Still Outdoors

" Good houses take work and they evolve.  You can't just assume that once it's beautifully decorated, it's going to stay completely vital and interesting" a quote by 'Michael S Smith'.  by evolving I mean changing.  It you are traveling and find a gorgeous piece, you can fit it in somewhere.  There that area evolved.

It is better to live with what you have until you can find or afford the thing you really want.

Furniture and accessories should be able to adapt to new situations.  So make sure you really love what you buy.

Yesterday I showed you a picture of the grill area, and here is what was added to make it fashionable,

 

The space in between the lantern and the French vase is where I am painting the leaves for. Any area can be changed overnight with what you have if you plan.  I had the flowers, as I always have those on hand and by them when they go on sale.

 

I love to buy my flowers at Hobby Lobby, they are more expensive, but some are gorgeous. Buy when they are on sale.  I buy some at Jo-Ann's and Michaels to.  I have also bought some at Pier 1.  Watch for their sales as some of the things are bought at a great price.  The trick to pretty silks is to keep them clean.  I hose mine of and leave in the sun.  Silk flower cleaner works well too.

Rethink your Dining Room

Let's jump around the house today.  Let's talk about the least used room in the house.  The dining room.  Is yours used the least?

Let's think of it as an all purpose room.  A quiet place to do homework, for writing letters, that is, if you still do.    Sit with your laptop and keep your notepad near it for ideas or things you have to do. 

Make it inviting.  Perhaps just a new color or new art work to spice it up a bit.  Make it inviting.
Use slipcovers on your chairs if you need to, to add new texture or color.  Or do you just have chair pads.  Pier 1, has lots of choices.  Even online.  I am getting to be a n online shopper.  Love to google  something and there it is.  Sure saves on gas, and my time. 

Make your dining room if your furniture isn't too formal or too expensive, into a kid room to put together puzzles, play board games, that way you can leave them to do at your leisure.  One thing in this electronic age, it keeps kids away from the electronic games and I pads or smart phones.  Set a rule that that is what the dining room is for.  Make it look like a fun room.  It can easily be transformed into a formal dinner room when desired. 

I use my table, for many things as I always have a bunch of projects going at the same time.  Today, I made a hat for my "Roaring 20's Party".

Back to the dining room:
"Greg McKenzie" quotes, "A room with art is a room that has life".  So art can make or so they say break a room! I happened to go to an estate sale yesterday, and the art was unbelievable.  Very little in the way of good, mostly furniture store bought or just prints.  Some of the pieces were so faded from the sun, and that is what happens to prints that are just cheap.  I know that art can be expensive, but the timing right now is great to find some pieces you personally love. If you buy unframed art, take them to a regular frame shop, you will see a huge difference in cost and savings, compared to the stores that always have 50 or 60% off coupons. 

Rethink your dining room.  It can be used, not just sitting there looking pretty and using up your space.

Before and After Pieces from Yesterday

Yesterday, I talked about some more before and after pictures.  Here are some pictures of the 1950's chair with their blue and yellow striped cushions.

 

Guess this was sitting a little crooked or it was the photographer.  When I set them up I will take pictures o the grouping.

 

Here is the 1940s leaf dish that I found and am painting a picture just to go with it.  I matches the tile color on the pool and the greenery around the lanai.

 

I absolutely love this dish, ashtray or whatever it was used for.  I won't be able to start on the painting until next week.  I will let you see it as it progresses.  First, my husband cut me a piece of I/8 inch finished plywood to the size I want the painting.  He has ten put on two (2) coats of gesso on it.  It must dry thoroughly.  Then I need to draw out my picture.  I will take pictures along the way. 

 

I also told you about the placemats I bought yesterday, here they are on the lanai table.

 

 

They are a little wild, but since they are vinyl, they are great for the outdoors.  Here is the same setting with another set of placemats, see how quickly you can change a setting in a matter of a few minutes.  You just need to have things on hand.  I always have things as I have what my mother called the disease.  If you walk into a store, you cannot come out empty handed!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

From blue and white, to turquoise and yellow to match the water.  Again, I added the pink flowers as I love fresh flowers everywhere.

 

Look at your table, in or out, see if you can't refresh it a bit with just changing things you have.

 

I have a drawer just for placemats, and other cabinets for accessories to match them.  This is the time to buy as all summer things are on sale.  If you live near a Dillard's, they are having a wonderful sale.

 

Pier 1 is another one of my favorite haunts.  They have great pieces to give you indoors and outdoors a fabulous look.

 

Go looking, see what you can find!!!!!!!!!!!!