Every March, and particularly THIS March, with it's frigid grip and snow-frosted lawns, I want to go on permanent retreat at the Assisi Heights convent, which rises like a medieval haven on the Rochester skyline. Seriously, let's scrap homeschooling, menu planning, treadmills, and all housewifely duties, and run to the cloister of sweet nuns on the hill!
Spring fever, my husband diagnoses. My next best therapeutic solution: redecorating.
"Honey, may I redecorate the den?"
"Will it help you survive?" asks dear husband.
"Absolutely."
"What will it cost?"
"Paint and curtains is all I need (and a few decorative doodads, but I'll try to shop from other rooms and not go crazy.)
The rules I try to follow for home decorating:
1. Define your style with words. My words include warm, cozy, whimsical, vintage, classic, purposeful, meaningful.
2. Know what style you are not. These words include sleek, modern, sparse, trendy, expensive, matching, formal, proper.
3. If you don't love it, get rid of it.
4. Repurpose unusual items whenever you can.
5. Shop first at Goodwill, garage sales, and consignment.
6. Never pay full price at Hobby Lobby. If it's not on sale, I make my girls go through the line and ask for the 40% discount on one item. You just have to ask.
Breakdown for den redo:
Paint from Home Depot
Curtains and candle from Hobby Lobby
Curtain rod from Target
Starburst mirror from Target
Overhead light from Lampplus.com (we both have never liked the light quality from our current ceiling light. I'm excited to get the new light up when it arrives.)
Lamp from Target (I tried a $4 one from Good Will, but it was broken. I tried, though.)
Ceramic owls and little shelf from Good Will
Side table, cigar boxes, and other tchotchkes from around the house FREE
Here is the reveal:
My daughter scraped off a Wall Words saying, but left the word "fail." It used to read "Where words fail, music speaks." She thought this was funny. Anyway, here are the colors I painted the den when we built the house in 2004. They were very denly. Rusty red and goldy suede.
New colors: Perfect taupe and Antique leather. I love the contrast with the oak woodwork. I have written so many songs in this room, on this keyboard. Someday, I'll have me a baby grand in here!
This was my inspiration piece. I love everything about it...the colors, the whimsy, the owl. I printed it off the internet onto cardstock (my apologies to the artist.) If I could find it, I would buy it. I reused the frame. I have several of these mat-less frames from Target. The background color becomes the mat. Cool.
More owls and a rustic table I borrowed from another room and painted orange. I like the owls next to my Bible and journal. God's Word is where I go for wisdom and my journal for reflection.
My reading nook. I already had the lamp, chair, blanket, and footstool. I have my quiet times here, with a nice view of the blasted snow. But soon, I'll be viewing perennials and blossoming trees and lilacs! Hallelujah!
My hubby made this ukulele out of a cigar box. He bought a bunch of cigar boxes in the process, so I got them out of the garage and put them to use. No cigars were smoked in this process, although I once tried one in college.
My ugly ceramic owls from Goodwill. I painted them orange and wah-lah!
This was a gift from my dad. He hand painted the frame. I love it!
This is the view from the entry way of our house. It makes me happy :) You would cringe if I opened that closet door. It is a mess of music, art supplies, and office supplies. A task for another day.
We built the house in the craftsman style, and though sometimes I dream of a beachy, cottage-y, shabby chic style, I enjoy working with this style, too. I don't know if my husband could live with white slip covers and conch shells, anyway. Plus, they might seem a bit out of place in Minnesota. I'll leave them in my dream home on the beach....
So I'm curious, how do YOU counteract SPRING FEVER?
