Kerry from Home Sweet Organized Home left a comment yesterday about how I work and I just loved it. It’s based on the adorable kid’s book If you Give a Moose a Muffin…
“If you give Marian a morning, she’s going to go to the attic. When she goes to the attic she’s going to find a rug. Finding the rug will remind her that she needs one in her bedroom. When the rug goes in the bedroom, she is reminded that the room needed a little something . . . “
And that’s exactly how I work.
So, if you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been rearranging the furniture in my family room to give myself a bit of a fresh start. Since I moved the table out of the kitchen, that brought the kitchen into the shuffling. I also removed the shutter that’s been leaning against the side of the pantry. So, I moved the antique high chair from the dining room and hung a breadboard I bought from Shaunna when I was in Alabama. I also moved the smallest of the blue & white wool rugs from the living room to the space where the table was. It adds a bit of color and softness to the white tile floor.
I like how the dark high chair ties into the counters and chalkboard wall.
Since the kitchen is mostly white and there aren’t other fabrics, the rug works in here in a way it didn’t in the family room.
Now that we’ve lived with the new arrangement for about 24 hours and we all still like it, I’ve started working on the accessories.
The table is pretty small, so I can’t put a lot on it. I added an antique bowl full of crayons as a simple and playful “centerpiece.”
I worked a bit on the side-table-turned-game-table. I sanded off the flaking paint from the top and refinished it with some dark walnut stain and MMSMP Furniture Wax. I left the paint a little in the recesses of the edge…just because. (I was trying to think of a reason and there really wasn’t one! I just liked it.)
I left the chess board out and filled two ironstone cups with the pieces. A stack of antique books sits between them. Books are a nice accessory for a family room with kids, because it doesn’t matter if they get knocked over or bumped. I picked them up at thrift stores and yard sales, so it’s not a big deal if they get ripped or scribbled in, although my boys are past that sort of thing. On most days.
Next to the sofa, our remotes are kept in an antique wood tool tote. I came up with this a few years ago and it works really well. Of course, I would love to hide them in a drawer or something, but it’s nice to not have to hunt for them. And this is a real house.
I’ve decided to hang the pair of antique chippy gray shutters I’ve had for a while on either side of the small window in the room. The taller furniture is on the other side of the room, so these will add nice visual height. This area looks a little wonky with the missing panel, but that’s coming soon.
With the blue and white rugs gone, I decided to try the buffalo check on the settee again and it’s perfect! We’re going to be installing 3/4 height bright white wainscoting, so the blue and white check will pop off that even more.
I put some boxwood, books and ironstone on the left side table. I think it’s about time to paint those bad boys. They just disappear into the floor and caning of the settee.
I love the little child’s chair tucked in between the dresser and the settee. It’s a little unexpected and relates the two pieces of furniture.
On the right side table is a stack of books and an ironstone tureen with some nuts and a nutcracker. It’s an antique English one I found on Etsy. I loved the shape and it was only about $12.
A funny thing about those nuts. I bought them last year during Christmas. My Oma always had a bowl of nuts and a cracker out during the fall and winter, so I liked the idea of carrying on that tradition. Well, I liked the way they looked, so I just left them out all year. After about June, I would wince when a guest cracked one open to eat. I was certain someone would find a rancid nut. Don’t they understand they are decorative?! My dad ate one last week and he’s still alive, so I guess it’s okay. I’ll get a fresh bag this week just in case, so you can feel free to partake if you visit my house.
I put the mini buffet on top of the dresser again. It’s offset a little, so it’s centered on the window. Yes, it’s in front of a window. I’m okay with that. It looks sort of pretty backlit.
As I was moving furniture around, I pushed my desk chair up against the back wall. Once I was done with everything, the chair was still there and it sort of worked. I never had furniture on that wall before, because of the baseboard heater and the side door. The shape of the chair works around the heater, though, and it pulls that wall into the room more, if that makes sense. It always felt like this awkward wall and now it feels more like a part of the room.
I might swap it out for the wood cane chair to stand out from the wall color more and I’ll rework the artwork. It’s fun to explore the possibilities.
And I’ve moved around the pillows a bit, but I’m planning to make some more colorful ones as well. And by colorful, I mean blue and white. I’ll probably try some with more color than that, too. They are just pillows after all.
After my very full day yesterday, I thought my back might give me some trouble today, but it’s been fine, so I allowed the momentum to help me finish other projects. I painted a custom table, painted the frame of the sofa for my living room (the one that’s been waiting in my basement in her “unmentionables” for a few months), made the slipcover for the fourth dining chair, mopped the kitchen floor… you get the idea.
If you give Marian a morning…
Hi, Marion. Just wanted to say I love your blog and house and talents and you make me laugh!
looks great…I have some productive days too if I can stay focused enough to follow through…my mother in law used to put nuts out during the holidays…now my kids ask for them – it’s a part of her that we try to have during the holidays since she’s no longer with us…funny how those little traditions start…
More fun! Thanks for sharing your reset with us. I never rearrange… But maybe I will… 🙂
I’ll give you a whole day! Come be my room stylist! I am loving this reset!
“If you give Marian a morning, Pam needs to sit down and rest after reading all that Marian has done with that morning!” I suwanee, Marian, you can get more done in a morning than I get done in a week! I need some Marian training/coaching. 🙂 And btw, love the rearranging. Looks nice!
Pam,,
I haven’t heard that phrase…I suwanee….since I was a girl living in Michigan..most of my friends in Michigan were from Tennessee and Kentucky…is that where you learned it?
You are simply amazing!!! I love all you have done to you home – so bright and pretty, yet so homey and comfortable. I love your color choices even though I am not a ‘blue’ person – you really inspire me!
I finally have my hubby’s permission to paint some of the old old old wood furniture that we’ve inherited. Now I just have to decide what to paint it! I love the creams/whites/ linens – but a lot of my friends are going black/charcoal and I like that too. Looking at how nicely your whites play with your woods really help me visualize what things might look like here if I get the nerve to pick up the paintbrush and get it done! Thanks so much for sharing your decorating process with us – it’s such a help to the decor ‘challenged’ like myself!
The buffalo checks do look perfect on the settee now that the fabric doesn’t compete with the rug. The blue and white rug in the kitchen works so much better in there, it looks really great.
Your family room/kitchen is set up like nearly all of the newer construction (last fifteen years) homes where I live, being just one big open family room and dining room that is also open to the kitchen. I do think that if you could find (and I know you can) a larger table it will look more important, and also hanging a chandelier of some sort over the table will make it look like that space has always meant to be an eating area.
I can’t help wonderfing if the settee could work placed at the dining table, like a bench? Is the height right? If it isn’t too low I think that would look realy good. Then, where the settee is now you could put a writing desk. The first third of the room would then become a writing/practical work area, the middle third the family room area and the final third the dining area. Each area would have a “use” . .. or at least the feeling of having a purpose. I think that is the only thing that bugs me a little at the moment, the first third of the room with the settee, doesn’t seem to have a purpose, other than look really pretty of course!
Yes, I would love to have chandeliers in the family room, but the main part of our home was built in the 1940’s and A/C was never installed, so the fans are pretty important to work with the window A/C units. I would handle not having them, but my husband is much more practical!
I did try pulling the table up the to daybed, but the height was way off! The table was at my chin! 🙂 I liked the idea, though. And, yeah, a larger table might work better, but I’m afraid it might make things too cramped. I think a rug under the table and chairs might ground them better, but we’ll see how it develops… Great suggestions!!
Using the endearing names of “Oma” and “Opa” brings back memories of when I was a toddler in Germany. I loved both of them so much. Once I moved to the US I missed them terribly. Love that you incorporate your childhood memories into your blog. You are so talented. Each day I wait to see what is new with you. Happy Thanksgiving!
I love that the chess pieces are in that little bowl just waiting for a game to start. Imagining your kids playing chess there just feels so peaceful. I have two boys, and I would say “Ha!” if anyone ever said my home looked peaceful. 😉
I just went back and finished reading the whole post (I swooped down to comment right after I had my ahhhh… moment gazing at the chess pieces in the ironstone cups). Lol. Anyway… My grandparents always had nuts out too. Did you see Ashley’s post on Under The Sycamore about having pecans on the table? It made me remember that my grandparents did that too, and now that I’m reminded of it again here on your blog, I think it’s time to get myself a bowl! 🙂 We’re headed to NE Texas for Thanksgiving with my husband’s family, and his grandparents have huge ancient pecan trees in their yard. We may need to come home with a bucketful. Here’s that post I mentioned:
http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2013/11/08/take-a-seat-pecans-at-our-table/
LOVE how it all is looking. Amazing how just moving a few bits and pieces around and a room is transformed. x
I am glad you are leaning toward the buffalo check print for the day bed ..It’s just beautimus!
If you give yourself a morning you get done what it would take most to get done in a week.I’m impressed. I really like all the changes. Now that the rug is in the kitchen the buffalo check looks perfect on the couch. It now looks like the look you were describing . I love rearranging furniture. I always have. My mom still teases me on how often I would rearrange my bedroom when I was little. It wasn’t a big room and I only had a few pieces of furniture to move but I would do it quit often. Thanks for reminding me about the nuts. My grandparents did the same thing and my dad really likes when I have them. I think it reminds him of his childhood. Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels.
YAY! i was so hoping you’d do the buffalo check…. i just think it’s so perfect!
That buffalo check is going to look off the charts amazing. Super jealous! I think the mini buffet is all wrong and you should sell it to me immediately. Just joking of course, but only half way.
You should consider branching out and offering your services to the public. We could all use a “reset”.
Wow! It is all coming together so nicely! I can’t wait to see the finished product. I had to laugh at the title and reference to the children’s story. I remember reading that book to my girls when they were younger, and I can absolutely picture you working your magic with that storyline playing in the background. Thanks for sharing such a fun post, and letting us follow along.
How refreshing! I love to shuffle, too.
You are a machine. I never could have done all those projects.
Love your blog. Thanks.
I so love reading your posts-we need a house tour soo much. My daughter has bought me your book for Xmas so I can’t wait to read that. You inspire me in so many ways!
It looks perfect! Just as expected. The table in the family room is a great idea – It’s too bad though, that you didn’t think of it before you got rid of your gorgeous harvest table from the dining room. The size/scale would have been lovely. Those green side chairs would have been pretty at either end of the table, too.
….And to think, I was impressed with myself for dusting yesterday!
Oh how I wish you could come to my house and do what you do here. It’s beautiful. Everything is beautiful.
Love it! I just knew the checks would win lol! I see visions of checks(maybe a ruffle??) on the new pillows for the chairs 🙂
i like it. have you tried to put your dresser by the door and put your desk where the dresser is.
What a wonderful post! It’s fun reading about your German roots and when you speak of your Oma and Opa.
Yep, the nuts, that is and was a tradition in our house at this time of year also. I don’t know how it is in other European countries, but in Germany we even give out nuts and oranges in our Nikolaus and Christmas gift bags.
I have just noticed another detail that is a tell-tale sign of your German roots, the antlers hanging on your kitchen wall. Only you can pull those off so well!
I’m swooning over the upholstered chair in the last picture, I’ve wanted one like that ever since I saw it here!
~Siggie
Yep, good eye! The antlers are from Germany. 🙂 We also got clementine, nuts and chocolates in our boots on St. Nikolaus day. Ritter Sport, of course. And some Haribo Twin Cherries. That’s what they put in our Christmas stockings as well. The Germans sure did Christmas right!
Hey Marian, If you’re ever in need of indulging in a Ritter Sport and if they’re not available to you, I’d be glad to send you a few. Send an email and let me know, it would be a thank you for all the fun I have reading your posts!
~Siggie
It’s morning here in WI. My living room needs work. Are you available? I have a walnut tree, so I can pay you with walnuts.
Can you please tell me the measurements of the table top that the chess board is sitting on. I have 2 of those same Duncan Phyfe bases. Thanks,
Kelly
I really had to laugh when I read that your Dad ate one of your ‘decorator’ nuts! My Dad always bought nuts around Christmas time and set them out in a bowl. Reading this reminds me that I bought a nutcracker last summer at a thrift store for $1 so must go hunt it down and buy some nuts!
Your room looks great! My living room was giving me fits like that until a friend (who is an interior designer) came in and told me that all of my tall furniture was at one end of the room. So I think basically it is all about the contrasts…height, texture, light/dark. What a head-smacking moment for me! Now I need some of your furniture moving energy!
Love the changes you made in your kitchen, too. The rug looks so nice there.
Have a happy Thanksgiving! Maggie
I love your style, but do not have your eye (and perhaps your ability to dispense with sentimental clutter). There may be cause for hope though; I keep my remotes in a wooden caddy, too! One step at a time, however small…
An idea for your kitchen. A plant would look wonderful nestled into the seat of your high chair. The green would pop against the white wall and you can use a blue and white container just because you like blue and white 🙂
I saw a cute idea for storing remotes on a quilting blog recently. They made a small envelope-backed cushion, but on the back they made the envelope have long pockets and they tucked a row of remotes into them so you can hide the remotes when you want but keep them all together.
I have that idea on my list of things to try. I am not organized enough to have one universal remote programmed for everything so it’s kind of cluttered next to my couch.
Now the buffalo check totally works with this arrangement as it is not competing with your blue and white rug, which looks great in your kitchen!
I just love how a reset can freshen everything!
A blessed Thanksgiving to you and your family 🙂
PS: My family had nuts and nutcrackers out too when growing up! It must have been the trend in that generation!
It’s looking great! I love the new set up in here. Moving your table into the family room was so smart and I’m loving the little game table corner.
Traditions… My husband is from Switzerland, they have clementines and nuts out for Samichlaus, the Swiss Santa (Dec.6). I’m from The Netherlands where the kids put their shoe in front of the fireplace and sing a song for Sinterklaas, who brings gifts and ‘pepernoten’, they’re called nuts but they are cookies (Dec. 5). We live in the US at the moment, so we follow some American traditions too… Needless to say December is one big party for our kids! Makes decorating a little complicated though 🙂
Marion,
After your morning of enery how does your husband know where to sit or walk. Everything is moved about and looks wonderful.
Your bowl of nuts and cracker remind me of my Grampa (mom’s Dad). He always picked all the nuts he could on the farm and bought the others. I remembver his hands cracking nuts for me and helping me pick out the pieces. What a wonderful memory of a great man. That and homegrown popcorn drying by the woodstove.
rick
Ha, yes! I have to give a little tour after a day like this. After almost 15 years of marriage, he’s used to coming home to a new house on occasion!
Hey Marian…I am exhausted just reading all the stuff you did! You are a testament to making sure your accessories, furnishings etc in your home are all in similar colorways and finishes – no matter which room they are in. I can do that…almost. There are a few items that if I switched them to another room – would definitely “not belong.”
Everything looks great – and gives you another topic for a blogpost (but you, seemingly, are never at a loss for those!)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Linda
Loving your new arrangements! Also, I’m really glad you moved the blue and white rugs out. They are beautiful, but I think you have a lot more options now that they are gone. Plus you can use the check that you knew all along you really wanted!
Once again, I am energized and amazed at your daily adventures! Love everything you’ve done… And I cried a little bit when I saw that mini buffet, SO CUTE!!
I already knew that I liked you, but then you said “wonky” which is my current favorite word, so I’m now convinced we are definitely long lost sisters! 😉
Thanks for the view into your every day world, you help make mine just a little more wonderful to be in!
I don’t have time to read all of the comments now, so I’m probably not the only one to comment on your kitchen rug. My person experience: love the color & softness it brings to the kitchen (on my feet/legs as well as when glass/china is dropped).
That said, it’s also tremendously difficult to keep a rug in the kitchen clean enough to justify it for long (unless it’s a more “disposable” rug — one that’s cheap enough that I don’t mind throwing away when it gets too soiled and I’m able to clean it well enough to look good or meet my sense of necessary cleanliness in my kitchen)
Your gorgeous blue & white has enough blue not to be “too light”, but enough white to make me worry about getting dirty. It has plenty of pattern to not show “quiet stains & dirt” but if you make much spagetti, chili, bbq, or other sloppy tomato dishes – well, be prepared
I love the photos of your home – they’re all gorgeous as usual
Also… I just wanted to say… Sometimes I get quite frustrated in my quest for ironstone bargains. I look at all you pretty pieces and think to myself, “All the cheap ironstone must be in Pennsylvania!” We’ll, it finally happened to me. I was in one of my regular haunts, and there it was… A perfect antique tureen… For $4! I grabbed that thing up so fast, people may have been injured int the process, I’m not entirely sure. It all happened so fast! Persistent thrifting pays off, even if it takes a while! I thought you’d be proud. 😉
So great to see all you have done. Have wanted to get my old books out for a long time. They are boxed in my shed. The weather isn’t great, but with seeing your decor additions, will gear up and go out there. Thanks for keeping us motivated.
Wanted to add that with painting projects ahead during winter I was wandering around ACE. For years they have been great dealing with my off-the-wall projects. The paint guy suggested I try Porch and Floor for kitchen cabinets. It can be mixed to whatever color wanted. Finish is satin or gloss, so no choice on this option. Not ready to hit this big job, but am going to try it on a couple pieces of small items and see how it turns out.
Apologies for the ACE experience shared. I wasn’t rec anything other than our favorite go-to for paint. This comment evolved from wanting to use paint for outside furniture, shed and the wide range of suggestions beyond what we are after. I wanted to use Milk paint and was trying to figure out how to finish off for outdoor elements. Obviously didn’t complete my thought process.and totally of subject. Ignore me, but please don’t ban me.
At Christmas, the Italian side of the family would sit at a table loaded with grapes, nuts to crack, cookies and other goodies. I have always kept a bowl of nuts on our coffee table once the stores have them for sale. Nuts are delicious, good for you and I find, having to crack them slows down the mindless munching. I am usually pretty careful eating, but watching television and eating is my diet weakness.
I want a blood transfusion, girl. You have so much energy, it amazes me! The connection to IYGAMAC is spot on, though I find housework like that but have always blamed it on my ADD. I’m so distracted by too many things, especially the computer.
Oh…and I have nuts that are from last season and JUST this morning I was thinking of gifting the squirrels with them. Maine squirrels and Brazil nuts- I think I heard an explosion of disbelief outside.
Fabulous, everything rocks! Moving your patterned rug(s) to the kitchen was a stroke of genius – it looks great there (where there are no other patterns) and definitely frees up the living room to more possibilities. I now like the idea of the check in there. Thanks for the inspiration, I will definitely have to do a room refresh sometime soon.
And by the way… hope you have a great time in Raleigh this weekend! I actually live there (in Apex) and it kills me not to be able to join you at the flea market… but I’m traveling to PA for my son’s hockey tournament. So maybe we’ll pass each other on the highway, LOL!
Whew! I’m tired just reading this. I’m impressed and inspired with all you got done. I’ve been busy today, but it’s not organizing or the like. I’ve been cooking–pie, cranberry sauce, and cornbread. Next, I’ll go clean some more in the kitchen and get things ready for tomorrow’s cooking. Thanks for sharing your thought processes on your decorations. All the best!
Marian, you are amazing! And Kerry, should totally write a book on, “If you give Marian,…” I would totally buy it! : ) Happy arranging and Happy Thanksgiving!
Hah! Someone left me an “if you give a mouse a cookie” comment on my blog yesterday as well!
But it wasn’t for the same reason, really.
🙂
And I’m coming over for a nut.
See ya!
-breida
I love that book and it’s followups! What a lot of productive work you are doing…I admire your drive.
I just got an old desk and am trying to figure out what to do with it. I am considering doing the desk in ‘typewriter’ paint that you make, but I might just leave it as is as I also like the wood tone. I wish I was good with a program to switch it with a photo superimposing the color…anyway, love the blog, and I am going to be looking over your work with your paint to get ideas…:)
Oh, wow! My head spins just from reading this. 🙂
You are one busy bee, Marian.
Oh, and I like that boxwood wreath in the window, and crayons in the antique bowl, and the chess pieces in cups… It’s the little things that matter.
It makes me happy reading your blog – I laugh at your insights and spontaneous way of living your life with your family and home. Thanks for the many inspirations, tapping me in to products on the market, and making my life more fun too!
I so enjoy your blog and look forward to see what’s been on your “plate” each day. I too enjoy rearranging rooms and going down to the basement to see what I’ve forgotten about and how I can reuse it in a different room. My husband tells me to take a bag and “shop”in the lower level….you liked it once and this time you won’t have to pay for it! It would be nice to see your house layout so we could imagine these rooms and how they flow together!!
I think your ideas are all falling into place and the buffalo check is perfect for the sofa. Can’t wait to see it all come together.
Lee 🙂
lol…”my dad ate one the other day and is still alive”… so funny
I love love love you style, your such an inspiration. I followed your slip cover instruction video and I’m very proud of how it turned out, thank you 🙂
I´ve had such a great time following you, redecoration your room! Your blue rug is so right in the kitchen and when I saw your game-table I got ideas for a table like that in my attic. It comes from Mam and I´m Always been afraid to touch it(=paint it) thinking of her reaction. But leaving the surface unpainted(mahogany) could work……..
I also just adooore your mini buffet!
As always, it’s another work of art!! I could use some “encouragement” for my house. Thanks for what you do.
Wishing you and your family a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.
Whew…..yes….if you give Marian a morning. But WOW…looks what happens when you give her a day! Blessing to you
The white tile in your kitchen compliments the counters and I think it looks absolutely wonderful. You have really nice style. So far so good.
Your house is absolutely stunning. Please keep doing what you do- you’re amazing at it.
So funny….I’ve been reading those books to my grandson and the whole time I am thinking about how piddling can get me into trouble….one thing leading to another…but so fun! i wonder sometimes how the wash gets done. 😉
I forgot to mention that I love the mini-buffet in front of the window!
I love rearranging rooms. It gives the house a fresh, new feel. Very soon my partner and I are moving south to a new state and a new rental property. I have made the decision that I am going to try to place as many pieces of furniture in a different room from where they were in the last house. It will be fn for the removal it’s when I keep saying that I don’t yet know what room I want something in!
That’s one of my favorite children’s books! I do things kind of the same way.
I like the idea of a bowl with crayons as a centerpiece. I’m not sure why, since I don’t have any children, but it seems like fun. I think I’d put a stack of drawing notebooks. I bet even adults would play if you did that.