I’ve still been busily working on my house. It’s been so therapeutic for me. I’m even getting on top of the laundry and keeping my counters cleaned. I’ve been specifically working on my office (again, I know) and my bedroom. I’ve reorganized my office a lot and I have gotten rid of a lot of stuff, but I was still trying to fit 10 lbs of flour into a 5 lb sack. I needed to get rid of a lot more. So, I was ruthless and got rid of things I might need to use, but probably never would and things that were really nice, but I didn’t need. I passed the entire lot along to a fellow blogger for $20. I see it as a way to get rid of things and also to pass something along to someone else who can use it.
So, here’s how things are shaping up…
The banner is canvas painted in my Milk Paint colors. I have more pennants and I just need to make one more banner. I found the large frame at a barn sale and plan to paint it and make a chalkboard insert for it.
I’ve had this chair for months, but I think I’m finally going to take the time to slipcover it.
The gold isn’t bad and actually works with my Dash & Albert rug, but it’s a little tired and stained. I have some white cotton twill just waiting for a date with me and the chair.
I brought one of my French chairs in and a drop leaf table from the basement to use as a work surface until I find something better.
My dad fixed up the tole chandelier I bought from Kristen when I was in Raleigh. $55, ladies. I actually said, “Oh, give me that!” when I saw the price.
It needed to be rewired and a few parts needed to be replaced, so I gave it to my dad and he tinkered around with it. He made sure I knew that he would not be a part of a chandelier refurbishing business, in case I was thinking of that. I assured him this wouldn’t be a regular thing.
Here are some shots of my organizational efforts…
There are still some piles of things, but it’s mostly stuff for HGTV.com tutorials that I need to use and clear out. I suppose there are always going to be piles of some sort, but I am trying to minimize that.
In addition to working on my house, I’m stepping things up with the Milk Paint business. The workshops have been very successful and I’d like to start working on more education, more support for my customers and retailers and more products. I’ve had conversations over the past couple of weeks about brushes, stencils, how-to booklets and more. It’s exciting.
I am working on four new colors for the line, which involves a lot of measuring, stirring and high-tech tools like paper plates.
Lastly, here’s a look at the fabric I just ordered for my bedroom. I love it! It reminds me so much of a fabric that would be on a feather duvet in a German Gasthaus. I put together the look in Photoshop, so I could see how they worked together…
I can’t wait to start working with it. This does mean, though, that I will most likely be returning the rug to HomeGoods and I’ll look for another. I love that rug, but it’s been hard to work around and I know I want the room to be blue and white. I’m afraid the greens and rusts in the rug will overwhelm that. Hopefully I can find another one that’s a bit quieter.
Oh! And I did get permission to take down the bedroom ceiling fan!! Can I get an AMEN from all of the ladies who have fought the ceiling fan battle? We will have a standing fan in the room, but I can get my chandelier. Victory!
It occurred to me yesterday that I didn’t share my goals and plans for 2013, so I will do that this week. It’s already looking like an exciting year…
I love your rug!
Oh Marian, I am in love with that chandie! So pretty. Your office is going to be gorgeous. I kinda like the chair in gold! I am sure, though, it will look beautiful in white too!
We’re in the process (the very beginning) of building a garage with my very own studio above it. I can’t wait!! We’re about a year away from that step but I have been pinning ideas like a mad woman 🙂
The bed and fabric are gorgeous. Congratulations on the chandelier. Cant wait to see the makeover.
It sounds as though you have many fun things coming up on the horizon. (And I love the happy rug in your office! So colorful.)
Recently, I was driving by my one of maybe 3 unique places to shop here in little Spokane, WA, and I saw on their marquee that your milk paint is in stock. It’s a nursery called Mel’s and it’s an awesome place! Honestly I don’t go there for the nursery part. I love plants, but don’t have the energy for them. 😉 I go for the interior stuff and their displays. They are so awesome and inspiring…makes me go home and rework my own house! I think you’d love their stuff. 🙂
I have the MF pillows from Ikea too… I loved that it was my and my husbands initials 🙂
Do you think your dad would consider coming to France? I have a few chandeliers to rewire and all the electrician I contacted told me it was too much work and I’d better buy new ones… I love your frame and I’m pretty sure the whole office will be wonderful.
I’m so happy to see the chandelier landed in a good home 🙂 I’m glad that your dad was able to re-wire it too! I hauled it across the country to use in my daughter’s room only to find out it didn’t work when we went to install it. It was always one of those “I’ll get around to it” things for me, then I found another one here in Raleigh that worked, so I swapped them out.
Yay for winning the ceiling fan battle 🙂 I have a chandy in my bedroom too because I was lucky that my husband doesn’t like air blowing on him when he’s trying to sleep!
I’ll say amen!! Congratulations on the chandelier!! I’m hoping my husband will do the same! Love the office! Organizing and decluttering is the greatest feeling!
I am in love with the grey/blue/white color palette. I am getting ready to do a makeover in navy blue, grey and white. Hmmm…so many other colors could go with this combo.
I can’t wait to see your room finished.
Everything is looking so great! Your husband is so sweet for giving up the ceiling fan.
LOVE LOVE your space! I must know the brand of the wallpaper in this room, I can’t stop thinking and drooling over it! I’ve looked all over your website and can’t find if you have ever shared it before. Please share where it came from. pretty please 😉
Sure! Here’s the link… http://www.yorkwall.com/CGI-BIN/lansaweb?webapp=WPRDDET1+webrtn=LWBOE07D1+ml=LANSA:XHTML+partition=YWP+language=ENG
Thank you!!
I would keep the ceiling fan, for comfort during the summer, and put the chandelier in a different room.
Amen is right! I am still fighting the ceiling fan battle. I will use your victory as inspiration not to give up! 🙂
we don’t have a ceiling fan in our room.
if we did, my husband would NEVER let it go… we have a standing fan – and i despise that thing. the truth is that ceiling fans are much quieter than standing ones. . . and it’s the noise that makes me crazy.
Well, my husband likes the noise, so we have a small fan for noise and the ceiling fan. It’s like the room is about to take off! Now I’ll just have one fan. 🙂
Yesterday I was looking at a vase of dried lavender. I was squinting at it and wanting to put that color in my bathroom ! Then I thought, ” Who would have this color ?”. Most paint stores would think that lavender was a cutesy pastel. I want what real dried lavender looks like. Well, I guess great minds think a like ! 😉
P.S. Do you ever take out your fabrics and just play with the different combinations ? am I the only one that does that ?
~ Christie
Yeah, I knew I didn’t want a bright lavender, so I’m going with Dried Lavender for the purple in my line. I really love the color I came up with.
Yes, I do play with my fabrics. I love pulling them out, unfolding them and seeing what works. It;s like Barbies for grownups.
a note about your colors: i have seen some stunning rooms with gray and yellow, so it is no wonder that you are enjoying your beat up yellow chair. the room i am thinking of was gray and had a yellow accent of national geographic magizines lining a top shelf! amazing. also, i love your frame and i am sure you will do something wonderful with it. but consider leaving it as is with possibly some chicken wire. that way you can see the lovely wall behind it, it won’t be so heavy looking, but light and airy! i LOVE your painted bunting, chandelier and open fabric shelves. big sigh! thanks, karen
I LOVE the bedding you chose, and for a good reason…..It’s the Same as Mine!!! Love it!
Oh marian..I love the yellow/ gold chair..but i know you know what you are doing. I also lovvve the chandelier…and the blue fabric….and …and…
I love using paper plates for paint projects. I am also a big fan of plastic cups for when I am doing smaller projects but using a big gallon of paint.
I’m really happy with the direction your new colors are going..will you have any “sea glass” colors..i know those are getting kinda kitchy now..but the right tones are beautiful..PS…looking forward to seeing your space transformed with color and fabric.!!
I lost the fight with the bedroom fan, boo hoo. Our master bedroom will be soft blue, cream white, dark brown furniture with chartreuse velvet wing chairs by the fireplace!! I can’t wait for this to be finished. I hope it’s as striking as I envision!! Your room looks like a winner, of course.
Ay-men! (But I will tell you that once “the change” rears its ugly head, you will want that ceiling fan back up. And covers off. And the window open. In February.) On another note, it’s so great to have a dad who can do stuff like that. My dad helped up with our first two houses, rewiring and installing stuff and whatnot. I am so lucky that my husband absorbed all my dad taught him, now that dad’s not here..
Love that fabric! Your room is going to be fabulous! Yea for the chandelier!
did i say i love reading your blog! seeing the pics too. love your creativity. can you do a post on making a chalkboard for the new frame? unless you have done one in the past and i missed it? thx!
I made a complete tutorial for HGTV.com. Here’s the link… http://www.hgtv.com/handmade/how-to-make-an-ornate-framed-chalkboard/index.html
I love the red for a new paint color. The new fabric for the bedroom looks like a document print, but isn’t Suits you! I think the education part of the paint business is the way to go. You will gain a really core group of customers, not just those who want to try it once or twice. Ann
Oh I love it all!! Your room is going to be awesome!! I also love the old wooden shoe rack!! I am looking for one!!
Sorting through things is hard work! I just did that in my creative space too!So hard when you selling things and also need room to work!
If you find a nice looking standing fan please share.We have one of those plastic ones I pull out at night during the summer months.It gets hot at night and we do not have ceiling fans which is a good thing.But the plastic fan is a pan to pull in and out of my closet every night.I would love to have a pretty free standing one that will not break the bank!
xx
Anne
Lovely Marian – just lovely! So fun to see you working on your house. I’ve done a little fluffing and have been really noticing all the projects that need done! Time to get at it!
Love the rug and love all the colors in the room! So warm yet so vibrant. You have such a way of pulling together the look and the feel!!
If you get a chance, I’d love for you to come check out my latest blog entry…I’m giving away an ADORABLE Scentsy warmer:)
Lovely, lovely! You’ve done a great job and it’s looking perfect. Glad you’re getting the chandelier, but as Kirby said, when menopause hits, you may want to change it out. LOL Been there, done that. I keep my room pretty neutral and change out my bedding with five duvets, pillows and two bedskirts. I can’t resist Pottery Barn bedding and it is so fun. Gives me a fun change for each season and Christmas too. I used to have a chandelier very similar to that in all white. Of course, I finally tossed it a few years ago and am so sorry for doing that. Anxious to see your next step.
Well, I’ll get to enjoy it for about 15-20 years, anyway, and then I can get a fan when I go through the change. 🙂 You ladies crack me up!
YAY, you’re going to be able to get rid of the ceiling fan!? I haven’t even tried that one with Ted because i’m pretty sure he’ll think i’m out of my mind. We have the biggest, ugliest. leviathan ceiling fan in our bedroom… I’d love to see it go…
I was at a little shop the other day that carried your milk paint, and i actually saw luckett’s green in person, and it’s a WONDERFUL green. You are really good with color! Not as easy as some people might think getting that ‘just right’ color…
I’m excited about seeing your bedroom come together, i know it’s going to be awesome, and I’m glad to hear you’re having some fun playing in your own house too…
Cindy
They need to save millions of marriages and just invent a fandolier! It could have retractable fan blades.
A fandolier. You could be a millionaire with that one! Funny stuff.
Ah, do you mean you have been trying to put 10 lbs of flour into a 5 lb bag? No trick in putting that 5 lbs into a 10 pounder bag.
Good for you doing a big clean out. Makes life easier.
LOL…yeah, I fixed that. Thanks. 🙂
Love all your choices in home office and bedroom..the blue/white is a beautiful combo cant wait to see the finished product..your comment about the ceiling made me smile, that would be a huge victory in this house too, I haven’t won that one yet.
I was there when you snatched up the chandelier from Kristen. I so wish I could have a chandie in my bedroom, but I need to feel air moving, even in the dead of winter. It’s only going to get worse in a few years when menopause kicks in. Darn it! Now, if the could just come up with a magical chandelier that morphs into a ceiling fan at bedtime…………..
Love that yellow gold chair. Looks so comfy. Just wish I had the patience to upholster or slipcover. My sewing projects need to take a day or less or they end up in the trash. It’s my crafting ADD.
Jenny
Entry two visited “pick steals” and chose the alarm clock because I love the rusty chippy finish
That fabric is absolutely fabulous – I love it! The office looks to be coming along nicely as well. That gold chair looks pretty comfy, and I’m sure you’ll work a minor miracle with fabric for that one as well.
Wow oh wow those rooms are going to be awesome! I am getting a lot of ideas from you. 😉
Guess what! Last October my hubbie got laid off after 36 years working at the same company and after the initial shock… we are loving it! And….we are finally getting to that basement reno. Whoo hoo. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas that you have put in my head that I can now put into place “down there”. I too will have awesomeness, finally! I’m looking forward to a sewing room, crafts/workshop area, library/office area and maybe a pretty laundry room to boot.
And… thanks to your courage getting rid of all that “useful” stuff, I too am getting rid of a lot of the same. You are truly an inspiration.
Oh my gosh Marian! You certainly have the wind beneath your wings! I love “watching” your soar!
May your new week be truly extraordinary!
love all your choices so far! it’s going to be one gorgeous room!
I’d be forever grateful for a tutorial on how to convince my husband to get rid of the fan!! So fun watching your bedroom come together, that print will be stunning!
Great post….saw your living room on Houzz today under the topic of Cozy rooms….I LOVE that term…we have a HUGE house and my most favorite thing someone can say about it is that it feels so ~cozy~
So much great stuff going on! I will definitely give you an AMEN for the ceiling fan to chandy victory! 😉
Love the fabric for your bed. I’ve been sleeping under two quilts that my grandmother made decades ago. They are faded and some of the fabric is so worn that the batting is coming through, but I honestly sleep so much better when I am surrounded by things that comfort me. (If anyone knows how I can restore and preserve the quilts, I would be much obliged.)
I finally gave in to the fact that I will always have a pile of projects that I’m working on. I’ve found baskets that are just the right size for each project and I can pull one out when I am at a standstill on another project. The baskets have really helped me organize my space and they have made me more efficient. Everything to complete the project is in the basket. Maybe a system like that would work for your “piles.”
I will miss your space at Luckett’s but I am so glad that you are re-engaging with your blog. I’m enjoying your new commitment to it.
Hi Marion-I just love reading your blog. I really like the bed you are getting, your room is going to look gorgeous. I have the ceiling fan problem, but, my husband is the one who doesn’t like the fan. I am menopausal and I have to have a fan. So, I bought a ceiling hugging white fan, so it doesn’t stand out and I got a tall birdcage holder and hung my chandlier from it. It looks really pretty and I can move it around if I want. Blessings Paula
I used that blue and white fabric for a family room redesign for a client. I love that fabric and your bedroom will be beautiful!
Ditto all the enthusiasm for sneak peeks of changes in your office and bedroom. (Love that bed!) I just dropped in to offer some encouragement re: menopause. I’m one of many women I know who skipped through it with some crabbiness (my family can attest) but virtually no hot flashes or night sweats. So your chandy may not be in danger even decades down the pike, Marian. 😀
I can’t wait to see what you did to the office, that’s a room I’m working on now!
Wow! You’ve been one busy lady! Love all the office organization and that fabric for your bedroom is glorious. So excited to see some more milk paint colors!!! Oh, I’d agree with you with the ceiling fan – I don’t much love them in bedrooms. We have a standing fan for the summer and it works just fine.
Can’t wait to see your bedroom when it’s complete! I love the fabric you’ve selected. Interested to see what you do with the chair…would love to see another slip cover tutorial this year:) Or a fun pillow tutorial:)
I am new to your blog, so I had to get your book and read it over the weekend. I must say it’s the first decorating book I have actually read from cover to cover. ( instead of just looking at pictures) Really enjoyed it and found it down to earth and inspiring. Which I really appreciate. Keep it up, I am enjoying this little lift to my spirits of your daily blog. Thanks so much!
Hi! I’ve enjoyed your blog for quite awhile, thanks for all you share of your home and ideas! I would love to know about the blue fabric you chose and where to get it. Truly beautiful. Thanks, ej
Oh, I love how your house is coming together. Your gorgeous organizational efforts make me want to go do some organizing right now! I can’t wait to see your bedroom. Can you believe I actually contributed to the purchase of our bedroom ceiling fan? Yes, I know… I can’t either… I blame it on the fact that I was 8 months pregnant at the time and it was a hot June! 🙂
It looks amazing–and I absolutely can’t wait to see what the new year holds for you (and us all!)
xoxo,
shaunna
Marion,
I have to say, I just read your entire book today….cover to cover….and absolutely LOVED it! I feel like I know you now! I’ve read your blog for years, but your book really tied everything together for me. What was so different about your book vs. decor magazines and other decorating books, is when I finished it, I didn’t leave it feeling like my house was “less than” or discouraged because it wasn’t magazine worthy (like I normally do with other books). In fact…it was the opposite….I feel totally encouraged and “inspired” and ready to tackle some projects to really make my home feel more like the way the story I want it to tell. I know I can do this in small steps that aren’t overwhelming, and in small ways so that I don’t break the bank. We currently live in a rental house and I often feel like I can’t truly make it a home until we live in our own home….but your book reminded me that it just isn’t so. God has us here right now for a reason…and He can use me and my talents to create a home that is inviting and beautiful….while at the same time focusing on what’s really important. Your book was a wonderful balance of reminding readers that while stuff is just “stuff”….it can be used for a much more worthy purpose….the strengthening of family, friends and your faith.
Hugs!!!
Gail
I am a huge fan and have a crazy question. The picture you took of your office of the items in a corner that you need for your future HGTV tutorials I see some small preserved boxwood wreaths. Could you tell me where you got those? I bought one at a boutique last year but have been looking for more ever since. I have only found cheap looking fake ones that I don’t like, and I am desperate for more of the nice ones like you have shown there with the ribbon. Do you remember where you got those?
Thanks!
Hi Marian,
I agree with Hillary :). Thanks for always allowing us to live through you, sorta :)!! I can’t wait for your daily blog everyday. I feel like we’re related somehow.
Anyway, when I took down my Christmas wreath this year (we moved to our new house in October) our front door seemed so sad and empty. I’ve been looking for a really nice boxwood wreath that I could adorn with a little bit of ribbon and maybe some rusty cutouts of some kind. I have a rusty bell at the entry so thought it would tie in nicely.
Thanks again chick!
Debbie
I hope you’re going to wait before deciding on the rug.
Sometimes things look so different when they’re actually in place and the bits of green and rust might add another layer that would be missing in with just blue and white. The floors look great…what a lovely surprise. I did that for my BF last year, only I had to refinish them.
I will never win the ceiling fan battle. 🙁
I’ve been looking at your website for hours! I saw pictures of a chandelier and thought my husband would not want me to take down the ceiling fan. And then I read your blog! I’m going to show him what you said, and maybe that will convince him to let me do it! Now I just have to find a great looking standing fan.