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My House
1970 home renovation

kitchen eating area light fixture & lamps plus giveaway

We’re paying a little visit back to the kitchen again in this post!  We are still working on little finishing touches and I am sure we always will be.  I don’t ever call a room done, but done for now.  There should always be some wiggle room for more change.  Today, I am sharing about the new light in the kitchen eating area.   As a full disclosure, this light fixture was a part of a partnership with Lamp’s Plus.  I’ve worked with them before on lights for the exterior of the house as well as for the hallway, and they had a great fixture for the kitchen eating area.  There are giveaway details at the bottom of the post, so don’t miss that! Initially, I wasn’t planning on putting a new light over the eating area.  We opted for recessed lights to give an all-over wash.  I left open the option

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September 13, 2023 226 Comments
1970 home renovation

doors to the dining room & dining room updates

One of the details I loved about this 1970s house when we first looked at it was the doors leading to the dining room.  It’s one of those architectural details you don’t usually find in newer homes.  But. a house built in 1970 is bridging the formality of homes in the first half of the 20th century (with front and back entrances, rooms for guests and entertaining, and ones strictly for practicality, etc.) and the modern, open floorplans that became popular through the 1970s and 80s.  I love that this home leaned a bit more into old-fashioned choices along with upgrades that were modern for the time. The doors are just slab doors, but I painted them Card Room Green and added (instead of cabinet knobs) and they look so sweet. I still need to paint the dining room walls (they are just primed at this point) and give the

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September 11, 2023 33 Comments
All Things Home

slipcovered living room ottoman

As I’ve been sharing about the soft furnishings in our living/family room this week, several people have asked about the coexistence of our cats with upholstered and slip-covered pieces.  Having lived with cats most of my life, I know they can be destructive and it was one of my primary reservations when we considered bringing some kittens into our home almost four years ago.  But, my lap was aching for some cats and I enjoyed their company, antics, and humor so much that I was willing to put concerns about our furniture aside. We gave our cats cardboard scratchers and plenty of toys and engagement early on, so neither one of them are big furniture scratchers.  They even leave our jute rugs alone as well as other textures that cats might naturally be drawn to.  There is a piece that they have favored, specifically Violet.  They like the ottoman in

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September 7, 2023 17 Comments
All Things Home

new sixpenny living room sofa

When I shared the slipcovered recliner yesterday, several of you noted the preview of the new Sixpenny sofa.  Today, I’m going to share the entire sofa as well as a review of the style and fabric I selected.  (For the sake of full disclosure, this sofa was gifted to me as a part of a partnership with Sixpenny.) If you remember, I shared the Sixpenny sofa styles and fabric samples I was considering in THIS POST.  I ended up choosing the Elias 84″ sofa in Warm Oatmeal, which is a medium-weight linen fabric, for the slipcover.  One thing I loved about shopping for a Sixpenny sofa online is their website is so thorough.  Each piece of furniture has every measurement you could want as well as details about how the piece is made, materials used, care, and more.  I felt like I was able to make a very informed decision

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September 6, 2023 21 Comments
All Things Home

making a slipcover for a recliner

Shortly after we moved in, I bought a manual wingchair recliner off of Facebook Marketplace for $40.  I had a feeling it would be a “placeholder” for a nicer recliner in the future, but it seemed like a good tester piece.  We could see how much we used it, see how it fit in the room (while fully open), and help us make a more informed decision in the future.  I intended to make a slipcover for this recliner, but after using it for a few weeks, it became clear that it wasn’t worth the effort or the cost.  The chair wasn’t comfortable and piece by piece, the mechanism was falling apart and got to the point where it would just randomly pop open. So, for almost a year, I looked around at recliners.  I looked at new and used and was very wishy-washy and undecided.  I didn’t mind saving

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September 5, 2023 29 Comments
a slice of life

one of my secrets to a productive day & Brooklinen Labor Day sale

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Brooklinen, who is currently running a 20% Labor Day sale now through September 6, 2023.  As always, all words and opinions are honest and my own. I’m often asked about my daily schedule and how I get so much accomplished.  A part of it is that I am a person who is driven by productivity, which can be a good thing and a bad thing.  A part of it is the snapshot shared here on the blog and social media sort of compress the things I get done in a week and it can collectively look like more than it is.  But one thing I’ve come to value more over the years is protecting time to rest and getting a good night’s sleep, which can sound counterproductive to productivity. In the early years of my business, I really bought into the hustle culture and

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August 31, 2023 4 Comments
Antiques

antique pine cabinet in the foyer

I picked up a charming antique pine cabinet at the Lucketts Spring Market and, because the house was in upheaval from the kitchen renovation still, it went straight into the garage.  It occurred to me today that I haven’t properly shared where it ended up here on the blog, so that’s what I’m doing today. I was looking for a wardrobe or cabinet that could replace some of the storage we were losing during the renovation and there were a lot of antique pine pieces that caught my eye at the market.  I would ooooo over them and decide to walk away and think about each piece.  I’ve learned that walking away helps me make better buying choices, especially when it comes to larger pieces.  I am eager and ready to fall in love with pretty much all beautiful antique pieces, but that doesn’t mean the piece is going to

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August 30, 2023 28 Comments
Decorating

a little shelf tweaking

We finally started school in our neck of the woods, which is both cause for celebration and mourning.  I am excited for the rhythm that comes with the routine school days force us into.  I find I am more focused and productive within that framework.  I also enjoy having the house to myself so I can flit around, play my music as loud as I want, and work wherever it suits me on that particular day.  With all of the good that comes from it, I know I will miss the slower mornings and loose schedule.  But, I am starting to feel the energy and excitement that comes from the change of season and I’m buzzing with ideas for sewing and painting projects.  There’s lots to do and lots to share, but between shopping for school supplies, having people over to enjoy the pool, squeezing in appointments, and shipping out

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August 29, 2023 22 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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