Living Room Tour

I am trying to get through a list of my blog goals one step at a time.  

Finishing my Home tour (before a possible move) is one of them.  So I can remember how everything looked, and so y'all can see how different our two families styles are and how we attempt to blend them.  

Here is our formal living room.  In "Chicago" (I actually live in the burbs)  we would call it a fronchroom.  We have a tendency to run all our words together.  So, front room becomes...fronchroom.  :)

All of the furnishings are my Mothers in the upper part of the house.

The accessories on the shelves are a collaborative effort.  Most items are from Kirkland's or Hobby Lobby.

I just realized that this picture has the holes that need stitched showing on the pillow.  Oops.

The sofa is an antique that my Mother found on Craigslist, and had re-upholstered in this lovely silky fabric.  Each cushion has springs.  They are VERY heavy and super comfortable.  It has been over 12 yrs since it was upholstered and looks brand new!  That's because...... if someone brings food or drink over there, you might loose a limb!!  I think if we end up moving we will  eventually go with a more neutral fabric so it's more versatile.  That being said....I still love it!

I would love to have beautiful pillows all over the sofa and chairs, but our puppies like to chew on, and sleep on them!!  The red and brown pillows came from Pier1. They were beaded and gorgeous when we bought them.  One of the puppies thought they were for their entertainment, and I was forever picking up beads off the floor!  Eventually I cut them all off.  Oh well.....

Chairs were from the Bombay Company.  My Mother's most favorite store.  Now out of business.. :(  If you look through the railing you can see all the junk the kids leave in the foyer. 

The greatest find ever.  The pillar holders were found at Goodwill.  A little Tarn-x and they look brand new!

My Mother made the ottoman.  I love the idea  of the ottoman instead of a coffee table, but have always felt it was missing something.....  I think it needs a skirt!!  The legs are kinda nekked.

The game table has a chess board on one side and a leather inset on the top.  Inside is a backgammon board.  Both the game table and the parsons chair also came from the Bombay Company.

 An Old Partylite ring and candle holders pulled out of storage for spring!  As a general rule, pink and purple are not my favorite colors.  But I desperately needed some SPRING colors!

Our dinning room and "fronchroom" are L shaped  here is the adjoining dinning area.

The dinning room table seats 10.  My Parents bought it 27 yrs ago at a place called "bare furniture"  My Father, a painter by trade stained and varnished the table himself.  Still lookin' good!  I would love to make slip covers for the chairs though.  The "country" vibe has long left their home.

I know ceiling fans aren't very stylish....but it can get really HOT upstairs.  My Mother would MELT without them.  :)

I try to  let you see the "real" me!  :)  I don't hide extension cords, phones, stacks of books in corners, sometimes not even dirt or dust. LOL 

We have three kids (two of which are teenage boys) and four dogs! I don't have a house keeper, and most of the cleaning, laundry, cooking, decorating, I do myself.  I don't have time to stage things perfectly.  As much as I love magazines like Ballard Designs and Pottery Barn....I don't live in a magazine.

Some day I am sure my house will be closer to showroom beautiful......but for now, you get to see "us" in all our messy glory! 

Blessings <3 Paula