mirror mirror on the wall....

Okay, I had issues uploading these, so I'm not sure how they will show up on the blogger. 

Ugh. 

SO. Parade of Homes. My most favorite time of year! 

I love the ideas I get! I've been wanting to do something for the niches by the TV since we moved in. I plopped some picture frames just because and haven't touched it since. 

Here's the clean slate

And some inspiration pictures...

(Loved the mini cupboard)

And some inspiration pictures...

(Loved the mini cupboard)

And here's what I did:

um...it doesn't look good. why?! Is it the dark wood contrasts with the oak? should I paint the frames cream? Should I paint the cupboards? (YES PLEASE. and that's Dan laughing in the background)

These are two different styles to try out. Are they too big? should I go square or rectangle?

I think I'm leaning towards this one...

So I tried accesorizing with what I have. (not much. The candle sticks are too wimpy, but I like the greenery....probably in a lighter pot. 

I could put something like this by it too...

Okay, and some other favorites, so I can "pin" them on pinterest. :) 

Love the hanging shear by the bathtub. 

They just painted the wall, so it looks seamless and part of the furniture. 

LOVED this entry way with the built-ins on the side. 

The built-in

More built-ins in the bedrooms upstairs. LOVE THEM!

I want to make something like this for here:

(This is the front entry way. I would like something to put on top or in the square canister thingy. I was hoping to find a cone form to stuff artificial stems in to create a topiary, but they aren't large enough. So, then I thought about a tomato cage thing. I haven't found one the right side, but it might work! :) Any ideas?

And finally....

Gorgeous fireplace and decorating.

A few more parade homes to go to this weekend!

Piano room update

Here's the to-date progress of the front room/piano room

before move-in

the first furnishings...

A new piano...

removed bookcase and added reclining chair and console for piano music.

same time, just angled to get couch in...

painting! A little on the minty side...but not worth painting over...yet.

After 20+ curtains bought and returned, a decision was made and curtains hung!

New family picture above piano.

New clock Dan picked out for my birthday.

Sconces I love from Hobby Lobby, picture raised, potential topiaries and piano lamp. 

(what do you think about the topiaries? the idea would be to have three the same height (the shorter ones), but I think they get lost behind the lamp. Other suggestions?)

probably going to paint the wall on the right a deeper brown like the opposite wall. Looking for a prettier lamp and art work to go on green wall by curtains.

In this corner there will be a tree with a light shining up from the bottom. Also, a round end table for the opposite side of the couch, with a possible lamp? 

And here it is all together.

 You can barely tell we painted this wall, and this is AFTER we painted it the second time. We didn't want to go too dark, as to have two accent walls. 

Any suggestions? things you don't like? Honestly, when looking at these pictures, I don't really like it! I like it better in person. I don't know if I can't take pictures correctly, or if I'm so used to it that looking through pictures make it seem like a totally different room. 

Things I don't like from the pictures:

1) The curtain height? Too high from the window?

2)  The blinds. Not liking the mesh of oak and dark wood.

3) It looks so bare still! I don't want it to look busy or cluttered, so hopefully with the tree and some throw pillows it will look better.

NEW couch!

 I found something to make my old, worn-out couches look so much better! It had so many scratches it just looked terrible. A friend told me to try shoe-polish, but that didn't really work.

Before                                                                                                               After

Then somehow I came accross a wood-stain marker! Wood STAIN! So I bought one in Dark Walnut and it worked like a charm!!

These pictures don't really do it justice,  but to me they look a million times better!

New shower curtain/finished bathroom

So here's a bajillion pictures.  Just got this shower curtain today--should it stay or should it go? I was going to go with something all white and more sophisticated/clean . . . but saw this and thought maybe more kid like would be fun.  thoughts?  Concerned that it is too busy and that the blues don't work together . . . what do you think?

Spraypainted mirror

Okay, so this was like the world's fastest make-over.  I actually liked the before color, but i'm trying to reduce all the mis-matched metals in my living room. What do you think?

Before:

My bathroom in progress

Still need to coat the brown painted stuff with polyurethane (been trying to do that for WEEKS now), then install the frame around the mirrior. I held a board up in one of the pictures so you can get an idea. Also, need to touch up the blue paint where it got white on it and probably do another white paint coat (just because I'm slightly ocd and want it perfect--maybe that is why this project is going on three months now)
Any shower curtain ideas/tips?