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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Magic carpet ride.

We're getting our first taste of spring up north, and even though it's only 42
and overcast today, Delores Claiborne and I are hanging our sheets out to dry.

While they're drying I'm puttering around inside with a few new
acquisitions I've made over the winter.  The demijohn and oil painting
fit perfectly on the wood shelf over our fridge.  I never thought I'd have
anything pink in our kitchen, but I like it!


I've been trying to freshen things up in the living room, too.
The red rug is deteriorating and discoloring our wood floors,
so it's time to give it the old heave-ho.

Here's what I bought to replace it....

It's a gorgeous wool rug from World Market, but unfortunately it reads
as seafoam green in our living room.  You know how one new thing in a room
makes everything else look shabby?  Next to the rug, our sofa looks like it's on life support.
 And it is.

   27 sofa years= 108 human years.


All I need is a few candelabras, some cobwebs.......


New furniture is on the horizon, but I don't even know where to start.

The rug is expensive and if history repeats itself, I don't want to be
tied into a blue/green color scheme until I'm 85, so it's going back.

It is pretty.

Next, I ordered a neutral rug from Overstock at 75% off and free shipping.

What a deal!
Or is it?

If our living room looked like this......


this .......


or this.....
(All 3 living rooms via Pottery Barn.)

I'd keep it!  But at the moment, our living room looks nothing like this.
It's like putting lipstick on a pig.

I gave the rug a fair chance and left in on the floor for a few days
hoping it would grow on me.  It didn't.  It's just so.......
brown.

  And stinky.  And it sheds.
And my coffee spills when I drag the coffee table over its bumpy surface.
And I have no idea what sort of insects could be making a home in it.
(I've watched way too many episodes of Infested.)

I looked out the window and it's the exact color of 
our freeze dried lawn.  No likey.

With the outrageous cost of return shipping, I may as well
keep the darn thing and try to sell it on Facebook.  (Since I never
visit my Facebook Buy and Sell account I set up, this will require
the assistance of a visiting daughter.)



 Here's the rug cemetery on a bedroom floor.

  As long as you made the trek up here,
check out my new tall dark and handsome in the bathroom....



 I love it!

I'm past the dusty plaster repair and onto the paint phase.
Have you ever tried manhoovering a wood stepladder in a 2 x 2 room?

It's impossible.

I think I know what direction I'm headed with
the bathroom décor.  I just need to find the right rug.



Back to the living room.... 

In the end, this is how our living room will look until I either find a rug I like
or purchase new furniture.  I'm hoping the sun will even out the color variations on the floor,
but I'm not too concerned because there will be a rug covering them.....eventually.

This is the last you'll be seeing of this room for quite a while.

What have I learned from this rug buying fiasco?

1.  Ordering rugs online is risky business, and costly too.
2.  I need color in our home to combat all the gray gloomy months.
3.  Online companies should provide color samples of the rugs they offer.
4.  If a store has a good return policy and the rug fits in our car.....  :o).
5.  My arms will be ready for kayak season this year.  6 x 9 rugs are heavy!

In the past few days, my microwave handle broke ($90 for the plastic handle,
so instead I've glued it with E6000), my beloved black clock
 in the kitchen died (but I was able to temporarily resuscitate it),
and my one month old laptop made a visit to the computer hospital.

On the other hand, spring has arrived and that's a good thing.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Vickie


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23 comments:

  1. Colors can look so different on the internet. Have you ever looked at Dash and Albert rugs? You can order a sample for $15 - they should be free if you ask me but I guess it's better than having to return a rug that you don't like.

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  2. You are such a great writer - and you make me laugh! I love your sense of humor. You know my latest rug dilemmas, too...not fun! I still want new rugs for our living room and bedroom, but that's on the back burner. We need a new sofa and chair (sound familiar?) for the living room first and I also *still* haven't found a headboard for our bed - and it's been ages. I've stopped looking because it became so overwhelming. Anywho, I don't know if you have a HomeGoods by you, but they have beautiful rugs at great prices.

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  3. There's a theme going in my reading today. The last post I read talked about wanting a new sofa - as do I. Now your post talks about wanting a rug - as do I. But, I don't want to get a rug until I get a sofa and of course 2 club chairs to go with the new sofa. Basically, I don't think I'll be getting any of them for awhile!

    But, I would love your sofa and kick myself for ever getting rid of my sofa that looked just like yours. Of course it wasn't the gorgeous blue of yours and it was incredibly uncomfortable.

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  4. I think the blue-ish one you said didn't register blue in your living space was quite lovely!
    Brenda

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  5. You crack me up, Vickie! I want rugs so bad, but I can't one until Mini passes on. She thinks they're grass, if you know what I mean. My mom is forcing me to take her sofa whether I like it or not, because she's moving. It's a really nice pricey item, but I don't know if I'm going to like it in my living room.... we shall see. If not, I'll lie, because she doesn't travel up here anyway lol

    I guess we all have sofa and rug issues ;)

    xo,
    rue

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  6. I LOVE the blue rug in the photo! Sorry it didn't work out, but I bet you have the best biceps in blogland. ;)

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  7. I know, it's the old domino effect. I'd wait until you get the new couch and then look for a rug, but who I am I to give advice? I've been looking for a bedroom rug for months now and everything else is done. Anyway I love the little painting and demijohn shelf-so cute. Good luck and rest those biceps!

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  8. Oh gosh, I know the feeling! I did that with rugs for the sunroom a couple years ago, and now I'm doing it with paint. I have over a half dozen new quarts of trial paint from SW, trying to figure it out. THey'll either go to my paint graveyard (under the basement steps) or onto ReStore. On a happier note, Happy Spring! And that stepstool is the bomb! I bought one like it at an estate sale (I also bought lots of rugs at estate sales but never mind that). Ooh, you are crossing things off your list! Me? I'm about to go bonkers with my workers still in the house, ending 6 weeks tomorrow. Still at least 2 to go, I'd say.

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  9. Hi Vickie,
    I haven't been in blogland for months but I just had to thank you for such amusing entertainment this evening. The Delores Claiborne line cracked me up! I hope you don't have a man's ruined hands due to said laundry...haha. What a book and then what a great job from Kathy Bates. I adore her.
    Well, I'm guessing that was what you were referring to. I hope that laundry hasn't stolen your good looks. ;)

    Ah, rug troubles. Ugh. Have you tried using Olio? You can upload one of your room photos and then add rug photos to it to see how it looks. It's a fun site. They even link to the rug cost and vendor. It's a helpful tool for getting a visual. Give it a try...your arms will thank you. ;)

    The cuckoo clock insertion was brilliant. I miss you.

    Have a great night- XO, T.

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  10. I love the lines on your sofa and loveseat. Slipcovers? Rugs are something I never spend a lot of money one. I've found some really good ones at Lowes and Kohls of all places. I don't care if they don't last a lifetime, they last long enough for my tastes. Your bathroom is looking mighty pretty. You're blog posts are always entertaining, Vickie. Love how you write. Hugs, Nancy

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  11. LOL! You are so funny! Thanks for the morning laugh with my coffee!

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  12. Oh, rugs are a nightmare to choose... I want one but can't make up my mind! Good luck finding yours!

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  13. You had me laughing here, Vickie...the rug cemetery. I believe we have one of those out in the sunporch right now. Rugs make such a big impact in a room...you really have to like them. It's hard to make the right decision. The bathroom is looking wonderful! Happy weekend to you!

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  14. Loved how you took us on this journey with you. You had me totally laughing. Can't wait to see what you are up to next.

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  15. I saw another blogger who suggested ordering the small 2x3 rugs to see the color before you go all out and order the big kahuna (I sure do hope kahuna means what I think it means, but I'm too tired to Google it). Have fun in your bathroom. I love that white tile in there. Everything looks so crisp and clean, which is just what you want for a bathroom!

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  16. I've always wanted to go on a magic carpet ride. I hope I can come with.
    Amalia
    xo

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  17. When it rains it pours, although in our house we don't get nickeled and dimed, we get thousand dollared! ;) Our rug actually bit the dust too. It was a sisal rug and the last one I will ever buy. By the way, they NEVER stop shedding and there is a layer of dirt under them forever.

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  18. Your rug fiasco made me smile! Hope you find one you like after all this! Love your comment 'its like putting lipstick on a pig'. Now that I have to remember x

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  19. Oh my goodness! You have had a lot going on. I agree it can be difficult to buy rugs online. I know how costly and time consuming it can be to return something you bought online too. I think the Facebook way may be a good option. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for eventually. There is so much inspiration out there online to get you started!

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  20. Rugs are a huge commitment and it's hard to get them right. Vickie, each time I see your living room and those two amazing sofas, I think how fabulous they'd be with a white or natural heavy linen slipcover on them. I'm a big fan of camelback sofas and in my humble opinion they'd be perfect for that sort of transformation! xo

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  21. Oh Vickie I feel your rug pain. The thing I discovered about buying a rug is that once you buy it....that's it, it's yours. And that means no more decorating in your head. It's so much easier browsing through magazines and thinking, "oh that's what I'd buy if I had the moola," cause you can keep doing that. And you can keep changing your mind about the colors of the rug, even the style of the rug...I love that whole 'thinking about it' process which "buying" sort of ruins :)
    But good for you that you lived with it for a bit and now know it won't work. I do agree with Debra about the classic look of your furniture if you wanted to re-cover them. But oh-oh. That means a whole lot of decisions about fabric!! I can literally spend hours in a fabric store, personally I think they should sell alcohol in those places. Seriously I've been known to find the perfect bolt after literally rummaging through the same aisle for hours. A little wine would've made it much more relaxing hahaha

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  22. I'm loving the blue rug! Much prefer it to the red. I can only cope with one colour at a time though. Good luck with the quest!

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  23. thanks for sharing great blog article thanks again

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