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Monday, September 14, 2015

You've got to start somewhere.



I hope I didn't mislead you into thinking that I'm no longer on the hunt for vintage treasures
after reading my last post.  Au contraire my dears!  I merely made room for more.  :o)

Now I ask you, how could I possibly resist this slightly disheveled, but charming duo
I found on a recent road trip through Cannon Falls, MN?


Our GPS took us on a roundabout tour of the countryside while looking for the shop,
 but the gorgeous rolling hills, river bluffs, and turkey farm! we viewed along the way
 were worth the extra miles we put on our car.





 My gallery wall has grown with the addition of the shelf  holding my new
penny dolls and the 2 oval bird prints.  Did you notice how quietly I slipped those 3 finds
 into this photo?   Although, those purchases were BB (before reading the book),
so they don't really count.  Right?  Right.





Along with the change in my gallery wall, I removed my red & white pillow covers
 and replaced them with pillow covers I made from reproduction grain sack fabric.
I'd love to add orange pillows for fall, but I've still got
 one of my old red area rugs to contend with.


Now that our piano is gone, I thought I'd finally have the freedom to rearrange
 our living room furniture.  Nope.  As long as the white elephant.....


.....was in the room, nothing was going to change. Ever.

So, after 11 years of trying to make the armoire fit into the room, we emptied it out its vintage contents (big old TV from who knows when and my beloved 1990's Sony stereo)
 and it's in the garage ready to sell.......along with my coffee table that has seen better days and the wobbly pine sofa table that was behind the love seat.  With all that furniture
 out of the room, I'm getting an idea of how I'd like to arrange the room and dreaming
 of the craftsman built-ins I'd like to house our TV and stereo.

  As soon as I win the lottery.


 After dragging the remaining furniture around for pretty much an entire day,
here's the side of the room I like....for now.



Before.
There are no words.  Let's have a moment of silence please.




I said silence!
source 
I can hear you laughing!

Don't feel bad, I'm all alone in the 
house laughing out loud.  



Now if this next sight doesn't motivate me to get moving on this room,
nothing will....


There it is in all its glory, my vintage TV.
I was able to stuff my stereo into the bottom right cubby
of the dry sink, but there's a web of cords and wires behind
my entertainment center.  Can I even call it that?

I had a choice.  At first I said, "Out with the television!  I can live without it!",
but as evening rolled around I started panicking about
my daily fix of  trash tv Housewives.

Ugly vs. possible withdrawal symptoms = The look you see above.

So as not to give you nightmares of 1982, I'll leave you with my
Pinspiration for the built-ins I'd like to add to the fireplace wall.
Oh, let's make a wood surround for the brick fireplace while we're at it!


Perfect.
Homebunch


Cozy and storage, too.
Houzz


Hidden electronics.
Houzz


As you know, this isn't going to happen overnight, or possibly ever,
but we all have our dreams and that's what keeps us blogging!

Thanks for visiting and keep your dreams alive!
Vickie


OMG.

I'm joining the parties at:

Let's Talk Vintage  Bella Rosa Antiques
Share Your Style The Essence of Home
Tweak it Tuesday  Cozy Little House

36 comments:

  1. I laugh about the TV. We had an armoire to hide the TV when we first downsized. That armoire just took up too much room and we never watched it so we gave both the armoire and the TV away. But, 2 years ago, the kids bought Steve another TV, this time at least it is a flat screen. I absolutely HATE looking at it in the corner and I almost never watch it unless Steve really wants me to watch with him. I would be quite content to not even have it. But, when we are done with the kitchen "refresh", I want to work on the living room and finding a way to hide the monster is one of my goals.

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  2. Nothing wrong with dreaming :) I do it all the time! Sometimes a little extra space gives us better ideas too. That is a great little wash stand. Our son still has a tv like that in his basement bedroom. It's a Sony and just won't die.

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  3. Vickie - Your living room is looking great! Love your gallery wall especially with the new items.

    Judy

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  4. Wow...your living room does look very fresh and spacious now. And as far as picking up vintage treasures here and there...it's in our genes and I'm afraid it's always going to be a temptation for people like us! :-)
    Mary Alice

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  5. You are hilarious, Vickie, and yes, I'm still laughing. I love the idea of the built-ins, but wouldn't you have to either build above the baseboard heater, or relocate it? And at least your TV is little - ours is as wide as I am tall, I think. So relieved you are not leaving us collectors to fend for ourselves. It sure would get lonely without you. Good finds, keep up the good work. You'll soon have that room filled again.
    Rita

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  6. You have me laughing, Vickie! I love the inspiration photos...you'll get your dreams!

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  7. I loved this post and the inspiration photos! You'll get there. It is not whether but just when. Love your dreams!!

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  8. Our big honking TV is out in the open where everyone can see it and I DESPISE it! But it was the one thing I could get DL to concede on. So for now, I work around it.

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  9. Oh I wouldn't be able to resist that little duo and
    YES
    I Laughed out LOUD....too funny!! :)
    How gorgeous the built ins would look, yes!

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  10. Hee, hee, hee...You've got me in stitches. Can't believe how much the room has changed. But you can't deny the fact that at one point you loved it because that is exactly how you designed it...But we all know people change and so do our decorating tastes...you should see some of mine :-) Hurray for Pinterest, inspiration and change.

    Hugs,
    ❤️Ana

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  11. We have that telly but in black and bigger. People (Jasons family) laugh at us and Jason feels bad and wants a new one. They're all ugly to me though, even all singing, all dancing fancy flat ones! I'd love a telly hiding cupboard. You're lucky if you have the alcoves either side of the fire.

    I think your room looks charming and I love the bird cushion. Looking at the before, you've come a long way! It's great to dream but you should feel a real sense of achievement for what you've already created. x

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  12. Wowzie Vickie the room looks so fresh and big. That little duo is tooo cute I would not have passed them up either. I think built in would be fabulous in your living room. You go girl!
    Kris

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  13. So cute, and yes, I wouldn't have been able to leave them behind either.

    Your gallery wall looks lovely, and keep dreaming :).

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  14. Those little dolls are just so sweet!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  15. Wow! I love the changes you've made to that room. the light color walls mixed with the blue pillows look great. I love the photo with the two chairs in it. I hate having to work around the tv too but that is life. gotta have some tv!

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  16. Great changes. I think you're heading in a wonderful direction. Love the penny dolls.

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  17. Hi Vickie, your home is lovely and so inviting. We hide our TV in a built in bookcase with center for the flat screen. I am constantly closing it off and my hubby is always opening it up. You will love built ins. The little doll couple are so sweet.
    Gorgeous gallery wall.
    Hugs, cm

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  18. We have gotten rid of all our old TVs. The thin ones are so much easier to deal with, but still ugly in my opinion. We had one TV that I demanded the husband get rid of when I realized it was old enough to vote. By the way, I actually liked your armoire.

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  19. So spacious!!! And yes...I agree....a flat screen WOULD be so much easier to hide......I never thought of built-ins that you could hide them in!

    And I had no idea that so many people thought TVs were ugly. ;) I agree that they aren't the prettiest of things.....but I would think it was so odd if I walked into a living room, and didn't see a TV.

    Do you want the painted white craftsman built-ins? I still have them in use (one in living room / one in mack's room), but perhaps they would look better in your space?

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  20. I hate the look of TVs today. Give me an old furniture like one from the 50s any day! I even saw one with a bar attached. They won't work now though.... darn it, unless you have them redone for big bucks. Technology sucks sometimes.

    I love what you're doing in the room, but I liked it the other way too :)

    xo,
    rue



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  21. Oh love those two cuties! Yes, you could not pass them up. Your gallery wall is just wonderful. I love the blue and white pillows and the room is really looking gorgeous!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  22. I picked up that book at the library last week and haven't even cracked it open yet! Maybe I'm afraid what it will tell me. ;-) I don't think adding to your gallery wall counts, because you're actually USING the pieces. They're not just sitting down in the basement in a big pile of decorating stuff. Not that I would know anything about that. Ahem! Can you get rid of your old TV and replace it with a newer, flat one...maybe even hang it on a wall somewhere? Or, do you have another room where you can watch TV so that the living room is TV-less? We choose to keep a TV out of our living room and instead have one in the basement family room.

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  23. I think you Gallary wall is charming. And I really was awestruck with you before and after pictures. It's inspiring.

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  24. I really like your new corner. The blue pillow is fresh and vibrant. And the white curtians also add to the overall effect.

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  25. The before and after of that wall is AMAZING! I do like the idea of the built in craftsman bookcases so you can "hide" your tv. I'll google some building plans for you so you can get to work on it :)

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  26. Vicki,
    wow, you're making progress, sure wish I was! Like the way your new "side" of the room looks! Love your inspiration photos, they're amazing and would look great in your place! I could not pass up those sweet little figures either. I guess we've come to that time when we have to become more selective and buy only what we love as hard as that can be sometimes.
    Rebecca
    PS. YOU ALWAYS CRACK ME UP!

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  27. I agree with you Vicki that side of the room looks perfect! Love that blue and white fabric on the pillows. And I can totally relate to having the 'dream' image in our head but still needing to deal with reality hahaha I have discovered that as soon as we let go of those things we think we need, like your armoire--we can suddenly discover new options right in front of us. I have a turquoise buffet that no longer fits in the best and will have to let go of too. BTW--your gallery wall is looking amazing!
    xo
    Leslie

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  28. Love you blue and white pillows. So many times I start with a dream image and never seem to match it, but maybe thats a good thing cause it would be their room not yours! I love you gallery wall also and am partial to them myself. The only large wall I have is our stairway wall. I need to let go of a lot of thing because today packed 13 boxes of spring/summer dishes-:

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  29. Call le crazy, but I'm not laughing at the before pictures. I think they are charming and cosy, now the after picture of that corner with your two chairs and little round table is just perfect! Much lighter and serene than the before. I think you're going to rock the new room. And I get that we both need to win the lottery?

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  30. Your home is beautiful, Vicki. I love the little "boy & girl pair" you found on your ride-about and I really enjoy how you write about your life with such humor. Great post, as always!
    Cheryl

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  31. Vickie, you crack me up! We just finally got rid of a tv like that we had in the basement forever! (And yes, I still watched it) I actually love your 'big white elephant'-ha! But your seating area looks gorgeous! Have fun with the rest of the room...it's hard to be patient, isn't it? ;)
    Susan

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  32. The inspiration is sol lovely...those pillows are, too!

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  33. I'm another one who liked to before photos (I like the after too!) and I love your gallery wall. Wish I had one.
    Amalia
    xo

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  34. Hi Vickie, You're such a hoot! Love your sense of humor girl! I think we ALL have that ONE piece in a room that is.....well, you know......Your house/decor is gorgeous (and so glove clean, may I add?) Glad you still have the junking/hunting bug......mine isn't going anywhere! Finally, Glad to be off treatment....feeling better everyday! Enjoying some blogging posts again....Blessings~~~Roxie

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  35. I adore those blue and white pillows, Vickie. So pretty. I like the direction you're taking with the living room. The side you showed us is delightful. The window treatment is perfect, the two chairs with the table invite conversation, the plates, the mirror. . . I love it all. Can't wait to see the rest of the room.

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  36. Silence, whippersnapper! One of my favorite lines to yell around the house at the dogs. LOL I love your crisp changes to the room and can't wait to see the rest. Furniture dragging is exhausting. I can never get Magoo to support me in that endeavor! Have a great weekend, funny lady. :)

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Your comments make it all worthwhile. Thanks for visiting today!

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