blog, Thirty Handmade Days

New Body Lumbar Pillow for the Bed! Homemade Pillow Cover

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I found an awesome home decor blog featuring a homemade body or lumbar pillow case which became the focal point of the bed.  Not only did it look cozy and cheerful with the random color combinations, but it fun and easy to make.  And it was an awesome way to use beautiful pieces of left over fabric.

Here is my version.  Sorry about the dim lighting, but I finished it tonight.  I'll take better pics tomorrow with lighting.

I made mine a bit longer to conceal the ends.  I also made it a bit more casual by making it bigger around the pillow to allow for the pillow case to shrink a bit in the wash.

Below I laid out the fabrics to see how I wanted the colors to work together.

Then, after I stitched the pieces together, I added a top stitch to help reinforce the seam and it add a bit of detail.

I love how the vibrant pinks play against the calm blues & greens.

And here is where I was inspired.  Check out the awesome tutorial - http://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/07/diy-a-patchwork-lumbar-pillow/

Thanks for stopping by, Karen :)

Linking to:

 

http://homestoriesatoz.com

Weekend Projects

Pin It Like many of you, you plan and think about the projects you need to complete over a weekend all week long.  It can get overwhelming and exhausting just trying to figure out all the things you need to do.  And then, once you starting thinking about it...the list just keeps GROWING!!!

Well, here is what I will be working on this weekend. 

I'll be picking a finish and completing this nightstand...  I keep going back and forth on how I want it to look.  Part of me (the part that usually wins the battles) wants to keep it neutral.  A nice muted grey or crisp white color would be perfect.  However, a small part of me wants a pop of color.  Something unexpected next to the muted color palette in the bedroom.  Turquoise or yellow or even a stenciled pattern on top. 

I'll be redoing this old dresser.  I use this table in my dining room for extra storage and a focal place to display items on the top.  At first, I wanted to sand it down and refinish it.  However, after about five minutes and loose pieces of the water damaged top flying everywhere...I realized that wasn't going to happen.  I think I'm going to like how I decided to finish it even more than my original plan.  This piece doesn't fit in with my plan to focus on my bedroom - but I need to get it back in the house from the garage (which is also my woodshop).

I'll be creating some inexpensive wall art, like this from Ballard Design.  I needed a few pieces of art wall for my wall over the bed.  I loved this idea and thought it would be super simple to recreate.

And I'll be working on some trim, lighting and bedding in my bedroom.  I found this adorable pillow case made by The Handmade Home and loved how she used scraps of fabric to create a cozy focal point on the bed.  It is such a great idea.



The Handmade Home

  
I'm going to keep the bedroom a surprise until I actually finish the nightstand.  I just need to figure that out first.  Wish me luck! 

Karen  :)

Envelope Pillows - If you love pillows and hate to sew zippers, this is for you!

Pin It I've always loved pillows and hated the prices of pillow covers.  So I've made my own.  Not only is it inexpensive, but you can match the colors you need to fit your rooms.  Perfect right?  Well, not if you can't stand to sew those little pesky zippers that you may not use but twice.

My solution?